Thick Skin

​I wanted to thank the alt right trolls who lambasted my web-series I'm Your Mum because I stood up against hatred and bigotry in my words and films. They mainly came from Ashe County and Pitt County North Carolina. A few where fellow filmmakers who until now I regarded as my friends. No more.

The majority came from my Facebook Page called Sins of Ashe County. I made some anti Trump posts and their right wing wackos and redneck Nazi's came after me for it. I want to thank them for making me more determined than ever to make a comeback. I don't back down full stop. I have a thick skin. You have to have that if you want to survive in acting/film-making. My determination will not be stifled. It's my jet fuel to rocket forward. 

Let me be clear. I support the rights of all marginalized groups and people. They should be given equal protection under the law. I do not support the President and his policies against such people and groups. As an artist filmmaker I have a right to speak out and write about such things in my films.

At my age you learn a lot about people's behavior and you wonder what their motivation is. But who cares. Most critics are wimps who live in their mother's basement and have no friends. If I could leave indie filmmakers with one thought it would this. Take the hate you get from them and find some truth in what was said...if any. Are there things that you could change? For me it was my British accent.

In my case one critics was a washed up actor who made slasher porn movies from the 1980's and he's a has been.  So that made me feel better about my work. I didn't feel so bad. 

Have a thick skin and if after doing some soul searching you can think of any way you can make your project better, then do it. It's kind of like drinking a soda. After the vitriol from your critics subsides (like soda fizz) then regroup, refocus and renew your commitment to putting out good content for people to enjoy. Another way to handle it is to tell them where to go and leave it be. 

Síle