Cult Corner: Small town, big potential

“Quentin Tarantino is the greatest director ever, right?”

This question was posed to me by an adolescent film fan more than a decade ago. That film fan, soon to be a University of Idaho graduate, is now a filmmaker himself: Marcellyn Fisher, of Lewiston, has several short films under his belt, including his senior capstone film, “Tortoise and Hare,” which was accepted to several film festivals in the Northwest.

“Any plans for next year?” I asked him toward the end of a recent conversation. Fisher told me he was contemplating moving to one of the larger cities in the Pacific Northwest, but he’s strongly considering staying in Moscow. My response? Stay in Moscow.

Most aspiring creative professionals think about a move to an industry epicenter at some point. Once there, though, they’re usually the tiniest fish in the largest, most expensive, most competitive pond. Many a dream has been crushed not by the harshness of the entertainment business, but by the need to pay bills in a big city.

Perhaps it’s best to move to one of those cities to become famous and garner opportunities, but if what you truly want is to ply your craft, a smaller town can be the better option, with lower cost of living; a smaller, more tightly knit community of potential supporters and collaborators; and easy access to necessary materials.

If you’re looking to break into a creative field and compete with the best in the world, then put in time where you can do your work at low cost and low risk. Once you’ve got some reps under your belt, then it’s time to consider wading into deeper waters. Or maybe you won’t want to. Not everyone needs bright lights and their name on a marquee to be satisfied.

In my conversation with Fisher, we touched on his favorite filmmakers now. At the top  of his list is director David Lynch, best known for his darkly surreal depictions of small town America in “Blue Velvet” and “Twin Peaks.” Upon his death in January, a Lynch quote about creativity made the rounds on social media: “Keep your eye on the doughnut, not the hole.”

Lynch was explaining that any creative person should focus on the work, the act of making the thing they wanted, and derive joy from that. The “hole” in this analogy is anything that can distract from the work itself: praise, money, fame, status.

If the resources present themselves, there’s no reason that Fisher, or anyone else, shouldn’t pursue creative vision wherever they can. In the nascent stages, though, it’s easy to get distracted by the “hole” Lynch describes, all while getting mired in the practicalities of moving, resettling and finding a new creative rhythm.

There’s nothing quite like the freedom of a place you know well, where you have a support system, connections and a natural flow to your creativity. For aspiring creatives, the doughnut might just be at home.

Thompson, VHS.D, holds a doctorate of cult media in pop culture from University of Maine at Castle Rock. He is the founder and owner of The Swap, a pop culture collectibles show taking place this weekend in Clarkston. Find him on Instagram as @professorvhs and more of his work at professorvhs.substack.com.