Monologues: Here's to The Fools Who Dream
We all have dreams, visions and goals for our lives and they're a truly beautiful thing to have. However the real power and potential of dreams belongs to those that are daring and brave enough to take them out of the fantastical dream space and down into the real world where the dreams are no longer safe. In order for these dreams to survive the harsh realities of the world we live in, dreams have to be nurtured, protected and fought for. Doing all this isn't an easy task of course, otherwise we'd all be living out our dreams.
If you've ever chased a dream, you'll know it can be all-consuming. When it takes the top slot as your number one priority it means other things can slide down the scale and in a way be sacrificed. This shift often happens without you even realising it. You're so busy trying to stay focused, motivated, and get on with making shit happen that the things you love, whether that's activities, hobbies and even the people around you can be affected.
La La Land, the winner of 6 Academy Awards and 7 Golden Globes is a film that explores that deep human truth of needing to chase dreams. It's a modern-day drama set in Los Angeles, and tells the heartfelt story of how two young talented Angelinos, Sia (Emma Stone) a wannabe actress and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) a purist jazz pianist, fall for each other as they're searching for their big break in infamous Hollywood. It's the inspiring story of the battle between ambition and love, the sacrifices that come with trying to make it in Hollywood and the notion of what could have been when you venture down one road and not another.
I partnered up with fellow dreamer & fashion blogger Holly Estelle, to re-create a couple of our favourite scenes from La La Land. Instead of the concrete jungle that is Los Angeles, we've used our stunning home Auckland city as the backdrop and we've been inspired by the style and fashion from the film as much as the life themes. Like Holly, I'm chasing down that dream I've had for quite a few years; to have a voice in men's fashion and create some purposeful content all aimed to help guys understand what fashion can really do for them and their confidence. I had this dream and I wanted to give it a shot. I wanted to make something of it so it wasn't just a merely a dream I'd forever wonder if I should go after.
But dreams aren't free. They can come at a cost; personal, monetary or otherwise. I'm a big believer there's got to be some sacrifices to understand the true value in what you're doing. But we must take care to remember what the toll or consequence might be on the people around us - namely the people you love. It's a balancing act of investing in not only your dream but also the dreams of the people you care for. You've got to develop mechanisms to ensure you spend quality time together, to grow what you have together.
I didn't realise that while pursuing my dream, the needs and desires of my relationship had slipped off my radar. Because I was so focused on working on my blog and growing it, I hadn't been putting in the necessary time, focus and energy that's required to nuture my beautiful relationship.
Be the fool who dreams. Just don't forget what you have already too. Cherish that and make sure you love it as equally as the dream you're after and you'll be in a better position to make that dream no longer something that happens when you're just asleep, but rather it can become the soundtrack to your life.
Hit up SBO online or book La La Land via txt, or sign up to SKY TV and enjoy the dancing, drama, singing and story of two lovebirds reaching for the stars. Who knows the film may just inspire you to finally chase down that dream you’ve always had.
jb
This post was made in collaboration with SKY Box Office to promote the new release film La La Land. All words, opinions and creative direction are all my own.
Photography and amazing post-production work by extraordinaire Sophie Miya-Smith & shout out to her production assistant Gabe who helped keep the tourists at bay while shooting these scenes up Mt Eden in Auckland (they obviously thought Holly & I were famous 😅).