“WE LOVE MAKING MOVIES!”

Hype mantras for the people

Sometimes I come across a galvanizing group ritual that is so joyous and kooky that I want to try it immediately. Here’s one:

Austin Butler says Quentin Tarantino has an interesting on-set ritual for his cast and crew. When he wants to shoot a scene again, the filmmaker says, “We’re going to do one more. You know why?” In response, everyone screams, “Because we love making movies!”

You can watch what it looks like in motion here.

I think of this ritual so often because every community I’ve belonged to is borne out of love. Love for DIY music, for artists, libraries, for bikes, for our neighbors and neighborhoods and parks. 

But love alone can’t stop the drudgery of community meetings! Or being hurt by something that sounded passive aggressive! Or exhaustion or burn out. Especially not those! In those moments, I often think “Why am I here again? Why am I choosing to be in a space that makes me feel this way?”

That’s when I want to remember love.

Of course, there’s a line. Some spaces are genuinely harmful, de-energizing, or just not great at moving towards any particular vision and thus makes any love of any thing kinda useless there. 

But then there’s the spaces where the drudgery or hard work is part of the bigger, more magical experience of being in community working with others towards a collective vision, and in that time, it helps to remember why we’re all there.

BECAUSE WE LOVE OUR PLANET! BECAUSE WE LOVE AMATEUR BOWLING! BECAUSE WE LOVE SCHOOLS! BECAUSE WE LOVE EDIBLE PLANTS!

What if this was painted on a sign in a shared space? Or a collective shout or song to end group gatherings (even better if it’s a low vibe meeting that makes you feel like a corn husk)? Or a token given to everyone in a community to keep in their wallet, hang above their desk, whenever they need reminding? 

What would your hype mantra be? When do you find you need it most?

P.S. Share this with someone who reminds you why you love being in community together ✨ it’ll probably make their day