I have a new rule that I'm not allowed to ask people the On The Street question until I've at least tried to think of what I would answer myself. It's only fair, right? If I expect them to answer on the spot, I should be able to do the same.
So, with that new rule in mind, I was trying to think of who I would name as my favorite director. I realized I was at a distinct disadvantage to the people that I would be talking to Saturday at the Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival. While they were all, I assumed, film buffs who watch movies knowing who was behind the camera calling the shots -- I am not. I can rarely come up with the names of actors and actresses, let alone the people behind the scenes. The best I can usually come up with is, "You know. That guy. He was in that movie. With that other guy." See where I'm going with this? While I love watching a good movie, a Hollywood buff I am not.
I decided my answer would be one of the actors turned directors, like George Clooney or Mel Gibson. Or Ben Affleck. To my husband's horror, we both really liked Gone Baby Gone. I'd also count Ron Howard among those ranks. And it was he whose name I was trying to summon from the depths of my memory Saturday when the conversation did indeed turn to the question of who my favorite director might be. But, in true Carly style. I couldn't think of his name. Luckily the woman I was talking to caught on to my game of verbal charades.
I think I should stick to just watching the movies.