"The futures in the air" - The butterfly effect of trying

When things get on top of you, it can be quite easy to forget that small changes can have a big impact.  It sometimes takes just one thing, to make you realise that doing something, is always better than doing nothing.

On Thursday this week, I made the decision to go and see a showing of Power Station, that was being held at Greenwich Picturehouse:  A documentary made by Dan Edelstyn and Hilary Powell (If you haven't seen their other documentaries, their first piece called How to Re-establish a Vodka Empire is currently available on Netflix and their second piece, The Bank Job, can be accessed if you sign up here ... both worth a watch!)

I have known about this couple for awhile, after hearing about The Bank Job when it first came out and was so impressed with what they achieved in the film:  From fledgling ideas of creating their own monetary system, to working out how to achieve that, putting it into action and doing it for a good cause.  

I love documentaries, but the thing I liked about this particular piece was being able to see the real process of doing such a big venture, including the ups and the downs:  It was so honest and raw and you don't get that with the high end pieces, which sometimes feel too polished and edited.

I was very excited to see this, as I had been following information about it for sometime and it had been ages since I had seen the last one, so I was as intrigued about the project itself, as I was about how they had developed as a creative and filmmaking duo.  I can tell you, I wasn't disappointed.

Power Station follows the idea of setting up a community based Power Station, that allows a collective of individuals to have control over their own power source, which they generate through solar panels.  The conversation comes from most of us having to rely on fossil fuels and expendable energies, which are controlled by large corporations, who charge us lots of money for the privilege and leave us floundering by ever increasing costs.  Solar panels obviously aren't a new invention, but the idea of working together to buy solar panels for a street or an area, is definitely an edited take.

One of the things I liked near the start of the film, was Hilary's sketches and ideas on paper:  As someone who is a very visual person, I was really impressed at the detail of these and the fact that getting those thoughts down on a page, allows you to properly understand the first steps you need to take to move forward.

The idea of what they were trying to create was a mammoth task, one that even thinking about hurts my head and yet, by working together and making use of their very different skillsets, they formulated the start of their journey.

I don't want to tell you too much about the piece (as if you are interested, please do sign up and try and see this piece at a screening whilst it is on) but it was so fascinating to see the route this venture took and other parts that got added to this initial singular idea.  

By the end, I felt re-charged, in a way I haven't felt at all recently.  I am a super creative person, who has done all kinds of jobs and volunteering, but between the state of the world and having trouble getting a job, I have felt very deflated:  I have a whole range of useful skills but due to struggling with my mental health, I just haven't had the energy to use these in the most productive way.  But watching this film, made me remember that if you don't try to do something, then you won't achieve anything.

Two people from one house had an idea that they wanted to action and from that one moment, everything changed.  By giving themself the chance to make a difference for them and their community, they opened the door to possibility and that in itself is beautiful.

After watching the documentary, we were lucky enough to be at a showing that had a Q&A after, which was hosted by Charity Wakefield and Philippa Harrison and included the filmmaker Dan Edelstyn, Rachel Kernel from Repowering London and Giovanna Speciale from South East London Community Energy  Whilst this session was getting going, a guy decided to shout out a question, cut in when he didn't like the answer and then shouted that this kind of thing doesn't have that much of an impact, with everything that's going on in the world.  

The panel dealt with this very well and the man was escorted out after continuing to aggravate the auditorium.  The man was clearly angry about how things are externally (like many of us), but I completely disagree with his opinions regarding this piece.  Like what was said on the night, you can sit there and shout / complain about what others are doing wrong, but what are you doing?  Change unfortunately is often gradual, whether we like it or not.  We can wait for governments to change or opinions to evolve, but sometimes you just have to do something now.  And that made me think, what am I doing now?  I am not not doing anything, but I sometimes I forget that even things which may seem small or insignificant, may make a difference:  From helping other people directly to inspiring others through things you do, there is always some way that you can make an impression.

This documentary wasn't just a good watch, it was a wake up call that you have power within you to act and you can start today.  And you know what, that is good enough for me!

The quote in the title is taken from the song Wind of Change by Scorpions.  If you haven't heard it before, enjoy and remember change can still be made as I still believe "the futures in the air".