American Dreams ...and Filmmaking?

With every film project that I consider, every script I write, I find myself contiplating the universal question: "why?".  Why should I make this into a film?  Why should I even write the script?  Am I willing to spend a year, two years, three years or more to make this a reality?  If this was my last film to ever make, would it be worth it?

Paranormal Activity is gaining attention in theaters across the country and presently has made about 7.2 million in ticket sales and now is being screened at 160 movie theaters.  I applaud their sucess but also find myself wondering... is that it?  Don't get me wrong, I think gaining this much attention for a film is awesome.  But besides watching the film, possibly scaring the crap out of yourself, and going home to have nightmares... what else does the film do?  Will it inspire you to go out and feed the hungry?  Help the homeless?  Change the world?.. or even change yourself?

The other headline I see every night is that unemployment in the US is now at 9.5%.  With unemployment rising, homelessness and financial stress will rise.  I am not stating this to depress you, but instead to mention another project that a fellow film company is producing: 

Someplace Like America 

Basic synopsis:

Paper mill shuts down in New Hampshire and we see the aftermath and how people deal with this dramatic change in the life of the community that relied on the mill to survive.... 

I had heard about this project back in March.  I immediatly found the story interesting.  What I liked was that the company that is producing the film, Either/or Films, isn't interested in just creating stories that entertain, but that also provoke people to think and be inspired.  There's alot of hopeless in this world.  We need to talk about the things people care about like unemployment and the fear of joblessness.  We need to also inspire people to believe that things can get better. 

Check out Someplace Like America here: SLA  and become a fan on their FB fan page.  Please spread the world about this incredible story.  I believe that this could possibly be one of the most important projects of 2010...  What do you think?