Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Tip#951: Life Lessons in Your Favourite Movies, Part 4 – Learnography’s Brunchography – Freedom Writers

I recently had the honor of being the opening speaker for Learnography’s first Brunchography event hosted by CEO, Amy Coupal. It was an exciting gathering of educators from various fields networking and listening to a series of other engaging speakers. A tasty brunch was served at Toronto’s chic boutique hotel and restaurant The Beverley Hotel. I loved the eggs florentine and fresh croissants! Deeelicious!

As I mentioned in the recent tip#948 I loved the enthusiastic energy of the packed room as I launched into my presentation called “Life Lessons from the Movies”. When I asked, by a show of hands, who had seen my favourite movies Groundhog Day and Jerry Maguire most of the attendees put up their hands! I then explained how powerful these two films can be as teaching tools because these movies taught me how to manage burnout, clinical depression and maintain a positive, productive mindset over many years. Bonding over movies with the audience was so electric and enjoyable and I received some wonderful feedback.

“Emmanuel has us looking at movies through an Emotional Intelligence lens – great lessons for teens and adults.”
Terry Whitmell, Principal, Brampton Centennial Secondary School

“Emmanuel’s engaging style entertained the audience while using popular media, specifically movies, to relate to the challenges that we have all faced in our personal and professional lives.”
Stephanie Rose, Learning & Engagement Specialist

“Inspiration can come from unexpected and accessible places like the magic of film. Motivatorman reminds us that we can take control of our lives and claim the lessons we want to hear most with the ease of watching a movie.”
Juliana Trichilo Cina, Solutions Director, Learnography

“Emmanuel did a fantastic job kicking off our event. He helped connect the movies to his personal challenges and invited us to do the same. His vulnerability and honesty helped everyone relax and fully engage in our time together.”
Amy Coupal, CEO, Learnography

 Playing & working with Lego as an effective learning tool

The other speakers also brought much insight in their areas of expertise such as Learnography’s Juliana Trichilio Cina with her presentation “Does eLearning Need to Adapt”. Marguerite Mcleod-Fleming then got us all playing with Lego pieces as a unique tool for learning during her talk “Innovative & Creative Thinking”. They were followed by Gabriella Fermo with “Choosing & Using Assessment Tools”, Penny deLuna with “What no one tells you about mobile learning” and Alex Gill with “What can nonprofits learn from Google?”.

With Gabriella Fermo, Juliana Trichilo Cina and Amy Coupal

In the end what amazed me was that it felt like a full day of enjoyable learning and interaction when it was actually only noon. This is a testament to an excellent and fun event organized by Kyla Clarke and her team at Learnography! The enthusiastic energy at the event reminded me of one of my favourite movies about a real-life educator and movie hero.

Eggs Florentine. Deeelicious!

Freedom Writers (2007)

The drama film, Freedom Writers, is based on the true story of an enthusiastic teacher, Erin Gruwell (Hillary Swank), who is challenged by "at-risk" students and racial tensions in a Los Angeles high school. This highly engaging story features many riveting scenes and performances with Swank and youths played powerfully by first time actors. See: movie trailer


Gruwell is faced with seemingly impossible barriers and attitudes from the students and yet she demonstrates multiple leadership qualities such as passion, perseverance, resilience, creative thinking, having a vision and indestructible optimism. She uses highly effective learning tools that slowly reach each student and allows them to release trapped emotions. They learn how to find themselves and their dreams with the unexpected help from one another.

Inspiring Themes:
• Having a Vision
• Passion
• Courage
• Perseverance
• Resilience
• Indestructible Optimism
• Creative Thinking
• Creative Expression
• Finding Yourself
• Leadership
• Teamwork
• Supportive Relationships
• Family & Community

I highly recommend this inspiring film as a must-see movie for all educators. Gruwell is an outstanding cinematic role model of overflowing inner strength which is why I featured her as one of my top 15 inspiring women in the movies eBook (more info here). Learn more about the real-life Erin Gruwell and her continuing work: Freedom Writers Foundation

Movies can be a powerful learning and teaching tool for anyone of any age. They can provide us with movie heroes that demonstrate inner strengths, skills and talents that can mirror our own potential. Take a look at your favourite movies today with new, conscious eyes and recognize that they’ve already been teaching and empowering you to be the best you can be!

“Everything I learned I learned from the movies.” 
Audrey Hepburn

“That’s part of your problem, you haven’t seen enough movies. All of life’s riddles are answered in the movies.” 
Grand Canyon (1991)



Related Tips:
Tip#642: Life Lessons in Your Favourite Movies, Part 1 - The Croods
Tip#701: Life Lessons in Your Favourite Movies, Part 2 - About Time 
Tip#901: Life Lessons in Your Favourite Movies, Part 3 - A Home of Our Own  
Tip#951: Life Lessons in Your Favourite Movies, Part 4 – Learnography’s Brunchography – Freedom Writers  


ON SALE NOW:
Top Inspiring Women in the Movies:
15 Films for Leadership at Work & in Life
The latest eBook by Emmanuel Lopez: Click Here

LISTEN TO EMMANUEL’S CBC RADIO INTERVIEW on
MOVIE MESSAGES OF HOPE: Fresh Air Show 14 minutes

Remember How Movies Can Help You: 
A) Entertain & Escape 
B) Re-energize & Release 
C) Inspiration & Motivation 

http://bit.ly/cxjH4Zhttp://bit.ly/cj7UIphttp://www.pinterest.com/motivatorman1/http://bit.ly/9Je5dhhttp://bit.ly/djk9Yjhttp://bit.ly/bUSAy0

Emmanuel Lopez-Motivatorman
Motivational Speaker & Movie Blogger
Discover How Movies Inspire Resilience & Indestructible Optimism
See website: www.motivatorman.com

© Emmanuel Lopez 2016

Sunday, April 24, 2016

Tip#950: How Movies Inspire Creativity – Prince - Purple Rain

On April 21, 2016 I was so shocked and saddened by the unexpected passing of musical legend Prince. I loved his inventive vision and bold directions in music and fashion for over three decades. Amazingly he never seemed to age over the years! When his Purple Rain movie and album came out in 1984 it really inspired my creative, colourful art experimentation during my years at the Ontario College of Art (now OCADU).

During that time Prince’s costumes with it’s floral and paisley fashions inspired me to use similar patterns in my art collages and soon in my commercial illustration work. Prince's influence led me to a very successful 20+ years as an illustrator and owning my own business! Here's his portrait I did in art college for an illustration project to create a cover for Time magazine. Below that is an collage example of an unreleased portfolio series.


Purple Rain (1984)

The rock musical drama, Purple Rain, is about a Minneapolis musician, the Kid (Prince), on the rise with his band as he deals with a troubled home life, abusive father as well as a rival band and love interest. This film and its colourful nightclub world and outstanding musical performances launched Prince into the global spotlight and have become a big part of pop culture history. See: movie trailer

I loved every performance and choreography and all the fantastic songs in the movie like Let’s Go Crazy, Computer Blue, Darling Nikki and When Doves Cry. The movie and the soundtrack became part of a memorable summertime and it also won numerous awards including an Oscar for Best Original Song Score. I also got to see Prince's stunning live Purple Rain show and stood right in front of the stage just a few feet away from him! There was just this electricity and excitement about the songs, the film and live concert that helped me inject so much creative juice into my art at the time!


I also remember so vividly hearing When Doves Cry playing on the radio for the first time as I was driving to work as a caricature artist at Canada’s Wonderland. I was with my girlfriend and it was a breezy sunny clear summer day. We were riveted to the song which had such a unique, pounding sound. Years later I would learn that Prince had removed the bass guitar part which was very unusual for an 80’s dance song. This was just part of Prince’s inventive genius that inspired my own creative spirit for many years. I will always be grateful for his courage in following his own path and for leaving the world so many musical legacies.

Are there creative people that influenced your path or career in life? Did Prince or Purple Rain inspire you in some way over the years? Or do you have favourite movies that have inspired your creativity growing up like art, music, writing or performing? Films can be filled with exciting images, sounds, characters, music and songs. Let these cinematic elements move your heart and mind to create amazing directions in your life and work today!

Related Tips:
Tip#950: How Movies Inspire Creativity – Prince - Purple Rain
Tip#1035: How Movies Inspire Creativity, Part 2, Sing Street 
Tip#1060: How Movies Inspire Creativity, Part 3 - TIFF17 – Unicorn Store




ON SALE NOW:
Top Inspiring Women in the Movies:
15 Films for Leadership at Work & in Life
The latest eBook by Emmanuel Lopez: Click Here

LISTEN TO EMMANUEL’S CBC RADIO INTERVIEW on
MOVIE MESSAGES OF HOPE: Fresh Air Show 14 minutes

Remember How Movies Can Help You: 
A) Entertain & Escape 
B) Re-energize & Release 
C) Inspiration & Motivation 

http://bit.ly/cxjH4Zhttp://bit.ly/cj7UIphttp://www.pinterest.com/motivatorman1/http://bit.ly/9Je5dhhttp://bit.ly/djk9Yjhttp://bit.ly/bUSAy0

Emmanuel Lopez-Motivatorman
Professional Speaker & Movie Blogger
Discover How Movies Inspire Resilience & Indestructible Optimism
See website: www.motivatorman.com

© Emmanuel Lopez 2016

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Tip#949: Benefits of Box-Office Bombs, Part 3 – Gods of Egypt

“Is the glass half empty or half full?” is an expression about having a pessimistic (half empty) or optimistic (half full) point of view in a particular situation. I believe having an optimistic mindset can help anyone see hidden benefits in something that initially appears negative.

This is why activating indestructible optimism is a key factor I teach in my motivational presentations for managing difficult times and depression. It can help you recognize the positives in the negatives in front of you. It is also an attitude I highly recommend when seeing movies because even “bad” movies or films with negative reviews can have a silver lining of something meaningful or inspirational for you!

Great Article: Loving Something That Everyone Else Hates: A Handy How-To Guide

Gods of Egypt (2016)

The fantasy action film, Gods of Egypt, is set in an alternate world of ancient Egypt where the mortal hero Bek (Brenton Thwaites) teams up with the god Horus (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) against the god of darkness Set (Gerard Butler) who had stolen Egypt’s throne. With co-stars Élodie Yung, Geoffrey Rush and Courtney Eaton this is a highly entertaining adventure with amazing, creative imagery, lavish sets and costumes. See 2nd trailer that's much better than 1st: movie trailer

This film reminded me of the old stop motion/live action fantasies I loved growing up like Jason and the Argonauts (1963) and The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958). This is one of those films you need to see for yourself despite the harsh reviews. It’s a fun movie that can help you escape and enjoy another world for awhile filled with monsters, heroes, romance and adventure!


I’ll admit the first trailer was a bit baffling to what this movie was about and then scathing reviews and controversies over casting choices made me uninterested in seeing this film. But one thing changed my attitude to “half glass full” optimism when I discovered it was directed by Alex Proyas. He had directed two great movies I enjoyed which were Dark City starring Rufus Sewell and Knowing starring Nicholas Cage.

This change in attitude was similar to my experience with Cameron Crowe’s film Aloha I featured in tip#875. It was a feeling of trust I had with these directors and in the end I really enjoyed their films once I put aside any negative thoughts or preconceptions I had. And being entertained is always my number one factor for a successful film because then I feel good, energized and inspired to get back to work or whatever challenges I need to deal with in life!

So are you a glass half empty or half full kind of person? Do you let negative comments about movies sway your opinion or do you take leadership in your life and experience them for yourself? Activate your indestructible optimism today and you’ll see amazing, hidden positives in any challenge that comes your way!

Related Tips:
Tip#664: Benefits of Box Office Bombs, Part 1 – After Earth 
Tip#875: Benefits of Box-Office Bombs, Part 2 - Aloha  
Tip#949: Benefits of Box-Office Bombs, Part 3 – Gods of Egypt 
Tip#975: Benefits of Box-Office Bombs, Part 4 – Independence Day Resurgence



ON SALE NOW:
Top Inspiring Women in the Movies:
15 Films for Leadership at Work & in Life
The latest eBook by Emmanuel Lopez: Click Here

LISTEN TO EMMANUEL’S CBC RADIO INTERVIEW on
MOVIE MESSAGES OF HOPE: Fresh Air Show 14 minutes

Remember How Movies Can Help You: 
A) Entertain & Escape 
B) Re-energize & Release 
C) Inspiration & Motivation 

http://bit.ly/cxjH4Zhttp://bit.ly/cj7UIphttp://www.pinterest.com/motivatorman1/http://bit.ly/9Je5dhhttp://bit.ly/djk9Yjhttp://bit.ly/bUSAy0

Emmanuel Lopez-Motivatorman
Motivational Speaker & Movie Blogger
Discover How Movies Inspire Resilience & Indestructible Optimism
See website: www.motivatorman.com

© Emmanuel Lopez 2016

Sunday, April 17, 2016

Tip#948: What Does Family Mean to You? Part 6 – The Jungle Book

This has been a wonderfully busy week where I felt I made many new soulful connections! It started off attending The Toronto Food & Drink Market where I met two new friends through other close friends. Then I reconnected with David Wallach and Daniel Levinas of MoviePosters.com an amazing warehouse with over 80,000 titles right here in Toronto! These people were all movie lovers and that always makes me feel like they are extended family!

Later in the week I helped take some event photography at my friend Tammy Cunningham’s monthly networking event Dinnerspirations. There I had three amazing conversations that inspired me about my health and for building my professional speaking career. The next morning I was the opening speaker at Learnography’s Brunchography event at the beautiful boutique hotel The Beverley Hotel. At the start I asked the packed audience how many people loved movies and almost every hand enthusiastically went up! Again that moment made me feel like I had found my clan and a soulful community! (More photos to come soon from all these events!).

With David Wallach at Movieposter.com

With Sheryl Gill & Tammy Cunningham at Dinnerspirations

With Gabriella Fermo, Juliana Trichilo Cina and Amy Coupal at Learnography's Brunchography

I’ve also been feeling much better and I believe it’s because, in part, of my dedication to the new daily gut health diet I wrote about in tip#945. I was actually hyper aware during all these social events of how good I felt because in these moments I was feeling so alive, more alert, focused and energetic! Being around people can also be energizing and even more so when there is a bonding factor like the love of cinema!

The Jungle Book (2016)

The live-action/computer-animated fantasy adventure film, The Jungle Book, is based on the Disney animated film of the same name about Mowgli (Neel Sethi), an orphaned human boy raised and guided by his animal guardians in the jungle. This visually breathtaking epic story presents a rich world with wonderful performances by Bill Murray as Baloo the bear, Ben Kingsley as Bagheera the black panther, Lupita Nyong’o as Raksha the mother wolf, Christopher Walken as King Louie the ape, Idris Elba as Shere Khan the tiger and more. See: movie trailer


The social and family aspect of this film is both fascinating and wonderful to see especially during a drought and the timeout period called the Water Truce. This is when all the different types of animals come together in peace and drink at one location. The multicultural metaphors also shine through as, during Mowgli’s adventures, you can see the beauty and diversity of each animal he encounters.

Inspiring Themes:
• Finding Yourself
• Courage
• Perseverance
• Resilience
• Indestructible Optimism
• Leadership
• Teamwork
• Unique Skills, Talents, Gifts
• Strategic Thinking
• Supportive Relationships
• Family & Community


Though Mowgli goes on a search of a human family it is clear from the start that he already had a loving family and community. He may look and behave differently but in the end this film is highly inspiring for just being yourself and you’ll discover good-hearted people who will support you no matter what.

So what does family mean to you? Is it the people you grew up with or the people in your workplace? Or is it because of the loving people who share the same passions that you do? Whatever family means to you I hope that they give you a sense of belonging, mutual love and unconditional support. It is a fantastic feeling to be empowered by others around you and to feel part of an awesome clan! Embrace them today!


Related Tips:
Tip#660: What Does Family Mean to You? Part 1 – Fast & Furious 6 
Tip#712: What Does Family Mean to You? Part 2 - Love Actually 
Tip#773: What Does Family Mean to You? Part 3 - Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Tip#794: What Does Family Mean to You? Part 4 - The Good Lie
Tip#795: What Does Family Mean to You? Part 5 – This is Where I Leave You 
Tip#948: What Does Family Mean to You? Part 6 – The Jungle Book
Tip#995: What Does Family Mean to You? Part 7 - Captain Fantastic
Tip#1073: What Does Family Mean to You? Part 8 - Office Christmas Party 
Tip#1093: What Does Family Mean to You? Part 9 - Grandma 

More:
Tip#172: Cultivate Community, Part 1 – Witness
Tip#300: Cultivate Supportive Relationships, Part 1 – Top 25 Movies
Tip#477: Great Teamwork Movies Part 1 – X-Men: First Class – Kung Fu Panda 2 

ON SALE NOW:
Top Inspiring Women in the Movies:
15 Films for Leadership at Work & in Life
The latest eBook by Emmanuel Lopez: Click Here

LISTEN TO EMMANUEL’S CBC RADIO INTERVIEW on
MOVIE MESSAGES OF HOPE: Fresh Air Show 14 minutes

Remember How Movies Can Help You: 
A) Entertain & Escape 
B) Re-energize & Release 
C) Inspiration & Motivation 

http://bit.ly/cxjH4Zhttp://bit.ly/cj7UIphttp://www.pinterest.com/motivatorman1/http://bit.ly/9Je5dhhttp://bit.ly/djk9Yjhttp://bit.ly/bUSAy0

Emmanuel Lopez-Motivatorman
Motivational Speaker & Movie Blogger
Discover How Movies Inspire Resilience & Indestructible Optimism
See website: www.motivatorman.com

© Emmanuel Lopez 2016