If there's a movie that sums up the current economic climate for creative professionals in America, it's Lemonade. The synopsis provided by IMDB.com includes this startling statistic:
"More than 130,000 advertising professionals have lost their jobs in this 'Great Recession'"
If that's not enough to send a shiver down your spine, you must have a really secure job (is there such a thing?), be independently wealthy, or you just don't care. Alas, most of us have none of the above, and that's why Lemonade is such a great movie to watch.
This is not so much a factual depiction of life after advertising, but more of an inspirational journey into the world of "what if?" So you get laid off tomorrow; after you get over the initial shock, do you sit in a corner and hold yourself in the fetal position, rocking back and forth as you chug on a half-empty bottle of Jack Daniels? Or do you take stock of your career and figure out what you can do to turn this valley into a peak. Perhaps this was a day that needed to happen. Maybe you were chained to a job you were merely tolerating for the paycheck, and now you have been set free. Maybe, just maybe, this is the best thing that ever happened to you. And that, of course, is where the title comes from…making lemonade out of lemons.
Written by Erik Proulx, and directed by Marc Colucci, the film examines the aftermath of 16 ad professionals who lost their jobs and found, well, something better. Is better the right word? Maybe "calling" or the beautiful French phrase "raison d'etre" (reason for the existence of something or someone) is more appropriate.
Showcased are talented people like:
Steve Hall, an ad professional who now publishes AdRants.com, one of the leading advertising blogs in the world.
Jeanne Schad was laid off from a large ad agency and went on to form a global business consulting firm with over 150 coaches.
Kevin Kearns, a freelancer who saw his clients disappear post 9/11. He pursued his passion for painting and his work is now hanging in a SoHo gallery. He sells 40-50 paintings a year, and is doing great.
If you are at all worried about the current climate, whether you're in advertising, marketing, design, or some other related field, Lemonade is well worth 40 minutes of your time. It's not only a way to alleviate your fears that life does go on, but it may actually inspire you to move on before you get laid off, to find the profession you have always dreamed of. A great, insightful documentary and highly recommended.
