Andy Smith

 
My name is Andy Smith. I'm an actor, producer, writer and game developer. And I'm obsessed with learning.

I think about it all the time. What would I like to learn that I don't now? How much time can I spare to learn new things? What's the minimum effective dose of time you can spend every day to get good at something?

It all came together in a single, crazy, glorious idea.

Every day, I will spend 20 minutes practicing 20 specific skills, for 20 weeks. For seven hours a day, I will record myself going through the rigors of deliberate practice as I learn a bunch of cool and quirky skills. Then, at the end of the week, I will record a test showing my current progress and ability at that skill. After 20 weeks, the fun begins...

I will use the collected footage to produce "Project Montage: 20-20." A documentary about how much humans can change with just 20 minutes of practice a day. The documentary will show the ups and downs of holding myself to such a crazy schedule while showing 20 weeks of training compressed into a series of fun and exciting montages.

The ultimate purpose of 20-20 is to show how we all have the potential to grow and change, and that's it's never to late to start learning something new. Because if an ordinary guy can do it for twenty different things each day, then anyone can find 20 minutes a day to learn just one. If I can surprise you, then who's to say you can't do the same?

Plus, montages are simply cool. It's inspiring to see six months of deliberate effort compressed down into a minute. It makes us realize how powerful we can become, and how much of our destiny really is in our hands.


What will you study?
Ah, that's the question, isn't it? I've thought long and hard about this, and I think it's important to go for a range of really different skills that challenge me mentally, socially and physically. Because this is a documentary, it's also important to pick skills that are entertaining to watch, challenging to learn but within everyone's reach, and FUN!

I'm happy for our generous benefactors to help decide what I dedicate the next six months of my life towards, or to to consider adding extra things that aren't strictly speaking skills, but could yield interesting results if done daily for 20 minutes - a diet, meditation, running and so on. The whole point is to be a human guinea pig. Lets go nuts!

My current list of skills is:



What's the funding for?
The funding will be used for production costs, to offset some living expenses while I train seven hours a day, and to setup a dedicated recording space for practice so the footage is good quality and interesting. At the end of each week, we will also conduct a three-hour crew shoot where I will perform the assessment tasks each week to show overall improvement. I will also keep a progress blog with regular updates and articles, and otherwise entertain you.

If I am able to exceed my target funding goal, there are a few extra things I'd like to do to the documentary more humorous, entertaining and inspiring. These include:

Using proper teachers to assign and monitor the training, and assess my weekly progress. These teachers would also be interviewed for their opinions, before and after the 20 week challenge takes place.

Filming special themed 'challenges' at the end of the 20 weeks to illustrate what I've learned and how well (or badly) I hold up against real professionals. Examples might include entering a dance competition, performing a song on stage, or spending a day training with stuntmen and seeing if I can perform specific stunts or routines. These will be fun "fake it till you make it" events that push me to my limits to see if I can bluff my way through.

Paying a proper crew and editor to make sure we get the best possible footage, that we can use licensed music for the soundtrack, and the final cut of the documentary is funny, exasperating and inspiring in equal measures!

Holding a red carpet premiere to thank the crew and our generous crowdfunders!


What's the documentary about?
I'm a guy that thrives on challenge. I need it. Crave it. Putting together cool montages that show six months of progress compressed into minutes is a fun idea and a good start, but ultimately 20-20 is about more than just tracking progress in a bunch of skills. It's about asking the big questions - what makes us want to change?

Can we "fake it till we make it" and become different people just through daily action and repetition? How does it feel to throw yourself passionately into spending your every waking hour trying to become *better*? If we learn a single skill, we change a little and have a new trick up our sleeves. But if you learn 20, what happens then? Does the whole become greater than the sum of it's parts, with each skill playing off each other in unexpected ways?

And when it's all said and done, is it all worth it? What do we sacrifice to study so hard?


Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Twenty different things a day is a lot. Are you sure you can really do them six days a week for six months?
A: Yep. My discipline is pretty good, and I actually did this for three hours a day when I was training as a screen actor. It's tough, but it's doable, especially when I know the world is watching and it's my "job" to keep practicing!


Q: Why would anyone put themselves through something like this? Are you nuts? You're nuts, right?
A: I'm a trained screen actor. I'm currently a good one, but I want to be a *great* one. I do a lot of work training, and I understand that to reach my goals I need to sacrifice and make the most of every day to practice and train.

Bottom line, I want to get better. I want to do this. And I want to take you along for the ride!


Q: What if you do this for six months and you still suck at everything? Wouldn't that make the documentary boring?
A: I've always been a fast learner and a relatively smart guy, so I don't think that will happen. I think I'll get good enough to make the film work... and if I don't, well, then the film becomes about something else doesn't it? One guy's struggle in the face of reality to improve at things he sucks at. It'd be funny as hell either way, I promise you.

Speaking realistically, some of these skills are definitely harder than others. But I think that just keeps it interesting!


Q: What are your plans for the documentary? How are you going to produce it?
A: I'm an experienced digital producer, so I know how to handle a production, and I have many contacts in the Australian film industry to turn to for expertise and advice. I'm also a creative writer with over ten years experience, so keeping the scriptwriting and narrative under control is no problem.


Q: What's the finished product going to be? What are you offering to crowdfunders?
A: My initial plan is to produce a one-hour documentary for digital distribution on iTunes, and produce a run of signed DVDs for our sponsors and friends. A theatrical or TV release is possible but we'll play it as it comes.

If time and resources permit it'd be nice to hold a red carpet premiere as well, to thank everyone for their encouragement and investment.


Q: Some of these skills are pretty physically intense. Are you up for it? What happens if you get injured?
A: I've done martial arts, as well as some Parkour and Gymnastics training in the past. It can be physically punishing, but done properly it's quite safe. These sort of skills are particularly interesting to me because as a 35 year old guy it'll be interesting to see what I'm capable of achieving. In the unlikely event (knock wood) that I injure myself, I will adjust my training to accommodate my recovery, but I wouldn't want to stop working on a skill entirely!