Thursday, October 20, 2011

Spunky Max Elliott Anderson Interviews a President And Travels the World to Film


Max Elliott Anderson

I’m one of those people who will probably never retire. I felt this way long before the economic downturn and it’s primarily because I like to stay as active as possible. And I guess I’m one of those typical Boomers who never expected, or intended to get older. But I’m also a realist.
In a short period of time, I signed up for Medicare and my wife began taking early Social Security. Oh my goodness, what’s going on here? And on top of that, we’re going to become first-time grandparents in a couple of more months.
My life has always included film, video, and television commercial production. I love marketing and promotion. Many of those opportunities have also diminished with the economy, but I’m always interested in the next production. One of the most interesting experience I've had was a private, one hour video interview with President Ronald Reagan as he visited his boyhood home for the last time here in Illinois. My work has also taken me all over the world. I shot Liam Neeson's first feature film, Pilgrim's Progress.

Max Elliott Anderson
Speaking in Warsaw

Two recent productions included live streaming video. The first one covered the National Table Tennis Championships. An interesting event there included an exhibition between US and Chinese members of the original Ping-Pong Diplomacy teams. A few months later, I worked on a similar production covering the National Show Ski Championships. In that case, this link will take you to that material. http://waterski.teamusa.org/video  If you can imagine, I stood behind a video camera for more than 22 hours over two days, in the rain, hot sun, and survived it.
I also know of many situations where people dreamed of retirement, reached that goal, and died. I don’t believe we were wired to come to a stopping point like that. I admire people who do retire but then find other nearly full time activities to keep them sharp, vital, and involved.
PS. One of the attached pictures is of me shooting a film in a remote area of New Guinea, 50 miles from headhunter who lived up river. I'm the one wearing the yellow and blue-striped shirt.
Max Elliott Anderson
Please leave a comment for Max about his busy and adventurous life.

6 comments:

  1. Welcome to Spunky Seniors, Max. It looks like you lead an exciting life!

    Morgan Mandel
    http://www.morganmandel.com
    http://morganmandel.blogspot.com

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  2. Hello, Max--I'm on online friend of Morgan's and I've been thinking about posting here on her Spunky Seniors. I am a Senior, and I'm a little Spunky, but no way can write a post to match...or even come close...to yours. I am truly impressed. I enjoyed reading about your life and especially interviewing Ronal Reagan--what an honor!
    Glad to meet you...

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  3. Hello Max, I just visited your blog. I'll comment there, too, but I'm wondering if your Reagan interview is available to watch. It's indeed an honor to have interviewed such a man. I was raised in central IL and went to the same college he did.

    And I so agree about never retiring! I tell my husband all the time I won't retire; I'll work until I'm senile enough to shove into a nursing home. ;-)

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  4. Thank you for the comment, Celia. Nice to meet you here, too.

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  5. Sorry, LK, but the original footage was turned over to the Reagan Home. Last I heard, it now resides in the collection at the Reagan Library. I have a personal, unedited copy but that's all.

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  6. Sorry I didn't read this when you first posted it Max. It sure was nice to meet you here. I agree that keeping busy is what keeps us young long past the usual retirement age. I just retired from one thing to another, not to nothing. LOL

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