Lights, camera . . .

Everyone loves a celebrity. Famous? We love famous.

Living vicariously through the movies is something we all enjoy. When the lights do down and the curtain goes up, we laugh, we cry. We wish we could be the super hero and give thanks that we’re not the dead villain. Movies are therapy—at the cost of only five bucks an hour.

Method Fest 2005, the acclaimed independent film festival that closes tomorrow after an eight-day run in Calabasas, rolled out the red carpet—there actually was one in front of the Edwards Cinema at the Commons—and welcomed such stars as Martin Landau (Lifetime Achievement Award), Beau and Jeff Bridges (Family Legacy Award) and Crispin Glover (Maverick award). There were parties, film screenings, and enough young starlets talking on cell phones to become a movie in itself.

But that was only window dressing. What Method Fest really provided was a stage for young actors and filmmakers to have their work recognized, to hear people tell them yes, you can do it, just stick with it. Only one break is all it takes.

One of our favorites was the 80-minute West Coast premiere of "The Tollbooth," Debra Kirschner’s poignant tale of a young painter in Brooklyn who seeks balance between the demands of her overbearing Jewish parents and her desire to become a famous artist. During the film, the young woman learns that in order to be discovered, one must first discover oneself.

"If I am not for myself, then who will be for me?" says the artist, reflecting on her Jewish roots and her struggle to reach the top. "And if I am only for myself, who am I? And if not now, when?"

Be creative, seize the moment, but remember, not everyone can achieve stardom. Did our young artist finally hit the big time?

Not the point.

For most of us, it’s the journey that counts, and that’s one script that life has taught us well.