Do the Thing You Love Doing, Lee Tells Crowd

Between stories about his experiences as a filmmaker, Spike Lee delivered a message this week to 400 Cal State Fullerton students about self-reliance and determination.

“You’ve really got to start hitting the books because it’s no joke out here,” he said, speaking in the university’s student center.

“It’s really important that you young people try to find something that you want to do and pursue it with passion. . . . I’m very passionate about filmmaking. It’s what I love to do.”

Not until after his sophomore year at Morehouse College in Atlanta did Lee decide to become a filmmaker, he said.

After earning a bachelor’s degree, he attended New York University, where he won a student Academy Award for his thesis film, “Joe’s Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads.”

The honor won him an agent but no work, so he began assembling independent backing for his films, eventually producing “She’s Gotta Have It” in 1986.

It cost $175,000 to make and earned more than $8 million.

“We literally financed that film nickel by nickel,” he said, explaining that he collected aluminum cans and cashed them in for 5 cents apiece to buy film.

The experience illustrated his point: Overnight sensations are rare and success in the movie industry takes hard work.

Lee said his goal is to “stimulate dialogue,” adding that people still ask him questions about his highly acclaimed 1989 film, “Do the Right Thing.”

“I think that’s a success in itself,” he said.

His message touched a sympathetic chord with his audience.

“He wants you to think, see reality, intrigue your feelings, wake up your mind,” said Lily Otieno, 28, an environmental studies graduate student. “It’s all about creation of awareness.”