Director Ron Howard is thankful the Internet wasn't around when he was rising through the ranks as a young actor in Hollywood.
"Let me just say, every so often something pops on the Internet and I am saying, 'I'm glad it wasn't around when I was 19 years old,'" he laughed as he hit Access Hollywood Live on Friday to promote the Project Imaginat10n Film Festival with Canon U.S.A.
PLAY IT NOW: Ron Howard Champions Project Imaginat10n
While speaking with Access Hollywood Live's Kit Hoover and guest co-host Donny Deutsch, the "Happy Days" and "Andy Griffith Show" legend said he marvels at how tough it is for young, rising stars these days.
"It is intense and I think that you must be aware of it," he said of scrutiny placed on new talent, when Donny asked him about Jodie Foster's recent essay about Kristen Stewart and the price of fame. (Click HERE to read more about Jodie's essay.)
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"Politics, professional sports, all of it," Ron continued of the groups that can have trouble in the spotlight. "If you're not sort of willing to understand that should I actually gain the profile that I'm dreaming of, along with it is going to come this other level of scrutiny.
"It's a kind of funny thing of what technology has done. We didn't need big brother to have '1984,'" he said. "We invited it into our lives because of all the other great things that come with it. And to me, there's a tremendous irony that all of us face a measure, a level of scrutiny that we never had before."
And Ron will be part of the journey for a new crop of rising stars who are coming into the limelight as part of the Project Imaginat10n film festival.
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Earlier this week, Canon announced that with Ron, they have a partnership with directors Eva Longoria, Jamie Foxx, Biz Stone, Georgina Chapman and James Murphy.
The celebs will take inspiration from consumer submitted photos and head behind the camera to direct short films. Those films will then be unveiled at the upcoming film festival.
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For more information about submitting photos, visit imagination.usa.canon.com.
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