Inspiration is a hard thing to manufacture,
but sometimes I search it out when I feel like I'm in a rut. One of my
favorite things to do is to go to a mega-bookstore, grab a dozen
magazines on anything that grabs my interest, and then browse them all
as fast as possible. I take notes on anything that I find, and then
return the magazines to their right places on the rack. Doing that, I'm
bound to be inspired by a picture in an ad, a quote in an article or
something… It provides a catalyst to trigger the creative process.
current situation, and desire routine. This isn't a bad thing at all.
I actually envy it. It seems healthier. There are others of us, for
better or worse, that are just wired a little differently. We are full
of want. We are never satisfied with our current position, and
adventure is a by-product of the desire to become something else, to be
something better.
way to vicariously experience something, and it takes us that much
closer to understanding it. Jean-Luc Godard once quipped that,
“photography is truth. And cinema is truth twenty-four times a second.”
Add sound, and documentary film provides an unparalleled experience to
understanding others. And that's what its all about for me in the end.
Understanding another's culture, religion, perspective, socio-economic
class… And the desire to understand another person says that you value
them. You think they are important. Their situation matters to you.
And you desire justice for them. The things that are wrong in their
lives need to be made right. Documentary film is at its best when it
kindles a passion for justice, and then ignites that flame into action.
fly-on-the-wall approach and observe the subject. I don't like
interviews, and tend to avoid "talking heads" as much as possible. I'm
not here to give you my opinion on what you are watching. I am not
making propaganda. I want to present to you as pure as possible the
situation that has unfolded before me. I am inspired by other filmmakers
that shoot in this style. Vincent Moon
is a Parisian that takes musicians for a walk around a city and shoots
their performance in one shot. Pure observation. Another filmmaker is James Longley.
He is a genius, literally. He won a MacArthur genius grant for half a
million dollars to continue to make his films. His work is purely
observational. He usually lives with a family in Pakistan, India, Iran
or Iraq. He picks a protagonist that is around 11 or 12, and then just
dives into their lives. What are his dreams? Her fears? There is no
narration or voice-over that tells us what to think. James merely
films, and the audience develops an unbiased, objective understanding of
that person in that particular time and place.
I don't
really know what my dream life looks like… I want to be able to do what I
am passionate about without restraint. I want to be able to help, and
be in a place where I don't have to worry about helping myself. I guess
winning a MacArthur grant for $500,000 to make films in India wouldn't
be that far off.
Tiny Twig's Note: Jace's film When the Ground Stopped Shaking is finally finished and is available to view for free here. He is looking to start work on a new film tomorrow (as in he leaves for Haiti…tomorrow!). This work will be about the orphans and homeless both existing and those displaced because of the earthquake. The rainy season is coming in Haiti, and that means disease and further destruction is likely. As you probably know, hurricanes are a yearly occurrence in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Jace is seeking funding for his next project through Kickstarter, which is a very cool concept of crowdfunding. Any little bit helps–even $5 will help (you can see the costs of the project and see what your money would be funding. Also, this is not a donation, but a pledge. The money you pledged will only be used if the whole project gets funded…meaning, you will only be helping to create a finished project. This is very low risk to you, the pledger. So, please help my dear friend and very talented and inspirational filmaker, Jace Freeman.Also, if you can't pledge (and I know, I know…everyone's finances are strained!)…then please pass along the news of his documentary to anyone (everyone??) you know. :) Everyone knows someone who has been touched by Haiti and/or the earthquake there.
Here are some links to pass along:
Haitian Kids Dancing to Lady Gaga