beginnings
how I got started | I have to say creativity runs in my family.
But once I started editing film, I saw how I could put visuals together
to tell a story. I was taken by the power of visual storytelling. I
discovered that through the medium of filmmaking you can do so much
whether it be painting, literature, design, music, psychology. The
hardest part when I started this line of work was learning how hard it
was to make a film. When you watch a film, you don't know what effort
goes behind it and how many people it takes for a single frame to look
professional. One of the challenges was discovering what it takes to
make a film, managing egos, and dealing with all kinds of surprises on
the film set.
inspiration
why this job?| It was filmmakers like Federico Fellini and Ingmar Bergman, Vittorio De Sica and John Cassavetes
love
why I love this job!| One thing I love about teaching filmmaking
is interacting with the students. I teach them and I learn from them as
well. I get to vicariously make films through our hands-on approach.
I love the fact that every day is different, days are never boring and
filmmaking by default is a process of creativity and surprises. Many
times in a good way and sometimes in a bad way but you learn a lot from
these surprises. But it's an incredible feeling to know you have
touched someone's life and helped them in achieving their dream - to see
their thoughts and ideas realized in the form of a movie up on the
screen.
I love working with people, and I love the way art is created in a
communal way when you make a film. Everyone contributes their talent to
the final product. That final product, the film, channels everyone's
resourcefulness and imagination in a very creative way, and that's why
it's so exciting to me to be a part of the filmmaking process. It
really is the process that I enjoy immensely.
work
my typical day| It depends on the day. If I am producing a film
depending on the call time on the set I'll need to get up at 4 am or at
noon. I sometimes don't get home until 4am. So it all depends on the
shooting schedule. If I'm not shooting and teaching, I get up at 6am. I
have a very small child, so I take care of him, send him to day care,
work a regular day, then spend the evening with him and, if I get lucky,
watch a movie.
challenges
what they are | As a filmmaker the biggest challenge is raising
money, whether you are making a small budget film or a big budget film.
Another challenge is getting names attached to your film, without names
it's hard to raise money.
Having a family can also be challenging, specifically balancing and
juggling family duties with irregular hours.
Also finding the creative energy and time to invest in my own projects
while working on the features that the school where I work produces and
teaching full-time. But busy is good and this is not a bad problem to
have.
upside
all about growth | The sky's the limit, seriously. But it really
depends on who you want to be. If your goal is to crew on a film set
or be a part of the post-production team, if you're dependable and a
hard worker, then you can climb up the ladder. For indie filmmakers it
really depends. Some people don't make it and some people make it to a
director or producer, the best bet is by having a great script, a nice,
tight story to tell. Remember, people are hungry for stories, they go
to the movies to get immersed in someone's story or its emotional
experience. It also matters how much effort you put into achieving your
goals. Again, persistence pays off in the long run.
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