Changing My Approach to Filmmaking: Explore, Experiment, Reflect, Change, Retry, Results?

Man!!!

I'm excited!  I'm working on an idea for a future film project that I think is going to be freaking awesome!  Today, I finally rendered some preliminary results and was ecstatic after seeing the potential!  Unfortunately for you, I can't share any of the results yet, but I wanted to write about the experience.

Regarding the part of my life as a filmmaker- I don't even know if I'd call it my career yet- I feel like I haven't really been learning since I graduated from film school.  That's not entirely true, but my process or approach to filmmaking certainly changed then and has become rather stale.

In film school, everything I was seeing and doing was new.  I was learning.  I had the time to experiment with new ideas, try anything, fail, reflect, try something different.  There were no clients involved or money to be made.  Most importantly, the end result often didn't matter.  It was all about learning and taking time in the process.  And that made the process very rewarding at the personal level.

Since graduating, I learned a lot about the film industry and have made advancements in my writing and directorial work.  But in retrospect, my process to filmmaking now feels stagnant.  I realized, for the most part, I've been playing it safe.  For the majority of my work, I've been producing films for a client or for compensation with an end result in mind and a deadline to be met.  Although it can still be a creative process, it is not an artistic process.

I realize this is why I often think of myself as a creative, but not an artist.  I think, ideally, the artistic process should have few constraints in terms of time and results- granted, some constraints can be helpful as a creative challenge.

Many great artists have a "through-line" with their work: A certain direction, element, or theme that they are constantly exploring and building upon.  That is the important part: exploring.  Taking the time to try things, fail, reflect, improve, try a new direction.  You build upon results and don't settle at one result and hand it over to a client.  Most importantly, you are exploring and creating art primarily for yourself and no one else.

That is what I'm finally doing again: exploring.  I'm experimenting with my filmmaking technique.  I'm learning.  I know what I'm gonna try differently.  I'm taking my time.  I have ideas and directions for results, but there is no end point for the time being.  I'm doing it for myself and no one else.

And that makes it more of an artistic process that is incredibly exciting and rewarding.

I look forward to sharing!

Peace.

Change in Money: Suck My Debt!

[As readership increases, I try to increase the production value of my content. I spent $1500 on this video. Please enjoy. Thanks for watching and reading!  Thanks to Charlie Slick for the music. "Money" is off his new album that hasn't been released yet. www.myspace.com/charlieslick.  Also, thanks to Kelly, Mike, and Joey for getting this money in the air! ]

The whole idea of debt seems wrong to me. It’s wrong to consume or spend more than we have. With natural resources (land, water, food, oil, etc.), debt translates to consuming in a manner that is not sustainable, which means we will ultimately run out of natural resources altogether. With financial resources (money), debt means to incur a negative balance (or rather, imbalance). Both resources, natural and financial, are highly interconnected since the majority of us are consumers of natural resources and not producers. For example, we spend our money on food, instead of growing it ourselves. We buy a new house, instead of growing trees, cutting them down, and building it ourselves. This indirect consumption of natural resources often dispels the responsibility of the individual consumer’s actions and their environmental impact but that’s a whole other discussion…

My biggest concern with debt is that it impedes on our freedom- which is what a lot of us want, right?

I found it interesting that the following words define debt in the dictionary: owed, bound, liability, obligation, gambling, offense, sin. Words like “bound” certainly inhibit freedom.

Thinking of how one creates debt, I’ve found 3 major categories (that I can think of at the moment):

1. Consumer debt. This is debt incurred from the purchase of consumer goods and services. It includes food, water, shelter, and purchases that go beyond necessities (find out more at your local mall). The convenience of credit cards helps us extend this debt. [An interesting documentary film Maxed Out tackles issues of credit card debt in the U.S. In an extremely tragic case, a student highly indebted to a credit card company committed suicide.]

2. Loan debt. This is voluntary debt incurred from taking out a loan. Loans are taken out for a variety of purposes. Education loans, home mortgages, and business loans seem the most common.

3. Unfortunate circumstance debt. This is debt that can occur for reasons beyond your control. For example, you we’re in an accident without health insurance and now you will have to pay medical bills for the rest of your life. Or maybe you are responsible for the unfortunate debt: Like the time I received a $430 speeding ticket in Oregon during a road trip (true story, that kicked my bank account in the groin).

With this said, there are only a few things that I feel are worth consuming or spending money on: health (mostly good food), education, art, and travel. My current wages support my health, art, and some minor traveling. Unfortunately, I indebted myself, approximately $13,000, to government loans to support my education. [See my first post for more insight.]

BUT, THAT HAS CHANGED!

AND ALAS, THE REASON FOR THIS POST…

I HAVE MADE MY LAST PAYMENT ON MY STUDENT LOANS!!!

I HAVE FOUND MYSELF IN AN AWESOME POSITION: I have zero debt, little stress, I typically sleep 8-9 hours a day, I have a radical girlfriend, I have radical friends and family, I have 2 goldfish, a leopard gecko, and a Chihuahua, I love my job teaching film, I earn enough to pay my rent and minimal bills, I only work 15-20 hours a week and I don’t really have a boss, I have time to work on creative projects, I have time to exercise and take care of myself, and I have time to be happy.

Basically, I think I’m beginning to stumble upon what so many Americans talk about and fight for: FREEDOM. Well at least financial freedom…

The funny thing is it doesn’t take much money either. It felt like I made a lot of money last year… But after finishing my taxes, I realized I grossed approximately $10,000 which is just below the poverty line for 1 person at $10,830. (Poverty Line '09)

I don’t have things like cable TV, designer clothes, or a hover-board (which I really want btw), but by no means do I feel deprived of happiness… Okay, maybe I would be a little happier with a hover-board.

The standard of living and happiness doesn’t improve with an increase in income, but rather bad consumer habits increase. You buy more and more because you’re making more money. You adjust to higher lever of consumerism. Then the company goes bankrupt, or you get laid off, and cannot keep up with your monthly purchases. Everyone talks about how bad the economy is and you’re screwed with bills asking yourself, “Why me?”

This is something I try to keep in mind as I slowly approach adulthood and increasingly make more money. I must fight to ensure the future of my freedom. I’ll fight off consumer temptations to splurge on modern day conveniences, I’ll stab credit cards, I’ll drop bombs on low-interest rate loans, I’ll declare war on home mortgages, and I’ll bomb any other capitalist and consumer venture that challenges my freedom.

“There are two ways to conquer and enslave a nation. One is by sword. The other is by debt.”

– John Adams

Peace.

-Lazer

Change in Film: Purpose, Value, and Waste

[WARNING: The following may only interest filmmakers or critical thinkers.  Basically, I consumed a ridiculous number of awful films that made me seriously consider the production of my own films and others.  This is a long rant that is partly analytical, theoretical, critical, philosophical, and self-reflecting.]

This past week marked the end of my pre-screening process for the Ann Arbor Film Festival. Over the last two months, I have watched 320 films, narrative and documentary, that were submitted for consideration in the 48th AAFF which will take place March 23-28, 2010 at The Historic Michigan Theater. Of those 320 films, I recommended approximately 40 to the next round of screening with only five or six films that I really liked- thank you to those few filmmakers.

This long exhaustive process has changed some of my ideas about filmmaking and the types of films I want to make.

First off, I don’t think the majority of filmmakers ever intend to make a bad film. But let’s face it: bad films happen. It’s really hard to make a good film and it takes almost a miracle to make a great film.

Regardless if it awesome or god awful, a majority of films take a lot of time, money, and energy.

So before funds are raised and the camera starts rolling, filmmakers should ask themselves, “Why am I making this film?” It seems self-explanatory but I’m not so sure after watching hundreds of films made within the last year.

After some contemplative thought, I have devised a few main categories that describe the purpose of the filmmaker to participate in film production along with the purpose of the viewer or audience to participate in film consumption. [For this discussion, the filmmaker is the primary person responsible for the creation of the film. The categories can be extended to additional filmmakers and crew members necessary for film production but it is not the primary interest of the discussion.]

These categories are interchangeable in many cases and most filmmakers, films, and viewers have multiple purposes although there may be a primary purpose.  For example, the purpose of a film like Farenheit 9/11 may have been political, but it also made a ridiculous amount of money.  Who knows whether or not that was Michael Moore's purpose too or just an accidental end?


PURPOSES OF FILMMAKERS AND FILM PRODUCTION

1. Money. The purpose is to make money. The content of the film does not matter. The film can be Citizen Kane or really dirty pornography- as long as it makes money.

2. Entertainment. The purpose is to entertain an audience. The filmmaker may also experience pleasure and amusement in doing so and may experience similar pleasure in the making of the film itself. So there is entertaining the audience, and entertaining oneself. Entertainment can be commercial, artistic or both.

3. Art. The purpose is to explore film as an art form and push its boundaries.

4. Social. The purpose is to explore social issues. It may be the intention to raise audience awareness on the issues at hand. The content of the film can vary from private and personal to global matters. Social factors may also participate in film production and not just the film itself.

5. Political. The purpose is to explore, expose, or propagate political issues. It may be the intention to influence the political views of the audience.

6. Education and Experience. The purpose is to educate an audience. Also, the filmmaker will mostly likely gain knowledge and experience from the production of the film itself.


PURPOSES OF THE VIEWER, AUDIENCE AND FILM CONSUMPTION

1. Entertainment. The purpose is to entertain oneself. The kind of pleasure varies greatly from the type of film, the type of viewer, and the type of consumption. Pleasure may not even be dependent on the film itself, only the type of consumption. For example, teenagers may go to a movie theater to get away from their parents and make-out with their significant others. What is on the screen is insignificant.

2. Art. The purpose is to view film as an art form, see its boundaries being pushed, and enlighten one’s experience and understanding of film and art.

3. Social. The purpose is to gain insight, knowledge and/or understanding of the social issues the film addresses.

4. Political. The purpose is to gain insight, knowledge, and/or understanding of the political issues the film addresses.

5. Educational. The purpose is to gain general knowledge and insight of a particular interest.


VALUE

Each purpose for film production merits a particular value. Value describes the worth, importance, or usefulness of producing a film. Although value is somewhat subjective, most would agree that certain purposes have higher value than others. For example: a documentary may merit social value for raising awareness of a global concern. A simple comedy may merit value in its ability to entertain. Although the latter has an important function in society, one would not argue the greater value of the former.


FILMMAKER EXECUTION AND AUDIENCE RECEPTION

The purpose of filmmakers and film production should be distinguished from the purpose of the film itself. The purpose of the film itself is related to both the filmmaker and audience. If the filmmaker’s efforts are well executed, their purpose may continue with the film itself. For example, if a filmmaker’s primary purpose is to make an entertaining film, and the production of the film is well executed, then the film may be entertaining. There is then the possibility that the film, with its purpose to entertain, may entertain a viewer whose purpose for consuming the film is to be entertained. However, if the production of the film is not well executed, the film may not be entertaining and may not entertain the viewer. If the primary purpose for producing a film is not met by the film itself, it may have little to no value for existence or for an audience.


NARRATIVE AND DOCUMENTARY

Based on quantity and not quality, it seems the primary purpose of most narrative film production is to entertain while the primary purpose of most documentary film is social, political, or educational.

A poorly executed narrative film that does not entertain yields little to no value for its primary purpose of production. However, a poorly executed documentary film that does not adequately engage its topic still seems to yield some value. Perhaps its because the original purpose could be considered of higher value and the act of partaking in a documentary film production raises awareness, however small, to its topic or cause.


VALUE VS. COST

A film’s value should be weighed against its cost. It takes a lot of time, energy, and resources to make a film. If the end product has little to no value, then the film and its production is waste and the filmmaker could be considered wasteful for that matter. Filmmakers with a primary purpose to make money understand this concept quite well: if the cost to produce a film is greater than its revenue, it has lost or wasted money and was not worth the effort.


CONCLUSION

I enjoy nearly all types of films for a variety of reasons. I see value in each purpose of film production and consumption. I do not necessarily think particular genres of films have more value than others. I think creativity determines that. Unfortunately, a majority of narrative films are unoriginal and a waste of time and resources. The only time a cliché melodrama makes me cry is during the end credits, knowing that a lot of money, people and energy were used to create a lot of waste.

I’ve begun to think that I, myself, may have a greater purpose by pursuing documentary filmmaking whereas I once thought I would become a director of narrative features. The lifestyle of a documentary filmmaker seems more engaging, active, and appealing right now.  Especially if there are some travel perks...

Who knows what I'll ultimately do or become.  I’ve labeled this last section “Conclusion” but I have yet to get to the bottom of anything...

If you bothered to read all of this, thank you!  I would appreciate any feedback.  If you think this blog post sucks, let me know.  I apologize and will try better next time.  At least the production of blogs post uses little resources and only wastes my time and yours.  If I had produced a film about this instead, I would have wasted several people's time, money, and resources and that would have been devastating.

2010: A Year of Change

The start of a new year and the start of my first blog.  Why?  Well, I feel there are BIG CHANGES coming my way for 2010 affecting my life, thoughts, attitudes, family, friends, community, and the world.

This blog will be of the variety type in both subject and content.  For subjects, I'll be serving up thoughts on film, environmental conservation, freedom, and fun- my primary interests.  For content, I'll stir in a mix of photographs and videos to delight your entertainment palate with twice the retention rate of reading text.

The first post is long as I lay my groundwork for the new year.

I'm starting a list of thoughts and things in my life that are either changing or not changing as I start 2010.

1.  Hair.  I haven't cut my hair in a year and half since shaving my head with Chris shortly after graduating from University of Michigan.  I told myself I wouldn't cut it again until something significant happens in my life...

2.  Money.  I graduated with nearly $13,000 in student loans (impressive for UofM).  Since then I've worked hard spending the majority of my money on loan payments.  I told myself I wouldn't move anywhere until I paid off my loans.  That way I could take a job I enjoyed regardless of pay.  Currently, I owe $1,483.16 and am so close to financial freedom!!  [Much THANKS to friends and family, especially Chris, Tony, Kelly, Nicole, and Brad, who have helped me out with residency and keeping my bills low during long stretches of unemployment and distraught.]

3.  Smell.  I'm entering my third year of not wearing deodorant.  Yep, I ran out in late 2007 and never bought another stick.  I found my odor is quite pleasant.  The girls at the club love me because I'm one less guy trying to dance up on them while wreaking of Axe or Old Spice.  It's also one less thing I have to do to start my day.  Do you really need it?  Especially antiperspirants. They try to prevent you from doing something that's natural: sweat.  Also, there's research that aluminum in antiperspirant is absorbed into the body through the skin's pores and can be harmful.  Since I don't wear it, I don't care enough to look into the research... but if you do, you should look into the research to find out what's in this product that we are conditioned to use at the start of puberty and the side effects it may have.  (P.S.  A friend lost a dare at a party this weekend and had to lick my two-years-in-the-ripe armpit.)

4.  Work.  In September '09 I took a job with a 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant to create and facilitate an after school film making program at three high school sites including Wayne Memorial where I graduated.  Over the last few months, I've turned an old media studio turned storage room back into a creative space.  What a powerful experience that has been with a sense of accomplishment and pride I share with the students.  This has empowered me to make change as I start 2010.  When I'm at home doing lesson plans, I know that I'm working for the benefit of the students and on a larger scale, the future of our youth.  It feels great and gives me a sense of purpose which I felt was lacking during a spell of apathy throughout college.  [You can see the work under the "Bright Futures" playlist on my youtube page at http://www.youtube.com/martystano]

6.  Health.  I made it through the entire year of 2009 without health insurance nor any prescription medications, and I think no over-the-counter meds for that matter.  Luckily, I have a pretty good immune system and no serious health conditions.  My health care plan is a preventive system of good nutrition, fair exercise, plenty of sleep, very little stress, and plenty of green tea.  However, I did get really sick once when I returned from traveling.  I think it was a combination of exhaustion and food poisoning.  I had a fever and was buying Orange Juice at the grocer when I sharted for the first time in my life (What's a shart?  You know, it's when you fart but a little shit comes out).  I rushed home to quickly explode out of both anal and oral artifices.  After 2.5 days of laying in bed, I was totally fine without any medication.  And with that, we'll go to...   

7.  Love.  Yes, there is much love in my life thanks to my girlfriend Kelly.  I'm only 23 and have found the right girl for me.  I'm so happy that I won't be wasting the rest of my life looking for that exceptional person.  Kelly is that person.  I love her, I love my job, I love my family, my friends and altogether that makes me incredibly happy and content.  I experience much love in my life and such little stress.  Being in such a privileged position, I am ready to move forward in 2010 to make positive change.  (This certainly merits cutting my hair but I'll probably hold out for financial freedom.)

8.  Travel.  Kelly and I have started our research to go on a trip of epic proportions:  The Pan-American Road Trip from Michigan to Alaska and all the way to Argentina.  Wha-what?  Yes.  Alaska to Argentina by road.  How?  We don't totally know.  But people have done it and people are doing it now.  We'll have a blog just for our research and preparation for the trip as well as updates when our journey commences: tentatively July 4th 2010.

It looks like 2010 is gonna be a great year!