Filmmaker vs. Filmmaking

The old adage goes that without craft there is no art, but I say that without artist there is nothing, nada, zilch. I believe that today, in this information-cluttered environment, it is more important to pay attention to the filmmaker than the filmmaking.

In my workshop I concentrate on the development of the filmmaker's ABILITY to make creative decisions in the process of visualization. It is not the decision itself that important, but rather how you arrive at that decision. Why is that so? Because, you may get lucky once and have a hit, but you will not be able to repeat it unless you know how you arrived at the things that you did. When creating it's important to understand those new things you learn about yourself. Then, the films you make becomes inportant to others. That is why I say the filmmaker is more important than the filmmaking.

If, after taking my workshop you have evolved as an artist, you have become something more then you were before you came to me---I have achieved my goal. You can go on your own and make your movies. You will be able to stand your grounds as an independent thinker, artist or a filmmaker.

I have to comment on this business of "No-Dialogue...." First, it works better that way, because film is a visual medium and to learn, I mean to try and make your first movie without dialogue, is a great challenge--but it will teach you to think in terms of a moving image rather than the spoken word. (Remember, a picture is worth how many words?) Second, I am not against dialogue, I am against the wrong use of it. And third, think of this restriction not as an impediment to your vision, but as a tool to sharpen your creativity.

"The things one can express with the hand, with the head, with the shoulders! How many useless and encumbering words then disappear! What economy!" -- R. Bresson

"The Psyche consists essentially of images in the truest sense, not an accidental juxtaposition or sequence, but a structure that is throughout full of meaning and purpose; it is a 'picturing' of vital activities."----C.G.Jung

Granted, money makes movies, but stories give them life. And it is my I believe that in order to be successful in this medium one needs to understand quite a bit about the human psyche. I'm convinced that the secret is not in the study of the psychology of the groups or behavior of the audience, but in your intuition for human truth and human judgment.

All good stories are true, and if it is important to you, it is important to me--tell it well. Learn how, click below.