I will begin this blog by first admitting that I love French romance films. I love sitting down on a Saturday night or any other night of the week to watch the fantastical lives of a leading male and leading female fall hopelessly in love. Everything about these films pull at my heart strings. These films set the stage for the love wanting audience to dream of the day they will one day meet that person who makes them feel complete. My question is do these films contribute to unrealistic expectations of what healthy relationships are meant to be. Many of these films end with a big wedding or a loved one running into the arms of their soul mate for an embrace that last way past the credits and into our heart and homes at night. I know that this may sound cynical of me but that is not my intention. As I stated earlier, I love sitting down to a good French romance film; I can't really stomach the American ones. Also, I'm in love with the woman of my dreams. She's taking a nap on the couch as I glance over at her beautiful face every few sentences. However, this doesn't change my belief that these films are a breeding ground for self-seeking in the extreme. Just like everything else in our culture, the message is that we are not enough the way that we are. Hollywood is constantly telling us that we need to be something other then who we are. We need that special person. We need that winning touch down or that woman that takes us a whole 2 hours to win over. The movie usually ends with that goal being reached and all of life's problems solved.
Many of us leave the theater feeling somewhat down and less then we did when we walked into the theater. We usually don't realize that the film contributed to this less then feeling because we've been feeling like this most of our lives anyhow. There's a part of us deep down inside that doesn't believe in this hollywood dream. We've been trying it all our lives and it doesn't work. In my experience healthy relationships only work when we are able look within ourselves to feel whole. If we look toward another person to meet all of our unreasonable expectations we will never be happy. We fail to realize that no person can make us happy. This is the opposite of one of hollywoods greatest lines "I can't live without you". Wow who can reach that bar!
So you may be wondering what this blog is getting at. Well I don't really know. I'm just starting a discussion and leaving it open for all to contribute. As a film-maker I'm interested in the views of others. I would love to make a romance film one day but I'd like to approach it from a different angle. I'd like the audience to walk away from my film with a sense of true encouragement and identification. I'd like them to realize that they have everything they need right now. They don't need that winning leading lady or leading male. Now how do I share "that" message to an audience? I'll leave that for my next blog. For now I'd like to hear from you.
Peace
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Therapeutic films?
This is my first attempt at blogging. I intend for this site to be a place for discussion and learning. I know that there are many views on the subjects that I will be talking about from day to day. I look forward to learn from all who take out time to be involved in this little experiment of mine.
Most of American film goers are going to the movies not to be enlighten but to connect with that deep down pain in their stomachs. We go to movies to be reassured that our pain is real and that gives us a false sense of comfort. It's like when your best friend calls you and complains for a half an hour about some jerk that cut him off on the street. Does your friend want to hear solutions to their problem with pride and anger or do they want to hear you chime in with "That jerk needs someone to drag him out of his car and pummel him with a baseball bat". We enjoy the reassurance that our pain is real and no one is going to take it away from us.
I've notice that besides the mind numbly main stream films that contribute to the self destruction of the human race, there are some films that attempt to send a "real message". These are a different type of mood maker films. I'll call them art films. They're the type of films where the filmmaker is trying extra hard to evoke a feeling in the viewer but has no idea what type of impact it has on the viewers life and perception of the world. Does the artist have a responsibility in how he or she uses their craft to manipulate the viewer in creating a mood which could be detrimental to them?
Should the artist think of the common welfare of the group (him and society), or should he/she create art without the best interest of all involved?
I've been writing/directing for several years now and have been in a constant search for truth. As I grow as a human-being with a deeper understanding of myself and those around me, I've become more aware of the responsibility that I have as an artist/human-being. My gift as a writer/director isn't to make films to boost my ego or to gain status and wealth. My primary purpose for making films is to pass a message of hope to people.
This I do through my unique experience as a human-being in search for a deeper understanding of myself. My experience, strength and hope is something that needs to be in the work that I create or else I'm creating an illusion, another meaningless piece of art that creates a mood but keeps us stuck in our self create delusion, nice and comfy.
I'd love to hear what you folks have to say on this. Please feel free even if it's to let me know that this shit don't make any sense! I'm open to learn from all involved.
Peace
Most of American film goers are going to the movies not to be enlighten but to connect with that deep down pain in their stomachs. We go to movies to be reassured that our pain is real and that gives us a false sense of comfort. It's like when your best friend calls you and complains for a half an hour about some jerk that cut him off on the street. Does your friend want to hear solutions to their problem with pride and anger or do they want to hear you chime in with "That jerk needs someone to drag him out of his car and pummel him with a baseball bat". We enjoy the reassurance that our pain is real and no one is going to take it away from us.
I've notice that besides the mind numbly main stream films that contribute to the self destruction of the human race, there are some films that attempt to send a "real message". These are a different type of mood maker films. I'll call them art films. They're the type of films where the filmmaker is trying extra hard to evoke a feeling in the viewer but has no idea what type of impact it has on the viewers life and perception of the world. Does the artist have a responsibility in how he or she uses their craft to manipulate the viewer in creating a mood which could be detrimental to them?
Should the artist think of the common welfare of the group (him and society), or should he/she create art without the best interest of all involved?
I've been writing/directing for several years now and have been in a constant search for truth. As I grow as a human-being with a deeper understanding of myself and those around me, I've become more aware of the responsibility that I have as an artist/human-being. My gift as a writer/director isn't to make films to boost my ego or to gain status and wealth. My primary purpose for making films is to pass a message of hope to people.
This I do through my unique experience as a human-being in search for a deeper understanding of myself. My experience, strength and hope is something that needs to be in the work that I create or else I'm creating an illusion, another meaningless piece of art that creates a mood but keeps us stuck in our self create delusion, nice and comfy.
I'd love to hear what you folks have to say on this. Please feel free even if it's to let me know that this shit don't make any sense! I'm open to learn from all involved.
Peace
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