Bert Jansch (1943-2011)

Earlier this week Scottish music legend Bert Jansch died. He was an immensely talented guitarist and had a wonderful singing voice. I was able to see him live once and it was a great show.

Rest in peace, good sir.

Something New

I have begun work on a new film, finally. I think it’s going to be a good one. Of course in between now and when I started wrapping up Robert on his Lunch Break there were many attempts at creating something new, but until a few days ago nothing gelled. Some people are able to churn out art with great frequency, but for me working on a film is a difficult undertaking–one that takes a lot of time, in the early stages, to go from being a whim to an attainable goal (a viable work of art that I can visualize coming together).

I started making movies informally when I was about ten years old. Since then I’ve only created three or four films that I would officially endorse–not much to show for my troubles. However, I’ve gained a lot of experience and one thing I’ve learned is that I’m not easily satisfied with my own work, so to make a film that I’ll appreciate years after I’ve made it a lot will have to go into it (a lot of toil and a lot of thought). For me, embarking upon a new film is like strapping up for battle: it implies total commitment.

Having said that I don’t think filmmaking (or the creation of art in general) has to be a painful experience. As I age I’m trying to make life easier for myself. Had I known going into Robert on his Lunch Break what I know now, I could have saved myself a lot of hassle. There was a great learning curve with the technical/aesthetic side of things, but I mean something else: I know now that I’m more alone in the world than I thought I was (even though, I feel obliged to add, I have my share of wonderful friends, perhaps more than I deserve).

I know now that “the world” isn’t yet ready for my work. I know now that my point of view as an artist (in so far as a film like Robert embodies it) is more devisive than I thought it was. I’m a loner at heart, and a bit of a contrarian. When it comes to the appreciation of other people’s art, I can be pretty fussy and that complicates things when it comes to networking. I’m not sure anymore if making films makes me a happier person, but I do know that it makes me feel useful, even if such a small number of people seem to have use for a given work.

So, with all of this in mind I’m saying what the hell, time to roll up my shirt sleeves and do it again–what’s the worst that could happen? The production will take place down here in Sarasota. It’s kind of a non-linear film that’s tied together more by themes than plot points. I’m still writing and refining the dialogue. I have yet to cast the actors (there will eight roles). I’m going to need a better camera than the one I have. I don’t know if this is going to be “the one” (i.e. the film most likely to acquire a sizable audience), but I do think it will be reasonably easy for people to latch onto (as opposed to my last film which is more austere and can take several viewings to understand and appreciate).

In short, I’m excited about putting my new film together…it’ll be fun.