What matters is spirit

This is a great quote.  It's from filmmaker Lee Kern, who's going to be at a Shooting People event on June 30th over at the South Bank.    Recently I caught another round of flak for doing things "unprofessionally".  It's almost like there's a religious spirit out there attached to certain organizations that want slick, objective professionalism.  I don't care much about audio levels, or about how good my youtube stuff looks-- of course the non-youtube stuff I do I go for pristine art and flowing images and enjoy making great looking films-- but what matters with the shorter fare is if I catch a glimpse of God, of people being themselves who are normally seen in the limelight and having to be celebritiies, of some kind of power or energy that happens in the edit.

The more holy of you, please close your eyes halfway through the paragraph, others enjoy:


Whilst having the ability to make "professional" looking stuff I am of the persuasion that all that matters is spirit.  You could have all the technology and resources in the world and you could still make rubbish.  (Turn on your telly or go to the cinema for evidence). Ultimately, if you got passion and care about what you're doing it will translate - whatever creative medium you set sail upon - whether it be writing, film-making, Connect Four or Guess Who.  DV techonolgy means any idiot can make films.  This is a good thing.  Some would argue that a disregard for gloss and "professionalism" is limiting oneself - that you're hamstringing your ability to be picked up by broadcasters and other distribution networks. I would argue that it's liberating, and that those who argue the former - (I would argue) - on some level - are little bitch-monkeys.  F***the professionals. F*** the career monkeys.  F*** the commission junkies.  Everyone's gotta pay the rent, but who wants to live in a Borstal of Prostitution?  Film should be about passion.  The birth of a technology that people can intergrate fluently into their lives means a passion for film-making can be readily pursued.  It allows for pure, unmitigated contact between you and your finished film. The next Scorcese will come from someone's bedroom, not a film school. If your motivation is not to follow the rhythms of your own heart then the beat you follow is confused.  Find your own rhythm and syntax.  DV technology means film can be as spontaneous as scribbling down notes on a parking ticket found on the dashboard of your car.  I can shoot in the morning, edit in the afternoon and have a film in the evening.  

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Tags: LeeKern, DV films, spirit, God, Free Donuts, mini DV, documentaries,  

Comments

[Justin]

HE SAID THE 'F' WORD!!!!

[retroman]

Stay away from classical. The slightest defilement of a Bach trill throws the purists into a tizzy!