It seems to me that those who are blessed creatively…or if not blessed, but under conditions in which it is necessary to create – are those who are poor or even oppressed in our society. Or perhaps anyone has the ability to create, but it is those who are the underdogs in our culture that have the drive needed to make it as an artist. When I think of the greatest artists of the last century, the most innovative, I think of people who have struggled and freed those struggles within their art. Rock and Roll was created by blacks who were oppressed at that time.

Even down to the vendors in cities that create their art for sale on the streets.

In class we were told that the best way to make money is to CREATE money. Create a job, and therefore create money for yourself.

I guess as an artist that is what you’re looking to do. Create material that people want to consume. We are a consumer society and there’s a lot of money out there. By creating and marketing a product (yourself, your material) you can create money for yourself – if you’re good enough and people are willing to buy into that product.

As someone who is an underdog in this society, who may not be inheriting family businesses or have connections or have little lives already set up, or may not have the opportunity to go to college…becoming an artist and creating something from yourself is a possibility and may explain why so many great artists are those said underdogs.

Music obviously plays a huge role in any film and can make or break you in creating the feeling or mood you want in a scene. That said, when watching Hollywood movies it can sometimes feel like you’re watching an extended music video. The music is a vague blend of commercial material often put out by a recording artist and then later picked up for a movie.

I’ve read that some directors like to listen to music and then write the scenes to their films to that particular mood created by the music. A song can inspire a whole scene or feeling in a film. I believe Quentin Tarantino is one of those directors.

I’m a big fan of hip-hop, and when American Gangster the movie came out, rapper Jay-Z came out with a concept album also titled American Gangster, using some of the same ideas and dialogue from the movie and expanding upon it from his own experiences. Rumor has it that Jay had originally wanted to be involved with not only the official soundtrack for the movie, but also the role that went to Denzel. Good choice by casting directors as anyone who has ever seen him in “State Property” or “Paper Soldiers” knows well. After being shut down and removed from any type of role in the movie or with the soundtrack, he decided to go ahead and do his own separate version.

As a fan of the movie as well as the music, this seems like an opportunity wasted. Granted, in choosing music for the movie I would have also decided against an entire soundtrack by Jay-Z in this situation, as to create a diverse atmosphere for the movie it was necessary to have their own soundtrack, it makes me think that a cooperative collaboration between the artists, movie and music would be an innovative idea. I’m not talking “8 Mile” either, that doesn’t count, the subjects are too similar and therefore the idea is irrelevant. I’m thinking a director could sit down with an artist, or group of artists, group, band, whatever…and break everything down and collaborate on creating the right feeling and mood for every single scene and moment. I believe given the right situation and personalities involved (which admittedly is no small easy task and I realize this) -it would push the creative juices of all parties involved with their art and both inspire and push everyone involved to greater boundaries.

On a smaller level, when young filmmakers are trying to get a budget together and go out and shoot their first films, it seems that it would make sense to market themselves to musicians in the same position. Just as young actors trying to get jobs will rarely turn you down when asked to act in your movie, I’m sure musical artists would be the same way. You can in turn promise them that all those who see your film will hear their music. It’s a showcase that can work both ways, and it’s self-marketing with help. Why not collaborate together for the same purpose – both types of artists are sure to be hungry to make the best out of the situation so that they will be seen and also heard. Which should mean that both inspire each other and make the most out of the given situation, film and soundtrack together.

A little while ago I was sitting in Mohegan Sun’s sporting arena for the Connecticut boys’ basketball state championship games. I had been thinking about what was said about composition in one of my film classes, mostly focusing on how a filmmaker is always aware of his surroundings and has an eye for what would be nice visual shots, or compositions. I happened to be seated near the end of the court, just near enough to the middle so that I was past where thesideline and baseline meet, and I had a perfect view of a really great shot. From my seat I could see right into the hallway leading from the player’s locker rooms to the court where the players make their entrance. However, it was not the players that I was focused on. There was a man sitting in a chair, likely a security guard of some kind, just sitting by himself throughout the entire game. He was framed so nicely by the entrance, and was so far away on the opposite side of the court, at a perfectly unnatural angle, that I was frustrated and disappointed I could not shoot it and save the shot for something, anything. There was something that really fascinated me about this person sitting by himself, while a crowd filling the arena all focused on the players in the game, the players focused, of course, on the game.

Ever since I was little I’ve love to people watch. I’ve always been curious about different people, their motivations, who they are and who they’re trying to be. Who they really are. Their ambitions. If they have any ambitions. What kind of home life they have, if their parents are divorced, if they’re happy, sad, lonely, etc. Anything. I could sit in a coffee shop and watch the people there and those that pass outside probably all day. In fact, I dont even go to the library much because it’s actually too much of a distraction, I just watch. Instead, to do work I have to find somewhere I can be by myself.

That said, I realized what I already knew intuitively, just never really thought about it in such a way, never tried to label my thoughts. Everyone has a story. Every single person. It seems impossible to go through life without overcoming obstacles along the way, without constant conflict, tension. There are happy moments as well as sad, some difficult some easy. In screenwriting, you focus on those conflicts, tensions, and obstacles, and create a story with set-up, climax, and resolution. You amplify the struggles and conflicts, and cut out the rest of the boring parts that fill in time in real life.

While I sized up my perfect shot of this person sitting in the chair, thousands of people completely oblivious to him during the game, I found my thoughts slipping from the game itself to what this person’s story was. What struggles or conflicts had he overcome? What things had he done in his life? What were some of his accomplishments, and what were some of his regrets. Did he take any chances or play it safe? What kinds of relationships had he been in, was he currently in love or had he been previously? Was he still searching?

I realized that in our society no one really cares about one another. We all love to talk about ourselves and our own problems and successes and issues, but never listen and learn from one another. In a time when our tools and abilities to communicate with computers and cell phones have no limit, no one really truly gets to know one another. People aren’t interested in other people unless they have done something that fascinates us, which in America doesn’t seem to be much. Why do we care about Paris Hilton, and what she does with her life, honestly? Why do people care what musicians and actors think about politics or the government or the war?

I read a lot, and I always found the stories of how people that became famous or prominent in society always had such great background stories. Now I’m starting to think that once again we all have intersting aspects of our lives, peaks and downfalls, overcome conflicts to get to where we are. Once again, it is likely the skill of the journalist to take these facts and accentuate them to a level of mystique, to almost dehumanize someone by putting a celebrity on a pedestal above other humans, while smartly cutting out any boring, regular-day information about that person that would make us as consumers put the magazine or book or newspaper down. Its an intersting cycle.

I think regular day people are just as interesting as the people that are in the news every day, or on Entertainment News television. I am more curious about that person in the chair at the game than I am about what Kanye West has for breakfast or what Angelina Jolie’s dieting regimen is. A while back I remember talking to a security guard here at Endicott for almost an hour and a half in between him signing people in. I found out a lot about him in that brief time. He loved cars, and had spent most of his life working on them, and was proud of the cars that he had bought and built up, and talked about his past cars as if they were past wives. I learned that he did have past relationships, and was going through a rough time in his marriage at the time. He loved his daughter and was extremely proud of her, she was graduating from BU with a degree in English and I believe looking to earn a law degree afterwards. He had recently had heart surgery, and because of it could no longer work in his business with cars, which seemed to break his heart in my opinion. He couldn’t sleep at night, so he figured why not work nights here at Endicott in the mean time.

I never saw him again, but I learned a lot about someone I had just met, and I didnt have to say more than ten words, just listen. He, like everyone else, had a story. I want to be an artist, and as an artist focus on the motivations of human behavior and the affects things that go on in our world and in life have on us and the way we act. So in having those ambitions, I feel it is part of my job, my responsibility to experience as much life as I can – the good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly, and everything in between, so that when it calls for it when writing or filming a scene, I can have a certain experience to fall back on and empathize with, so that I can try to understand the way someone would act in that particular situation.

I was thinking about imagery that I would use as a filmmaker to portray abandonment.
Some ideas;

-A lone set of footsteps set in sand or snow, trailing out of sight, no one visible.
-An old tree stripped of its leaves, dull and bare. Charcoal sky.
-An old fence overgrown with wildlife.
-A basketball hoop at a park, slightly bent rim, busted chain link net or no net at all.
-A chair out in a backyard, by itself.
-Expensive jewelry scattered across a bureau dusty and unused.
-Someone sitting alone at a very crowded and busy party, unengaged, brooding.
-A mess from a party left…cups spilled, scattered everywhere, partly eaten food peaking out of boxes.
-Picture of a group of people smiling except for one unsmiling face.
-A child sitting on a porch, looking away.
-A pair of shoes tied together hanging from a telephone line.
-A swingset/playscape rusted and run down, grass overgrown.
-A broken bottle on the side of a street.
-An unmoving clock.
-A pair of sunglasses, one eye poked out, laying on the ground.
-A fireplace.
-An old radio.
-A kids bicycle, rusted and laying on its side, building in the background, grass growing through cracks in the pavement.
-A cemetery.
-A grave dug, but not yet filled in.
-A bouquet of lowers laying on the ground, petals scattered about.
-A light flickering, dull.
-A candle melted down, wax spilled onto a table.
- An open field, grass blowing in the wind.
-A flag hanging on a house, torn, blowing in the wind.
-A cigarette left in an ashtray, still glowing.
-A crumpled piece of paper next to a trash can.
-A fountain pen left open upon a piece of paper, large ink blot beneath.

In my last post I talked about the need for change in our society in which many of our children, especially those growing up in our cities, have been abandoned and left to fend for themselves with the odds against them.  I said that our school systems were not doing a good job, and weren’t being provided with the proper resources to do so.

Geoffrey Canada is a social activist who was born in New York City and raised in a South Bronx neighborhood.  He is the author of “Fist Stick Knife Gun; A Peronal History of Violence in America,” as well as “Reaching Up for Manhood: Transforming the Lives of Boys in America.”  He has a Master’s degree in education from Harvard and has been the president and CEO of the Harlem Children’s Zone in Harlem, New York.  His organization’s goal is to provide inner-city kids with the opportunities and support to graduate from high school and earn a college degree. 

In 2005 US News and World Report named him one of America’s best leaders, and has mentored many young kids and inspired hope and change in his community.  

A point Canada has made in some of his speeches really struck a nerve with me and made me go learn more about him, listen to what he had to say, and read his books.  The point was that the teachers in urban schools are just not good enough, and schools do not have the resources or the money to lure the best teachers.  Canada talked about how with a different budget strategy, our society in which businesses maintain the most amount of economy, that money focused on business could also be focused on education. Therefore we could change our schools and give our kids a better means of education, a way out.  He proposed that the same money given to accountants, or CEOs, etc., should be paid to our best teachers.  If you perform in a business situation, you get paid more, he reasoned; you become more valuable.  Our most valuable teachers are not being accessed because there is nothing to spark their interest.  More of a problem, those that would be the great future leaders and teachers of America are not going into teaching or education because, especially in this time, education doesn’t pay the bills like other jobs.  Canada said that our best teachers should be rewarded, much like an accountant performing well, and given the intitiative to come work with our kids, mentor them, get them to college, and help build the future leaders of our nation. 

Since I have heard these speeches I have thought that a documentary on this subject would be very powerful, especially with the impact of President Obama and Obama’s backing of Canada’s Harlem Children’s Zone project.  Perhaps the documentary would follow Canada and his daily work, as well as some of the students and the situations they’re in, and how Canada’s groundbreaking program affects them.

Here is a full speech made by Geoffrey Canada on leadership.

In our society people are defined as either good or bad. Those that are deemed bad are punished. I disagree with this generalization, as I don’t believe you can categorize people that easily. I dont think there are good or bad people, just people. We are defined by our actions, and whether these actions are accepted or not in our society at this particular time and age determines the consequences to those actions.

Most people that commit crimes and fill our prisons are those that have been emotionally, socially, or economically abused and deprived. Most of the time it is our society that deprives them.  Abandons them.  In a letter famous playwright and author wrote to legendary Director Elia Kazan about the characters in his play, “A Streetcar Named Desire:” “There are no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ people.  Some are a little better or a little worse, but all are activated more by misunderstanding than malice. A blindness to what is going on in each other’s hearts . . . nobody sees anybody truly but all through the falws of their own egos. That is the way we all see each other in life. Vanity, fear, desire, competition–all such distortions within our own egos–condition our vision of those in relation to us…”

The solution is to send these people to prison.  Mess up three times in some places and you’re put away forever.  It seems to me that something is wrong there.  If our culture and society were a father, then the father is punishing it’s children for suffering its own faults.  Kids today are growing up abandoned, without fathers, without parents, without active parents, without anybody responsible or supportive in their lives.  People such as teachers and role models that would be necessary father or mother figures, or authority figures, disciplinarians… those that are responsible also fail them.  The school systems as a whole in our nation’s cities are failing our children.  Everything is a cycle, and while teachers and those in their position may not be doing a good enough job – or doing their job at all – those positions are indeed tough and not desirable.  Why go to an inner-city school for minimal pay and struggle to teach troubled kids who don’t always want to learn or understand the power and importance of education when they have so much else to deal with already?  Something needs to be done to save those growing up in our schools and our society. 

Art that truly captures this message, and portrays life in our inner cities as well as the fact that there are no bad people, just people defined by actions, is HBO’s show “The Wire.”  It takes place in Baltimore, and gives us a snapshot of one of America’s cities in this particular time period.  It is the most potently powerful and meaningful thing I have ever seen, and it inspires me as well as truly pisses me off that I was not in some way a part of it at the same time.  It is exactly what I would want to be part of, why I want to be involved in filmmaking, writing, acting, anything I can.  “The Wire” is a 5-season long show that takes on a different viewpoint in each season.  The first season focuses on the drug trade, the 2nd one the port, the 3rd the city government and bureaucracy, the 4th season the school system, and the 5th and final season the print news media.  The show also uses character actors that are little known for their roles, or used non-actors found throughout the city to give the show a more authentic feel.  Everything about the show – the direction, dialogue, acting, plot and theme – is real and raw, terribly and shockingly perfect.  There is no main character; in fact, the character you fall in love with and find yourself pulling for often doesnt make it to the next episode, let alone the next season.  Like life.  Also, the characters are very real and refreshing, and really capture my feelings about good and bad people. Often in “The Wire,” those who are in the position we categorize as “good people,” turn out to show bad character, while those categorized as “bad people,” often have good hearts and are conflicted by their position. Those running for mayor, school principals, teachers, and most of all throughout the show, cops – are portrayed as struggling to do the right thing, and often not. Meanwhile, drug dealers, and murders, are shown dealing and killing, but the filmmakers don’t fail to capture moments of despair, hope, friendship, and love. You might end up rooting for the drug dealer struggling to find a meaning to life instead of the alcoholic, corrupt cops or politicians. There are no heroes, certainly no main characters, just people. In fact, the main character is the city of Baltimore. 

“The show is really about the American city, and about how we live together. It’s about how institutions have an effect on individuals, and how … whether you’re a cop, a longshoreman, a drug dealer, a politician, a judge or lawyer, you are ultimately compromised and must contend with whatever institution you’ve committed to.” – David Simon, creater, producer, and writer of “The Wire. ”

Therefore the show has the ultimate freedom to explore deep into its political themes and its vast arrays of characters and plot lines.  Its a rare example of film that lives up to and surpasses its own ambition, and although the shows complicated plot lines and disregard for emotional bonds to characters can be exhausting (like life), in the end you feel satisfied. 

 

 

150 years from now people will be able to look back on this piece of film as a document of history, of our past and vision of what not only our cities were like, but our culture and society at that time.    

“A wasted life can be given purpose through an act of kindness, of love. ”

Too often we let other people and separate circumstances dictate what we do or the people we become.  Far too many people relinquish their control over themselves by being passive and constantly compromising for the benefit of their own comfort.  A mentor of mine once told me that as a person you can never grow in times of comfort and convenience.  In fact, he reminded me that the character of a person is measured not in times of comfort and convenience, but in times of conflict and controversy.  To step outside your comfort zone, and to push yourself, is to become better. 

However, the dreams we have when we are younger, or even the dreams we have today, will probably not amount to anything.  That is the society that we grow up in, where people take pride in telling you what you can or cannot do.  In my opinion, the worst people in the world are those that sit back, watch television, and comment on and criticize the people that are out there, taking risks, attempting to follow their hearts and their dreams, failing and succeeding.  Those people lacked the commitment and trueness to oneself to have the courage to take a chance, and do what they want, instead of listening to others, compromising their beliefs and wants for others, remaining comfortable.  In short, abandoning a part of themselves before they give it a chance, abandoning their dreams. 

A wise man once said, “Often the difference between a successful person and a failure is not one who has better ideas or abilities, but the courage that one has to bet on one’s ideas; to take a calculated risk, and then to act on it.  I’ve heard many people say that they have followed their hearts to success, or a destination.  Some people say that their heart says yes but their mind says no.  I believe that as a person, your heart and your head are one and the same.  People just associate their heart with their feelings and their head with their doubts or reservations.  I also believe it is better to doubt your doubts than to doubt your feelings, and most of all, yourself. 

So I am interested in the aspect of human nature that makes us so frequently abandon the things we dream about or want.  Is it for our own comfort?  Because when it truly comes down to it, all we really need as people is food, shelter, and love, right?  As characters in our own plot of life, do we already have what we need, so what we want can be compromised?  And if so, what is it that drives certain people to achieve what they want?  Do they have a bigger need for approval or justification?  Is what some people want what others need?  Again, if so, what does that say about those people that are maybe more successful but need that approval and justification to feel good about themselves or secure?

I feel that all these questions somewhat tie into the issue of abandonment, perhaps if only in a psychological way.  Still, the abandonment of self, of feelings and emotions, wants and needs, both eats at me and fascinates me.

A Picture I took when visiting Hollywood, Florida

Art is an arrangement of elements in such a way to communicate a feeling or idea that makes you feel something.  It is an expression, and we use art to deal with things in our lives that are unknown, even uncomfortable or terrifying.  We use art to fill in the gaps of our understanding of the world, helping us understand things we may not understand without it, or have a chance to experience yourself.  For example, if you are from a rural area and have never been to a city or seen a diverse group of people, or seen the many problems and stories that come from urban environments, film, and art in general, can take you there.  We are allowed to solve problems through art, whether they may be personal or general, make art that lets us chew on things and think about them and maybe look at things from a different angle or point of vew.  Admist the entertainment of film, and art, there is always a discussion going on, and therefore a resolution; what matters is if that discussion is worth it to you.   Art is there to help us deal with it, perhaps understand it, and attempt to complete our relationship with the world. 

As an artist, I am interested in pursuing things that make you think, that talk to human nature.  My favorite films have no special effects or massive fight scenes, but instead character-driven human interaction.  I love watching a film and feeling completely involved with the characters and their feelings and emotions.  When those things are present, especially if there is an actor powerful enough to push their role to new heights – two of my favorite performances that fit this description are by Marlon Brando in “On the Waterfront,” and “Last Tango in Paris,” then those are the films that really mean something to me.  As an artist I can only hope and strive to produce material that can do some of those things, to shine a light on a topic from a new angle or with a new way of thinking, as well as material that is true to human nature, raw, and uncompromising.

 

 

 

A scene from “Last Tango in Paris,” a movie that was said to redefine film.  This particular close-up has been called the greatest close-up in film history, completely improvised by Marlon Brando, widely regarded as the greatest actor of all time.   

 

Two of my favorite scenes from “On the Waterfront.”

These scenes inspire me to make art of my own and make an accurate and special portrayal of human interaction and emotion, and be a great filmmaker.