I went to the Q&A session for Over the Hills and Far Away with filmmaker Michel Scott. I didn't know quite what to expect going into the session, but it was interesting to see some of his previous works before getting a glimpse at his newest film. I both liked and disliked the experimental piece. Aesthetically it was somewhat mesmerizing and the voice of his mother speaking fit well with the images, but it just is not something I would enjoy sitting down to watch on a whim.
I was expecting to see more of the latest film about the autistic child and his family traveling to Mongolia in search of healing for the boy, but from what I saw the film piqued my interest and made me want to see the entire thing. My interest in horses and the journey documentary comes together in Over the Hills and Far Away. The last scene he left us with made me wonder what the ending to the story was when they were worried about the child rejecting the horses again. All the more reason to see it when it comes out. From the preview I am glad he found this project right around when he wanted to get out of film and hope that he continues to fulfill his interests in documentary and native cultures.
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Yeah, I came in expecting to see the feature - I must not have been listening. I want to see it even more now, and I'll probably make my way down to the Paramount on St. Patrick's Day to check it out. I'm pulling for a miracle.
ReplyDeleteDespite my disappointment over not seeing the film, I was glad to get a look at Michael's other work, particularly the experimental doc. When this was finished, I looked over to Fitch and we agreed that he had raised the bar for us. I always look to other work, especially student work, to gauge my own progress, learn new techniques, and motivate myself. I felt this project was outstanding.
While I don't think I'll start painting individual frames of film leader any time soon, I appreciate the very fresh way this film approached storytelling. It felt like he was starting from scratch as opposed to utilizing varieties of conventions. I found one thing Michael said about this project to be strange, though. When discussing it's classification as a documentary, he said it was as personal a technique and story as possible, and he sort of focused on how the film was his vision alone. This was odd, I thought, because for me the most compelling part of the project was the music.
Anyway, the new film looks great. His account makes it seem like this perfect combination of elements fell in his lap, but we'll be wise to remember that it could not have fallen in his lap had he not been making moves, meeting people, and being decisive about his career.
Michael said something about the experience of making this film that I think is important and overlooked in film school: his physical fitness was crucial to the success of the film. This was the case because he was working on a particularly challenging project, but I think it applies to any project. As Andy Garrison says, a filmmaker's body is his most important piece of equipment and it needs to be meticulously maintained. In Over the Hills and Far Away the reasoning for this is obvious, but if you think back to the last time you ran an editing marathon, you'll remember that the mind and body are totally dependent on one another. So take care of yourself.