5 Lomographers, 1 Question: What does the phrase “Be the director” mean to you?
5Control, authority, and power — these are three things that are usually associated with the word “director,” but these may also be difficult to get a hold of sometimes. There are factors outside your control, situations that decrease your authority, and moments where you’ll feel powerless within the creative process.
We asked five Lomographers who have captured motion pictures with the LomoKino to weigh in on this topic. Get to know them and their works as they answer the question, “What does the phrase ‘Be the director’ mean to you?”
Summer Puertollano
Fit to her name, Summer first dipped her toes into analogue filmmaking in a place where the sand is warm and the sun is shining — in other words, home. She dived in not knowing what to expect, but became pleased with the results “because it was as real as it gets with the life I live here by the sea.” Her work radiates the comfort of nature, the safe space that we all share.
As an interdisciplinary artist, Summer knows a thing or two about creating something out of what others may see as nothing. Her sincerity in crafting multiple pieces together and turning them into one is seen in her reflection, by choosing to dissect the phrase and give importance to every word.
“‘Be’ is existing, as simple or as normal as taking a breath. To live in the present and let things happen. While the description I like to use for the word ‘Director’ is overseer or organizer. Bringing together these two words into the phrase ‘Be the director,’ for me is choosing to see the big picture and having the willingness to learn from it. Making calculated risks, letting go of total control and trusting the process. I can only do so much preparation; the rest is having to let go and trusting that I’ve done my best to organize as much as I can.”
—Summer Puertollano
Dominik Unbehagen and Annika Schwermut
Dominik and Annika are well-versed in philosophy, art, and photography, and share an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. They embarked on a journey to the unfamiliar world of recording movement together on a trip to the Baltic Sea — after all, when great minds think alike, collaboration becomes a no brainer.
With overlapping frames, fascinating transitions, and captivating shots, one would be surprised to hear that they had no prior experience in taking motion pictures. That’s because, rather than feeling intimidated, they saw it as a time to explore techniques and perspectives that they have never attempted before.
“Have a playful interaction with the world first — not exactly to plan all the results, but to get surprised. Then you can 'Be the director' later while putting everything together.”
—Dominik Unbehagen and Annika Schwermut
Mari Torres
Each person has the liberty to find — or better yet, to create — the purpose of their lives. That is the value behind existentialism, a theme explored by Mari in his short analogue film titled lost & found. From heading the production of WIP CAPS to being on a skateboard and picturing others on theirs, he's constantly directing multiple things in his life.
There may be doubts and hesitations throughout these processes, but with a high spirit, there will always be the opportunity to steer the board towards a new and meaningful direction — perhaps the best way to take creative control is by letting go of inhibitions. Mari shared, “That’s the similarity that I discovered between shooting film and skateboarding. You can treat either like you’re playing and just be in the moment.”
“For me, 'Be the Director' means getting over yourself, and trusting or believing in the subject you are shooting or filming. You're only as good as your subject. It’s your role to tell a story.”
—Mari Torres
Txema Novelo
Music and film are storytelling tools that can stand alone, but together, they can heighten one’s senses and drive compelling narratives further. Txema is a filmmaker who has a clear understanding of this, having used the LomoKino to shoot music videos — one of them being for the Barcelona-based band Hidrogenesse and their song El Artista (The Artist). The celebration of artistic fusion is evident in his work, as seen in the video below.
Similar to his approach of combining music and film to produce remarkable outcomes, and his appreciation for merging the feel of silent movies with the look of contemporary cities, he firmly believes in building a team of people with same goals and different strengths.
“ 'Be the director,' to me, means envisioning an idea and being able to communicate it to those who trust your vision to help you make it come true. Cinema is the most collective of the arts, and group work is the canvas where the images imprint themselves. 'Be the director' is about leading, trusting, and creating.”
—Txema Novelo
Alvin Sebastian
There may be instances when creatives want to shoot, but don’t know what to. Deciding on a concept is already a big part of the undertaking, and it can sometimes feel impossible to the point where you can choose to delay your work. For Alvin, however, inspiration is right there. It’s here, and it’s all around. It can be seen along the skyline, among the trees, and in anything within your sight’s reach.
Though he professionally works as a Project Manager, he practices analogue filmmaking without the need for a grand plan before execution. We can simply document the things we want to remember and relive, and these will be enough to make us want to keep shooting.
“The meaning of 'Be the director' for me is to capture moments with the people who surround you, especially your loved ones.”
—Alvin Sebastian
Every individual has their own style, perceptions, and visions, leading to a limitless collection of answers to the same question. What does the phrase “Be the director” mean to you?
We'd like to thank our chosen Lomographers for sharing their outputs and insights! The LomoKino is the movie maker to have for your next analogue masterpiece — check it out in our Online Shop.
written by kylavillena on 2024-09-21 #gear #people #videos #community #lomokino #bethedirector
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