why, adv. (n., int.) a. In a direct question: For what reason? from what cause or motive? for what purpose? wherefore?
The simplest, most asked and most universal question in the human language (definition courtesy of Oxford English Dictionary, one of my many obsessions). As vague as it is, it leads me to a series of questions I always, always ask myself. Why? Why am I doing what I'm doing? Is filmmaking important? Yes. How? Is what I do with my life somehow vital to human existence? And so on, and so on. It's the question that demands questioning. So... what is the answer?
I don't claim to have the answer. Hell, I'm only 24. I'll be 25 in July, but as an optimist I'm celebrating my centennial (100 seasons). As a pessimist, it's probably the only centennial I'll get... But that's something to talk about later.
What I'm getting at is that I know I'm not the only one asking these questions. It's somehow built into our biological structure, from the first Homo species that showed increased brain size, we seem to have started questioning things. Which led to fire and primal hunting techniques, to language and art, to religion and civilization. Humans can't help but to hope there is a higher purpose, or reason for their existence. Why not? If we didn't find meaning in what we did, what would be the point? And that's where some people actually end up, and the answer is sometimes fatal for those who don't feel they have purpose. This, I know.
So, I ask YOU, as well as myself "Why am I making films?" and "Does film play a vital role to the existence and progression of humanity?" Now, they are big questions, no doubt. But I urge you to also ask yourself these. BUT, under ONE condition! Please always keep this in mind: If you don't have an answer that suits your ambitions or self-worth, or you don't have an answer at all, DON'T PANIC and don't do anything stupid. Because, to be perfectly honest, it is a STUPID question to begin with. So, it's important to ask the question, but it is a stupid question all the same (which is in a lot of ways the answer to question in itself). It's confusing, and that's life, and sometimes it's best to just kick back and ignore all the questions your mind tries to shove into your conscious.
That said, I don't have THE answer to my question. But, I believe I have a suitable answer that will probably hold back the tides of my mind long enough to try to come up with another good, deep question (see, I'm telling you. One question leads to the next, so, if you want to keep your "sanity" in tact, best you just turn around and head back to the womb). DISCLAIMER: The following is my own philosophy and theory based upon others' philosophies and theories, and may require a small amount of research or knowledge on our predecessors in order to truly make sense. P.S. Yes, I'm going for longest blog post to-date.
Does film play a vital role to the existence and progression of humanity?
Yes. I could leave it at that, but I wont. Film is and always has been vital to humanity on a few levels. Historically, forms of "art" and "storytelling" (which are the two key essences if film) have been around since the Neolithic era with cave paintings and Shamanism. In this way, the essences have been helping to shape cultures worldwide for nearly five millennia. But, (here comes another one) where does art come from? Our minds have been the source of art and stories longer than we've been able to express them.
Which brings me to the psychology of Carl Jung. He describes the mind as a sort of division of conscious and unconscious. When we sleep, and dream, our unconscious brings us images and experiences that our conscious is unable to access, partly due to our being civilized and unable to tap into our primal thoughts that are connected to the unconscious. And it's also worth mentioning that Jung puts a lot of emphasis on a collective conscious, which, in a nutshell is the theory that memories, knowledge and thoughts are interconnected through genes, memories, physics and mere interactions. Whew, bare with me, I'll get there.
So, the way I see it, stories in general come from the unconscious. Whether in a dream or a memory or pure imagination. And there's a French term, "abaissement du niveau mentale" which roughly translates to the "sinking of the mental level," or as Jung would say, entering the unconscious. When we go to see a movie at the theatre, very often we are walking DOWN the isle, we sit, and the lights dim to dark (and dark in general is often representative of the unconscious in Jungian theory). So, going to the theatre is somewhat of a literal act of "abaissement du niveau mentale." And the movie comes on, a blend of art and storytelling, and we have now accessed the unconscious (both personally and collectively).
This is my just one of the theories I've come to, but in round about way, this is why film is vital. According to Jung, everything is about balance. That is to say we need pain just as much as we need pleasure, or control and chaos, love and hate. Whatever it is, if it is unbalanced, it is due to our own repression in the unconscious of the lesser half. And repression is, to put it mildly, unhealthy (to the mind, body, soul, etc.).
Finally, I suggest that seeing films (or spying through the "window" into another's unconscious if you will) is vital because it provides some balance of the unconscious and conscious. It is a type of conscious access to the unconscious that we can access without going to sleep. Thus our primal desires to experience the essences of art and storytelling are fulfilled, and our conscious and unconscious more balance. Which is healthy. But, this is not to say you can use watching movies as a diet plan. Trust me. It doesn't work. I'm still trying to jog off my gut...
Now, I'm sorry that took so long, but I do have one other reason why it's important to me. I believe that people like to see movies because it's fun. Despite everything you read on blogs and reviews and criticisms, people DO like movies. They only do those things because it is part of the artistic circle in which the audience provides feedback (sometimes good, other times, not so). And it shows that they went, they watched, and the FELT something. I intend to make movies that make people FEEL. Whether that's joy, pain, sorrow, anger, excitement, or passion. I think THAT is the core of why it is vital. It is an experience, an adventure, that people can have without leaving their favorite theatre, couch, chair, bean bag, or for a lucky few, toilet seat. It is art and storytelling, and it is also entertainment.
Thanks for stopping by, and comments, emails, feedback and hate-mail are all greatly appreciated. Now go watch some movies!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
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I believe that the reason for existence is existence itself. Our desires to do what we do may be born of a desire to "rise above" the masses, to appear greater than or more gifted than others, or it may just be that these are the things we were made to do. Of course what artists do is important/ everything that everybody does impacts us all, both here and beyond (I believe). Today I have no illusions to feed my frenzied mind, so maybe, just maybe I was never meant to question why I do or desire to do what I do/ I just need to do it/ trust that it may never make sense to my understanding, but that that's OK. If nothing else it adds to the mystery of existence which is all that makes it tolerable for me.I also believe that maybe we are inspired to do what we do from something beyond ourselves and that our motivations are actually completely selfless. Hmmmmmm, more mystery. I don't worry so much anymore I just try to do & trust. Anonymous
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