Longtime friend and fellow filmmaker Jared Katsiane is currently enjoying a rare treat. Several of his short films are screening simulatenously at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts. I thought it would be a perfect time to sit down and ask Jared some questions about his experience as a uniquely independent filmmaker today. [footnote: Jared's answer to my final question below happens to fit perfectly with the theme of the Oct. 14th panel I'm putting together for the Producers Guild of Amerca, Art of the Possible: When to Pull the Trigger on Low-Budget Production. Stay tuned for more on this topic.]
First a bit about Jared:
A native of Boston's South End, Jared Katsiane still works in his childhood neighborhood where he teaches filmmaking. His own films have been about the South End and South Boston, relying on the adolescents he has worked closely with over the years. His award-winning films, such as amBUSHed (1993, Winner of the Independent Film Award at the New England Film and Video Festival) and Solace (2005, Winner of the Silver Mikeldi at the Bilbao International Film Festival of Documentary and Short Films) have been shown at over 300 festivals around the world.
Q:
You have a bunch of short films screening currently at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Can you tell me a little bit about the series and how your films came to the attention of the MFA? And also a bit about each of your films?
A:
The MFA’s curator, Carter Long, put together this series of local filmmakers’ work. I had sent him my shorts over the last year or so, as well as the feature “Everyday Is New” which will be screened on Sept. 18th at 1:10pm. That film focuses on the struggles of youth in South Boston, mixing documentary and fiction. The other films also largely focus on youth and various themes, such as how they deal with immigrant policies in the US, and military recruitment. The newest film, “Before War”, is comprised entirely of 8mm film footage my uncle shot before and during his time as a soldier in the Korean War. The film explores how boys are conditioned to join the military. This film will also be screened on Sept. 18.
The MFA’s curator, Carter Long, put together this series of local filmmakers’ work. I had sent him my shorts over the last year or so, as well as the feature “Everyday Is New” which will be screened on Sept. 18th at 1:10pm. That film focuses on the struggles of youth in South Boston, mixing documentary and fiction. The other films also largely focus on youth and various themes, such as how they deal with immigrant policies in the US, and military recruitment. The newest film, “Before War”, is comprised entirely of 8mm film footage my uncle shot before and during his time as a soldier in the Korean War. The film explores how boys are conditioned to join the military. This film will also be screened on Sept. 18.
Q:
You've been creating truly independent film for many years now. Would you say it's become harder or easier to get indie film produced since you began? And what factors do you feel have contributed most to the change?
You've been creating truly independent film for many years now. Would you say it's become harder or easier to get indie film produced since you began? And what factors do you feel have contributed most to the change?
A:
Although I started shooting Super 8 films in high school, it wasn’t until 1990 that I began shooting 16mm films and discovering just how expensive filmmaking can be, even without a proper crew and expensive cameras. I believe it’s always been a struggle to create super low-budget (or “no budget” in my case) films, but not until recently have I began shooting a bit with a cheap HD camera, which of course drastically cuts down on the up front expenses of film stock and processing (however, at the end of editing, transferring video to film for a print can also be quite costly). Each project is unique so it’s difficult say whether it’s easier today to produce a film, but overall with the availability of affordable cameras and editing software, certainly the tools are easier to come by. Ultimately what never changes is the ability to tell a good story, whatever format it’s shot on. Once that’s done, the perhaps greater struggle is getting the work seen. Despite the advent of online distribution avenues, obtaining a traditional theatrical release is harder than ever due to fewer independent cinemas and even some like the Landmark theaters often devote 2 screens to a relatively big film, thereby taking away a screen that could go to a low-budget film.
Although I started shooting Super 8 films in high school, it wasn’t until 1990 that I began shooting 16mm films and discovering just how expensive filmmaking can be, even without a proper crew and expensive cameras. I believe it’s always been a struggle to create super low-budget (or “no budget” in my case) films, but not until recently have I began shooting a bit with a cheap HD camera, which of course drastically cuts down on the up front expenses of film stock and processing (however, at the end of editing, transferring video to film for a print can also be quite costly). Each project is unique so it’s difficult say whether it’s easier today to produce a film, but overall with the availability of affordable cameras and editing software, certainly the tools are easier to come by. Ultimately what never changes is the ability to tell a good story, whatever format it’s shot on. Once that’s done, the perhaps greater struggle is getting the work seen. Despite the advent of online distribution avenues, obtaining a traditional theatrical release is harder than ever due to fewer independent cinemas and even some like the Landmark theaters often devote 2 screens to a relatively big film, thereby taking away a screen that could go to a low-budget film.
Q:
You've been fortunate to travel the world to numerous film festivals with your short films. What have been some of your favorites and what have you found most surprising about these screenings?
You've been fortunate to travel the world to numerous film festivals with your short films. What have been some of your favorites and what have you found most surprising about these screenings?
A:
One of my favorite festival experiences was having the good fortune to attend the Clermont-Ferrand festival in France, considered the preeminent short film festival as it attracts thousands of buyers, distributors, other festival programmers, and wonderfully enthusiastic audiences. The festival screened my film “Solace” six times and I engaged in lively Q&A sessions with people who were fervent in their support of short filmmaking. And that’s been constant when I travel to international festivals--outside of the US, short filmmaking is considered a valid art form and there are hundreds of festivals devoted exclusively to shorts (this was a welcome surprise to me). Here, however, I find that many prestigious festivals relegate shorts to a sidebar section, and in addition shorts are often looked upon as a “calling card” for young film school grads looking to get their first feature produced. But I’ve met many middle-aged and older filmmakers overseas who have only made shorts and have successful careers.
One of my favorite festival experiences was having the good fortune to attend the Clermont-Ferrand festival in France, considered the preeminent short film festival as it attracts thousands of buyers, distributors, other festival programmers, and wonderfully enthusiastic audiences. The festival screened my film “Solace” six times and I engaged in lively Q&A sessions with people who were fervent in their support of short filmmaking. And that’s been constant when I travel to international festivals--outside of the US, short filmmaking is considered a valid art form and there are hundreds of festivals devoted exclusively to shorts (this was a welcome surprise to me). Here, however, I find that many prestigious festivals relegate shorts to a sidebar section, and in addition shorts are often looked upon as a “calling card” for young film school grads looking to get their first feature produced. But I’ve met many middle-aged and older filmmakers overseas who have only made shorts and have successful careers.
Q:
You also teach filmmaking and have been doing so for quite some time. Many artists complain that teaching competes for their creative energy with their own work. Do you agree? If so, how do you balance work on your own stuff and guiding young filmmakers in their own creativity? What impact (if any) has teaching young filmmakers had on your work?
You also teach filmmaking and have been doing so for quite some time. Many artists complain that teaching competes for their creative energy with their own work. Do you agree? If so, how do you balance work on your own stuff and guiding young filmmakers in their own creativity? What impact (if any) has teaching young filmmakers had on your work?
A:
I started teaching in 1999 and it has had only a positive impact on my filmmaking process, and the youth I work with on my own films have often come out of the film programs where I’ve taught (usually in public housing developments and with a mostly immigrant population). I find the students’ energy and creativity quite inspiring, so it’s rare that I find myself struggling to balance both. Almost all of my films focus on youth culture and this is a direct result of collaborating with them through after-school filmmaking programs.
I started teaching in 1999 and it has had only a positive impact on my filmmaking process, and the youth I work with on my own films have often come out of the film programs where I’ve taught (usually in public housing developments and with a mostly immigrant population). I find the students’ energy and creativity quite inspiring, so it’s rare that I find myself struggling to balance both. Almost all of my films focus on youth culture and this is a direct result of collaborating with them through after-school filmmaking programs.
Q:
How do you feel the online outlets for independent new work have affected the audience you reach and how you reach them?
How do you feel the online outlets for independent new work have affected the audience you reach and how you reach them?
A:
Festivals are wonderful ways to reach audiences but can also be rather exclusive affairs, so having the availability of online sites to share the films is a great opportunity and opens doors, both for the filmmaker and audiences to see work they never would have had the chance to encounter otherwise.
Festivals are wonderful ways to reach audiences but can also be rather exclusive affairs, so having the availability of online sites to share the films is a great opportunity and opens doors, both for the filmmaker and audiences to see work they never would have had the chance to encounter otherwise.
For example, my film “Solace” is distributed by the company Future Shorts and in addition to theatrical and festivals, they also have a YouTube channel and last month posted the film. I’ve been quite pleased so far that’s it’s received about 11,000 views, and though it generates only a small income, having the film online raises awareness of my work, and on a side note it’s great to read the anonymous (and uninhibited) comments on the site, both positive and negative (some of it so vitriolic it’s funny). Here’s a link to the film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtxcLgISk5g
Q:
Any final words of wisdom to our filmmaker readers struggling to get that first project off the ground?
Any final words of wisdom to our filmmaker readers struggling to get that first project off the ground?
A:
The lesson I learned in the 1990s (when I tried to make a feature film from 1993-1998) is simply DON’T WAIT: don’t wait for full funding of your budget; don’t wait to get that elusive star attached; don’t wait for someone or some company to give you a green light to make your film. Just start and find a way to finish, even if it takes years. And as I noted earlier, with cheap cameras and editing tools today, there’s no more excuses--not every project has to be shot on expensive film (as much as I love the qualities of film).
The lesson I learned in the 1990s (when I tried to make a feature film from 1993-1998) is simply DON’T WAIT: don’t wait for full funding of your budget; don’t wait to get that elusive star attached; don’t wait for someone or some company to give you a green light to make your film. Just start and find a way to finish, even if it takes years. And as I noted earlier, with cheap cameras and editing tools today, there’s no more excuses--not every project has to be shot on expensive film (as much as I love the qualities of film).
For info on this weekend's screenings of Jared's films, visit the MFA website.
