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Spraygraphic Interview with Filmmaker Chris Eska
By Spraygraphic | May 2, 2008
Spraygraphic’s Chuck b. interviews independent filmmaker Chris Eska about his most recent films August Evening and Doki Doki.
Spraygraphic Interview with Chris Eska
SG: Please tell us about yourself?
CE: I’M A FILMMAKER FROM TEXAS.
SG: Where do you currently live and work?
CE: I SPLIT MY TIME BETWEEN WEST LOS ANGELES AND EAST AUSTIN.
SG: What mediums do you work with?
CE: 35MM FILM, HD VIDEO
SG: What kind of equipment do you use?
CE: MY LAST FILM ("AUGUST EVENING ") WAS SHOT ON A SONY F-900 (THE DIGITAL CAMERA USED BY GEORGE LUCAS FOR STAR WARS ), AND WAS EDITED AT HOME ON ADOBE PREMIERE PRO SOFTWARE
SG: Can you please tell us a little about your experience at UCLA MFA program.
CE: FILM SCHOOL WAS SOMETIMES WONDERFUL AND INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT IN SHAPING MY VOICE (ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE I MET), BUT I WAS DISILLUSIONED WITH LOS ANGELES AND SCHOOL AND TOOK A YEAR OFF TO BACKPACK AROUND INDIA AND ASIA, WHICH LED TO MY THESIS FILM, "DOKI-DOKI".
SG: Can you please tell us a little about DOKI-DOKI .
CE: I HAD TO SHOOT A THESIS FILM TO GRADUATE, AND BECAUSE OF MY TRAVELS I HAD MORE FRIENDS IN JAPAN THAN IN LA, SO I WENT BACK AND MADE A GUERRILLA-STYLE FILM ON THE STREETS AND TRAINS OF TOKYO. IT’S THE STORY OF A GROUP OF TRAIN COMMUTERS WHO WAIT TOGETHER IN THE SAME SPOT FOR THE SAME TRAIN EVERY DAY FOR YEARS BUT NEVER SPEAK TO ONE ANOTHER…ONE DAY, THINGS CHANGE AND CONNECTIONS ARE MADE. IT WON THE TOP AWARD AT UCLA FILM SCHOOL, AND PREMIERED ON NATIONAL PBS WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY SUSAN SARANDON .
SG: Describe your working process when creating a new film.
CE: THE MOST HELPFUL INSPIRATION IS LISTENING TO MUSIC WHILE TRAVELING. "DOKI-DOKI" CAME FROM TRAVELING ALONE IN ASIA FOR A SOLID YEAR, AND THE STORIES I HEARD FROM MY JAPANESE FRIENDS ABOUT RIDING TRAINS THEIR ENTIRE LIVES. FOR "AUGUST EVENING", I WENT HOME TO SPEND TIME WITH MY FAMILY AFTER BEING GONE FOR ALMOST 10 YEARS. I WAS LISTENING TO A LOT OF MUSIC BY WINDY & CARL AND TAKAGI MASAKATSU , WHICH APPEAR PROMINENTLY IN THE FINAL FILM.
ONCE I DECIDE ON A CONCEPT, I START JOTTING DOWN VOLUMES OF NOTES AND TIDBITS OF IDEAS, OFTEN WRITING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT ON A NOTEPAD I KEEP BY MY BED. THESE SCRAPS AND FRAGMENTS ARE LATER SHAPED INTO AN OUTLINE, THEN A TREATMENT, AND FINALLY A SCRIPT.
SG: Can you please tell us a little about the process of submitting your films for Awards and Screenings.
CE: AT FIRST, I SUBMIT A FILM BLINDLY. SOME FILMMAKERS HIRE "FESTIVAL GURUS" TO LOBBY ON THEIR BEHALF, BUT I JUST WAITED TO GET A POSITIVE RESPONSE FROM A TOP FESTIVAL. THEN IF YOU’RE LUCKY IT CAN SNOWBALL AND OTHER FESTS MIGHT VIE TO PREMIERE YOUR FILM. GETTING INTO FESTS AND WINNING AWARDS ALL DEPENDS ON 1 TO 3 JURORS AND WHAT TYPE OF FILMS THEY APPRECIATE, SO IT CAN BE RANDOM. FOR THE 2008 INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS (WE WERE NOMINATED FOR TWO AWARDS AND WON THE JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD), YOU CAN ONLY QUALIFY IF YOU HAD A THEATRICAL RELEASE OR IF YOU SCREENED AT A HANDFUL OF MAJOR FESTIVALS. AFTER A FEW AWARDS, OTHER FESTS INVITE YOUR FILM OR ASK YOU TO SPEAK ON PANELS.
SG: Where are you currently finding your inspiration?
CE: MUSIC: BAND OF HORSES , ANIMAL COLLECTIVE , EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY , M83 , OLA PODRIDA . FILMS: 1950′S INDIAN FILMS, 1970′S AMERICAN FILMS, RECENT BELGIAN FILMS.
SG: What do you look for when you are casting actors to work with? Is it a physical feature? Personality? Photogenic? Voice? Availability? Cost? etc…
CE: I PREFER NON-ACTORS, AND THAT MOSTLY COMES DOWN TO: 1. THE RIGHT LOOK FOR THE CHARACTER 2. INTELLIGENCE AND ON-SCREEN PERSONA 3. IS THIS THE KIND OF PERSON I WANT TO WORK WITH FOR 18-HOUR DAYS UNDER INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT AND TENSE CIRCUMSTANCES?
SG: Where has your work been seen?
CE: PBS, DIRECTOR’S GUILD THEATER , FILM FESTIVALS WORLDWIDE
SG: Where will it be seen next?
CE: MANY FILM FESTIVALS THIS SPRING, AND IN MOVIE THEATERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY LATER IN 2008
SG: What is your dream art assignment?
CE: ADAPTING THE BOOK "HOUSE OF LEAVES " INTO A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE
SG: What is your favorite color?
CE: BLUE-GRAY
SG: Who is your favorite artist? And Why?
CE: TERRENCE MALICK , BECAUSE HE FOUND A WAY TO MAINTAIN INDEPENDENCE AND BALANCE WHILE USING THE SYSTEM TO EXPRESS HIS VERY PERSONAL YET UNIVERSAL IDEAS ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE ALIVE.
SG: What book/magazine are you reading this week?
CE: "A FINE BALANCE" BY ROHINTON MISTRY
SG: Ever do a self portrait? Where is it now?
CE: NOT SINCE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND IT’S PROBABLY IN A LANDFILL SOMEWHERE, SLOWLY IMPROVING.
SG: Where is your favorite place to hang out?
CE: DHABA JOY (A TINY CAFÉ WITH VEGAN DESERTS AND SOFT-SERVE) IN AUSTIN TX
SG: Any final words of advice?
CE: DON’T EVER WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO MAKE YOUR FILM. JUST MAKE IT WITH WHATEVER MONEY YOU HAVE, BECAUSE WAITING AROUND FOR HUGE FINANCE DEALS AND STUDIOS WILL KILL YOUR DREAM.
PICS: 1. Doki Doki you tube vid, 2. August Evening trailer, 3. Doki Doki still, 4. Doki Doki Crew, 5 &6. August Evening Stills, 7. Chris Eska
Topics: Artist Interviews, Dramatic Arts, Film-Video, You Tube videos |
