Staff Pick Award for Palm Springs ShortFest 2022: "Meantime" by Michael T Workman |
HTML0 I'm sick of waiting.
Aren't you,
Help people around the world to become better
Sweet and beautiful?
Grab the knife
HTML0The world is cut into two
and find out what worms consume
At the edges.
Langston Hughes "Good Morning, Revolution Uncollected Social Protest Writings
Winner of the Staff Pick Award at Palm Springs Shortfest 2022 is "Meantime" by Michael T Workman. Michael installed a camera within the home of his father in order to create an "deeply personal investigation of memory as well as guilt, labour, and the attempt to keep what's happening." It's certainly how the logline of the documentary is composed. The beauty of this documentary is that it doesn't really focus on the vague description of human emotions. "Meantime" is a look on the root cause of evils that plague in the United States: capitalism, inhumane labor conditions, inadequate support for those who suffer from mental illness, and the fact that the American concept of "pull your own self-sufficiency up using you bootstraps" is an physically impossible undertaking. The documentary outlines the various ways that it is that the United States fails to fully provide for its citizens all their lives all the way from birth until death. In the words of Michael articulately states in the Q&A "
"It may not be evident, but I am convinced that the subject of this film concerns the brutality of capitalism. ...My father is a victim of a system which views humans as "human resources," a system that treats humans in the same way as "human resource" and dehumanizes them whenever they are not a part of the strict rules of labor exploitation. "
The filmmaking style is as stark as the severe Montana winter it is set, "Meantime" is a movie about broken hearts who nevertheless became caring and compassionate people.
We were able to ask Michael some questions concerning the process behind creating this unique photograph of our family. We we were awed by his thoughtful and helpful response. Take a look at the excerpts below of the conversation we had with Michael.
Inspiring:
"The concept for the documentary came to me as I helped my dad with recording his family videos. When I was looking through them I was struck with these profound moments from even the most insignificant moments my father captured. The most memorable moments were not during the holidays, birthday parties, or weddings that were important. The most memorable moments were those when my family members were in the middle in anticipation of something significant to occur and then laughing, talking or fighting. These were the times I could see my friends from different stages through their journeys. The way I saw their lives became more detailed. I've always been opposed to making films for personal use, but reviewing that footage as well as finding myself back in Montana was what made me want to produce this movie. . "
His tips on filming family:
"Working with family members is very challenging. Deciding when to stop the camera to simply be was the greatest challenge. At the end afternoon, my father and me had stopped recording. It's easy to hide in front of my camera. One tip I would offer filmmakers working with children is to think about the time and date the event you plan to shoot and utilize that to set a limit. Don't film at all times, and don't be distracted by what's happening. It is important to think about what you'd like to record and let the camera roll. When you've finished, the project is done. You may miss something, but it's perfectly fine. It is crucial to establish a scene in which what you do capture will be more likely to be meaningful and compelling. Turn off your camera, and get back to enjoying your everyday routine . "
The reaction of his family to the film
"My family has seen the movie. I played it for my mother as I left the film, and it was the most emotional viewing experience I've ever experienced. Because the film is personal to me, I went through periods in which I felt completely unresponsive to it, as well as occasions of profound feelings. As I was watching the film with my mom, tiny small details of the film made me to cry without a break. This just shows how much the environment you are watching a movie with will profoundly impact your perception of the movie. This experience proved to be healing for both of us , and she gained a deeper understanding of my father's viewpoint which she couldn't see when she was younger.
The most worried I was when I showed the film to my dad. We planned to go and watch the film together, however, it was not the best timing, so he decided to go watch it independently. I was shocked when he phoned me to tell me that he had went home to watch it, my heart broke. I was told something like the like "Mike I have watched your film , and it's fantastic and I'll probably never see the same film again." One of the main causes of anxiety for him was not the vulnerability that was said however it was the experience of watching him on the screen, and listening to his voice, which was most uncomfortable (for me too). ). "
On challenges faced:
"The toughest part of making this film was to create space between myself as a filmmaker and the work. I believe this to be the main challenge with personal work , and is when it is most difficult to conquer. The personal films are often intensely emotional for the person who made them but not the audience. I attempted to stay away from such a thing and disengage myself from the film by examining it through the eyes of someone who is not familiar with my personal life. As the director, this was a constant challenge. I was able to resolve this issue with the help from a number of trusted people around me who offered me constructive criticism. . "
We should to consider when watching this film
"It may not be evident, but I am convinced that the focus of this documentary is the brutality of capitalism. Ultimately, this is the most important reason for my father's struggle to lead an enjoyable and secure life. Though abuse is a possible factor behind his troubles but the inability to heal from the trauma is an societal failure and not a personal loss. My father's family is part of an ideology that views the human person as "human resources" which is a system that dehumanizes the people who can't fit into a strict regime that exploits the labor.
Capitalism offers working-class people two options: work or work on the streets. While this is never explicitly stated in the film, it's the insidious premise of the narrative. If those in my dad's position were able to access high-quality mental and physical healthcare in addition to housing and food without having justification for their human rights by working in a miserable environment and living in miserable conditions, they would have the opportunity to lead peaceful and safe lives in which they could focus on healing the trauma they experienced.
The crucial detail on the title card that opens in the movie is my father's stroke occurred due to the stress of work due to the fact that the business wanted to make the most profit through not having enough employees in the nursing facility in which he was employed. I realized that this was an ongoing issue for him when I was making the film after I realized the pressure of working in addition to the stress of caring for a newborn child could have contributed to the mental health problems my father suffered throughout the beginning of my life.
I also hope that the film will encourage people to value their time spent with loved ones and discuss the effects of trauma and hardship with compassion and in an open context. In the end, the heart of this film lies in taking care of our parents by understanding them as humans and valuing the precious amount of time they have . "
Michael's tips for aspiring filmmakers:
"I always instruct my students to battle tooth and nail to keep their excitement in creating films. Each step the industry will attempt to force you through the grind of work and make you who's equipment. They'll seek to take the fun out of you and set artificially high stakes in order to make some of the dirtiest media. Anyone who has worked in a big advertising studio is aware of this. I'd suggest you do something that makes people happy, even if wage-labor work doesn't. Be sure to continue making your own film or creative pursuits that help you to feel more as an artist. If you're interested in Sundance and you've forgotten the joy of creating films Why are you making these films? ? "
What's next?
"I'm currently working on a feature-length documentary idea which will comprise an observational documentary featuring a character driven narrative set in a mining town located in Montana. This project is at the beginning stages of its process and I'm not able to provide any further details at the moment.
I'm currently working on a research project that examines people who have jobs they know are completely unproductive. If you have a job similar to this, please get in touch with me via email. The company is currently recruiting . "
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