🎬 FIELD GUIDE 14: Behind the screens

Apr 22, 2022

I was in a movie once. But I’ve never thought about making one. Have you?

Stefan Gill joins us from Texas and Jeff Higgins from California. They’re showing us similarities, differences, difficulties, and successes in their filmmaking careers.

Names

Stefan Gill and Jeff Higgins

Occupations

Filmmakers, professor, door dasher.

Soundtracks

Jeff

Stefan

Habitats

Texas & California

How it started

Stefan organically found his love for filmmaking playing Stephen Spielberg’s PC game, Director’s Chair when he was seven or eight years old.

Jeff’s spark lies with the immediacy of video tape, but also growing up when movies were first becoming such major productions.

Movies have the ability to both, tell the truth and lie to us at the same time. The storytelling aspect of movies are where the lies are their most condensed. Consider the surroundings, there are so many things that can’t be controlled while on location yet they seem so perfectly fragmented together. -Jeff

Stefan and Jeff both took this passion and interest all the way to college. Stefan graduating from University of Texas and Jeff with his MFA (Master of Fine Arts) from California Institute of the Arts.

How it’s going

Stefan and his team wrapped up filming Remember to Forget in February of 2021. Its first screening was this past December.

“I thought making and finishing a movie would be like being on a mountaintop. Turns out you’re just breaking through the clouds revealing the rest of the mountain. It just leads you to thoughts like ‘Well, when I do it again, I know I can do it better.’” - Stefan

Stefan said the last three years of being neck deep in the production of Remember to Forget lent him the experience and the ability to say that he’s done it, and is now working backwards to understand the smaller intricacies of creating.

Most people do it the other way around and Jeff is doing just that.

Both Stefan and Jeff have worked on-set or interned during or following their educations. Jeff took it a step in a different direction and has taught at the collegiate level. He says the classes that he’s taught wouldn’t be anything to write home about, but the background in film and screenwriting comes in handy when teaching English or professional writing, I’d say.

Jeff has countless projects tucked up his sleeve.

Competence vs. incompetence

When you think “competence”, you may think level of understanding in a certain topic or field. But the difference between competence and incompetence in filmmaking is not just about knowledge.

No matter what project we’re working on, every person I have ever connected with really wants to be there. They all have incredible knowledge and if they don’t know they have interest in learning. -Stefan

Stefan mentions this level of knowledge — this competence. There is an even playing field of knowledge across the board when working on a feature film’s production like his Remember to Forget.

Competent filmmaking is more than that. It has defined and comfortable roles, proper lighting, actors that know their lines, and an understanding that “time is money”. Competent filmmaking actually has money for production and everything is (more or less) a well-oiled machine, working smoothly and efficiently. This is Stefan’s experience.

But Jeff works differently. Jeff works “incompetently” in his filmmaking. And he explained this as:

“The incompetent filmmaker making narrative films likely does not have a crew. Or has a small crew with poorly defined roles. Maybe there is no work day. People come and go as they please and sometimes nothing gets done. You find what free time exists and make it even freer, if you can.”

Stefan knows his role as a director and filmmaker while on set to create. Jeff’s roles are fluid and often changing from project to project. Neither approaches are lesser than the other and both approaches lend the opportunity for learning.

Fun facts

Stefan interned in Los Angeles with the Conan O’Brien Show. The studio next door, he recalls being a massive room. He learned that the T-Rex scene from Jurassic Park was filmed in that room. So. Imagine a room big enough to fit a T-Rex.
Jeff applied for a position with Dalkey Archive Press in response to a listing that’s been named the “Worst Job Description Ever”. Oh. And he got the job.
Ten Skies (James Benning, 2004). Was shot on film and Jeff says it is best viewed that way. “But the fact that it's on YouTube and has the kind of engagement it does in the comments section is a kind of miracle, and I return to it often.”

Recommendations

You want to make a movie?

Learn. Stefan says, “Many big name directors will give you the advice to go out and do it. Yes, do it. But do it to learn.” He recommends leaving the mindset that your entrance into the industry will be the greatest thing that’s ever happened behind.
Calm down. Jeff shared similar thoughts, but also reminds us to “calm down”. In his experience, the more people you’re working with, the harder it gets. Freaking out and stressing will do you no good in getting to where you want to be. Weather, other people’s schedules, and technical difficulties are all things we cannot predict, so it’s best to go with the flow.
Be patient. Stefan says it’s best to have patience because your skill set is developing with every project. “Any progress is worth recognizing and celebrating”.
Stability is key. Jeff also recommends having stability. Stability in all things; work, finances, and your skill set. Finding your niche will grant you the ability to appeal to your targeted demographic and will give you the ability to see how you’ve improved project to project.
READ. Both Jeff & Stefan recommend reading. Reading allows us to step outside of the box and expand our imaginations. One of Jeff’s mentors, Duriel E. Harris, is a poet, and recommends all filmmakers read poetry.

Art is significantly important because we need a place for our conceptions and our misconceptions to go. It’s where we can be confronted with things that are beyond ourselves. -Stefan

Learn more

Jeff’s friend, Karlis Bergs, who is working on a documentary about bees called WEEPING ROCKS. “This kickstarter gives a good idea of how much even ‘low-budget’ documentaries cost as it breaks down some of the costs of post-production in its Story section.”

Stefan’s Remember to Forget is not streaming yet, but it is doing a few film festivals. Gila Valley Film Fest on April 23rd is one. You can find news of its release on its Facebook page, or Stefan’s Instagram. You can also find some more of his work on Vimeo.

Jeff’s work is showcased on his Youtube channel. He recommends checking out Approaching Negative Capability, as it serves as a good introduction to incompetent filmmaking.

Debunk a few myths while learning some best practices in your approach to creating a short film. Tyler Mowery takes a short film and builds it with you from the ground up in the this video.

The art industry has this ability to “double-dip” into the entertainment industry unlike any other field. Stefan and Jeff’s art is being created, perfected, and presented for our entertainment. Here are some ways you can support your local artists, musicians, and filmmakers.