Staff Pick Award to Palm Springs ShortFest 2022: "Meantime" by Michael T Workman |

I am so tired with having to wait.

Aren't you,

For the world to improve

Also beautiful and nice?

Let's grab this knife

and cut the globe in two-

HTML0 Take a look at the worms that consume

In the in the.

Langston Hughes "Good Morning, Revolution Uncollected" Protest Writings Social Protest Writings

The winner of the Staff Pick Award at Palm Springs Shortfest 2022 will be "Meantime" written by Michael T Workman. Michael put a camera in the house of his father in order to conduct a "deeply personal exploration of memory, guilt and labor, as well as the desire to record the passing." That's at least it's the way the story's logline is written. What is so beautiful about this documentary is that it's not really about the vague description of human emotions. "Meantime" puts upon the root causes of all the evils which plague people in United States: capitalism, unjust labor conditions, inadequate treatment for those suffering from mental illnesses and the fact that the American slogan of "pull yourself by your bootstraps" is an impossible physical undertaking. The movie outlines methods by which the people of America fail to take care of their people. United States fails to fully ensure the health of their people throughout their lives, from birth to the point of death. It is as Michael says in a lyrical style during the Q&A "

   "It isn't obvious, but I am convinced that the focus of this film is the inhumanity of capitalism. ...My dad was a victim of a system that views individuals as "human resources,"" an ideology that discredits those who don't conform to an uncompromising system of work and exploitation. "

The filmmaking style is as brutal as the harsh Montana winters it's set in "Meantime" is a movie about broken souls, who transformed into loving and kind people.

We were able to get Michael questions about the creation of this personal portrait of the family and we were awed by his thoughtful and caring answer. Check out the following excerpts of our chat with Michael.

 Inspiring:

   "The inspiration for this film was born from helping my dad digitize the home movies he had taken. When I watched them, I was able to feel these deeply emotional moments within the tiny moments that my dad recorded. Most memorable memories weren't birthdays, Christmas celebrations or weddings, but the moments that were most profound. It was the moments where my relatives were in between and waiting for something crucial to occur and then laughing and arguing or talking. Through those times, I observed those I had known at different stages of their lives and my understanding of their experiences was beginning to grow. I had always been pretty averse to the idea of making films for personal use and watching the video as well as discovering I was actually back in Montana inspired me to make this documentary. . "

His tips on filming family:

   "Working with your family members can be extremely difficult. The decision of when to shut down the camera and just sit there was the toughest task. By the end of the day, my father as well as me had stopped recording. It's easy to hide in front of my camera now. For filmmakers who work with family is to think about the times and events that you plan to shoot and use that plan to restrict the amount of filming you do. It is not advisable to film every day and not follow what's going on. Consider what you would like to capture and let your camera roll. After you're finished, you're done. There will be things you miss and that's fine. You must ensure the images you capture will increase the likelihood of being significant and memorable. Once you've finished, switch off the camera, and get back to your daily routine . "

On his family's reaction to the movie

   "My family members have seen the movie. I gave it to my mother at the end of my session and it was by far one of the most emotional memories I've ever had. As the film is personal to me I experienced periods that I was completely numb to it and times that were filled with intense emotions. As I was watching the film with my mom, tiny subtleties in the film caused me to cry without a break. It's a testament to how much the context of your audience watching a film can dramatically affect the experience you have of watching it. It was an uplifting experience for both of us and she learned more about the perspective of my father that she wasn't aware of when she was younger.

   I was the most anxious about showing the film to my dad. We planned to share our experience, but it was not the right time, which is why he decided to go and watch the movie on his own. The moment he contacted me and informed me that he'd was watching it at home and was heartbroken, I cried. He said something along lines of "Mike I saw your film, it's an excellent film that I'll never for another viewing." The primary source of anxiety for him wasn't the vulnerability that he shared however, it was rather his reflection in the screen, in addition to hearing his own voice. This voice caused him to feel uneasy (for me too). ). "

On challenges faced:

   "The hardest part about making this film was creating separation between myself and the film. I believe this to be the primary issue for personal projects, and the area where it fails typically. The personal films are often highly emotional for the person who created them but not for the viewer. I wanted to avoid the situation at all cost and to try and separate me from the film and think of it as something that didn't have any personal connection with me. As I was editing the film, it was an ongoing problem. I was able to overcome this by having a lot of trusted individuals around me who gave my honest feedback . "

We should to think about while watching the movie

   "It isn't obvious, but I think that the topic of this film is the inhumanity of capitalism. That is, in the end, what is the cause of my father's struggles to lead a satisfying and secure existence. Although abuse could be the root of his troubles, lack of support to heal from that trauma is a societal failure and not a personal failure. My dad's story is the product of a culture that views people as "human resources" which is a way of taking away the dignity of individuals who are not able to conform to the rigidity of labor exploitation.

   Capitalist systems give people in the middle class the option of either working for money or living in the streets. Though this doesn't seem to be made clear in the film it's the central premise of the tale. If those in my father's situation were able to access quality physical as well as mental health in the form of housing, food, and shelter without having to defend their rights as human beings through living in a deplorable living conditions, they would be able to live happy and secure lives in which they could work on healing their wounds.

   The key point about the title of the film is that the stroke my father suffered resulted from the onset of a panic attack in his working because the business sought to improve profits by reducing the staffing of the nursing facility where the employee was working. I realized this was an ongoing problem during the time I made the film after I discovered that stress at work , rather than the strain of raising children was what resulted in my dad's mental illness when he was a kid.

   It is also my hope that this film inspires individuals to cherish the moments they get with their beloved family members , and also to talk about the effects of hardship and trauma through compassion and an environment that is open. In the end, the core of the movie is caring for our parents through being able to accept their humanity and to cherish the moments that you have with your parents . "

Michael's advice to aspiring filmmakers:

   "I constantly remind my students to be adamant to maintain their passion in making films. Every step, the industry attempts to force you to go through the middle of the road, making you another's tool. They'll attempt to take all enjoyment out of it , and then create artificially high stakes to create an absurdly boring media. Anyone who's been for major companies in advertising knows this. One of the best tips I can offer is to find something that gets you excited, if your wage labor work isn't. Work on film you've made yourself or in pursuits that make you to feel like an artist. If you're a part of Sundance but you've completely lost the joy of creating films. What's the purpose of working on this? ? "

What's next?

   "I'm creating a feature-length documentary concept. It will be an observational woven narrative film driven by characters set in a town that extracts gold in Montana. The project is in the beginning stages of creation, therefore I'm not sure what to write anything about it right now.

   I'm currently writing a story about people who have work that they know is not productive. If you're currently in a position like this, do not hesitate to contact me and email me. There is currently a need for . "

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