I knew Chantal a little, especially on a film festival jury in Spain. And it’s absolutely true that, whenever some starstruck filmmaker would timidly approach her and start with “I love your work, it’s been such a formative influence on my own ...”, she would immediately thrust out her open palm and yell at them: “SO PAY ME!!” Which usually sent them running quick-smart ...
Amazing!! So glad to have this confirmed — thank you!
I wish we lived in a society where, when artists make something as profound and lasting as Chantal's work, they would be instantly granted a generous lifelong stipend by the state. Or a private company, why not? The big tech companies should tithe one percent of their profits to living artists, as (partial) recompense for destroying so many artists' livelihoods.
Good on her - lets make our artists, our small business owners, our creatives rich as it will only be them that saves the world by sharing and caring. Brilliant.
The tabs….the millions of open tabs. I feel the shame any time I have to share my screen and the people watching gasp at how many are open on my computer. Is it a sign of creativity “in-progress”? Lol. I hope! In any case, I’m glad you kept this tab open so we could enjoy some wisdom from my fav filmmaker. If I had any money, I would give it to her. She’s given us so much. And the line “I’m not a man, you know, who has that “methodology.” It’s much more fluid. One day it works, another day it doesn’t.” -so well put.
I recently read an interview with a young female filmmaker who described a similarly intuitive approach to making films to her producer who warned her never to mention such a lack of “method” to prospective distributors and funders. Thank god the filmmaker’s response was “fuck that.” Bless the youth. They will save us.
I know, right? How many hours have I wasted trying to think up "good ideas" for projects when the really good ideas can't be thought up in advance at all!
Substack has certainly added to the TOO MANY TABS syndrome. At least there are lots of good tabs, but it's finding the time for all those tabs that is becoming difficult.
Anyway, loved all this. Much relate. "If it’s totally conscious, it’s dead." Ahh, yes. So good. Coming back and reading your work and hoping that you find fragments of moments that clearly came from the subconscious--that's what I live for.
one million tabs, too many emails, but this one I'm glad I stopped to read. Thank you for this. Akerman is genius. I think Paul Auster learned from time that walking is a great for writing. I definitely believe in that. I walk, therefore I write. Thank you!
As someone with no methodology (apart from a habit of going for long walks and talking with trees) and no real pull to change that (though I do feel a push from others sometimes), this felt like food for the soul. I’m not alone! Brilliant people have found success by staying in touch with themselves and honoring what felt right at that particular moment! Thank you for this post, Mason.
Belatedly, thanks for this comment — I agree with what you wrote here about staying in touch with oneself and honoring what feels right in the moment. It's not always easy to do! Or many of us have been trained not to do it? In any case, appreciate the reminder!
“And I like to write on the weekend, because you feel everybody’s gone. I feel it, and [those are] usually good days. Saturday and Sunday are my best days.”
I relate to so many things here, such a great post! I love to discover the most mundane things about people I didn’t expected. We are all doing our best, as long as we go with our gut feeling. Thank you for this 🤍
Ahhhh, what a pleasurable read. I love Akerman and her work. She is very fun to teach to film students as well. Anyway, I like dreaming about working in this looser way and having less of a rigid routine. I also really agree with what she says about surprise--the part that you didn't plan and that came up in the process. These are really the best moments of insight and creation, for me.
Thank you, Sara! I would love to sit in on a class where you teach Akerman to film students — maybe someday!
And, yes, it's all about those pleasurable moments of surprise, isn't it? I think the funny thing is how planning/routine can actually help those moments come about, even though they seem like opposites.
First off-yes to all the tabs! It frustrates me to no end, and then I feel like I can't close the tabs, because I'll forget about the site. But, clearly something good can come from it--like this post! So thanks.
Also-do you really write your posts in a single day? I'm so, so impressed!
Glad you can relate! As for writing posts in one day — no, not exactly! It's more like I intend to write it on Friday, produce a bunch of garbage, feel discouraged, give up, and then come back to it on Sunday and actually whip it into shape then. But that interval between Friday and Sunday is when the real work occurs, I think! Also, on Sunday, sometimes the Friday draft turns out to be not as bad as I had thought, which is nice.
And I should add that I usually have the topic in mind several days in advance, so there's work that happens before Friday as well (like watching the Akerman documentaries and transcribing her answers, etc.) So don't be too impressed!
I will have to check out that documentary you linked to! I just gave a lecture on the influence of the gothic in arthouse cinema (mostly) directed by women and of course I had to talk about her and especially News from Home and Jeanne Dielman. I wish I didn't have a million other deadlines, because I just want to marathon all her films now. #summergoals
The documentary is definitely worth watching. I watched News from Home over the weekend — so good! I'm grateful that so many of her films are streaming on Criterion. Any chance your lecture is available online? Because that sounds amazing!!
Thank you for sharing this! Just watched the Akerman portion. "Cinema is the art of allowing ghosts to come back"!!! Had never heard that quote before, will be thinking of it going forward...
Brilliant post and how creative to tell a story in subtitle clips from a video. Definitely an idea-keeper. Definitely appreciate insights into the process of such a creative film maker ... and confirmation of the benefits of the "unplanned."
I knew Chantal a little, especially on a film festival jury in Spain. And it’s absolutely true that, whenever some starstruck filmmaker would timidly approach her and start with “I love your work, it’s been such a formative influence on my own ...”, she would immediately thrust out her open palm and yell at them: “SO PAY ME!!” Which usually sent them running quick-smart ...
Amazing!! So glad to have this confirmed — thank you!
I wish we lived in a society where, when artists make something as profound and lasting as Chantal's work, they would be instantly granted a generous lifelong stipend by the state. Or a private company, why not? The big tech companies should tithe one percent of their profits to living artists, as (partial) recompense for destroying so many artists' livelihoods.
Good on her - lets make our artists, our small business owners, our creatives rich as it will only be them that saves the world by sharing and caring. Brilliant.
Agreed! https://masoncurrey.substack.com/subscribe 👀
i am already subscribed- if you want you can subscribe to mine too - ha ha.
Thank you for your support!
The tabs….the millions of open tabs. I feel the shame any time I have to share my screen and the people watching gasp at how many are open on my computer. Is it a sign of creativity “in-progress”? Lol. I hope! In any case, I’m glad you kept this tab open so we could enjoy some wisdom from my fav filmmaker. If I had any money, I would give it to her. She’s given us so much. And the line “I’m not a man, you know, who has that “methodology.” It’s much more fluid. One day it works, another day it doesn’t.” -so well put.
I recently read an interview with a young female filmmaker who described a similarly intuitive approach to making films to her producer who warned her never to mention such a lack of “method” to prospective distributors and funders. Thank god the filmmaker’s response was “fuck that.” Bless the youth. They will save us.
Wait, we're still the youth, right??
Glad this one resonated with you, Katie! I'm definitely trying to be more intuitive and less of a Methodology Man going forward . . . 🤪
“If it’s totally conscious, it’s dead.” So true!
I know, right? How many hours have I wasted trying to think up "good ideas" for projects when the really good ideas can't be thought up in advance at all!
Substack has certainly added to the TOO MANY TABS syndrome. At least there are lots of good tabs, but it's finding the time for all those tabs that is becoming difficult.
Anyway, loved all this. Much relate. "If it’s totally conscious, it’s dead." Ahh, yes. So good. Coming back and reading your work and hoping that you find fragments of moments that clearly came from the subconscious--that's what I live for.
Anything Akerman for me! The screenshots are pure gold, thanks for those.
Thanks for reading, so glad you enjoyed!
one million tabs, too many emails, but this one I'm glad I stopped to read. Thank you for this. Akerman is genius. I think Paul Auster learned from time that walking is a great for writing. I definitely believe in that. I walk, therefore I write. Thank you!
Love the "I walk, therefore I write." Absolutely!
As someone with no methodology (apart from a habit of going for long walks and talking with trees) and no real pull to change that (though I do feel a push from others sometimes), this felt like food for the soul. I’m not alone! Brilliant people have found success by staying in touch with themselves and honoring what felt right at that particular moment! Thank you for this post, Mason.
Belatedly, thanks for this comment — I agree with what you wrote here about staying in touch with oneself and honoring what feels right in the moment. It's not always easy to do! Or many of us have been trained not to do it? In any case, appreciate the reminder!
Hi Mark,
A little while ago, you talked about a book called The Gift (or similar) in either your posts or notes. Can you let me know the author's name please.
Hi! Yes—The Gift by Lewis Hyde
Thanks a heap Mason. You are a legend!
“And I like to write on the weekend, because you feel everybody’s gone. I feel it, and [those are] usually good days. Saturday and Sunday are my best days.”
I relate to so many things here, such a great post! I love to discover the most mundane things about people I didn’t expected. We are all doing our best, as long as we go with our gut feeling. Thank you for this 🤍
Thank you, Mari, I'm glad this one resonated with you!
"Who were you influenced by?"
"Myself." 🤣 Genius.
She's the best
Ahhhh, what a pleasurable read. I love Akerman and her work. She is very fun to teach to film students as well. Anyway, I like dreaming about working in this looser way and having less of a rigid routine. I also really agree with what she says about surprise--the part that you didn't plan and that came up in the process. These are really the best moments of insight and creation, for me.
Thank you, Sara! I would love to sit in on a class where you teach Akerman to film students — maybe someday!
And, yes, it's all about those pleasurable moments of surprise, isn't it? I think the funny thing is how planning/routine can actually help those moments come about, even though they seem like opposites.
Thanks for the wonderful post. I really needed to read something like this today.
First off-yes to all the tabs! It frustrates me to no end, and then I feel like I can't close the tabs, because I'll forget about the site. But, clearly something good can come from it--like this post! So thanks.
Also-do you really write your posts in a single day? I'm so, so impressed!
Glad you can relate! As for writing posts in one day — no, not exactly! It's more like I intend to write it on Friday, produce a bunch of garbage, feel discouraged, give up, and then come back to it on Sunday and actually whip it into shape then. But that interval between Friday and Sunday is when the real work occurs, I think! Also, on Sunday, sometimes the Friday draft turns out to be not as bad as I had thought, which is nice.
And I should add that I usually have the topic in mind several days in advance, so there's work that happens before Friday as well (like watching the Akerman documentaries and transcribing her answers, etc.) So don't be too impressed!
I love her so much.
🥰
I will have to check out that documentary you linked to! I just gave a lecture on the influence of the gothic in arthouse cinema (mostly) directed by women and of course I had to talk about her and especially News from Home and Jeanne Dielman. I wish I didn't have a million other deadlines, because I just want to marathon all her films now. #summergoals
The documentary is definitely worth watching. I watched News from Home over the weekend — so good! I'm grateful that so many of her films are streaming on Criterion. Any chance your lecture is available online? Because that sounds amazing!!
Here's the whole thing! I talk about Chantal somewhere around the middle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnHV7AyAURg
Thank you for sharing this! Just watched the Akerman portion. "Cinema is the art of allowing ghosts to come back"!!! Had never heard that quote before, will be thinking of it going forward...
It's a magical quote!
It should be up any day now, so I will send it along when the link is live!
Brilliant post and how creative to tell a story in subtitle clips from a video. Definitely an idea-keeper. Definitely appreciate insights into the process of such a creative film maker ... and confirmation of the benefits of the "unplanned."
Thanks, Joyce! If you like the subtitled clips, you might also enjoy these past issues:
https://masoncurrey.substack.com/p/hayao-miyazaki-creativity-selfishness
https://masoncurrey.substack.com/p/phil-stutz-string-of-pearls
https://masoncurrey.substack.com/p/joanna-hogg-art-of-perseverance
I really love Ackerman’s down to earth approach to money! Artists don’t talk enough about how money or lack of money influences the work they do.
Agreed! That's the entire idea behind my next book, if I can ever finish writing it! 🙃