Three Questions #2 Ollie Aufshine, Indie Filmmaker
Q: Ollie, as a documentary filmmaker for many years, what changes have you seen in the industry?
A: Celebrity culture has become so huge in the doc world. As a filmmaker, if you don’t have a movie about somebody with a name (ie, a celebrity) you’re gonna get outshined, period. Wanna make a documentary about one of the important issues of the day: climate change, inequality, democracy, racism? Good luck competing with movies that should be on E! Of course filmmakers aren’t to blame for this trend, they’re just following the culture — but I do see it as a product of our times.
These days all of us are feeling that our facilities for “action” are greatly diminished — our ability to do things, to get things done, to take action — these things are hamstrung as never before. Contrasting this, celebrities are people with great agency, and so we constellate around these folks and project ourselves onto them. Taken as a whole the E! doc culture does say something interesting: We are a people with very little agency.
Q: Five years ago you were diagnosed with a serious cancer with a pretty low survival rate. How has that changed you?
A: Cancer has made me drive harder to do work that matters.
I can’t say that I believe in a god in a conventional sense, but I do believe in a purpose — that we all have a purpose in life — and IMHO, that’s to create consciousness.
Remember in the movie, “No Country for Old Men” and the last scene where Tommy Lee Jones’ character is describing a dream about his deceased father, and how he was “carrying fire” into the darkness? It’s a poetic and paradoxical ending to the movie — and it's also a beautiful explanation for a purpose in life, to “carry fire” into the darkness. What if each of us has our own fire (our own consciousness) and our job is to bear witness and create consciousness and carry it into the darkness to light the way for others. That's how I'd like to think about it.
Anyway, cancer has made me double-down on this purpose.
Q: I understand that you based your entire career on “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Explain.
(Editor's note: After a minute of silence, Ollie started crying and couldn’t answer the question. He asked that the tape-recorder be turned off).
Thanks for your note, First Features! I’m not familiar with Ollie’s work (I just interviewed him and Ronald from a few days earlier) so unfortunately I can’t help you. Like you though, I’m impressed by his willingness to talk openly about some emotional and difficult subjects for indie filmmakers. Like him, I hope we can begin to answer the question that many filmmakers seek: Where can genuine help be found?
I am not familiar with Ollie Aufshine, you have shown me some AI produced artwork for your project, "Not Losing You.” I think that project is very interesting. Do you have any projects completed that I could watch? I am interested in making movies that matter. That's why others and I have put together a studio to get them made.
Thank you for introducing us to an accomplished filmmaker. I am very interested in viewing his work to see if it is as solution based as you suggest. I want to explore any films that offer real solutions to the problems we face in the world today. If one works in this genre, one will never run out of material. We will always have problems to solve.
Three Questions #2 Ollie Aufshine, Indie Filmmaker
Q: Ollie, as a documentary filmmaker for many years, what changes have you seen in the industry?
A: Celebrity culture has become so huge in the doc world. As a filmmaker, if you don’t have a movie about somebody with a name (ie, a celebrity) you’re gonna get outshined, period. Wanna make a documentary about one of the important issues of the day: climate change, inequality, democracy, racism? Good luck competing with movies that should be on E! Of course filmmakers aren’t to blame for this trend, they’re just following the culture — but I do see it as a product of our times.
These days all of us are feeling that our facilities for “action” are greatly diminished — our ability to do things, to get things done, to take action — these things are hamstrung as never before. Contrasting this, celebrities are people with great agency, and so we constellate around these folks and project ourselves onto them. Taken as a whole the E! doc culture does say something interesting: We are a people with very little agency.
Q: Five years ago you were diagnosed with a serious cancer with a pretty low survival rate. How has that changed you?
A: Cancer has made me drive harder to do work that matters.
I can’t say that I believe in a god in a conventional sense, but I do believe in a purpose — that we all have a purpose in life — and IMHO, that’s to create consciousness.
Remember in the movie, “No Country for Old Men” and the last scene where Tommy Lee Jones’ character is describing a dream about his deceased father, and how he was “carrying fire” into the darkness? It’s a poetic and paradoxical ending to the movie — and it's also a beautiful explanation for a purpose in life, to “carry fire” into the darkness. What if each of us has our own fire (our own consciousness) and our job is to bear witness and create consciousness and carry it into the darkness to light the way for others. That's how I'd like to think about it.
Anyway, cancer has made me double-down on this purpose.
Q: I understand that you based your entire career on “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Explain.
(Editor's note: After a minute of silence, Ollie started crying and couldn’t answer the question. He asked that the tape-recorder be turned off).
You are on a role with these James! You have the fire!
Thank you, Ted! Greatly appreciate the forum you've created here.
James, this inner reveal has given me a reason to want to see your work. What title would you like me to watch and why?
Thanks for your note, First Features! I’m not familiar with Ollie’s work (I just interviewed him and Ronald from a few days earlier) so unfortunately I can’t help you. Like you though, I’m impressed by his willingness to talk openly about some emotional and difficult subjects for indie filmmakers. Like him, I hope we can begin to answer the question that many filmmakers seek: Where can genuine help be found?
I am not familiar with Ollie Aufshine, you have shown me some AI produced artwork for your project, "Not Losing You.” I think that project is very interesting. Do you have any projects completed that I could watch? I am interested in making movies that matter. That's why others and I have put together a studio to get them made.
Love this, thank you.
Love Matt’s work since Cartel Land; because he is hands on he’s there for the unexpected!
Thank you for introducing us to an accomplished filmmaker. I am very interested in viewing his work to see if it is as solution based as you suggest. I want to explore any films that offer real solutions to the problems we face in the world today. If one works in this genre, one will never run out of material. We will always have problems to solve.