Filmmaker In Process (An Artist’s Interview with Anthony Lee). By Paras Rathi

I had a quick 15 minute chat with one of buddies (Anthony Lee) at university. I had always been interested in knowing more about others and getting their point of views about life. During our conversation I asked him few questions regarding his process of becoming a filmmaker and an artist.

Q: Who are you and what do you do ?

A= My name is Anthony Lee. I am a third year film student at Simon Fraser University. My main discipline is Film. I've been doing this for a couple of years now.

Q: What’s your background before coming to film school?

A= I have a production design background working in high school theater since i was 12 years old. I worked as stage manager and audio guy. I didn’t get into the film program at SFU first. I also play music and i was crossing over between different mediums of art.

Q: What do you think ART is?

A= Oh I don’t know! I was watching a film back home during my high school days and it was a comedy monologue by guy that said “Art is a reflection of an era” I always thought that was really valid. Some people say art is political, I think Politics and art should be separated.

Q: Did you change the way you think and work after getting into the film school?

A= Absolutely! There are alot of things that you wouldn’t learn without school. For example when i worked in production design every one was on a same pace but with film it so much different.At first I was not adjusted to the mindset and spending so much time on one thing but I realized that not really a good habit.

Q: Do you enjoy what you do ?

A= Hell Yeah !

Q: What was the most amazing moment for you from a student project ?

A= I remember I was making like a grad video for my high school. I was working with another person making montage but we didn’t know anything about film making. When we shot it and spliced it it suddenly turned out into a really cool high school video. I felt satisfaction.

Q: What inspires you to create your art?

A= Lately I realize alot of professors inspires me. Different professors have different thought and they have been playing it for years. The way they own their own craft is fascinating. Beside that there’s also my peers, classmates and alot of them are amazing in different ways they don’t have the same wavelengths but I learn alot from them.

Q: What do you like about your art ?

A: I think its more about what I am suitable to do. It’s not because I like it. I always use this metaphor “ Making food, you can buy it and or cook it but you cannot survive without it”. Same is for me, who know I can end up becoming a musician or a theater artist rather than becoming a filmmaker.

Q: Professionally what’s your goal?

A=I think there’s a reason why we end up what we are doing and who we are. It’s not like you can choose and I don’t know the reason behind what I am doing?

End.