FINDING PERFECTION THROUGH ART AND BEING THE BEST YOU CAN BE. An interview with filmmaker Shantell Cargle

By Van Dirk Fisher

Sometimes life imitates art and sometimes we discover how to be true to ourselves through our art.  When Shantell Cargle came across an ad for The Video Diaries Project, she had recently got out of an unhealthy relationship, which caused her to put a lot of her dreams and aspirations on hold.  She had decided it was time for her to get back to doing the things that she loved to do like acting and filmmaking.  She grew up in Detroit, Michigan and spent her whole adulthood living in New York City.  She fell in love with the city and never left.  Acting was her first love and she grew to love making films as well.  So combining the two worlds was very exciting to her.

As an actress she discovered that she wanted to have more control of the stories that were being told and the type of characters she was auditioning for, so she decided to go to Hunter College, where she received a B.A. in film studies.  After graduation she just picked up a camera and started shooting.  “I made a bunch of mistakes, but I also learned a lot in the process just by jumping in head first!  As for inspiration I think its everywhere, on the subway, walking down the street….there are so many places where you can study people and situations, through that you discover art,” says Shantell.

Working on the documentary FINDING PERFECTION THROUGH ART with Christina Weathersby, her co-filmmaker, has been amazing.  “I try to let the subjects mold what the story will be,” says Shantell.  “Sometimes you have to shoot a lot of footage before you find your angle, which is different from scripted films.”

“The Video Diaries Project is exciting to me,” says Shantell.  “Because I can personally relate to many of the struggles that the playwright, Rebekah L. Pierce addresses in her play Perfect.  I am a female who is at war with my feelings toward family and husband versus career.  I think many women have similar concerns and issues in our society that is never really addressed by the public at large.  I wanted to be able to understand the characters as well as the actors in the play.  This allowed me to get some really good insight on how to approach the documentary.”

In addition, working on the project will hopefully shed some light on these issues and in time help to bring some resolve to many people who struggle with the choices they make concerning their career and relationships.  You shouldn’t have to choose.   But I think Ms. Cargle said it best when she said, “I just want people to know that you should never give up on your dreams, but that you also have to put the work, time, and effort into bringing them into fruition.  If you focus on what you really want, you will start to see progress and change in your life.  I am very grateful to have a wonderful business partner and best friend, as well as an amazing family that continues to encourage and push me to always be the best that I can be.”   In a perfect world isn’t that what we all want?

FINDING PERFECTION THROUGH ART:  A Documentary by Shantell Cargle and Christina Weathersby
Featuring:  Rebekah Lynn Pierce, Gene Hughes, Kyle P. Carter, Lamar K. Cheston, Vanessa Lovestone, Shaunta Macklin, Dawn Speaks, Clarivel Ruiz and Robert Wright
Screenings:

February 22, 2012 at 8PM - Admission: FREE The Launch Party for the Strawberry One-Act Festival Ripley Grier Studios, 520 Eighth Avenue, 10th Floor, Studio 10D, NYC RSVP for Tickets at RiantTheatre@gmail.com

March 3, 2012 & March 4, 2012 at 9PM; Tickets: $15 Hudson Guild Theatre, 441 West 26th Street, NYC Between 9th & 10th Avenue For tickets go to http://www.therianttheatre.com/index.php?n=the_video_diaries_project:_a_series

IT’S ABOUT TIME: A Reflection of Life. An interview with filmmaker Miguel LaCruz

By Van Dirk Fisher

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression:  “What doesn’t kill you in life will only make you stronger.”  There’s something liberating about that---the circle of life---the evolution of life.  A seed is planted.  A flower grows.  It endures changes in the weather conditions and eventually dies, but there is a rebirth and another seed is planted and the cycle continues.  Through time man has discovered that in the end everything will be all right.  Life goes on.

Filmmaker Miguel LaCruz, a native of Caracas, Venezuela, who has been living in Brooklyn for the past 5 years remembers always being really interested in still pictures.  “For me the idea of freezing a moment in time, its magic,” says Miguel.  “In high school I had the opportunity to make a fiction short film and from that moment I fell in love with video/film making.”

A graduate of Santa Maria University in Caracas, Venezuela, Miguel received a degree in Social Communications.  In New York, he attended The School of Visual Arts to take a course in “Creating A Documentary Film.”  I asked him where does he get his inspiration to make films and he said, “My inspiration usually comes from life itself and its injustices.  I love the whole idea of documentaries.  Some of my favorites that have inspired me are:  FOOD, Inc, Gas Land and Dirt, The Movie.”

Every job experience has shaped the type of filmmaker he is today; from the technical aspects to the human side of his career.  Working on the Video Diaries Project has been exhilarating for Mr. LaCruz.  He’s no stranger to making documentaries, but this is the first time he has had the freedom to make all of the decisions.  What drew him to work on the VDP is his desire “to look deep into the life of this group of young artists rehearsing the play IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING by Liz Magee, and to show their personal life from another point of view.”  Would he do it all again?  You bet!  “It was a great experience,” says LaCruz.  “The relationship between the cast and me was very organic and the flow of the production was amazing.”

That’s the beauty of it all---the process.  Sometimes we can miss out on the little things in life by not living in the moment and relishing the experience from beginning to end.  When the film is over and the credits have rolled, LaCruz hopes to leave his audience “with mix feelings; this documentary it’s a reflection of life,” says LaCruz.  “When you go through beautiful moments, but also very sad ones.  But the most important message is that every situation you confront in your life makes you stronger.”  And I’m sure we will all agree after seeing his film it was well worth the journey.

IT’S ABOUT TIME A Short Film by Miguel LaCruz
Featuring:  Liz Magee, MIchael Kinnan, Brittany Molnar, Sam Finger, Courtney Macneil and Thomas Heddrick.
Screenings:

February 22, 2012 at 8PM - FREE The Launch Party for the Strawberry One-Act Festival Ripley Grier Studios, 520 Eighth Avenue, 10th Floor, Studio 10D, NYC RSVP for Tickets at RiantTheatre@gmail.com

 

March 3, 2012 & March 4, 2012 at 9PM Tickets: $15 Hudson Guild Theatre, 441 West 26th Street, NYC Between 9th & 10th Avenue For tickets go to http://www.therianttheatre.com/index.php?n=the_video_diaries_project:_a_series