Pablo Fernández - Interview
Pablo Fernández is an award–winning filmmaker and journalist with over 20 years of experience. He was born and raised in Argentina, and now lives in the United States. Pablo co–directed and co–produced the documentary The Voice of the Mapuche, which was selected at over 30 international film festivals and won awards in the categories of Indigenous Peoples, Human Rights, Environment, and Cultural Diversity. Prior to that project, Pablo had performed various roles in the production of other documentaries, such as Septembers, One Year One Day, Code Name: Butterflies, and El Yali Wetlands: The Heritage of Water. Pablo holds a Master of Science degree in Global Media, a Graduate Certificate in Translation and Conference Interpreting, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and Latin American Literature. Most importantly, he has been to every continent and he has swum in the waters of all three major oceans.
Do you prefer Comedy or Drama?
My first instinct would be to say that I prefer Drama, although this category can be very broad. Drama would include historical films, which is my favorite genre. However, Comedy can also be used to convey serious messages, so it really depends on the context and the issues that the film would cover.
Life imitates Art or Art imitates Life?
I would say that Art imitates Life, and on many occasions it falls short. As Gabriel García Márquez once said, reality almost always surpasses any dimension of fiction that human beings can think of.
Which is the best Moment on set?
My background is in documentary filmmaking, and I have been part of the crew during reenactments. I think that the best moment on set is when you realize that actors have truly become the characters that they are representing, and the two personalities are undistinguishable.
Did anyone ever tell you weren't good enough?
No, and even if anyone had dared, I would have never paid attention. I have never suffered from what some people call “impostor syndrome”. I have never felt that I don’t deserve to be in the place that I have reached through enormous effort and sacrifice. My family is working class. We don’t come from any privileged elite. My parents always taught me and my siblings that all human beings are worthy of the same dignity and respect, and that if you had to work much harder than others to get where you are, then you deserve even more credit.
How can you stay focused on your goal?
I think that keeping your mind on the message that you want to convey with the film is a very good way to stay focused on your goal. The main issue to me is always the message or messages that the film is intended to convey.
Have you ever had a breakdown because of your Job?
No, but I am also a journalist, and the stress of a newsroom, especially in television, can really push you to the limit.
Talent is a blessing or a curse?
Talent is definitely a blessing. The problem is when you live in a system that is not designed to encourage human flourishing across the board for every member of society, a system that reserves flourishing for the privileged few. That is the problem.
What would you like to improve about yourself as an
actor/director/screenplayer?
I would like to be more prolific. I know that working in cinema is my passion, but I have often relegated this passion because I have felt that it was necessary to work in other sectors in order to pay the unrelenting barrage of bills that we all get every month.
What's the worst criticism that you have received?
That my works fall short in showing the true scope and magnitude of state repression. I struggle with this dilemma every time, although I know that it is not possible to be there at every moment that agents of the state execute repressive actions against people who are fighting for their rights.
If you weren't an actor/director/screenplayer what would you like to be?
I would dedicate all my time to growing nutrient-packed high-quality organic food in order to achieve self-sufficiency and to be able to teach future generations that we don’t have to depend on Big Ag multinational corporations.
If Cinema was a color what would it be?
It would definitely be Blue, because it is the color of the forces of the Universe, and Cinema is a universal language that unites us all.
A day without a movie is…
A day in which we would miss the opportunity to learn from other human beings and other cultures.
If someone offered you to play/direct/write in/a movie that you despise
but that for sure will make you rich and famous...would you accept the job?
Absolutely NOT. I have never been, and I will never be complicit in working on a project that conveys concepts that do not align with my values. This is strictly out of the question.
What's your greatest ambition?
To tell the stories of those who don’t have access to global media, including film.
What's your biggest fear?
Leaving this material world while feeling that I have not done enough to make it a better place.
Does music help you to play/direct, write?
Yes! I could never work without music. My playlists are very comprehensive, mostly made up of reggae, blues, jazz, and African music, among other genres.
You have the chance to make a Silent movie, what's your message to the
audience?
If Charles Chaplin was able to convey universal messages against oppression, that would be my model. I would try to imitate Chaplin, the grand master.
Share your speech if you should win an Oscar.....
This award is for the courageous people of Vieques, in Puerto Rico, who continue to show the whole world that it is possible to overcome oppression, even if the oppressors are very powerful. The oppressors often possess the most modern weaponry, but they cannot break the will of a people who are determined to continue resisting. The steadfastness of the people of Vieques, spanning over 70 years, is a shining light of hope that reaches all corners of the world. And, any similarity with current struggles is not a coincidence.
While I am very happy to win this Oscar, I had already received the best award of all. My nieces told me that by writing the screenplay for The Battle of the Fishermen and by having won recognition across the globe, I have already won the “Cool Uncle Award”.
Palmer Durr - Interview
Palmer Durr is from Bluffton, Indiana, USA. He is a film director and cinematographer who has worked in New York, Los Angeles, Mexico, Brazil, China, and Europe. He has invested over a decade with the Kayapó Indigenous Community of the Amazon Rainforest, where he directed the film “Kukràdjà” and taught film-craft to help preserve cultural tradition.
When did you realise you wanted to be a Filmmaker\Actor\Writer?
In 2009, I was 18 years old and realized that filmmaking combined everything I had learned or had been exposed to and experienced up until that point.
Do you remember your first time at the Movies?
Yes, The Lion King 1993.
If you should change country, where would you like to work?
New Zealand.
Two films that have marked your life for better or for worse…
The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Yi-yi
What do you think about Acting/ filmmaking schools?
Schools, for the most part, are truly amazing. They teach our craft, provide community, and can have career perks. However, film school, as in life, isn’t a guarantee of anything, and there are other ways to build people networks or access educational resources. In either case, you won’t get much out of any experience if you aren’t self-reflective and don’t know what you want to achieve or who you are.
Have you ever hated your ambition?
Never
Francois Truffaut used to think that "Film Lovers are sick people”… was he right?
I get where he’s coming from—filmmaking is mentally, physically, and emotionally challenging. He implies that filmmakers are insane for willingly choosing to endure the pain and uncertainty that accompany the medium. But challenging activities can also forge strength, wisdom, and character. Your character as a human being can improve by being a filmmaker, so long as you can regulate your emotions and believe in yourself in the context of chaos.
Close your eyes…if I say “Cinema” what do you see?
Robot Jox
Who’s the Director\Actor\Writer that taught you the most?
What makes this question so hard is the idea of an ultimate choice, because I’ve learned a great deal from many production crew members (which in my opinion includes actors and directors)… One would be Dennis Villanueva, who works with Joe Walker, Hans Zimmer, incredible actors, excellent DPs, illustrators, and more. He puts a lot of energy into pre-production, and his sensibilities are powerful. I think he still has room to grow, like every human I know, but there is no question that he, as a contemporary director, has taught me a great deal.
About your job, tell us your biggest dream and your worst nightmare…
My biggest dream is to shoot a short film I’ve written, about a woman and divine beings in Peru. My worst nightmare would be having an accident on a production that results in death or serious injury.
How important is to have a good Cinematographic Culture?
It’s very important to have cinematic culture because it allows people to communicate complex ideas that generate an empathetic bond between the audience and the characters. The world needs empathy more than anything else!
What would you like to improve as a Filmmaker\Actor\Writer?
I want to generate and do more scripted narrative work as a filmmaker.
A big producer give you the chance to direct\to play (in) the remake of one of your favorite black and white Movie (if you have one)… what film do you choose?
I don’t think you can remake a film, but you can copy the elements and generate an impersonation of an idea. I don’t want to impersonate some of my favorites, because I don’t think I can do the source material justice. That being said, something like “The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms” could be done, because the source material has enough room for new energy and ideas. Other films like “Hiroshima, Mon Amour” or “Seven Samurai” or “Sorry, Wrong Number” have such a distinct aura that I don’t think a remake could do them justice, though, as an exercise, it could be fun.
Film Industry it’s a tough place and sometimes is normal to feel lost and discouraged… who’s the person that keeps you motivated?
I’m deeply inspired by the Kayapó filmmakers I’ve had the privilege of working with over the years, whose powerful use of film serves as both a means of cultural preservation and a vital act of resistance in defense of their identity and continued existence.
Alfred Hitchcock said: "To make a good film you need 3 things: The script, the script and the script". Do you agree with him?
I disagree, because a script is like a genetic code, containing the roots of a film, but that code does not determine an outcome. There are instances where non-script-related ideas are incorporated during the process, because they feel truer.
What’s your most ambitious project for the future?
I have a film idea that incorporates experiences and ideas that I’ve had in the Kayapó Indigenous Territory.
Do you think that sadness or at least melancholy let be more creative?
I don’t think you must be sad or melancholy to increase creativity. To increase creativity, you must eliminate distractions and have dreams. If you have a dream while you’re awake, you’re even closer.
What do you wish to yourself as a Filmmaker\Actor\Writer?
I wish to be the best version of myself so that I can better endure the realities of the world.
Reginald Baskerville - Interview
Experienced Principal Actor and content producer with a demonstrated history of working in feature films, national television, and on the stage. Strong professional creative skilled in film, television, voice, & theater with a heart and capacity for educating youth as a school leader. Originally "from the slums of Shaolin" (Staten Island), the NYC world, traveling throughout the country, along with being able to observe people abroad has built a muscle. That muscle is anointed to be flexed within entertainment and education.
When did you decide you wanted to be an actor/director?
When I got on the campus of Morgan State University back in 91’ my major was telecommunications, which they now call media studies. As soon as I picked up a camera and got on a stage I knew I wanted to make movies. I had fun while earning my degree by making video shorts, and by working the stage.
How did your family react?
My family has been on the journey with me. I have a strong group of siblings, aunts, uncles, and people on the periphery who demonstrate their support for what I have been doing with film and tv through giving time. They give by taking time to watch something I’m acting in, or by downloading something they know I have produced.
Do you have a muse or a role model?
I think my work is inspired by my love for people and how people interact with each other. Specifically, when I was a youngin in Bedford Stuyvesant my dad took me to see a live play starring the son of one of his teacher co-workers. The co-worker was Laurence Fishburne’s mom. After watching that play with Laurence Fishburne as a teenager, and then seeing Mr. Fishburne’s film and television career level up, I gained an understanding of the power of performance.
Who is your biggest fan?
My biggest fan is probably my lady Asia, my family, and I’m hoping a few of my co-workers. Asia is the one who listens to me talk about the work all the time, helps me with my auditions, travels with me to the cities where the work is, and totally allows me to bore her with everything film and tv I’m talking about.
What actor or director would you like to work with?
I want to work on a large scale production with any of the legends. One of my most memorable moments to date on the acting side has been to work on a Christmas film set opposite John Schneider (Bo Duke from the Dukes of Hazzard). I’d also gotten a brief moment a few years back to share a scene with Annabella Sciora. It is so dope to be in position to work with the
seasoned, and the loved. As a background actor I was able to observe Martin Scorscese, Steven Speilberg, Sallie Richardson, and others lead large scale sets. Those opportunities fueled my curiosity, and energized my passion for the work on both sides of the camera.
Have you ever seen a film that was better than the book?
Crime Partners written by Donald Goines came out as a movie in 2001 starring Snoop Dogg, Ice-T, and Ja-Rule. I read some of Donald Goines' books back in the day and was pleased to see that someone had invested in bringing the stories to the big screen. After Crime Partners, the film Never Die Alone came out starring DMX. Again, I was pleased to see the interest in bringing Donald Goines’ work back into focus.
What’s that movie that taught you the most?
In reflecting on what film has taught me the most, Michael Moore’s documentary films that hit the scene really caught my attention. They were so informative and so authentically done. Sicko, Bowling for Columbine, Fahrenheit 9/11 were all documentary films that captivated the
country, and even the world, instantly.
On set what excites you the most?
On set I am motivated by being in the moment. Once I see cameras, lights, headphones, book mics, and people moving around I am powered up.
What scares you the most?
My only fear is to not be able to access opportunities that put me in position to experience that.
You can steal the career of an artist, who do you choose?
I would not necessarily like to steal their career but I respect the direction of the careers of Jordan Peel, Ava Duvernay, Anthony Mackey, Rob Morgan, and Russell Hornsby. These artists have been putting it down for years on the big screen, adding emotional value to the storytelling in the things they are a part of.
What is your next project?
My next acting project coming in 2025 is a feature film, Los Ones. I joined forces again with Christopher Kendrick, the writer and director of Fattenin’ Frogs for Snakes. On the short film tip, Blind Justice and Alright are two independent projects that recently allowed me to play in front of the camera.
However, from behind the lens, my next producer/director project is Cappadonna’s That’s MY WORD! This project Is a four part documentary series. We have only shared episode 1 on incarceration through the film festival circuit. We are preparing to release episode 2 on addiction, episode 3 on special education, and the fourth installment will focus on the culture.
We are excited to bring these community conversations to the world.
For you cinema is…?
Cinema for me is a perfect medium for storytelling. As an actor, writer, producer, or director the ability to use your gifts and foundational knowledge to create content and characters people can enjoy, and learn from, is a heck of a purpose to have in our world.
Do you think Black & White movies have a powerful impact?
I have used black and white movie clips, and cartoon clips. I have fun with the nostalgic and historic feel of Black and White film. While making Cappadonna’s That’s My WORD! I have had fun researching the archives.
Have you ever dreamed of winning an oscar?
Of course I have. I have dreamed of winning an oscar for directing and acting. Laurence Olivier, Warren Beatty, Clint Eastwood are names of people who have been on both sides of the lens on that oscar level.
Do you think you are going to win it?
Should I think of any other outcome?