Se7en Questions with Filmmaker and Actor
Mitch McLeod
Who are some of the artists or some of the works
that inspired you to get started in your field? Of today’s current artists, who do you draw inspiration from?
David Lynch and Darren Aronofsky are my two favorite filmmakers. I will always cherish them because A: their masterful films, and B: because it was seeing those films that made me decide this was what I wanted to do with my life. Watching their films is a bit like peering into my own mind and realizing that I’m not entirely alone in the way I view the world.
Today, they remain my favorites. Additionally, if I see that David Fincher, Denis Villeneuve, or Lynne Ramsay are behind the camera, chances are I’m going to watch it. Danny Boyle and Soderbergh come to mind as well. And I would be remiss to not mention Nicolas Winding Refn and Panos Cosmatos. There’s just too damn many to name.
What have thus far been some of the negatives of being an indie artist in your field?
There’s not much. The stress of being an indie filmmaker comes with the process. You find yourself facing the challenge of creating a film with limited resources and that process can be a real strain on the psyche. Obviously self-doubt factors in when you’re up-and-coming but I think the same can be said for anybody pursuing any art form or anything, really, that requires any sort of ambition.
Overall, I’d say the most difficult part of this so far has been getting into bed with the wrong people. For the most part, everybody I’ve worked with has been amazing, but I’ve yet to complete a feature film without one person coming in to elevate some drama. It keeps things exciting, I guess.
What have thus far been the positives of being an indie artist in your field?
I’ve loved having the opportunity to do what I love, the way that I want to do it. Sure, it would be nice to have larger budgets and it would definitely be an amazing thing to make it my prime source of income, as day jobs can sometimes hinder creativity, but overall it’s been a great ride.
I’ve met some wonderfully talented people who I now call friends and I’ve gotten the opportunity to be a part of some really cool things.
It makes me happy to stick to my guns and do things my way. I’ve heard from so many people so many different ways that they feel I should have gone about this and they’re not necessarily bad, but I’ve started to climb the ladder ever so slightly and find a modicum of success, and I feel like I’ve done it without having to compromise, so I’m proud of that.
What have been your favorite completed projects to work on up to this point? Can you tell us a little bit about them?
My latest feature film, Silhouette, has been the greatest so far. I’ve had a wonderful time on any of the projects that I’ve done in the past, but this one was something different. The entire time we were working on this film there was this perfect synergy throughout and there was this euphoria as we all felt like we were creating something truly special.
Our budget wasn’t large but it was more than I’d had for all of my feature and short films combined, and so I felt like I was able to move just a little more freely. I was able to assemble an absolutely phenomenal cast and crew and, despite the heavy nature of the material, we mostly had a blast making it.
It was also my first foray into horror and “creature effects”, so that was a really neat experience.
What projects are you currently working on or have planned for the near future?
I’m keeping the next one close to the vest for now. All I will say is Yankee Rose: A Satanic Love Story. And I will say that I find it relative to the movement of female empowerment in film. I think there is a lot of untapped potential in the untold stories of women and it’s exciting to see that movement taking place.
Much like Silhouette, it puts a strong yet fragile woman front and center and walks us through her plight. In a way, I think you could call it the sister film to Silhouette, as it will touch on some themes that were present in that film that I feel I didn’t explore as much as I would have liked to. I want to really focus on putting some of those religious undertones of Silhouette more directly in the spotlight.
Where do you see yourself in a few years and what would it take for you to consider your career a success?
I definitely can’t say where I see myself in a few years, but in a potentially philosophical sense I suppose it’s already happening in a way. Maybe I’m doing bigger and better things and really climbing to the top of that ladder or maybe I’m still in Dallas working with five-figure budgets. Who knows?
My definition of success is looking at the work I’ve done and being truly proud of it, so I guess Silhouette has marked that first milestone for me. That’s not to say I haven’t been happy with the films of the past, but this is the first one I’ve looked at and deeply felt like I accomplished what I set out to accomplish, and I owe so much of that to the team of people that stood by my side and made it happen.
In a more shallow sense of what one may define success to be, I suppose it would be great if this were my sole source of livelihood. I don’t need to be rich, but if I can do what I love and live a comfortable life I suppose I would say I’d done something right.
If you couldn’t do this anymore, what career path do you think you would have followed and why?
Perhaps a rodeo clown. I think the more important question is: Why not?
