 | |
| Gus Van Sant |
I’d like to highlight a long time inspiration of mine Gus Van Sant.
Most commonly known for directing “Good Will Hunting”, and "Milk", but a majority of his movies are independent films shot or based in the North West, his home land.
His work is not limited to just film making though, Van Sant is a multi-talented individual who has a
portfolio that consists of...
Before working on "Good Will Hunting" he was a painter.
TV commercials
Some of his first gigs were making commercials in the Northwest.
One of the newer commercials he has made is the Matthew McConaughey Lincoln commercial.
Photography
Most his celebrity portraits were captured on films he was working on.
 |
| Matt Dillon and Nicole Kiddman |
 | ||
| The late Rive Pheonix and Keanue Reeves |
 | |
| The late Robbin Williams |
Music Videos
He’s had opportunities to make music video for Elton John, The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, David Bowie,
and Stone Temple Pilots to name a few.
and Stone Temple Pilots to name a few.
 |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers "Under the Bridge" |
It's incredibly inspiring for me to to see a Portland native making a career out of the things I love. He showed me the career I wanted to get into before I even knew it. He's a great visual story teller, and the research into his films based on true events shows it.
My favorite films of his all belong to the "Death Trilogy". Three films based on deaths that accrued in real life. "Garry" is the first in the series, which is a film about 3 hikers who got lost in New Mexico, leaving one of the Hikers dead. The second film to the trilogy is "Elephant", which is based off of the Columbine School shooting. Leaving "Last Days", a visual film containing the activities Kurt Cobain did in his remaining few days of life. "Last Days" actually include relics of Kurt Cobain's, as well as some items from the house where he lived with his family before committing suicide.
 |
| On the set of "Paranoid Park" at the Burnside Bridge skate park |
My favorite films of his all belong to the "Death Trilogy". Three films based on deaths that accrued in real life. "Garry" is the first in the series, which is a film about 3 hikers who got lost in New Mexico, leaving one of the Hikers dead. The second film to the trilogy is "Elephant", which is based off of the Columbine School shooting. Leaving "Last Days", a visual film containing the activities Kurt Cobain did in his remaining few days of life. "Last Days" actually include relics of Kurt Cobain's, as well as some items from the house where he lived with his family before committing suicide.
The art of creating a film based on true events is not as simple as re-telling a someones story.
All of the journalistic practices that go along with documentary film making still must apply.
Van Sant has proved in his first film “Mala Noche” the importance of actors studying the lifestyles
of the people they are portraying. However, the "death trilogy" all though the events are accurate,
the characters are loosely based of the real people. I believe this creates freedom for the film maker
to show the story in their eyes.
All of the journalistic practices that go along with documentary film making still must apply.
Van Sant has proved in his first film “Mala Noche” the importance of actors studying the lifestyles
of the people they are portraying. However, the "death trilogy" all though the events are accurate,
the characters are loosely based of the real people. I believe this creates freedom for the film maker
to show the story in their eyes.
7 movies based on true events
1 mockumentary
4 movie adapted novels
6 movies shot in the Pacific Northwest
So in a nutshell, Gus Van Sant has inspire me to embrace my Northwest roots in my career.
He encourages me broaden my horizons with the media I produce, and to keep my journalistic
instincts when thinking about films based on true events, but at the same time allowing free range
creativity.
He encourages me broaden my horizons with the media I produce, and to keep my journalistic
instincts when thinking about films based on true events, but at the same time allowing free range
creativity.
In addition I'm adding this great Portlandia skit Van Sant was cool enough to do.
No comments:
Post a Comment