Dirty Dozen with Stephen Lance

Filmmaker Stephen Lance and I enjoy a lovely email correspondence about art, life, etc., and it was nice to meet him in person when he came to the States from his native Australia a few weeks ago. I interviewed Stephen by email as he was traveling between New York for work, and DC and LA for premieres of a movie he worked on in 2003, called The Great Raid, as the assistant to the producer.

Lauren Cerand: One of the earlier things we discussed was the challenge of being a creative person versus simply a person working in a creative industry - what advice would you give to someone thinking of pursuing a more artistic path than the one they are perhaps currently on?

Stephen Lance: You absolutely need a delusional amount of courage, commitment and energy to pursue a creative path. My experience is that fall back positions are useless; you are either an artist or you're not. if you have the heart of an artist then take the risk and do it. and if you're rewarded with money then great, if not it doesn't matter. the process of being an artist is purely personal and subjective so don't weigh it down with objectivity. i once tried to deny the creative path and it really doesn't work. on the other hand, if you look deeply into your heart and see no artist, then avoid it all costs...as it's generally a kick in the pants most of the time.

LC: What is your favorite thing about directing music videos? Least favorite?

SL: Favourite thing is the freedom to try visual techniques. You have a lot more freedom than commercials. Least favourite thing is that sometimes the music isn't that inspiring...so it's hard to come up with fabulous ideas.

LC: What inspired your psychedlic treatment for the Drag video? After deciding to shoot Amiel's new video in New York, how did you make the choices you did about shots and location, etc. and why?

SL: Drag was really inspired by an idea the band had for an 'identikit' photograph they were considering for the album cover. You know those police photographs of criminals, etc...From that we decided to incorporate different elements of nature, machine, architecture, religion...this meant hours and hours of trawling through books...eventually we had over 300 images that were sorted into categories.  From there we worked with a cool motion graphics artist (Liz Ellis) to come up with the look.

The Amiel video was really very mercenary. We had a brief of the type and style of places the record label approved of for her image. They were very prescriptive about her representation. They wanted summer, iconic NY. Sex in the City. It was then a matter of scouting locations...seeing where we could film...and then coming up with a storyline which took advantage of these locations.  It turned out that we could shoot anywhere we wanted basically, sometimes we had a permit and other times we just winged it. The great thing about NY is that everyone is so used to filming that no one raises an eyebrow to it...so even the police didn't stop us from filming in the middle of Times Square. As for the shots...well Damon [Escott] and I have an idea of the story and how things will cut and what we need to make it work...so we have a discussion on the day about the shots...it's really very organic.

LC: A child is the main character in your well-regarded short film, Eustice Solves A Problem, as well as in a recent script of yours that I read for your next film, Yolk. What is it about telling a story from the perspective of a child that you find most challenging or appealing as a director?

SL: My drama work is really very personal to me. I feel like each film I make is like exposing a part of me. So it's natural, I think, that in the beginning of my career that I work through scenarios with children. I know that I'm building up to more complex adult subject matter, but I need to move through a few chronological doors before I can get there. As you mentioned, my next script YOLK is about a 15 year old. And I have a feature idea that involves a character in their late teens...so I'm getting there. I guess there's also something so pure about a child's perspective that it makes it easy to dramatise a scenario.

LC: What aspects of The Conformist by Bertolucci make it your favorite film of all time?

SL: The Conformist to me is truly the epitome of great filmmaking. Every element (cinematography, design, costume, direction) speaks to the essence of the story. There's such a potent surrealism to it that also attracts me. Also the idea of connecting sexual repression to fascism appeals to me...everything is sexual.

LC: What is the best thing you did or discovered while you were in New York?

SL: Best thing to discover...YOU.

Best thing I did...I think just walking the footpath everyday...I know that sounds stupid ...but communing with the city in that way is the best.

LC: Stereotypes about Americans that are absolutely true:

SL: They use their mouths a lot more than australians.

LC: Stereotypes about Americans that are not true:

SL: Not sure...all the stereotypes are true in one form or another. I think it's the same with Australians ...any culture. But that doesn't mean there aren't a whole load of other layers too...of course there are.

LC: Since Americans are rather ignorant, what antipodean delights are we missing out that we don't even know about?

SL: I can't point to anything specific. I think it's generally just about being an outsider. Americans don't know what that feels like, so it's difficult I think for Americans to imagine what it feels like not to dominate the world in terms of economics/politics/culture. It's such a foreign concept. Being antipodean allows a certain freedom to think in ways which don't serve the hegemony. In saying that, some of the best cinema in the world comes from the American independent scene, but this is a direct result of some sort of critique of main stream American culture. So to have that wall to smash  down is a good thing for artists...

LC: For Lux Lotus readers who may find themselves in Brisbane, what are the top destinations/areas worth checking out while in "Bris Vegas"?

SL: My apartment. Email me...

LC: What trends are hot in Australia right now (besides masstige, of course)?

SL: Bisexuality. 

LC: And finally, I think you have already given me an answer to this one, but what do you think is the Next Big Thing? Would you still like to go with [quoted from an earlier email]: "after hearing about Michael Winterbottom's 9 Songs and seeing the latest Gucci campaign with the thinly veiled erection, I'd say explicit porn in advertising. That and licorice! I think licorice is gonna' make a big come back this season"?

SL: I stand by licorice and porn.

Comments

[Susan]

Great entry & interview. I am trying to get in touch with Stephen Lance. A chapter of a book I'm writing talks about Yolk in relation to its portrait of a resistant and savvy position on sexuality and disability. I am giving a talk in Vienna in May in which I will talk about his film, and would very much like to be able to show a clip of his work at that point. Stephen, if you are willing, would you contact me at [email protected]? Thank you--Yolk is a wonderful film.

[Susan]

Great entry & interview. I am trying to get in touch with Stephen Lance. A chapter of a book I'm writing talks about Yolk in relation to its portrait of a resistant and savvy position on sexuality and disability. I am giving a talk in Vienna in May in which I will talk about his film, and would very much like to be able to show a clip of his work at that point. Stephen, if you are willing, would you contact me at [email protected]? Thank you--Yolk is a wonderful film.