The Profile of a Jordanian Indie Filmmaker

Aseel Mansour

August 6, 2005

 

What did you study in college?

ASEEL: Electrical Engineering, BSc.

What was the first film you produced ever? When?

ASEEL: It was Nightmares of Reality, I co-produced this film with Razan Khatib. We started it by buying a low-end consumer camera, we kept on recording footage of the Iraqi pre-war period in Jordan. Not knowing exactly what we wanted to do, we kept the footage on the shelf, until we heard of the Amman Filmmakers Initiative, which was like a dream coming true for us. So we joined, and the film was the assignment project we did after finishing the first AFC workshop.

What was the last job you had right before you produced your first film?

ASEEL: I was, and still working in the IT field, at that point in time I was working as an IT consultant and project lead in a leading software company in Jordan.

When was the turning point at which you realized you have a special interest in filmmaking?

ASEEL: When I watched the first movie in my life, I guess. I always had that fascination with cinema and theater. I still remember when I was a child, when walking to school, I used to imagine I was in a movie set, with the sound track playing in my head. At that age, I made a play with my brother and neighbors, it was inspired by my comic hero Batman (my parents got me a Batman outfit), and the music played from a watch that blurted out some melodies, and the curtain was a bed sheet hanging from a piece of wire. It was a blast. Twenty years later, it’s not much of a difference, when you make an indie film, you make do with what you have, and it is still a blast!

What is it that attracts you to filmmaking?

ASEEL: Filmmaking is the most comprehensive form of expression. As it involves everything that is audio-visual: video, music, stills, animation, dialog, sound effects, all combined with technology (which I do for a living), yet, without the restrictive nature of “play-it-all-at-once” theatre. I believe that film is the most influential art form nowadays, especially if one is concerned with dealing with issues surrounding us, humans in general, and Arabs in specific.

Will you consider going back to school to study filmmaking?

ASEEL: If for anything, it would only be for the fact that I would be making films full time, which is what I love the most. Anything else, you can always learn on the field, from books, workshops here and there, and by watching great films and their directors’ commentaries. After all, Alfred Hitchcock didn’t go to a filmmaking school!

What is the most difficult aspect of filmmaking in Jordan?

ASEEL: Cinema can be both an art and a business. Cinema in Jordan is still a form of art but definitely not mature yet from the commercial point of view like French or even Indian cinema. I believe this will only happen when investors from the private sector will see it worthwhile to invest in a Jordanian film production because it will –at least- recoup their investment. This is why some filmmakers are so dependent presently on government or foreign funds, which may or may not advance a certain agenda. Both government and foreign funds are not sustainable for a long-term cinematic movement, let alone an Indie movement, keeping in mind the sort of restrictions that come as part of such funding deals

How often do you find yourself discarding a script or a film concept because of your fear of negative consequences? Explain?

ASEEL: I would discard a script or an idea if: it wasn’t appealing enough, beyond the scope of my capabilities and resources as a filmmaker, or does not go along with my beliefs.

What are your areas of strength as a filmmaker?

ASEEL: Production management and editing (take into account my background as a technical person, with project management experience.

What are the areas in need of improvement?

ASEEL: Lighting and audio.

You have produced your short films on micro budgets. How could have your films improved as a result of more money?

ASEEL: In everyway: professional actors, professionally designed and equipped sets and locations, professional cinematography, more capable cameras (35 mm, if this is the sort of money you are talking about).

Do you have any preference in terms of filmmaking genres? Why?

ASEEL: I like drama in general, because with drama you know, beforehand, what you plan to do, and that gives you more control and added room for creativity, as you are able to create your own reality on the screen. After all, filmmaking is a make-believe art. To be more specific, I am more inclined towards tragicomedy as well as devising plotpoints and creating suspense that leads the audience to expect one conclusion only to shock them with another. Call it the O Henry style of storytelling.

Who is a filmmaker? Can anyone become a filmmaker?

ASEEL: Make a film, and you are a filmmaker! Now how good of a filmmaker you are, is to be judged by the audience.

Do you find technology liberating or limiting, when it comes to the creative process?

ASEEL: I find technology totally liberating for filmmakers, starting with the accessibility of filmmaking equipment and software to everyone, to the fact that you can even broadcast your films on the Internet on one of the many Internet film festivals you can find.

How many film ideas do you juggle before you arrive at one that you decide will drive your script for the next film?

ASEEL: There is always a pool of film ideas. Some take the form of final drafts of script, and some only a thought in the back of my head. All of a sudden, one of these ideas pops up, even if you thought about it for a long time, and you get obsessed by it, until you actually produce it. But in general, there are like 5 or 6 film-to-be ideas on the backburner, waiting for the right moment.

Under what circumstances do you feel most creative? Stress, tragedy, happiness, morning, night, after a good meal, on an empty stomach...

ASEEL: Hmmmm. Definitely at night, especially winter (not that we have one in Dubai, where I am presently working). I cannot get creative when I am preoccupied with issues be it personal or work related, it takes a clear mind. Sometimes solitude is important. The feeling of being detached and unburdened by worldly concerns liberates my inner-self, and that triggers the creative process. It's a form of meditation, if you will.

Does the thought of you becoming a starving artist cross your mind? How do you confront such fears?

ASEEL: Humour me for a second as I quote Tylor from the movie Fight Club (Jim Uhls script, Chuck Palahnuik novel) when he says: “The things you own, they end up owning you.” When you are starving, you have nothing to lose, you have all the freedom in the world, to do arts, experiment, fail, and succeed. That's the theory. But it’s not that easy. For example, I have financial obligations towards my family. Besides, as a filmmaker, at least in the time being, you need to fund your own films, which means you have to either be rich (which I am not), connected, or have a steady income. My current IT job is giving me the latter.

When determining the "production value" of your film, do you rely mostly on your own assessment or do you seek the opinion of others? Why?

ASEEL: Mostly it’s my own assessment, but if I find that the film idea is not very appealing to the majority of people around me, then there must be something wrong with it. A good test that applies to feature films can be scaled down to work for short films. The test is, would a regular guy, pay money to watch my feature film (tickets for him and his girlfriend, popcorn, drinks, yeah they do add up!)

Are you a structured filmmaker or do you approach filmmaking organically? Do you plan everything in advance or do you like to explore and experiment on location?

ASEEL: I am more structured in my approach to production management. When on location, I like to have everything prepared, dialog, props, camera angles and movement, shot order, to minimize the element of surprise and utilize the resources most efficiently. The Porche your renting for your film costs a fortune per day, and that friend of yours appearing as an extra has a final exam tomorrow...that sort of thing. However, that does not mean that I am not spontaneous on location. Some times, a certain camera angle, with a certain actor reaction, unscripted, triggers a new shot idea. You should be open to these new ideas. But always, be prepared, as there are no guarantees that you will be as creative as you expect on the set. I am quoting Dov Simens from Hollywood film school: “After ten hours of shooting, come talk to me about creativity." One last thing, it’s always good to take pictures of the location and use them to properly design the shots and write the shooting script.

What will be your moment of truth, when you feel you have made it as a filmmaker?

ASEEL: That point would be making theatrical release of a feature film, which proves that I made it for the business part of the film, and screen in a major film festival that still holds some independent spirit, like Sundance, which will prove the artistic side of it.

Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

ASEEL: Making films full time, films that are artistic but with commercial viability.

Which Arab filmmaker do you see as representing the contemporary face of Arab cinema?

ASEEL: Several great names come into mind, Elia Suleiman, Michel Khleifi, Hany Abu-Assad, Yousry Nasrallah. Though, these do not represent the contemporary main stream cinema. The main stream commercial cinema in the mid-east Arab world, lead by Egyptians, is taking the lighter comedy approach, with directors like Hani Khalifa (Sahar El Layali) and Hala Khalil (Ahla El Awaat).

What is your opinion of Arab cinema presently?

ASEEL: Once again, there is that great divide in Arab cinema between box office successes and festival successes, where films that generate the highest revenues are those with low artistic value, and those that are more artistic do not generate enough revenue for them to go main stream. Apparently it is easier for mainstream Arab producers nowadays to win box office sales rather than to win awards by festival judges (except in few special cases). In my opinion, good cinema is the one that can get both, it appeals to the masses, and it appeals to festival judges and audiences, which is a difficult goal often. However, it is worth mentioning that during the past ten years Arab cinema has taken a new direction, dominated by younger talent, tackling bolder, diverse, and current issues, and targeting a younger audience, which may soon be heading to commercial theaters to buy tickets to see our next feature film.

http:/AmmanFilmmakers.alif.com