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First and
foremost, I’d like to thank David Davidson of Toronto Film Review for inviting me to write about my experiences
as a Toronto DIY filmmaker. In this piece, I will reflect on my past, organize
my thoughts for the future, and impart some words of encouragement to those
considering DIY filmmaking.
My path
to becoming a filmmaker is somewhat unconventional. Despite my lifelong
obsession with cinema, I’ve spent the past five years studying and practicing
law. However, in the summer of 2013, after my second year of law school, I
suddenly and inexplicably felt old. Or, to put it more precisely: I no longer
felt young. I was simultaneously struck by an urgent need to begin making
films. With the immensely generous help of my close friends, I wrote and
directed a short film about a gangster who is tasked with the assassination of
a former lover.

Since
2013, I’ve made four more short films in order to develop my technical skills
as a filmmaker. My second short film is an adaptation of a scene from Jean
Eustache’s The Mother and the Whore,
and developed my ability to shoot dialogue. In my third film, shot in 2014, I
experimented with camera movement and with colour. My third film was heavily
inspired by Wong Kar-wai’s Chungking
Express and Happy Together, and
was shot by the talented and experienced Toronto-based cinematographer Jack Yan
Chen. In my fourth film, I continued to work with Jack, and experimented with
lighting and composition. And in my fifth and most recent film, entitled Partners, I focused primarily on
screenwriting. In Partners, I sought
to eschew any conscious cinematic influence; I sought to utilize my own
professional and interpersonal experiences for the film’s story, and to
aestheticize them according to my own personal mythology.
Despite
the fact that I consider these five films to be exercises in technique, I’ve
screened them in bars, cafes, apartments, and gallery spaces across Toronto.
Witnessing audience reactions, and listening to an audience’s feedback, has
been a major source of gratification and motivation.
Moving
forward, I want to build a career telling stories that explore the impact of
socio- cultural environments on inter-personal relationships. I want to tell
these stories in either long- form or episodic formats, and to aestheticize
them in a cinematic language drawn from my own experiences. I want to bring
something personal and spontaneous to the aesthetics of my films, while
simultaneously building upon the aesthetic spirit found in the films of Wong
Kar-wai, Xavier Dolan, Jackie Chan, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, and Jia Zhangke.
My advice
to aspiring DIY filmmakers would be, first and foremost, to get out there and
do it. I know this may sound trite, but it’s the most important piece of advice
I can offer. In 2016, all a filmmaker needs is a cell phone and a computer. The
digital revolution has profoundly lowered the barrier to entry for filmmakers;
the cost of production has never been lower. Don’t think, just act. Excuses are
legion, but they rarely withstand scrutiny. Whatever hangup you may have
(embarrassment of a shoddy script, shame in asking friends for help, fear of
failure), don’t let it stop you. Getting your feet wet and actually making a
film is the most valuable learning experience you can have.
My second
piece of advice would be to seek help, guidance, and mentorship from more
experienced filmmakers - but never show up to a meeting empty handed. Seek help
from mentors with something specific (with a script, with editing, with a
look-book, with something). Seek help with a goal in mind, to build upon
work you’ve already accomplished.
My last
piece of advice would be to develop a thick skin. You will need a thick skin
(and emotional acuity) to deal a variety of personalities in the film industry.
Don’t take it personally if people don’t like your films, don’t believe in your
projects, or don’t support your aesthetic decisions. Don’t be discouraged by
negative feedback. Rely on your own compass. Smile, say thank you, and then do
whatever you want.
Mitch Greenberg
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