Eclectic Inspiration
FilmStack Inspiration Challenge #109
This post is part of the ongoing FilmStack Inspiration Challenge series.1
Who were your childhood heroes?
When you read that question, did someone immediately come to mind?
A parent?
A teacher?
Superman?
This is a question you might get during a blind date or during one of those awkward ice-breaker social activities.
Yes, my Dad is one of my childhood heroes — a man I looked to as an example for all things related to life. I can also think of one teacher in particular who led me down a very fulfilling path. And I can’t count the times I watched the original Christopher Reeve Superman film.
But I’ve also been thinking about this question lately as it pertains to the idea of inspiration. And when I think about those childhood heroes of mine who inspired me then and continue to inspire me now, I come up with one name…
Benjamin Franklin.
When I was in elementary school, there was one book I checked out from the library and read again and again. It was the biography Benjamin Franklin by Clara Ingram Judson.
Benjamin Franklin’s life was fascinating to me. He was a textbook Renaissance Man, with a myriad of interests, talents, and careers, all of it creating an eclectic life full of experiences.
He was a printer, publisher, and author.
He was a scientist and inventor.
He was a politician and a civil servant.
He was a diplomat and statesman.
I think he inspired me because of how varied his life was. And as I grew up, I wanted to emulate that. I wanted to be a well-rounded person, eager to try different things. And I’m continually inspired by those who are skilled in many disciplines.
The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience. - Eleanor Roosevelt
We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. - Walt Disney
Develop interest in life as you see it; in people, things, literature, music - the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. -Henry Miller
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With this idea in mind, here is a collection of what has been inspiring me lately. Hopefully, one (or more) of these examples can inspire you as well.
Filmmaking
I’ve always considered myself a perpetual student of anything related to video and film production. I’m constantly seeking out ways to improve how I shoot and direct.
Recently, in watching Memories of Murder, I was reminded again of how well director Bong Joon Ho handles the staging of his actors. And that led me to rewatch a video from one of the most inspiring YouTube channels I’ve ever come across — Every Frame A Painting.
Even if you’ve already seen this one, definitely give it a rewatch. It’s a reminder that we should all find creative ways to block both the camera and the talent and avoid what can be a repetitive use of simple over-the-shoulder shot-reverse shot.
Cinematography
I finally had the chance to start watching the limited series Your Honor starring Bryan Cranston. Not only has the story captivated me, but also the beautiful cinematography.
Often, I’ll pause a particular shot to look at it more closely, examining everything from camera placement, lens choice, light placement, and how the lighting falls onto the scene. The result is one of the best-looking shows I’ve seen (Your Honor is, as of this writing, available to stream on Netflix).
Acting
At the beginning of November, I wrapped up an 8-week stage acting class for adults. I minored in Theatre while in college, but hadn’t been on the stage since that time. So it was incredibly inspiring for me to stretch myself and to get back into something I really loved when I was younger. I wrote about the experience and what I learned from it in this post:
But aside from that class, I’ve really been inspired by an actor I follow on X — Luke Barnett. Here’s an individual that isn’t waiting for permission. He’s busy making his own opportunities. His short film Ovation, a no-budget short he conceived and starred in, has already received massive attention from outlets like Screen Rant.
Oh, and in response to the backlash over Coca-Cola’s new AI holiday commercial, he created this. Let’s all be willing, disciplined, and persistent enough to carve a path for ourselves, not waiting on anyone’s permission.
Art
I’ve dabbled in sketching, oil painting, and watercolors, but I’m not very good. It’s a skill I would love to develop further, as evidenced by its long-running appearance on my list of New Year’s resolutions. So, I’m constantly inspired by those around me who are incredibly artistic — those who seem so naturally apt to create in a variety of mediums.
My uncle is one of these people. He’s the individual who first inspired me to seek out a career in video/film production. A long-time advertising man, my uncle is also an incredibly skilled artist across a variety of mediums. He can find the beauty in almost anything. He might scrounge driftwood from a nearby lake to create pieces of art he calls “Fish Sticks.”
Or he’ll take raw materials and carve out little wooden boats for display, mounting them in shadow boxes.
My niece is the same way. A talented artist and musician in her own right, she sculpts, paints, crochets, plays classical piano, and also performs in a local band. I was able to see some of her work while visiting family for Thanksgiving this year.
Podcasts
Those that know me can tell you I don’t really know what’s currently popular in the world of music, but by God, I can recommend a podcast or two.
As someone who works a lot in the short-form documentary space, I’m always inspired by expert storytellers — producers who can weave narration, interview sound bites, music, and sound effects into a compelling whole that’s full of heart.
And I don’t know that there’s anyone out there doing it any better than Jonathan Goldstein with his podcast Heavyweight. His ability to evoke emotion from the listener with every episode is admirable, and I look to storytellers like Jonathan when I’m editing my own short documentaries and need some inspiration for how to do it right.
From the very beginning, I wanted Persistence of Vision to be a place where you could come to read or listen to stories of career experiences from both myself and other creatives. It’s a publication that doesn’t shy away from the difficulties and the mistakes that so often make us feel incredibly alone. My goal is that by being vulnerable and sharing these stories, you might find encouragement in your own creative pursuits and feel inspired to persist, despite whatever difficulties lie ahead.
I hope that what is currently inspiring me can also inspire you. I would love to hear about your current inspirations, so leave a comment. If you want to learn more about the FilmStack Inspiration Challenge and perhaps be a future contributor, read this. And if you need even more inspiration, check out the FilmStack Inspiration Challenge archive.
The FilmStack Inspiration Challenge was started by Ted Hope in his post: What if FilmStack mined inspirations on a daily basis? Ted then asked Donny Broussard and Avi Setton to help out with this effort. The purpose is to help the film community on Substack (i.e. FilmStack) discover and connect with one another, and ideally subscribe to each other’s newsletters.