V4 Visionary Highlight.8: Wes Anderson

Success can sometimes change people. Too much, too soon can have adverse effects. Praise, fame and money unfortunately can over inflate a person’s ego and sense of self worth. Someone that “makes it to the big time,” all too often becomes a casualty of the thing they so wanted to attain.Too many stars in the Hollywood system reek of this break in reality, some even we are left to wonder how big of a jerk they are. In light of this unfortunate occurrence, it is even more admirable to look to individuals who started out with nothing and remain unchanged by their success. We can’t help but admire people who stays true to their roots, no matter how many awards won, how many critics praise their hard work.

It is very admirable when someone coming from humble beginnings doesn’t let success change their drive, their passion to create. Currently in the spotlight for his 2014 delight The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson is one such individual who has perfected his craft through the years. Anderson’s unconventional directing style and creative vision has provided the world with several films of immense comedic and stylistic substance. Anderson’s body of work includes underground classics like his debut Bottle Rocket, to award nominated films such as The Royal Tenenbaums, to the incredible Moonrise Kingdom (2012).

Anderson grew up in Houston, Texas and attended the University of Texas at Austin where he studied philosophy. This was also a crucial time in Anderson’s life where he met Owen Wilson, a lifelong friend and collaborator in almost every film Anderson has made. He got his break with the original short film, Bottle Rocket (1993). Originally supposed to be a dramatic crime drama, Anderson and Wilson soon realized they were out of their element, and this change charted the course for their prospective careers. Anderson got his big break after the short screened at the Sundance Film Festival in 1993, and so impressed director James Brooks that Anderson soon found himself under contract to make his simple short into a feature length film. The young director had his first major box office breakthrough with The Royal Tenenbaums in 2001, combining critical success with financial triumph.

Anderson’s unusual directing style consists of his meticulous color choices, an obsession with symmetry in all shots, and a constant use of close ups of his characters. His fresh, original directing style produces a beautiful and vibrant world on screen, and combined with his dry humor and wit, a true filmic joy is created. Anderson’s films bear the look and texture of independent films, all made under the watchful eye of the big studios.

Wes Anderson is not an individual afraid to take risks in his career, and although he has been hailed as “the next Martin Scorsese” (a quote spoken by the current Martin Scorsese, Martin Scorsese) he hasn’t let that influence his filmmaking. From Bottle Rocket to The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)., Anderson’s quirky comedy and his beautiful yet unusual style have defined his films. Anderson’s body of work is a delight, and the man hasn’t let success change him or his vision. A visionary both through style and commitment to his art, Anderson’s contribution to the film community is already a vast and impressive body of work, and is bound to get even better.

Written by Jacob Smith Chamelin

Web Content Writer

Visions Film Festival & Conference

Wilmington, NC

V4 Visionary Highlight.7: Gabriela Cowperthwaite

When it comes to film, a single moment can change a person’s life forever. The magic of this medium has the power to profoundly change the way an individual can feel or think. Throughout history, film has been used as entertainment, education, propaganda, and indoctrination. Moving images hold an immense resonance with the viewer, but also with the individual behind the camera. The prospect of creating one’s own art, of expressing creativity and imparting knowledge through film attracts many artists to the medium. This call is answered by many, and can often be traced to a single defining moment in a person’s life.

Gabriela Cowperthwaite is an individual that had such a moment. The daughter of an American real estate developer and Brazilian psychoanalyst, she grew up speaking Portuguese in Denver, Colorado. Cowperthwaite often remarked that her life was a relentless pursuit of the truth, but she didn’t always have the means to express it. She graduated from Occidental College with a degree in Political Science, and was on track to complete her Ph.D at USC. However, that all changed after she made a trip to Guatemala. It was there that she witnessed a woman with a camera in her bag, going around and interviewing local children. The moment moved her so much that she dropped out of her doctorate program and she enrolled in a documentary film course at USC. Despite never picking up a camera before, Cowperthwaite knew she had found a new home. “It changed my life,” she said in an interview with LA Weekly.

From a simple documentary film class, Cowperthwaite embarked upon an incredible career in the film industry. Her first film related job came in making a documentary about high speed crashes. From there she directed, wrote, and produced documentaries for the History Channel, Animal Planet, National Geographic, Discovery, and ESPN. Her first directorial debut came in 2009, with the film LAX: An Urban Lacrosse Story. Cowperthwaite was immersed in the Los Angeles inner city for eight months during the making of the film. Her work chronicles the lives of six twelve year olds as they struggle through middle school, in lives filled with violence in gang-ridden neighborhoods.

Cowperthwaite has recently been in the spotlight for her 2013 film, Blackfish. Focusing on the killer whale named Tilikum (responsible for the deaths of 3 individuals), it has caused an immense stir and controversy. Cowperthwaite admitted it was not a film that she could had made if she was concerned with “who I pissed off.” Blackfish especially created a controversy with SeaWorld, which has since dismissed the film as completely inaccurate and misleading. Cowperthwaite, however, hasn’t backed down from criticism and continues to work in the field of documentary tackling difficult subjects.

A visionary doesn’t have to be someone gifted with natural abilities and skills. They just have to possess the passion for creating art, no matter what the consequences. They can emerge from any walk of life, or at any point in their life. Gabriel Cowperthwaite was headed in a completely different direction in her life when her sudden realization of film proved to be a game changer. This passion for investigation and telling the truth has lead her to become a prominent filmmaker. Documentary filmmakers often find themselves embroiled in controversy, but those who stick to their convictions don’t back down. Gabriela Cowperthwaite isn’t the kind of person to shy away from a challenge, and this relentless drive is what makes her our Visionary profile for this week. Aspiring undergrads should take notice of her story. It is proof positive that a single moment can change a person’s life and career forever.

Written by Jacob Smith Chamelin

Web Content Writer

Visions FIlm Festival & Conference

Wilmington, NC