Vlasinda Productions | An Interview with Drew.
The following interview appeared in CURIOUS Magazine Volume 3 in March 2019.
How long have you been involved in film making? Give us a little background on your training, formal and informal: I started writing concepts and characters about eleven years ago towards the end of high school. In college, I took some film courses, but I felt that the education they offered was not what I was looking for. However, I was able to network with like-minded individuals and learned a lot outside of the classroom while making short films. When I first started filming, a lot of my projects were very short (usually shot within the course of a day) and designed to teach myself different aspects of camera work and editing. Over time as I got more comfortable with my technical abilities, my projects became more elaborate and took a lot more time to create.
What made you passionate about film making?: When I first entertained the idea of becoming a filmmaker, it wasn’t always about watching great films and wanting to make films like that. It was about seeing films I thought were terrible and thinking about how I would make them differently. I also believe that films are the ultimate art medium because they marry visuals with sound and movement and in a sense demonstrates all forms of art in one. This concept fascinates me.
Who are your biggest influences and why?: When I was about eighteen years old, I saw a few David Lynch films. They really stood out to me because they just felt so unique and well crafted. I often credit Eraserhead as the film that made me want to continue on the journey of becoming a filmmaker. While I also look up to many other creators, another big influence for me is Charlie Kaufman because of the strangeness and psychological depth of his writing. Both of these filmmakers have a very unique way of blending humor with darkness which seems to be a habit I’ve also picked up along the way.
Describe your aesthetic when it comes to film: I like to include strange light movement and cooler color schemes such as blues and purples. I typically shoot in dark settings with vivid lighting because I am color blind and it has to stand out for me to tell what colors I’m looking at. Also, I rarely use a tripod because I prefer to have a fluid handheld feel to a lot of my shots. Most of my work does not include dialogue because I like the idea of purely visual storytelling and letting music create the atmosphere of the scene.
What makes a captivating film?: Aside from interesting stories and characters, I tend to pay a lot of attention to how shots are framed and the movement of the camera. Also when a film has incredible sound design, it brings the whole picture together.
Tell us about the project you screened at the Biophilia release party: The project is called Out the Window, Into Fields Far Away, and is made up of footage I shot while traveling to places that had prominent nature settings such as Alaska and Montana. I went to these locations as kind of a personal pilgrimage to escape and think about what kind of person and artist I wanted to be. For this film, I wanted to give the viewer the feeling I had while in these vast settings. Everything was so large and captivating which I felt was a great contrast to suburban California. For me, this project is about inspiring people to leave their comfort zone and discover beauty in the world and within themselves. When creating the soundtrack to accompany these visuals, I wanted to instill a sense of fear and wonder. Nature can be intimidating and humbling.
What's in the works?: At the moment, I’m filming finales for three different webseries on my Youtube channel. These stories focus on themes such as small town crime syndicates, alien assassins, and interdimensional travel. Once I am finished with these projects, I want to dive into printing more zines like my budding avant-garde comic series Psychosia. I am also involved with local rock band (The) River Stasis as their director of visual media and official videographer.
Do you have any advice you'd give to an aspiring filmmaker?: When creating something, do it for the right reason. Be sure that you believe in what you’re doing. Try to stay organized and avoid personalities that could be considered counterproductive to your cause.
All time favorite film, I know it's hard to choose, but which film, and why?: I know I’m repeating myself here, but I feel that Eraserhead has stuck with me for all these years. Aside from the way the film looks and sounds, I have a lot of respect for what went on behind the scenes. The crew spent five years creating this film even when all odds were against them, they still found ways to make it happen. It’s clear that the story is very personal to David Lynch and is likely a representation of his life at the time. While I do admit that this film is definitely not for everyone, I would recommend Eraserhead to anyone who wants to be immersed in a paranoid yet beautiful counter-reality.
Name: Vlasinda Productions
IG Handle: vlasinda_stormdrain
Additional Links: www.youtube.com/vlaSINda
All artist portraits by Christopher Lawrence Baird.