ISSUE #17
BEAM FROM THE BOOTH | GRAND RAPIDS FILM SOCIETY
[EDITED BY: GRIFFIN SHERIDAN]
Welcome to an all-new installment of BEAM FROM THE BOOTH, brought to you by GRAND RAPIDS FILM SOCIETY!
With last night’s screening of Kelly Reichardt’s SHOWING UP, our June programming is officially underway! Thanks to everyone who joined us for the film last night and made the evening such a blast. We can’t wait to do it again NEXT THURSDAY (6/8) for our special screening of HOW TO BLOW UP A PIPELINE, which will also feature a pre-recorded Q&A with some of the filmmakers! It will be the perfect way to see this incendiary film for the first time — or a great way to gain additional context for a repeat viewing.
But before any of that, we have a newsletter for you to read! This week, we have not just one but TWO “Filmmaker Spotlight” columns highlighting some of the most talented folks working in West Michigan. Plus: an all new, much-anticipated “Alternative Soundtracks.” Check it out...
FILMMAKER SPOTLIGHT:
JULIE GOLDSTEIN
[BY: SPENCER EVERHART]
Julie Goldstein is an experimental filmmaker and new media artist based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She is Assistant Professor at Grand Valley State University, where she teaches film culture, animation, and new media within the Department of Visual and Media Arts and is a faculty fellow at the GVSU Applied Computing Institute. Goldstein describes herself as working at the intersections of old and new technology. With her 2019 single-channel video piece, Virtual Memory, she takes a poetic approach towards meditating on the history of image-making technologies and their impact on human consciousness. I corresponded via email with Goldstein to discuss this evocative work which is currently on display at the Grand Rapids Art Museum until June 13th.
What was the original inspiration for this project?
Julie Goldstein: The original inspiration grew out of a course that I taught at the turn of the century titled "Historical and Contemporary Issues in Electronic Art" in which historical trajectories and application of various technological innovations were introduced and discussed.
What did you discover as it evolved during your making of it?
JG: When making the work I realized that those who have had the unique experience of witnessing the evolution of technological innovations, which have amplified human consciousness and our perceptions of the self, have a unique responsibility to communicate to future generations that is has not 'always been this way.’
What was your process for finding the footage that you appropriate within the video? How did you approach combining all of these disparate sources?
JG: Found footage was utilized from the Prelinger Archives, which is part of the Internet Archive and became a primary resource for relevant content. Rick Prelinger collected and digitized many 16mm educational and short format films from various library collections, and many of those works were essential to revealing the trajectory of the technological innovations of the 20th century.
The narration is credited to Erika Miljin as both writer and performer. How did this collaboration come about, and what role did the voiceover play during editing?
JG: Erika Mijlin and I both graduated from The School of the Art Institute in the late 90s and eventually joined forces and formed Artifact Pictures, a boutique studio primarily focused on documentary and animation production in Philadelphia. With a shared interest in film and education, we engaged in many conversations regarding the evolving trajectory of media-based technology and felt an imperative to capture our experiences with the evolving interfaces for video production and 3D animation that we were producing at the studio. She took these ideas and began the poetics which drove the film's evolution. We toyed with casting for the voiceover by an actor but decided her voice provided an element of authenticity we were looking to convey.
As the video's structure charts the transition from analog to digital, it evokes our modern era of more intangible relations to digital technology where we are alienated from how our current tech still has roots in material reality (the "cloud," for instance, is not an amorphous or abstract thing but actual data, stored in real physical servers, made from extracted resources, consuming electricity, etc.); there's a melancholy at work in Virtual Memory regarding this, and I'm wondering how you arrived at that particular emotional texture?
JG: Virtual Memory is a film that is attempting to capture the transition and synthesis between the physical and virtual worlds. While recognizing the value in both, inherently there is an acceptance of the impending synthesis of these various ways of experiencing the self and an openness to receiving the flow and surprises that come with the territory.
Although your video explicitly bids farewell to analog, there is still a contingent of artists in the world of cinema who are continuing to shoot on celluloid, especially with the recent resurgence of 16mm film — how do you feel about this embrace of pre-digital technology in order to keep it alive?
JG: I am an avid collector of 16mm film and the equipment used to make work and do feel a strong kinship to celluloid. I am thrilled to see the next generations who have not grown up with these mediums out of necessity, embracing the tactile nature of the experience. Ideally, we do not destroy the past as we embrace the future but find a way to generate enhanced experiences which integrate a range of components from the human experience. With the advent of new forms of media(ted) experiences proliferating, understanding what it means to be human will be a very important question to keep at the forefront of our cultural journey.
Where does that fit into the contemporary historical moment your video concludes with?
JG: The film is designed to highlight those who have lived through a very real transition and to let the others know that it was not always the way that it seems. This trajectory is organic and will continue to change. Those who have seen the digital landscape formulate during our lifetimes have a very important role to play in the context of the human experience. This film is an attempt to pay homage to that role and those experiences.
The title itself contains many meanings and connotations, especially in relation to the various contexts explored throughout the video. What does it mean for you?
JG: “Virtual memory,” in terms of computer lingo, refers to the process in a system that holds information temporarily — that allows for data to be accessed randomly and to bridge gaps between activities. I see this metaphor as relevant to not only the construction of the film but the content and how our personal memories have become intertwined with the technology itself.
How do you see this piece functioning in a gallery context? What does it gain from being shown in an installed exhibition space rather than a traditional theater's screening room?
JG: This film is at home in the gallery. Its format does not follow a traditional narrative or linear structure, and the gallery space allows the viewer to see the work as breathing images in motion without the cloud of preconceived notions associated with formats that are typically associated with a traditional theatre experience.
Virtual Memory is being exhibited in the GRAM’s Level 2 Hunting Gallery through June 13th. Admission is FREE this weekend due to Festival of the Arts.
https://www.artmuseumgr.org/exhibitions/julie-goldstein-virtual-memory
ALTERNATIVE SOUNDTRACKS
[BY: LAUREN PATCHETT]
Sometimes I hear songs and instead of relating them to my own life, I relate them to the characters or plots of certain films. In this series, I’ll pick songs that could’ve been used in the movie - mostly because of hyper-specific lyrics.
Holes (Davis, 2003) & “Ivy” by Taylor Swift
"Oh, goddamn
My pain fits in the palm of your freezing hand"
"He's in the room
Your opal eyes are all I wish to see
He wants what's only yours"
"Clover blooms in the fields
Spring breaks loose, the time is near
What would he do if he found us out?
Crescent moon, coast is clear
Spring breaks loose, but so does fear
He's gonna burn this house to the ground"
"How's one to know?
I'd live and die for moments that we stole
On begged and borrowed time"
***
FILMMAKER SPOTLIGHT:
ERIK HOWARD
(Open Projector Night Winner, May‘23)
[BY: NICHOLAS HARTMAN]
Your film Farewell Tour just won our last Open Projector Night ‘Audience Vote’ award — how are you feeling?
Erik Howard: I can’t even describe how I felt in that moment and even now. I am filled with so much thanks and appreciation for not only the support of viewers, but the support of the other incredible filmmakers I shared a screen with. From Meowzow, to Sara & Jamie, Contraceptive, even the absolutely incredible experimental shorts we got like Rock Pools and Overflow... to be mentioned in the same breath as these is a privilege I will never take for granted.
Pretend you’re the singer of a rock band and you’re playing a show to a whole new audience. How would you explain yourself to that audience? What are your interests, hobbies, etc.? Sell yourself!
EH: Believe me when I say this was the hardest question to answer. I just love all things visual from film, to photography, even painting. My love for filmmaking really started with photography, as I used to create little videos and promotional photos for clothing brands my friends started. Eventually, I made my own charity clothing line in partnership with Arbor Circle in which we raised money together for mental health awareness. Otherwise, I genuinely love skateboarding and skate culture. That scene has yielded some of the most raw, fun, and entertaining experiences I’ve ever had, as well as introduced me to the art of skateboarding videos. I’m also a die-hard football fan with Liverpool FC having my heart, so you’ll find me on most weekends inside SpeakEZ lounge singing and hanging with complete strangers watching the most riveting 1-0 scoreline you’ve ever seen. Basically, you can find me all over GR doing some of the most random things...but I guarantee you I’ll be loving whatever it is.
To those who haven’t seen Farewell Tour – give us the elevator pitch.
EH: Farewell Tour tells the story of Johnny Stranger, a rockstar on top of the world who, upon returning home to Grand Rapids MI, discovers that the man he once was is nearly indistinguishable in the eyes of the people he thought he knew. During the buildup to his final show of the tour, Johnny clashes with his extortive manager, Ray, as he attempts to find his identity amongst the crushing image of “Johnny Stranger.”
Lame question but I must know: what are your top 3 favorite films and why?
EH: My heart belongs to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which was literally the film that sent me to film school. It's closely shared with Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person in the World, which to this date is the best movie I’ve ever seen. It’s hard to stop at three, but I’d say Before Sunrise takes that third place spot. Richard Linklater taught me how to develop dialogue so authentic that the audience would forget it was even written, something I still value and hold myself to in all my scripts.
I noticed, in passing, at Open Projector Night you were wearing a jean jacket with a “The Doors” patch on it. A discussion started about your passion for them and how that influenced this film. Can you elaborate on this?
EH: I could write a full novel on their influence on me. The Doors have been my inspiration for all artistic ventures of mine since day one. Through them I learned the complexities of poetry, music, and even filmmaking as lead singer Jim Morrison was actually a film student himself. I remember in my first semester at GVSU, I talked to Joel Potrykus and expressed how I was struggling to find my filmmaking voice amidst talented people way ahead of me. We instantly bonded over The Doors, and he left me with some advice: if you love rock and roll, you need to be a rock and roll filmmaker. From that advice, I believe that very summer I wrote the first draft of Farewell Tour. A year and a half later, as well as over ten scrapped scripts, Johnny Stranger said goodbye to Grand Rapids!
Some believe artists, filmmakers, musicians, etc. hold some level of responsibility when using their voice to create art. Sometimes that voice can be political, theological, etc. When creating Farewell Tour, you dove into the rock and roll lifestyle and drug use. Did you feel any sort of worry that some may be upset with the result of the film or did you just say to yourself ‘I’m going to make what I want, and I don’t care what others think?’
EH: Part of the beauty in filmmaking is that when we create something, we immediately open ourselves up to critique, support, questioning, etc. We create a piece of art based on our observations and experiences, and that may upset some or inspire others. With Farewell Tour, I wanted to offer a different perspective by not allowing Johnny to be characterized by substance abuse like traditional cinematic representations of rockstars. Johnny is not necessarily an addict but a normal guy who is collapsing under the unyielding pressure of fame. While his use of pills in the film does serve as the physical catalyst for his inevitable demise, I wanted to make sure that it was shown to audiences that his demise is far more mentally significant than it is physically. By adopting this perspective, I felt I could offer my experiences with overwhelming pressure and becoming lost in a crowd I thought I once knew. If people take issue with how that is represented, then so be it. I am confidently and uniquely myself in my art, and not everybody is gonna like me.
Other than music, what else inspires you?
EH: I am routinely and actively inspired by the many filmmakers I’ve come to meet and befriend in Grand Rapids and beyond. At times where I’ve felt my lowest about my creativity and subsequent output, I have never once been forgotten by the incredible community around me who have always made an attempt to get me on a set, back in the seat to write another script, or just to the nearest theater to watch anything from a goofy action flick to something that’ll make me reconsider life. I owe so much to our incredible scene and the people who help it — and me — flourish.
I always like to ask this question: if you were to make your dream film and didn’t have to worry about budget, what would you create and why?
EH: Oh easy, a Godzilla film. I can’t imagine anything more fun than reviving the beauty of suit-mation in the modern era and bringing it back to cinemas. Godzilla, while remembered for creating slug-fests, has proven himself as being a vessel for some of the most potent commentary in film I’ve seen to date. America has yet to really understand and appreciate his creation, and amidst a time when our country feels as if it's teetering on the edge of disaster, would we even be able to come together to stop something of Godzilla’s magnitude? I feel like that question oughta be asked, so Toho...you know where to find me.
Okay, quick off-beat question: do you believe in the curse of the 27 Club?
EH: Without a doubt. You can’t have Morrison, Joplin, Cobain, Hendrix, and Winehouse dying at the exact same age and not think the universe is at work here!
Let’s talk a little bit about your creative process. When you have an idea for a project that you want to complete, what are your stages from beginning to end?
EH: It all starts with a little pocketbook that travels with me everywhere I go. The moment something strikes me, and you see me frantically throwing chicken scratches into that notebook, something’s brewing. I feel some form of intimacy by writing an idea down in ink physically, it feels like the hasty handwriting and wild slashes emphasizing words portray how much I believed in the idea in the moment. At that point, the most important step in the process is developing characters. Sure, I may have a unique idea, but my characters will be the ones living that reality. It’s a long arduous process, but each main character needs to be fully developed for me to go forward. That rang true for Farewell Tour even, where a draft was entirely focused on the mute Changelings band members so I knew how they’d appear in the film. They sit further from Johnny, contain their disdain for Ray, and just get on stage and get paid. When characters reach this standard partnered with an idea I’m passionate about, my process really ends with the collaboration of friends and fellow filmmakers. I absolutely love pitching an idea and characters to my filmmaking buddies and going wild with scenarios, events, and consequences. That’s when I know my idea is worth the production because if my people believe in it as much as I do, there are hundreds of thousands of others in the world who will believe in it too.
Every filmmaker runs into hurdles while creating a a film. What were some of the major issues you faced and how did you overcome them?
EH: The most pressing issue I encountered was belief in myself. Farewell Tour was the result of years of loving and engaging with rock ‘n’ roll, and to arrive at the point where I had the resources and insanely talented crew to pull it off fostered a real do-or-die attitude in me. My first drafts of Farewell Tour weren’t even from the perspective of Johnny Stranger but rather through a superfan named Pamela. Hell, Johnny’s name was Steven Davis at the time...have you ever heard of a rockstar with such a lame name? I needed to truly believe that I was capable of telling the story of a rockstar without being one, and I would have never made it without the overwhelming support and belief from my cast and crew. I owe it all to them.
There are a lot of people out there that want to make a film but don’t even know where to begin. What advice would you give to get them started?
EH: The most important advice I could give anyone, as I was in their shoes as early as two years ago, would be to trust your ideas and your voice. There is a great chance that the films you consume on a day-to-day basis follow a rigid, profit-yielding structure complete with Hollywood heartthrobs as the faces. Yet the spirit of filmmaking lives in communities such as our own through scraping together a couple hundred bucks, grabbing a camera, and heading out onto the street shooting in a place you’re probably not supposed to be. Your ideas are uniquely yours, and they deserve to be told.
Okay, you’re on death row and you must choose your last meal — it includes a drink, dessert, and meal. What is it?
EH: While I’m concerned about how I got here, I literally just want like one hundred chicken nuggets from Wendy's, their new insanely good fries, a chocolate frosty, and probably just water. Ever since I’ve sworn off a majority of fast food, I have never been able to swear off the craving for Wendy’s nuggs. I also drink nothing but water, so with those three I’ll die happily. Goodbye cruel world.
If you have any fond cinematic memories such as your first experience at a movie theater, a first screening, etc. — can you share and explain how it impacted you?
EH: It’s not as illustrious as some of the proposed scenarios, but in my senior year of high school I used to leave at like 10:00am every day and go to the Kent District Library where I’d rent whatever movie I’d seen in some curated Instagram feed. I’d bring ‘em home, pop them in my Xbox, and bawl my eyes out as I always ended up with sappy romance movies. That was until I brought home Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I was so stunned by the level of emotion, artistry, and cinematic language that I turned it off, drove to an open field, and sat on a hill underneath a tree until the sun set. It was probably the cheesiest thing I’ve ever done in my life, but — hey — it was like some sort of an artistic awakening. I wrote an essay about it at GRCC and somehow got an ‘A’ from the hardest teacher I’d ever have. Honestly, I feel like she could just tell I was passionate about it because I kept writing film-related essays for her class and eventually convinced myself I should go to film school. So yeah, thank you Instagram movie pages, thank you to KDL, and thank you to Jennifer Shinabarger for changing my life.
What’s next for Erik Howard? Any projects in the works? If not, what’s in store for you?
EH: Can’t say for sure what’s on the horizon as I feel like I’ve just closed the door on a long chapter in life with Farewell Tour, but the current idea I’m tossing around is about two cinephiles who open an insurance agency for kaiju-related damages because they’re convinced we’re on the brink of disaster. One actually does show up though, and the US government thinks they had something to do with it. They’re eventually recruited by the government to not only clean up the damage but basically create a defense force for all future kaiju attacks. I dunno...something like that.
Would you be so kind as to share your experience and thoughts on Open Projector Night?
EH: Open Projector Night is exactly what Grand Rapids needs. A night where we can celebrate filmmakers from (or connected to) our amazing community and give audiences a chance to see the incredible level of talent we possess here in Grand Rapids. Anyone can come out and meet filmmakers, cinephiles, or that person that serves you coffee just down the road and share the love of film with one another in a space that celebrates the audience just as much as the filmmaker. If anyone is reading this interview and feels like they want to be a part of this, do not stop submitting, attending, and experiencing everything the Grand Rapids Film Society has to offer. But let Open Projector Night do the convincing for you...see you in a couple months!
Our next Open Projector Night is currently scheduled to take place on August 16th. If YOU would like to submit a short, you can find details and submission links on our Film Freeway page.
UPCOMING EVENTS
HOW TO BLOW UP A PIPELINE (Goldhaber, 2023) + Q&A
WHAT: A screening of the incendiary new film, plus a GRFS exclusive recorded Q&A with the filmmakers!
WHEN: Thursday, June 8th, 8:00 pm.
WHERE: The Wealthy Theatre
JOYLAND (Sadiq, 2023)
WHAT: Haider lands a job at a Bollywood-style burlesque, where he is a backup dancer and becomes infatuated with a strong-willed trans woman.
WHEN: Wednesday, June 21st, 8:00 pm.
WHERE: The Wealthy Theatre
And so we’ve arrived at the end of another BEAM FROM THE BOOTH! We appreciate you taking the time to read it and truly hope you’ll continue to do so. Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to get each issue in your inbox every FRIDAY and stay up-to-date on all things GRFS!
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Look for ISSUE #18 in your inbox NEXT FRIDAY, 6/9!
Until then, friends...
