Filmmaking / Directing : What film inspired you to pursue a career of filmmaking? by Jason Mirch

I read a book called In Search of Gandhi by Richard Attenborough about his extraordinary two decade journey to make the film Gandhi. Left me in a heap. For anyone to expend that kind of effort, make that kind of sacrifice, to tell that kind of story... well that's a life isn't it.:)

It was television actually. Red Dwarf.

The 5th Element and Liar Liar!

Reservoir Dogs for me. I'd never paid attention to scripts before and the low budget aspect of it intrigued me. I was way too young to be watching it but, I think I turned out alright.

It wasn't a singular film for me. I've always loved movies and TV. I grew in a tiny Ohio town, and had no idea how movies were made. I thought it was a group of people, magical people, who made them all. This was preinternet days, and my local library had no books on filmmaking. About 15 years ago, I discovered anyone could make movies. I've always been a writer, but about 15 years ago, I discovered that anyone could be part of the movie making club. I worked on craft and format ever since.

LOVE that movie, Jason! Raiders of the Lost Ark navigated my educational career at a late age. BUT, my fear of growing old before I could climb out of the research holes I'd be digging made me rethink my direction.

Mississippi Burning. Many moons ago. Fantastic drama. Socially conscientious. Emotionally provocative, engaging, and draining. Made me want to get up ... and do something.

Jungle Fever. They shot the movie close to my house and I met Ernest Dickerson, the cinematographer.

Get Shorty - I was in 4 scenes. 2001: A Space Odyssey - my film class term paper analyzed 3 Kubrick films. Lawrence of Arabia - miss films with intermissions.

Lawrence of Arabia

When I was very young (7-8), I would watch movies with my much older sisters on Saturday nights. Yeah, Hush Hush, Sweet Charlotte scarred me for life. :-)

It's hard to nail down 1 film, but I'd have to go with Kubrick and Carpenter films. They made a huge impression on me growing up, and are still inspiring.

For me it was a personal experience not a movie. I needed to put my emotions and pain in something. Movies these days are so incredibly boring.

Pretty sure I woke up that way. :)

For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to write for stage and television. I always imagined myself in the movies, but as I got older, it was about writing the movies. There was no one film that paved the way.

Jason, my past life as a promo producer for a tv network introduced me to hundreds of 'good, bad and ugly' films. The bad and ugly films inspired me to one day write a screenplay of my own and see how I fared. Since reclaiming my life and screenwriting dream several years ago, the one film that reignited my storytelling spirit was The Promise, a powerful, historical journey through the last days of the Ottoman Empire and the Armenian genocide. At the end of the film, I wept in my partner's arms for quite some time which was unusual for me. I later realised that the movie triggered emotions related to my Estonian family history and that I had a similar story to tell. The overarching theme of the Promise is extraordinary resilience - how individuals and families learn to live, heal and thrive again after sustaining devastating losses. This is the overarching theme of my father's story.

I've loved film-making ever since I got a JVC Hi-8 camcorder at 15 and made mock music videos with my brother and friends lol. I was later inspired more by Kevin Smith, and an Independent film producer named Christopher Sheppard (The Man Who Cried), who said "Turn on the camera, and start shooting."

Superman 1 then Time Bandits sealed the deal.

Nope,, just re-watched the Black Stallion, I forgot what this movie meant to me.

Black Stallion 100%

I never did 'pursue a career in filmmaking.' I instead followed a professional career path that allowed my the luxury of occasionally dabbling in the filmmaking industry as a Writer, Director and Producer, over the years.

Not a movie, but Cheers is what hooked me into the industry. I was young, but complex (and often dark) issues were addressed (I mean, Sam was an alcoholic running a bar) all the while never demeaning or reducing the characters. It taught me the power the small screen has to pull you in and make you invest yourself into the life of the characters. Only in my adult life did I feel the heartbreak I felt when Diane walked out forever.

It feels trite, but that's my answer. All I've ever wanted since is for someone to feel as invested in something I created as I did for Cheers.

Falling in the audio post category, it was Saving Private Ryan, specifically when they stormed the beach. Not only visually immersive, but truly immersive in the sound design, mix, etc.

The "Hawaii Five-O" open created by Reza Badiyi zapped me with its mesmerizing rhythm, fisheye shots, jump cuts, freeze-release-freeze and graphical ocean shots set to The Ventures. It was then I knew I wanted to edit, and went on to do exactly that... and more.

The Great Escape

Mine is watching The Planet of The Apes when I was little. Hearing Goldsmith's crazy atonal score has, at least subconsciously, affected my entire musical trajectory.

"SARAFINA" by Mbongeni Ngema..I love the initial dreams of the protagonist.. The storyline and the musics introduced was much intriguing which pushed me harder..

A friend from my film class answers Time Bandits, Brazil, and Adventures of Baron Munchausen. His term paper argued they're a trilogy of one male - as youth, as man, as old man.

Witness. Super tight script.

https://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Witness.html

all the teen horror movies of the 90's, The Craft, Final Destination, The Faculty, Disturbing Behavior, Scream, I fell in love with Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson. That got me interested and started writing. Then it was erotic thrillers that pushed me writing scripts..films like Fatal Attraction and Basic Instinct. Recently is films like Eighth Grade, Juno, Little Miss Sunshine, And Then I Go, Dark Times, Brick,....so it was never ONE movie.

I was an 80's kid and a 90's teen and my family loves watching movies but "Chasing Amy" showed me that filmmakers could tell personal stories. "La Strada" and "Notorious" sucked me in.

There are so many, but Get Shorty made me want to be a filmmaker.

The Wizard of Oz...how one good story could be transformed into a variety of creative mediums and versions.

Patton, believe it or not. I was blow-away by the power of presence by George C. Scott. That for acting... and the free-wheeling, snappy banter of Gene Wilder and Mel Brooks continues to inspire my writing (and writing comedy IS hard)!

For me it wasn't any one film, but a local public channel in Milwaukee WI that lit my filmmaking fire. I am also very inspired by directors who did not go to any film school but just went out and worked the craft.

For the same reason as @Viktor And to also add, I make films as a life choice. I have a few favourite films I enjoyed before this filmmaking journey, but they only tickled my core being, they did not dictate my actions.

I haven't made a film, but I did make a pilot of my old comedy group a while back. SCTV and SNL were my primary sources of inspiration. I am in the hopeful process of making a film later this year. No single film to name, but Werner Herzog and John Cassavetes are my primary sources of inspiration.

Best fortunes in your creative endeavors, Jason!

Bill Costantini "Jane, you ignorant slut." "Makin' copies!" SNL Mr. Bill Show... I'd stay up all night for Mr. Bill... and then the National Anthem as NBC signed off for the night.

I had no intention of working in films, but when I was asked to interview Andy Cheng for a magazine, we became friends and about four years later he asked if I'd ever written a screenplay. I have always loved watching movies and so I had played around with turning some fiction I had written into scripts but I had not done it seriously. He gave me a script to re-write and liked what I did with it enough to tell me that he would love to have me as his writing partner. So far we have one film together, written for Johnny Martin (DELIRIUM) and Johnny has since hired me to write others that have yet to go into production. Andy and I are working on another that he will direct himself and already has a BAFTA winning actor signed on and partial funding before we've even finished the screenplay!

None. I enjoy the technical aspects of filmmaking. The only saving grace for some films is the extra material like "The making of...".

It is hard for me to pick just one film that got me interested. If I had to limit it down I could possible do one movie, one series, and one person. Charlie Chaplin would be my person. The movie series would be Halloween. Then the one movie might be Pulp Fiction. Three complete different time frames and genres. Now I would have to say who I am most inspired by is Jordan Peele. I love horror movies and he is creating a whole different perspective in that genre and I would love to help pave that road.