Telling Your Story
By Nanedi Faith, 7 min read
Our team got to interview Chris Lee who is a filmmaker and videographer in LA. He graduated from the USC school of cinematic arts. His heart gleans for the Lord and film and we are very excited to have him on the show.
To see his work, click here: https://vimeo.com/chrisleegit
WHAT SPARKED CHRIS’ INTEREST IN FILM MAKING & HOW HE VIEWS THE POTENTIAL IN FILM MAKING
Throughout middle school and high school, he would make skate videos. He learned how to film, edit, and add music. He found joy in capturing life with his friends. He wasn’t into storytelling back then yet he was just filming moments and putting them together. He enjoyed filming his youth group and watching them smile at the video he created. He was then later inspired by those YouTubers who were DIY filmmakers making videos with their friends and telling personal stories. From then he transitioned to making those skits and sketches which led to his dramatic short films. He got exposed to more films that opened his eyes to the potential film could have when films create a very deep and personal connection.
WHAT CHRIS WANTS TO CREATE IN HIS FILMS
With any kind of art form, you want to create a space where people can receive whatever they want to receive without being too heavy-handed by throwing something in someone’s face but the power film and art can have is to heal. It can be healing for the creative both in terms of creating art and experiencing art. It can create a space where the film can create an inner reflection. Coming from a deep personal relevance in my life it can resonate with someone who has had a similar experience. Telling your story and having the courage to be vulnerable and having people identify with that so that people won’t feel alone in what they are feeling.
CINEMATOGRAPHY VS FILMMAKING
Cinematography is an aspect of filmmaking. It is the creative choices done with camera and lighting that contribute to the film as a whole. Filmmaking is the cinematography, acting, and sound and music and writing and etc. Chris’s personal favorite aspect is writing and directing because you have the most creative control so he can best express himself. What makes film so unique and beautiful is that it combines all these different art forms into one and he is trying to learn as much as he can.
FILM AS A LANGUAGE
“Trying to give the message where it is communicated and felt but doesn’t feel like it is trying too hard to push a message down someone’s throat, which can be more harmful than helpful. But that’s the challenge as a creative, how to express yourself [in a way] that is honest to you but also want[ing] others to experience what you are experiencing.”
“Anything that I feel or that I have a lot of questions about in life, making a film is a good way to explore it. Trying to capture that feeling even if I don’t have the answers, but hopefully, through that process, I could at least share that comfort that I am not alone in that confusion or loneliness or sadness that comes from the different relationships we have in life or lack of relationships we have. “
Films have the power to transport us. Chris enjoys movies where he can connect to the characters and see himself or his friends as the characters. He feels as if some of the characters represent different versions of himself.
“The beauty of creating from a personal place, deep down...if your work is honest and true people will find the humanity that connects us all. That’s the idea of trying to communicate a part of our human experience in a vulnerable way that opens yourself up to create, and that creates a space for other people to see something within themselves.”
Andy shares that the way Chris talks about film reminds him of the bible. He feels that there is a deep sense of wanting to be empathetic to people who are like him and people who are not like him, like how Jesus would sit with everyone and listen to their stories. He feels that Chris is doing that in his films because Chris tries to tell stories that are seldom told and Chris tries to give a voice to voices that aren’t really heard.
“Definitely just seeing how everything’s going on in the world today, there is so much disconnection and division within different people groups all over the world and I think art is a beautiful way to try to build bridges and heal those wounds, to try to extend a hand, extend an open ear...to try to listen to others voices and stories. To see the person behind the image we have put up ourselves.”
HOW CAN WE CHANNEL OUR INSPIRATION: JUST BE YOURSELF!
“Try to find whatever thing you’re personally affected by. Embrace who you are. I feel like a lot of my stuff tends to be very dramatic and very heavy, but I think comedy is something I have zero skill in but there is something so beautiful about that and embracing yourself and figuring out what makes you you. I think any kind of great art you can see is unique because it's made from that person’s unique vision and unique spirit and [we can] just embrace that and not judge it. I feel like sometimes it is very easy to criticize yourself, but try your best to give yourself grace and acceptance that your story matters, your voice matters. Who you are, like warts and all, if you express that, people will connect with you.”
“There is a lot of power when putting words to something: to express something, to vocalize something. On a super vulnerable level, one of my most difficult films I had to make is called ‘When I Was Alone.’ It was me basically trying to process and express my struggles with an addiction to pornography and years of shame and shame of trying to hide myself and years of trying to battle it on my own...the moments when I would [share] my story or my struggles with another brother, I would feel lighter and feel like there is healing going on. If we did that with art it brings it to a level that many other people can see and experience. Making the film was my way of putting words to my struggle or to vocalize it and try to find a way to not judge myself but simply tell my story in a fictional way. There is a lot of power to being vulnerable and showing who you are.”
Andy shares that sometimes we like to hide behind our gifts. For example, if he makes a video he isn’t super proud he doesn’t feel like he can hide behind it because it’s not good enough, whereas Chris uses film as a confession and there is a sense of freedom in that. It is an expression of your deepest self and that is such a brave thing to do.
TIPS FOR STORYTELLING:
1. Look inward
2. Reflect on things that you are passionate about
3. What are you personally affected by
4. Don’t be afraid to reflect -- take the time to reflect
5. Don’t shy away from the ugly parts --that’s what connects you to others
6. It is a lifelong journey in creating things that will resonate with others
7. Don’t feel pressure to have something super polished -- give yourself permission to create the good and the bad
8. Enjoy the creative process -- explore and have fun
God gives the confidence to embrace yourself fully as you are and to share those unique stories without shame.
“Over time, with my relationship with God, I was trying to dig deeper into how to best express myself and in whatever story I want to tell. Through my relationship with God, I have gotten a lot of strength, courage, and a sense of confidence to not be ashamed of my story or be ashamed of myself. Growing up I was so self-conscious and insecure and never felt comfortable in my own skin and never felt I had a lot of worth, and I think God is constantly reminding me that I am valuable and my life means something...If I am able to see that within myself, I am able to create art from a more honest and truthful place where I feel that I am not trying to be somebody or attain an ideal image of what I think a filmmaker or artist should be, but I am just trying to best express myself through the confidence that God gives me. There is a lot of validation that God gives me through his love and grace and it helps me understand people, in that no two people are the same and everyone has their unique valuable stories and they are all worth something. They mean so much to God and through that process it helps me be more empathetic towards others’ stories as well and just being a listening ear. And what God’s grace looks like for myself and other stories..seeing the worth in myself and people around me. “
We hope you enjoyed this installment of The Bread Podcast. You can hear the full conversation by looking up “The Bread Podcast” on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Be sure to check out our previous episodes as well!