For your consideration, I graduated high school in 2004 from a public school in West Hartford Connecticut. James Patterson graduated that same year from another public school about 20 minutes away in a town called Glastonbury. The two of us first found each other in early 2003 in a small elective film program at a magnet school that was privately and state funded in the capital city of Hartford. The deal was you had to go to your regular school for five periods and then you got to go play with cameras, editing equipment, and a sound stage in a nice facility in the city until 4:30. Not a bad gig for a bunch of kids who hated everything that the academic driven Connecticut public school system had to offer. Anyhow, I met Jimi when he was visiting the program to see if it was something he was interested in. I remember he followed me and another classmate of ours around for a few hours. What little I remember about that day was a kid who came into the environment where I had been calling a safe haven for about a year at that point and he began to immediately touch everything, rearrange things and speak completely out of turn. At the time I had no respect for this individual. I thought him to be too rash and hyperactive for my taste. I remember him commandeering a workspace I was at to show me a collaboration of hockey fights he had taped at the civic enter his father worked at. Little did I know that this enthusiasm he exhibited would shape how the rest of my life turned out. James Patterson and I continued to attend the school together the next year. We became very good friends. We worked on many films and projects when I would sneak away from my independent study (I made one film all year because I preferred to spend time with Jim and the rest of the students who I could better contribute my creativity to and learn from). Immediately I recognized the talent and the passion in Jimi. I am very thankful that I looked right through his MTV’s Jackass-esque exterior and saw the infinite wisdom he had to offer me. In 2004 we both graduated from this program along with several other good friends. The two of us and another student packed up and moved into a small three bedroom apartment together in Ventura, California. We started to go to a school called Brooks Institute of Photography (if you are reading this and trying to figure out where to go too school, I recommend maintaining higher than the required entry 2.3 GPA, taking the SAT’s and going USC). James and I have worked on many films together. We have spent many nights in Salzers Records looking for new music and films to derive inspiration. Several times I think we overstayed our welcome beyond closing time. We have maxed out credit cards to see our visions and we certainly have gone against the grain together in the classroom and in the real world. He has always had one extra spark for film that I do not have. I have the eye and I have the story telling ability and I have the passion but James has something in him that goes beyond his knowledge of cinema. He has a personality unique (and fairly understood) only by him. This interview is a bit different from any I will do because I know James so personally and because I have seen a clear window into his vision that few have had the privilege to see. James Patterson will leave his mark on Independent Film. There is no doubt in my mind. The film I have selected to show is called Terribly Good Things and I believe he has proclaimed it to be his “most strange of opus’ to date”. Enjoy the mind of James Patterson.
You Graduate High School. You have a rough plan in your head of how your career in film is going to shape up. Is it anything like it was supposed to be then?
It is naive to think life does not contain hardships; however I feel this naivety was essential to not only my development as an artist, but to many as human beings. It is only after you are faced with these hardships that you can gain a right of passage as a critical and creative thinker. Having said that, where I was at high school was blinded by ambition dedication lacking foresight and rationality. That is a great combination for an independent film maker trying to produce his films, but also a piss poor combination for a person trying to succeed in the game of life… that’s the difference in state of mind. However, I still have the same ambitions as I did in school. Make Indy films, on low budgets, with a small crew. Instead of shooting video, I’m shooting 35mm, and instead of being direction less in story, I’m now schooled in the many different forms of story telling. The other difference is I am completely dedicated to finding that story rather than just shooting and shooting and shooting… which is how I think everyone starts out, but unfortunately all to often people now a days could care less about the content as much as they care about their spectacle and visuals.
Art imitates life. Does life imitate art? In other words, do you find that your art and your craft have shaped events or thoughts related to your own life? Do you feel like you find yourself caught in a similar thought process of a character that you have created on paper or on the screen?
I always think of that quote when I’m trying to sell the importance of films to people. In this world we live in, and I’m just thinking locally here, the states (because I bet in Europe people have a MUCH greater respect for art in films…) people have a serious problem with films. When I talk to family members, friends outside of the film world and just random people I meet… the general consensus is films are entertainment (which I agree with) and for a film to serve any other purpose besides just that… is crazy. When I tell people I want to make films that affect people; they look at me strangely… “Ok kid, good luck with that.” Its very disheartening because I don’t really think it has to do with the films themselves that they are not appreciating, I think in the time we live in people are so beaten down socially from the system we live in, art brings hope and meaning, and they know it, and that is depressing to them because they see the cage they are figuratively captured in. This is something I have been thinking about a lot lately. I sincerely believe 60 percent of American movie goers are just trying to escape and wind down. I mean look at There Will Be Blood, this film is pretty fucking simple in its message, its powerful in its meaning, and it is totally a relevant film for our times… people need to realize how corrupt our world is otherwise its never going to end, were never going to evolve. But no one has seen this film. The financiers believe its a limited audience, therefore it gets a limited release, and a limited advertising budget… meanwhile they push Fools Gold and National Treasure like a fucking drug dealer trying to unload a box of crack. People see the trailers for these movies more often, they’re playing in more theaters, and to the uninformed individual… this looks like the movie to see; not the movie that has one poster and one commercial on you tube. I worked at the Weinstein Company in the marketing department… they use this logic to their advantage… it’s a fucking science to them. I’m not kidding. I would think Paramount would want to make their money back on There Will Be Blood by pushing it harder; but they seem to think because the public supports these bigger blockbuster styled movies in greater numbers they shouldn’t spend money on the smaller film…. but if they gave it a shot and stopped putting so much shit out there… things would be different. If I honestly didn’t believe America WANTS to see better films, I wouldn’t be making them.
I got way off base there. I’m ranting it feels like. When I write, and I don’t know how other people do it… and I really don’t want to give too much away here, because I really have been secretive about my craft for the past three years after a lot of controversy with working with people… but I really do relate to all characters I write. I’m always in similar mindsets of my characters; otherwise I wouldn’t feel genuine about it. The Greeks would write stories where two guys are arguing about a very controversial topic. This is how Plato would get his philosophical thoughts out of his head. You have a dilemma, you have two characters on opposing sides…. the film maker, if I can quote Scorsese here… “The film maker is the modern day philosopher”. I truly believe that.
“One must know that one is not in order to be able to understand that we are.” Analyze this. What does this quote from Ask the Awakened by Wei Wu Wei mean to you and how is it relevant to your own life?
To me this means living on the road and succumbing to the wanderlust that we all inherently have… soul searching and living on the road… is the only way to beat this horrible accusation Mr. Wei has made. This quote is most definitely a huge conflict for me in life. I don’t like to consider myself a part of cliques, or circles of people… and it is this very self consciousness that has forced me to constantly rail against the system. But if you really want to go deep… that very thinking is in line with other people therefore I am in some form of order still (laughs). Order to me represents structure, and structure is in opposing force to chaos. This world needs more chaos and less order.
What do you do to understand who you are?
I never really know who I am until I’m faced with these really obscure scenarios… You can talk and talk and talk about what you would do, but talk is cheap, and actions truly define who you are… so honestly, I just live life with a pretty open mind lately. Like, if someone steals from me, and I find out who it was and they apologize for it. Am I a vengeful man that believes in punishment, or do I believe in forgiveness. Its things like that which really surprise me when I’m forced to make decisions that let me know who I am.
An unattainable woman is a common theme in many of your films, a “muse” so to speak. Why is this an important part of telling your stories? What does this “muse” do for your films?
This is a complicated question, but a very good one because it’s like you’ve nailed something down I haven’t. I’ve never really thought about it I guess. Damn. I guess because the most intense feelings I have had in life so far, have not been anger, or fear, or happiness, but honestly, severe lovesickness. I truly believe when I am lovesick and totally all about a girl, I can reach some really interesting places in my creative mind. Suffering is what inspires me I guess. This is totally similar to my friend and collaborator Ashkin. We thrive off of being in shitty situations to make powerful art. I have this amazing girlfriend right now and I have done about 3 masterpiece paintings for her. I have no clue where the energy and want to paint came from but I made all of them for her. It’s a definite motivating force for me. I think that’s the best answer essentially.
To add to the previous question you seem to very rarely make a film that is not about love. We all understand that love is a very important part of film and is a theme that almost no film is without. Why love?
Fuck I know. I need to move onto some other materials (laughs). Well, to tell you the truth, I have some other scripts that are purely dark humor that never really got off the ground because certain people I was producing films with favored these other scripts. I had a script about the Zodiac driving around in a car for 3 hours with the only woman who talked to him and survived. No one knows what they talked about, she never really said. I really wanted to make that. I had a story about the late Stanley Kubrick, and Salvador Dali. Fictional bio pictures… I filmed some scenes from both, but they got put on the back burner. I worked on films with Ashkin (Heydarypour) as a co-writer and cinematographer about really fucked up things, but that I can not take full responsibility for. So, I guess, I’m just growing, and I was into love and will always be. But the two projects I am writing now, they are definitely very, very different from things I have done before.
Do you believe in God? If yes, does that belief ever show itself in your films or writings and if no, could it ever?
I believe in a God. I do not believe in religion and I have very, very specific reasons. Not just because I don’t like it, but because of serious research I have done in the past year. I’m not up for manipulation, so I don’t need a crutch to run my life for me. The reason I believe in God is very simple, and very secretive. Ultimately if you know about the Golden Ratio, you will have facts that give pretty incredibly evidence and insight into this world.
Who is James Patterson?
I don’t have a real sense of self. I’m always combative with who I am and what I do. I don’t have a good definition for you on that one. I can say that I am a film maker. I can say I am a wanderer. I can say I am a storyteller. These things make me human, I have wants, needs, emotions just like everyone, but I truly believe that I am here to affect some form of change to better at least a large group of people, and leave my mark on the history of cinema.
What is a “Deep Cut”?
A deep cut is seven songs into an album you are listening to for the first time… the seventh track about 7 minutes in starts to play this amazing and undeniably beautiful, poetic, (insert adjective here) song… it’s like heaven waiting, during a whole record, to hear that amazing part. Films I make and favor watching, are always trying to be or are deep cuts.
When Native American boys, and maybe girls, turn 15 they are sent into the desert with no food or water for about 5 days. They are supposed to see a vision of their ancestors. This is referred to as a vision quest. Have you ever been on a vision quest? If so, explain.
Modern vision quests are rare to come by, unless you are under the influence of drugs. I don’t really do drugs. So, I’m screwed there. I’ve never had a vision other than when I dream. But this past summer I had a profoundly spiritual moment that has left an echo inside me that has reshaped my thinking. I wasn’t just walking down the street. I had been on the road on my motorcycle alone in the middle of Nevada, camping in the middle of, actually an Native American Reservation, I woke up at about 5 in the morning…. this is about my 15th day on the road. I zip the tent open and with no exaggeration at all; I look into the night sky, to my left the sun is raising and it’s bright as early morning orange hues… and on my right is PITCH black night sky, stars SO bright. I walked out into the weeds (desert area) and I just…. well the rest is of course personal, but definitely had a strange moment where I just felt the grand scheme… putting this into words is not doing it justice… it was pretty indescribable and for fear of cheapening this memory of mine, I’m going to stop there. If you were to ask me if I think it’s important… absolutely. Meditation, visions and spirituality in our culture are non-existent. No one believes in the power of the world or themselves. Life is profound, and not to be taken lightly.
I would call you a liar if you told me this image below does not tell a story. Tell us that story.
Drawings for me are really abstract thinking. I remember when I did this though. And I remember why I did this. I was on this a very weird kick. I would rather not give a definite story. The secret means nothing to the audience, it’s the trick you use it for… if they know the secret to how it’s done, and the magician is nothing to them. I was watching Ingmar Bergman’s “Persona” and David Lynch’s “Mulholland Drive” a lot at that time. I was also really obsessed with this girl who called her self “The Girl Scout Rebel” She was 22 and sold Girl Scout cookies laced with LSD to like 100 unsuspecting business men on Wall Street. By the way, that’s another film I am totally going to make when I can get it all put together on paper.
What is independent film to you?
Independent film = Freedom. I walk outside, its perfect BEAUTIFUL spring weather. I’m on a farm in the middle of no where; no one is around, any cars. Everything looks like it’s the year 1957. I look to my left and I’ve got my co director, I look to my right and I’ve got two actors who are really close friends of mine (who are literally falling in love on set which totally worked for the movie). I see my friend setting this gigantic 35mm camera that we had no business shooting on being loaded onto a shitty skateboard dolly for this pretty wonderful shot, I can smell the cow shit on the warm breeze… there’s fucking chickens wandering around, we’ve got the whole day to shoot, and were going to the beach to shoot war footage at magic hour later after we film this argument scene with them…. I’m thinking to myself. I have arrived. I do not need any more than this. I have succeeded. I am making a movie that is fully financed and approved by financiers, it’s a story I have written, people are looking to me with respect as a director… and I am able to make the movie I want to make without limitation. I am a film maker, and no one can stop us, because we are the only people we have to answer to. That is independent fucking film making. I could have died that day. I have had that experience repeatedly with the same group of people. It goes well every time and we are always learning more and more about this medium. I hope it never changes.
How will independent film shape the rest of your life?
It’s a really tough question actually. I have taken on so many art forms, Painting, music, writing, and photography. I love films to death, and I would probably not be the same person if I couldn’t make them, but money is a terrible thing, because without it, you are a slave to something. But, shit, money really can’t replace the film making. It never will. I will always NEED to make films, as tempting as it is to sacrifice it (money) for films.
Just when you think Hollywood can’t get any shallower they manage to drain a little less out of the pool. Will you make a film for Hollywood on their terms or would you prefer to have fewer people see your work and make what you want?
For questions like this, which I often think about, I look to film makers I admire for inspiration. If I were to make a film for Hollywood by their rules, it would only be under the guaranteed condition that I was given freedom to do as I please later. Having said that, this film I was making would have to have a good story, regardless of genre. I certainly see myself as a part of the Hollywood system in the future though… but like Kubrick, or the Anderson’s. As long as you are making the film that has the story you need to tell, there’s no sense in spiting a system that could help you reach a larger audience…. this is a question that is circumstantial. I would never direct for hire for something I didn’t believe in.
In 200 words or about, tell us a story.
A man is at a party. Not just any man but a friend of mine. He is dead at 27 at this party… it is hours before anyone knows. Up to his death, people could barely foresee this even though it was right in front of them. He has cars, money, women… he is a literary success who made his fortune off of brilliant poetry that the public latched onto. Pending publishing called it phenomena they hadn’t seen since the Beats of Kerouac’s day. This man, the poet, my friend… he was unhappy, all the substance in the world could not make up for his longing for the subtext he searched for in every conversation… this world is flat, the people are surface level… no one listens but they all want to communicate. The poet started to carry a pill around with him and his mood became more tolerable. Funny for him and everyone around him, the pill was cyanide. He would always tote it around at the cocktail parties, tapping it lightly after conversations with unpleasant answers. Smiling… people asked him why he would carry such a morbid thing around with him in his pocket like so…. he would stare blankly offering this, “A prison becomes a home when you have the key.”
