Interview with Yuri Evlin (part 2)

Yuri Elvin is a talented artist and filmmaker in Los Angeles. View his work at www.yurielvin.com.

4. What are the similarities between painting and making movies? Of all the differences, what stands out the most?

Making movies is a collaborative effort. It is like a military operation: making a plan and following it through. I have found that, with my own films, I never give enough responsibility to anyone to make them a detrimental part of the schedule. When people work for free, they have to take care of themselves, things happen and people have responsibilities. Yes it is a control issue, but if I take care of the casting, scheduling, props, locations, food, and crew I tend to get my tapes at the end of the day. Of course I have to compromise certain aspects of the look. I have to trust the camera (which is why I try to get two of them). I have to trust the sound, and move the day along so that people do not get bored. I try to get the performances as well as the camera angles. The rest I trust in the universe to bring me genius in style through the hands of other people.

When I watch my dailies I remind myself to watch with an open mind. What I see in my head is not always what I get on tape. But, as they say, “the price is right.” Often by accepting the gifts of others time, it opens possibilities which would have never occurred had I dominated every breath of people within twenty feet.

Painting and drawing is a one-man show. When I make art I make it for me, being charged with every aspect of its creation…the texture, lighting, composition, motion, size and color all all mine. Accountability again falls upon the producer of the piece. The responsibility of creation is a big one. Yes, it can be a beautiful piece, but nothing lasts forever except our consciousness. Knowing that you will die and that the piece will eventually crumble to dust is a great relief, so powerful that I bring this aspect of fatalism to my personal life, and I embrace it happily.

When shooting a movie it is easy to compare people and tools. Crew members are brushes, knives, and colors among other things. Understanding that everyone is doing the best they can with what they are given allows for lenience in judgment, people have feelings and if you give them love and allow them expression, they will grow. As well, paint, colors, mediums, and implications have a vibration which needs to be nurtured. When a tool is used to the end of its life, it should be acknowledged and thanked for its help. To discard without love shows lack of appreciation and a hollow understanding of the gifts the universe has delivered. Personally, I have a very tough time using the color blue. I try, from time to time, to get it in there, yet it always feels forced. The frustration makes me respect it as an element that I have not understood and wish to learn to wield.

If I were to compare it to filming I would say that the intricacies of HD cameras, post production parameters and advanced editing and sound programs evade me; again, something to master. In film you can get someone who is better than you in the field you need (recommended), but in painting all you can do it try to grasp it. I suppose you could have someone come over and paint some blue on your piece, but that would be invasive and probably a little upsetting. I try to take the same approach to film as I do to painting…loose and rough. My art is admittedly very sloppy; I like it that way. When I gesso the canvas often times during the drying process I get dirt, feathers, and bugs stuck in the plaster; like the Chinese when they built the great wall, they used their dead as filler. If paint drips or I cut through the canvas, its all a blessing in this perfect state of imperfection.

Filming, I think that I may be all over the place at times. I feel that discontinuity to a level can be accepted as art. Mixing two different cameras with differing pedestals programmed is ok. I had to re-shoot a scene last month and lost an actor, but replaced him with a girl. The action is there, and the story moves forward. Eventually when there is more money available I can relinquish control and keep it straight; just trying to tell a story by following an outline. In art, often I have no idea what I am going to do. I just sit in front of a canvas and go, because if you don’t do anything, nothing will happen. Surrender to the process and let your sub-conscious take over. It becomes easier. I actually became ambidextrous at times, allowing the mind to draw what it wants. I believe that the artist within me is a female. I let her do her thing.

Film: same thing. Make a date and go. What’s going to happen is that at that end of the day you will end up with something. The art is to create. The combined energy of everyone on set, their mental fortitude and contentment will reflect upon the tape/film. Having been in film school forever and having worked in front and behind the camera for 12 years, I have either fought or watched a fight about everything there is to fight about. It’s not worth it…people are important. But, god bless Christian Bale for flipping like he did. I love him. And he is expensive for a reason. Don’t move lights behind him while he is acting, a little respect. Similarly, I flipped as an AD when crew was talking while we were rolling, even during MOS shots! A little respect people, please. We don’t flip anymore. (Thank God, it really puts people off).

5. If you had to choose one, which would it be?

For sure, I’d choose painting, for the mere reason that it is pure creation through divination. Even though both are extremely exciting, I find that both have an ego factor, and neither has a ceiling. That is probably why everyone I know is a nut. Film is a collaborative effort to create a vision. But painting is a direct reflection of what is going on inside. I guess when you can communicate your vision through film, you are actually reflecting as well…I guess it’s the same. But for me, I choose making art with my hands.

6. What are you working on at the moment?

I am shooting my movie every other weekend. I wrote about a madman love triangle (live action), mixed with an illustrated hyborian-aged story of mythology and war told in over the shoulder drawings about a karmic cycle concerning the madman narrated in English and Japanese by a blind child. I think its coming along pretty well. The crew is working for breakfast and tuna sandwiches, no budget, HD, dark comedy (maybe)…very fun. Additionally, I am writing a story about role-play gamers whose leader takes the game too far and begins to loose his flock (dark comedy as well). Painting-wise, I am working on a new series. I took a handful of previous work and painted over them with gesso…great texture. This group will be more universally dimensional than dark, and less human than before (maybe). The subconscious is an amazing conductor; I may have an intention, but then the mind will take it in a different direction if you allow her. At the same time, I am finishing up seven other paintings that I begun a few weeks ago which are half done, but are of a more creepy nature. Next, I’m going to begin another series on some larger (3′x4′) canvases that are works in progresses. I think I’ll do some sketches in the tone of Native American eagle-dancers and figures holding spheres on cold fire. We’ll see what happens.

On the job front, I am waiting for this pending SAG strike to end so that I can begin to collect my days in the locations department. I just got my teaching credentials but there is a hiring freeze on subs in California. So, I’m just selling everything in the house to buy more paint and pay the rent.

7. What’s your take on the current status of the industry as a whole and independent filmmaking in particular? What are your thoughts on the future?

The industry, well, it is really a shame that so many people are feeling this crash. As they say, the more you make the more you spend. This is very much a wake-up call to those who have over extended themselves financially. I think that when the economy in Hollywood does recover that people will be more frugal for many years to come, until they forget the lessons learned.

When I rediscovered art I began to sell everything non-art related. Not only has this saved me, but it has also kept me focused on writing, filming and painting. As an independent filmmaker I was answering ads for AD, PA, locations, storyboard, and muralist crew positions, to no avail. It turns out the entire town was as well. There are a lot of very talented people out there competing with each other for very few jobs. This is what got me moving. I realized that everyone was waiting for someone else to create the work, so I begun to create my project. Even though my crew is only eight deep, these people are available and excited to be a part of a project that is more personal. It is a chance for people to step up and preform in a position which is more coveted, as well having the time to do it. I am very fortunate to have good friends. I think that there is a shift happening right now. This is the time to be creative. It might actually be a gift. I know that for me it has been. The future holds the growth which we seed today. I believe that there are great things to come for anyone who has used this time wisely.

8. Where do you see yourself thirty years down the road, in your career and in life? Is there anything else you’d like to tackle?

In the future I see myself doing more of the same. God willing, with more exposure I can have the freedom to create on a larger scale, employ many people, and embark upon a body of work that will inspire as well as raise the consciousness of the planet to a loving place. I believe that my life is an epic tale. I have been through so much, misbehaved so badly, lost so many friends through pure self-abuse and immaturity. My wisdom comes as gifts from reading my own history. If I don’t learn the lessons life provides for me, I get kicked back down the pit of reflection and repair. Having run in circles for so long and being in so many fields has introduced me to many people and many experiences. All is not lost. I would like to write a book, an autobiography if I may be so vain. My life has been a ton of fun, heartache, humor and miracles. If I can help someone through lessons learned and make them laugh, maybe they will see life in a better light. After all, we are just a bunch of monkeys fighting for the same banana…but some monkeys have three eyes.

*****

To contact Nate Barlow, please visit the contact page of his website at: NateBarlow.com. To contact Yuri Evlin, email: ">, or check out his work at www.yurielvin.com.