Put the Camera Down
by Myles Matsuno, award-winning filmmaker
Whenever I’m working on a film (especially a documentary) there’s several words that I try to keep in mind throughout the entire process. One of those words is “trust.” It’s a word that has many different meanings and plays a role in many different scenarios. In a way, it’s its own character in a film. Trust is a word that can be both fragile and strong. Easily broken or forged with iron.
I’m currently sitting on a plane. Slightly dozing off due to the early flight time. A 6am departure is a small price to pay to see the smiling faces of my two little boys and wife after being gone for a week of filming. This particular film that I’m coming home from is based on an inner-city all girls high school with around 98% being of them being Latina or Black. A charter school founded roughly 30 years ago with the intention to help girls from low-income communities thrive. There’s some pretty heavy stuff at times, but there’s also been equally beautiful moments. Tears have been shed. Laughter has been shared. And we’ve broken bread together at the school cafeteria during lunch time.
Most of these kids have lost trust. Lost trust in the system. Lost trust in their parents. Lost trust that their dad isn’t coming home. Some working two jobs at the age of 16 to help pay rent, while still getting straight A’s. Hoping that they get acceptance letters and scholarship opportunities to a college. Any college really. For some of them, having a choice to a higher education is a privilege.
Although I can relate coming from a broken home multiple times over, my journey was different. Just like theirs. Just like yours. We all have different paths. So, it makes 100% sense that they would question why I would want to film them. Why should they trust me? They don’t know me, and I don’t blame them. But if you can relate in any sense… You can start to build trust. And as I sat at the table with these girls it was like a rite of passage.
“Can I sit with you?” I’d ask. “Yeah” They’d say. So, I put my camera down, and they’d feel that the pressure is off. At least for them anyway. “Where you from?” They’d ask? “Los Angeles,” I’d say. “What are you?” They’d ask. Having been asked this before throughout my life, I know what the question means. “Mexican and Japanese” I’d say. “That’s what’s up.” One said.
“Why you wanna do a documentary on us?” “How you know about this school?” “Who do you know in Chattanooga?” “How much is your camera?” “Can I hold it?” “You gonna make me look good?” “I’m gonna be famous!” one girl would say. “Girl…. Shut up!” Another would reply. They’d joke and laugh. The questions keep rollin’. The laughs keep comin’ in. A film is being made without the spoken words, “Sound speed. Camera Speed.”
Building trust builds community. And sometimes that means putting the camera down and being present. Being intentional. Sometimes it means missing a moment you wish you would’ve caught on camera knowing there will be plenty more. As a director I believe you have multiple roles. And depending on the project, some of the most important roles a director can have goes beyond filming.
No matter how many times I’ve filmed before I still get nervous. I still feel lost at times. Trust the process I tell myself. One of the biggest strengths I believe a filmmaker can have is what I like to call “chill before you roll” (Be calm before you hit record). People vibe off your energy. And a big part of being able to do that is knowing that you’ve been there before. You have the skills. You trust yourself. You continue to trust the process.
With this film it’s no different. I’ve taken the same principles and applied them to all three documentaries I’m currently working on. All diverse. All different. Different forms of inspirations. From educational border crossing in Mexico to High Schooler’s in Tennessee to filming my good friend being the first person to run a 100-mile race, after undergoing liver transplant surgery, due to cancer. Trust is part of the fabric that keeps me and my subjects going.
As time went by and lunch period was almost over. I had been asked to capture them being themselves. Being silly and continuing to crack jokes. So, with my camera in hand, I focus in and hit the red button on my camera. Trust is being formed.
Myles Matsuno is an award-winning director and producer who works to inspire, educate, and motivate others through his films both on and off the frame. Born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, Matsuno’s award winning work is recognized internationally for his unique approach to providing warmth and emotion through his visual images. Within the past several years, Matsuno has led efforts in Technical Directing for The Academy Awards, ABC’s hit television show Dancing with the Stars, NBA Finals, Country Music Awards, American Music Awards, and ABC prime-time programming. His award-winning independent films include “First To Go — Story of the Kataoka Family” and “Ella”. linkedin.com/in/mylesmatsuno
