Mees Peijnenburg: Talk
Director from Amsterdam
What really grabs my attention— Mees his work is quite raw and that’s something I look for to have on Think Very Little.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Where are you from? how long have you been a director and what got you started doing it?
My name is Mees Peijnenburg, I’m a film director, based in Amsterdam — born in Tokyo, but that is a very long story. Raised in the Netherlands since I’m a 1-year-old. I graduated film school in 2013 at the Netherlands Film Academy, and have been making a short film, music videos, commercials ever since.
My first feature film PARADISE DRIFTERS had its international premiere at the Berlinale — Berlin Film Festival last February and will be released in Dutch cinemas on September 3rd.
I’ve always been interested in film and photography. But the biggest shift came during my teenage years when I was skateboarding with my friends and I started filming them. I sadly wasn’t a really good skateboarder myself, my friends were much better, so it came as a natural fit to start filming them. Slowly I developed a bigger love and passion and started making short poetic films, music videos and short narratives.
This evolved into longer formats, into different experiments and eventually into my application for film school.
My love for photography grew simultaneously, as most of my inspiration comes form photography.
What do you look for when framing a shot, and what do you try to avoid?
It varies very much what the occasion of the shoot but in general while framing I always look for emotion, a blink of the eye, a hint that shows a sparkle inside the soul. Within every frame, together with my cinematographer, you tell and contribute to a bigger narrative. I mostly try to avoid to think what you — cannot do -. For each film or picture, you create your universe with rules and regulations.
Could you share any lighting techniques that have been impactful on your work?
Natural light has been the biggest inspiration for all of my work. The sun, the reflections from mirrors, the light leaks of 35mm print.
Do you use specific colors to set the mood of a shot? What kind of color profiles are you most drawn to?
I find this very difficult to answer. All decisions in my work are eventually decided by the beats in my heart. How vague this might sound, but after each decision I make, I can test it by the beating of my heart — on the short run of course — if it has been a good decision. Some with color palettes, for me this is mostly done without rational consideration. The color profile matches the feel and tone of the narrative — all in the esthetic of the narrative. There is no set of rules of what you can or cannot do — as long as it feels good, my heart makes a little jump or my heart starts beating more rapidly.
What do you want people to take away from your work?
This depends very much on which type of work we are talking about. My most recent film, my first feature Paradise Drifters is a fragmented portrayal of the homeless young adults, Lorenzo, Yousef, and Chloe. What starts off as an individual search that must lead to money, chances and new opportunities appears to be a longing for human connection, security, and mutual affection.
The film portrays people in the periphery of society. The three characters in the film all crave love or at least a little bit of attention. In this film, I’m not focused on the horrible situation, but on the quest behind it.
Even though all the ingredients for a horrible life were present in the lives of the characters they keep searching for a better and beautiful life. In the preparation of the film, I did extensive research and met many, and most of these kids had a glance in their eyes, had a fighting spirit in their way of talking and behaving — that fighting spirit is heroic for me. With this specific film, I want people to take away a feeling of hope.
Do you prefer to work alone or in a collaborative environment?
Collaborative! For me, a big part of the beauty of filmmaking is the process. Creating something together with inspiring people around you. On set there is a huge chance that someone else has a better idea than I have at that time. I’m most happy if people share their thoughts, feelings, and ideas with me while we are on set (and before of course). Eventually, I’m in charge and will decide to do it or not. For me, the set gets vibrant and electric if everybody is involved in the creative process and you create a universe together.
What advice would you give to new photographers/directors/cinematographers? What advice do you wish you had been given? What advice do you wish you had ignored?
It might not be the most unique advice, but it keeps being very important for me: Keep failing! Nobody starts a project with the aim to fail. But we all know that feeling that after it has been made and it hasn’t turned out as you hoped, dreamt and thought it would. In retrospect, I, myself have learned the most from projects that failed. It’s what you do in the dark that puts you in the light. Without the possibility of failure in your future project, you exclude a personal growth, this can be on so many different levels.
We live in a very beautiful time, where new boundaries and opportunities are created daily, either within the discussion on diversity, gender and so many more. Many people will tell you in the future what you can and can’t do, without doubt, keep dreaming and creating, keep questioning yourself what you can or cannot, but never exclude the opportunity of failure in what you make.
There is this beautiful quote from Samuel Becket:
Ever Tried.
Ever Failed.
No Matter.
Try Again.
Fail Again.
Fail Better.
Check his work: Instagram or his website
The best is always yet to come. Interview conducted by Armen M, the founder of Think Very Little & Tracy Allison our talented editor — check our Instagram for more visual poetry.
