Finding Fred 

Project Description

My project is an exploration into the very successful documentarian--who also happens to be the father of my godfather, Frederick Wiseman. Although I am not very close with Fred himself, my faint connection with the iconic filmmaker has always piqued my interest, especially as I began to learn more about my interests in documentary film in college. He is a very private person and usually likes to point attention to his subjects, so to get an inside scoop on Fred, and his relationship with my Godfather really interests me, especially because I'm in no way the kind of cinematic expert that Fred is.  

Who was supporting you in your work?

My capstone professor Pacho Velez was a vital resource in this journey, as well as Joshua Scannell of the Graduate Media Studies department, who helped me realize the underlying meaning possible in my film. I also want to give a special thanks to my Sound Studies instructor Melissa Grey who assisted in my knowledge of audio production. And, of course, thank you to Fred and Eric Wiseman for their openness,  availability, and all-around encouragement. I didn't really work with that many outside opinions besides myself; however, when the plans for my documentary changed, I would often consult my professors, my family, and my friends about how to craft a narrative out of an experience that turned out so differently than I had intended. Speaking with Fred in Paris and hearing him hammer home how vital the singular process of editing is, no matter how important collaboration is to your project fundamentally, you should always trust yourself and listen to your gut instinct about the overall trajectory of your story.

Project Themes:

Research, Creative

How has this project has been impactful or transformative?

When I finally sat down at a Parisian cafe for my interview with Fred, which we'd been planning for months to be included in my film, Fred hit me with the bombshell I never saw coming: He wouldn't let me record him. No audio. No nothing. I pressed him a little on it, and looking back, I wish I would've with a little more conviction, but Fred was very matter-of-fact about it. He reiterated, "I really would prefer not to." At first, I was taken aback because I'd been explicit in my communication saying I wanted to record our conversation for my film, but Fred seemed visibly uncomfortable with the idea, and in the interest of preserving the integrity of the rest of our interview, I decided not to push him further on it.

I mean, I don't blame Wiseman for preferring not to be recorded anymore. He's probably so jaded from all of the pretentious discussions about film he's been forced to engage with in every interview he's done throughout his entire career. I know because I already want to run into nearby New York City traffic every time I hear the word mise-en-cine, and I only have a few introductory film classes under my belt at best.

But, don't worry, I didn't tell the French filmheads any of that. I mean the man's 93 and still wants to work! That's a miracle in itself for God's sake. If I'm being honest, he was kind enough even to agree to meet with me. Still, it sucked to hear that I wouldn't have any record of our conversation when I felt like I'd come halfway across the world for that very thing.

I could tell you all the details of our over 2-hour long rollercoaster of conversation – but I don't think that is what this film is about anymore. As Fred would argue, those details no longer fit into the framework of my film. I could tell you everything he told me about his preparation, processes, and execution. I could tell you about our conversations about the pretentious cinephiles, our likes and motivations, our similarities and interests. I could tell you about his take on the recent Paris protests as a still working 93-year-old man. As a man who understands probably more than most that if you love your job, you never have to work a day in your life. I could tell you, our similarities. I could tell you, our differences. I could tell you about all of the things we discussed for more than 2 hours over two avocado toasts and two café aulaits – and then detail how this curiously enigmatic man wrapped up our conversation by announcing that he needed to leave so he could make it to his hair cut on time —But I'm not going to.

I wanted to make a movie about my revisiting the institutions Fred's chronicled throughout his career and then hear Fred reflect on those experiences. But that's not what this film ended up being about. This film ended up being more about my experience in discovering the mysterious man, Frederick Wiseman. And that's probably the way he wants it.

What would you do differently? 

I advise any student embarking on a similar journey to trust their instinct and go with their gut. The idea you start with often differs from the idea you end with, and the lessons you learn along the way inform how your project will turn out. I wasn't the most technologically adept film student and started with the idea of making my movie with my phone. However, my teacher and a couple of adults encouraged me to check out a lot of equipment from the EQC to capture my footage with higher quality. I lost a lot of time attempting to learn four years of technical training within the span of a month and ultimately ended up filming the whole thing on my phone. Looking back, I truly would have been better off trusting my instinct to make an amateur film with amateur equipment, and I wouldn't have wasted as much time.

Short summary of your experience:

My experience working on my senior capstone was tedious and taxing, but overall an incredibly rewarding and educational experience for me. Although my original plan for my film didn't pan out the way I expected, that's a hugely important lesson in itself--not just about filmmaking but about the entire creative process in general as well. Even if your product doesn't turn out as you initially intended, that doesn't mean you've failed. In fact, sometimes the universe has an even better plan for your project that would've only been possible with the mistakes that led you there in the first place.