Zen Filmmaking: It’s a Spiritual Process

 

By Scott Shaw

 

I recently wrote a piece about one of those attack ads that a couple of content creators on YouTube did on a (kinda) Zen Film. Thankfully, after I contacted them, they pulled Zen Filmmaking out of their title, as they themselves had claimed it was used solely to get more followers. But, all this and all that brings us to the part and parcel of Zen Filmmaking and the essential essence of the craft that everybody either doesn’t understand or seems to forget. Zen Filmmaking is a spiritual process. It is not just some form of guerrilla filmmaking. Yes, Zen Filmmaking may, during some productions, exist in and on the level of microbudget filmmaking, but that is not its essence nor is it its core. It is all about the process of the creation of a film based in the purest sense of mysticism.

The entire reason Zen is referenced in the title of this style of filmmaking is that it evokes the essence of Zen. It is designed to emulate the space of Mushin, No Mind, the free-flowing nature of allowing all things to be as they are, following the path of least resistance, and the hope for anything to not be anything but what it is.

It’s easy to criticize. Anybody can look at Anything and easily find fault if that is what they are watching for. But, people who operate on that level of life are existing in a space defined by unenlightened negativity.  Sure, many people live their entire existence operating from this life-perspective. But, what does that give back to humanity? Does it make anything any better? No. All it does is to unleash hate. But, what is hate? It is one person casting their harsh judgment onto something else. Whether this is unleashed in a small or a large dose, the outcome is still the same: pain and suffering. The embracing of hurtful negativity, how does that make any level of life any better? It does not.

Whenever I see or hear Zen Filmmaking being discussed by people of this mindset, I always witness the same levels of criticism. But what these people never understand is the dome of magic that takes place for those of us on the set. The freedom of artistic spontaneity. The amazement at perfect situations presenting themselves to us. The cinematic art that is created simply by allowing ourselves to be free in our creative portrayals.

I’m not going to go into detail, spelling out the tenets of Zen Filmmaking, in this little ditty, for I have done that for decades in other places. It’s all out there if you feel like reading it. What I will reemphasis AGAIN is, Zen Filmmaking is a spiritual process. With Zen at its core, and art at its heart, it is a way of displaying an individual’s cinematic vision in the most spiritually-based, art-filled manner possible.

Sure, as a human being you may love or hate what has been produced. That’s human nature. Nobody likes all the art that they encounter. But, if the actual point of a Zen Film’s inception is missed or misrepresented, or simply placed in the realm of something to be judged, the spiritual essence of that Zen Film is lost. It is lost to the judgmental mind of one or more people and from this the cinematic enlightenment that could be found in that production is simply cast to the realms of the lower mind where Satori or Nirvana may never be embraced.

It’s like what Donald G. Jackson used to say in interviews and stuff, “I don’t think most people could do what Scott and I do. They need structure. We just get out there and create.” And, isn’t that what true art is based upon; instantaneous inspiration and creation? I mean, many people base their criticism of Zen Filmmaking on the fact that it does not use screenplays. But, think how many bad independent films you have seen that were based on a script.

So, next time you’re watching a Zen Film, (if you ever do), understand its foundation. In fact, next time you watch any film or look at any art, seek to step beyond your own lower mind of judgement, witness the piece for what it truly is, and experience the spirituality that goes into creating any piece of art.

Your mind, your judgement, should never be the definition of any piece of art. For that denies all that it truly is. It negates the artist’s vision.

Spiritually is everywhere if you simply open your eyes. I am sure in your deepest mind you too speak to God in your own way. Is the way of God based upon you judging all things that you see, all things that you like or don’t like? No. God is the pure light of the all-encompassing everything. A truly spiritual person never judges. Let that be your guide.

Remember, Zen Filmmaking, is a spiritual process. That is its essence. Never allow a Zen Film to be denigrated by the words of those who refused to understand its elemental foundations.

 

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Here's my scenes in the Robert Altman film, The Player.

Scott Shaw in The Player 

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Visit the Scott Shaw Page on Flickr.

There's a lot of Scott Shaw Photographs, Headshots, Production Stills, and Zen Film Posters.

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Casting the Script of Life By Scott Shaw

By Scott Shaw

For anyone who has ever thrown their hat into the Hollywood ring of acting they can quickly detail that when someone is casting for a film they provide a fairly detailed view of what they are looking for. For anyone who has ever been on the other side of the camera, creating a movie, they know that when they are casting a character in a film they have an image in their mind of how that character will look and how that character will behave. Look on any of the Breakdown Services that come out from the industry and each character has a name and a description. Filmmakers are looking for what they want that character to look like and actors are trying to become that character.

In traditional industry casting session you will find an untold number of similar looking people vying for the same role. Casting offices are full of them. And, this goes on everyday.

To be cast in a film the generally process is a hopeful actor is given what are known as, “Sides.” This is a limited amount of dialogue taken from the script. The actor then practices those lines, gets into a self-created costume, shows up at the casting office, waits with all of the other actors that look and sound just like them, and finally goes in to, “Read.”

That’s the game. People try to become the character in hopes of getting the role. But, most people do not get the role. In fact, some people go to an untold number of auditions and never get a role. They do this, spending all that time and all that money, until they finally give up. What did it all prove?

In some cases, once an actor has developed a name for himself or herself they are allow to play a role completely off-script. Think about it; think about some of the films you have seen where one of the known Name actors has not looked at all right for the role. Maybe it was their hair. Maybe it was their beard. Maybe it was their size. But, because of the fact that they had a, “Name,” they were asked to portray the role simply to bring buzz to the film. And, that’s all part of the game. The game of casting for life. People try to become while some people have already become. Some people will never become while others have become and do not even realize or care about what they have become.

Think about your life. Think about who you are attempting to become. Think about what you are attempting to portray. Is what you are projecting to the world actually you or is it simply and image of a person created by someone else—a person you are pretending to be?

In life, we all do all kinds of things to be seen the way we wish to be seen. This is what leads to lies, this is what leads to overspreading on clothing, this is what leads to anorexia, this is what leads to bad haircuts.

The thing that most people never take the time to realize—never have the capacity to realize is that what anyone projects is not necessarily a true representation of themselves. It is simply a game they are playing that is then projected to the world. How about you? What do you do to solidify your projection to the world? How does that projection contrast to who you really are? And, who really knows the truth about who you really are? Do you?

We are each two things. We are who and what we are in our minds. And, we are who and what we are that we project to the world. Some people are very true to themselves. But, these people are very few. Most simply lie about the truth that they project. They lie to themselves and they lie to others.

So, here’s the test. Who are you? Who are you really? What are you? What are you really? Who and what do you project to the world? Who knows who and what you truly are? Are you simply an actor attempting to get cast in a film and pretending to be something you are not or are you truly you? If you do not have a clear and honest definition of this you do not have a clear definition of your life.

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Scott Shaw Zen Filmmaking

Zen Filmmaking Frogtown News A Scott Shaw Zen Film Documentary Featuring Julie Strain and Donald G. Jackson

Frogtown News

Step behind the scenes at the 1997 and 1998 American Film Market and watch discussions and interviews with the Zen Filmmaking team of Scott Shaw, Donald G. Jackson, Julie Strain, Kevin Eastman, and others. Click on the title to view the documentary.

Zen Filmmaking - Scott Shaw and Donald G. Jackson Discuss the Cinema Art Form.

Zen Filmmaking - Scott Shaw and Donald G. Jackson Discuss the Cinema Art Form.

Dateline 1997: Scott Shaw and Donald G. Jackson Discuss Zen Filmmaking. Click on the title to watch the interview.