Allan Gutheim | Interview | TIFF
TIFF : Who are your biggest filmmaking influences?
ALLAN : I have a fondness for the matinee and gangster movies of the 1930s but also the adventure movies made in the 1980s.
TIFF : How do you develop your characters?
ALLAN : The starting point is always in my personal experiences. But it doesn't always have to be self-experienced.
TIFF : How has the film industry changed since you started?
ALLAN : Mainly on the digital level. The post-processing of the films has become absolutely decisive compared to before. It is amazing what you can do nowadays with the help of the computer. And it's likely just the beginning, given the AI revolution that has now begun.
TIFF : How important is the script to you in the filmmaking process?
ALLAN : A film script is like the theme in music creation; it must be interesting and the building block of the creative process.
TIFF : How do you see the role of film in society?
ALLAN : It is clearly changing. Watching a movie at the cinema is no longer taken for granted. More and more people have like a private movie theater in their home with the option to stream all new movies and TV series at once.
TIFF : What is your style of directing?
ALLAN : Ideally, I want to complete all the scenes in one first take, which is usually the best and most spontaneous. I avoid a lot of dialogue but let the music set the right mood and the image move the action forward.
TIFF : How do you handle conflicts or disagreements within the team?
ALLAN : I want everything to come up on the table in connection with the rehearsal of each scene. It can be temperamental. When it's time for filming, everyone should know what applies, and just be able to implement it. Then it's my word that counts.
TIFF : How do you approach filmmaking on a limited budget?
ALLAN : I'm used to working with a zero budget. You learn to be very creative in such cases.
TIFF : What kind of impact do you hope to make with your films? How do you measure success?
ALLAN : My filmmaking is just like my musicmaking; I do what I want to see and listen to, what I miss and no one else has done or is doing. If then others appreciate it as much as I do, that is of course a true joy.
TIFF : Independent filmmaking often involves taking risks. How do you balance risk and reward?
ALLAN : All creative work involves a risk. Not only financially but also personally. As an artist, you are sensitive, which is part of artistic creation. But today's world can mean harsh words from insensitive people on, among other things, social media, which can be offensive. That is the price you take for work in the public. But the reward in appreciation outweighs everything.
