If you don't know me personally, I've got ambitions of becoming a filmmaker - either as a Director, Director of Photographer or a Composer.
Now, this is a film I've reviewed two times before. Yes, it's Pompo: The Cinephile. It's a film that showcases the struggles of making it to the top.
Directed by Takayuki Firao, and released in 2021, it's about a famous producer giving her assistant to help direct the next film that Pompo wrote.
The @thefilmmajor recommended me to watch this film - and I love this film. The film is not your typical Makoto Shinkai film, Hayao Miyazaki film or your typical blockbuster in the world of anime.
Why do I like it? It's a unique film. It highlights the struggles and the dedication needed to be good at your craft. And it's relatable to filmmakers to watch it.
Now, people might think it's the type of film that filmmakers can only watch, which is true to some extent; however, I think this film can teach people a thing or two about making it big.
Gene, the main character, has an eye for cinema and has the pressure of directing a big film and has a producer who's well-known in the industry, Pompo. There were moments when he had the eye for directing a film and the eye for cinema. Having the eye is one thing but knowing what to do is another thing.
When watching the film, there were moments where people could relate to Gene - especially with the amount of editing he has to do. A thing I realised is how people think making a film is all about taking a camera and shooting - same if you're a videographer and clients think it's all taking a camera and just shooting away.
With that logic, I would think that there won't be standout directors whom people look up to because 'everyone's an expert in holding a camera' - just shows how creative jobs tend to get looked down upon by people.
It probably takes 2 months, 6 months, 1 year or more to start from an idea of what is the purpose of the film/video, Taking the planning, shooting it and editing the footage, which all takes time and effort. Hence, some people know the struggles.
Well, thanks to this film, has given an idea of what people in the creative industry go through - it's not easy. I get some comments from people in your so-called industry which are common such as medicine, finance, engineering, etc think that any Tom, Dick and Harry can be a filmmaker. All it takes is just to use a camera and film away.
How do I handle that reaction? Just let the people talk - but the difference is they won't know what you're doing behind the scenes. The minute they see the work I put into the film, I just let the action speak louder than words.
At the end of the day, we can't be everything, we can't be the master at everything (unless you're this guy).
But at the end of the day, Pompo is just a perfect example of the struggles people with big ambitions go through and the effort they have to go through for them to make it.
Whether you're a filmmaker or not, Gene just represents the people who are trying to make an honest living.
Well, it's a bit of a different article than my usual ones. Nevertheless, if you're a fellow filmmaker or just a viewer, say hi!
If you want to know a bit more about Pompo: The Cinephile, check out my article here: https://lewisknight123.wixsite.com/lewistalkinganime/post/day-7-31-pompo-the-cin%C3%A9phile-lights-camera-action
Comments