Friday, September 22, 2017

An Interview With Andrew Shapter, Director of The Documentary "Happiness Is..."

I saw this fascinating, thought provoking documentary Aug. 9 I had previously arranged to interview the director, Andrew Shapter
The following is the result of that interview.
Andrew has been blogging about the movie's progress here and you can see a trailer of the movie here.
Scott: What was your goal with this film and did that goal evolve over time?
Andrew: My goal was to find common ground and a common voice throughout all of the different cultures that live in the U.S. We all share the common goal of achieving happiness, but we define it in so many different ways. I think I discovered only the tip of the iceberg in making this film, but I hope that what it does illustrate causes audiences to think in a new way about what their happiness means to them, as well as how they can contribute to the happiness of others.
It's such an important thing that ultimately, I discovered that what I truly wanted--and needed--to do was to use the film as a tool to try and achieve that happiness goal by turning each screening into a fundraiser for a charitable cause.
What are the logistics for this project? When did you actually travel and shoot the film and what has happened since then?
I began filming while I was on the road promoting Before the Music Dies (2006). Shooting started in Summer 2006 and ended Summer 2008. From there we took the film to festivals while building our grassroots organization to distribute the film. We're at the point now where we're ready to start a screening tour. The plan is to keep it on the road for years to come...
The movie was also just released as a DVD, right? Is there an online site where people can buy it?
Yep, from our website. So while the proceeds of the screening tour of the film go directly to charities, buying the DVD helps us (the filmmakers) recoup our costs and helps us stay on the road, promoting the film and helping more and more people as a result. So please buy the DVD!
What will be on the DVD that was not in the theater release?
It depends on when folks buy it. We're going to gradually add bonus scenes and extras over time. Maybe some of those colorful interviews that didn't make it into the film because of time constraints.
Was this your first film? Did you have any regrets at tackling such a huge topic?
My first film, Before the Music Dies, is a documentary about the music industry, and it features Eric Clapton, Dave Matthews, Erykah Badu, Elvis Costello, Les Paul, Bonnie Raitt, The Roots and so many more.
I'm currently working on a new 2010 version (re-release) of it now. You can visit the website at beforethemusicdies.com
Do I have regrets taking on a huge subject? Absolutely not. What I love most is that we didn't follow the film school rules of how docs should be, and the first thing they preach is to "narrow your subject." I believe that, in film, rules are made to be broken, and, yes, we certainly broke the biggest one with this film!
I personally grew from the experience, and I have heard from many audience members who claim that it has had a huge impact on their lives, too. The project has made me much happier because I know that it's having a positive effect.
What are you working on next? A sequel, unhappiness?
A film about unhappiness would be way too easy. The majority of documentaries already cover the dark side of life. I plan on staying on the road for a long time with "Happiness Is.." Everywhere we go, the film will benefit non-profit groups in need of help. So far the film has already raised significant awareness and funds for charities. So, we have every intention of continuing the tour for as long as possible.
How did you decide who to interview? Of those interviewed, how many were actually included?
Other than the authors that were chosen for their research on happiness, the rest of the cast was found at random. I literally stumbled upon most of them as I drove around the U.S. I wanted to include a wide range of folks. Rich and
poor. Rock stars, cab drivers, teachers, authors, grandparents and so on. I'd say about 60% of the folks I talked to made it into the film. Editing it down was a challenge because we got such great stuff, all of which I would have wanted to showcase somehow...
Why did you decide to do some scenes (one was at a junkyard, one with some old folks on a porch) in animation?
Actually, I did it to protect their identity. They were not happy to be interviewed about happiness. Like I said, I stumbled upon most of the people that I interviewed. These particular people seemed like such characters to me, so to mix it up a bit, I just had them animated. Plus, I'm a huge fan of Collection Agency (the animators) so it gave me a great opportunity to work directly with them.
I found some sections quite thought-provoking. I liked the observation that kids smile hundreds more times a day than adults. I loved the question which was something like: if we are a nation of strivers, why is the number needing help growing?
Exactly. It's ironic: this nation is home to so many of the world's greatest inventions and medical breakthroughs. But what drove those breakthroughs was usually money or notoriety.
Solving society's problems such as homelessness is neither profitable nor glamorous, so, unfortunately, the problem is growing unabated. The film simply points out the need to apply the same type innovation to society's biggest problems, regardless of profit. If we did that, we'd all be happier.
What Alan Graham is doing with Mobile Loaves and Fishes is a prime example of this. He is an entrepreneur who had a dream that he could serve food to homeless people every day, and who is literally probably one of the happiest people on Earth....and he'll tell you so, himself.
Why did you decide to include the exchange on illegal immigration between Bill O'Reilly and Geraldo Rivera? What scared me was that Geraldo came off as rational and, when he's the rational one ... yikes. When Geraldo sounds rational you know something is amiss....
I used it as an example of how this country is currently so polarized, and of how fear is being stirred up on a regular basis by our cable "news" media.
It's also a great example of nativism, which has been an issue of tension in our society, literally since the signing
of Declaration of Independence, and before.
Another favorite section was the commenting about how people in poor countries may be happy - that maybe they are comparing themselves to others in their country versus other parts of the world. Does this mean that in those cases ignorance really is bliss?
That's another reason why the issue of immigration is in the film. Americans tend to have strong opinions about immigrants and immigration in general. But what we can actually learn from economically poorer countries is that we should be much more grateful, rather than boastful, about being American. It's as simple as just looking around at poorer societies and counting our blessings. We all have more than enough reasons to be happy.

No comments:

Post a Comment