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Ben Rekhi, Waterborne's twenty-something writer and director has been making bold statements on film for more than a decade. He graduated from the NYU School of Film and Television, where he directed, shot, and produced several award winning shorts, including The Waste Project, which won the Best Actor prize at the First Run Festival, and Dirty Laundry, for which he received a Post Production Grant from Warner Bros. Pictures. Upon graduating, Rekhi went on to direct music videos for Hindi pop star Sanjay Maroo that aired on Zee TV in India. Rekhi's video for Interscope Record's band Dredg (for the song ‘Of the Room’) was voted number one on the Fuse TV Network program Oven Fresh, with over thirty million viewers.
Like most kids, I had a huge fascination with movies growing up. I would watch the "Star Wars" trilogy over and over again, and wanted to be "Indiana Jones." I went so far as to buy a leather jacket and fedora and act out scenes from those movies. My family had a video camera and pretty soon a few friends and I were getting together after school and on weekends and making our own "Indiana Jones" videos in the backyard. As time went on, we branched out into other stories, and constantly created these 5 minute movies that went from a casual pass time to total addiction. Growing up in Silican Valley, we gained access to much of the computer editing equipment before it really hit the mainstream, and pretty soon we were creating complex visual effects, basically emulating what we were seeing in the theaters at home in our rooms. Between the ages of 13 and 18, we made over a hundred short films, and with each one we learned another camera trick or storytelling device that pushed us further along in our creative endeavors. Then, in high school, we applied everything we learned to a full length feature film called "Get 'Em" that was basically a spoof on mafia and cop movies. We spent a year shooting and editing it, and when we were done we rented the local movie theater in our hometown of Los Gatos and had a premiere showing. It was a huge success, four hundred people showed up, and my parents were finally convinced that this was more than just a passing interest. They allowed me to go to film school, which is where the journey of wanting to be a filmmaker began.
What was the journey like?
It's hard to say because I feel like I am still on the journey. The creative journey has been tremendously satisfying. The process of having an idea, going out and shooting it, editing it into something that makes sense, and then showing it to an audience is the most gratifying experience I can think of. I went to film school at NYU, which was a thoroughly enlightening experience. We were given equipment and instruction of how to master the craft, but the ideas and inspiration still had to be born within ourselves. I made a lot of friends, many of which I still work with until this day. While in school, we were making music videos for local hip hop artists in New York, and a few summers I had the great fortune of working on a few feature films as an intern, namely "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and Goerge Clooney's "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind." I learned more in working on these films than I did in four years of film school! Upon graduation from NYU, I moved to Los Angeles and started at the bottom of the totem pole, making copies and answering phones at various production companies, all to pay my dues and understand how the industry works. I can't say I've figured everything out just yet, but after three feature films under my belt, I can say the journey thus far has been worth it!
What made you want to become filmmaker? |
Was the path from dream to realization difficult?
As hard as it's been, nothing compares to the feeling of finishing a film and sharing that experience with your team. When the lights go down in a theater, and the projector flickers on, there is an indescribable rush that you get, sharing your art with the world. Filmmaking is communicating, it is a two way street that requires an outlet, an audience. That feeling is what keeps me going. To be honest, the path has not been easy and at many times extremely treacherous. Anyone who has attempted working in the arts can tell you, it's not an easy way of making a living. There is very little money in it, especially when you are starting out, and it is extremely competitive. For every one spot in Hollywood, there are literally thousands of people vying for it. You have to go above and beyond, work long hours, master your craft, and try not to hurt anyone along the way, all in hopes that your films may get seen above the clutter of all the media out there. To even begin the journey, you have to ask yourself, why I am doing this? For me, it's even a question, it was a compulsion, I HAD to do this. Once I realized that, I knew that it was independent filmmaking or bust! but one of the toughest lessons that I have learned, and continue to learn, is how working relationships are different than friendships. Although it is many people's dreams to work with friends to realize their dreams, I have learned to be very cautious in who to work with in pursuing these dreams. In many forms of art, the artist works alone (ie. writing, photography, painting, sculpting, etc). But the filmmaking process is different because it is collaborative and requires vast amounts of people, resources, and financing. When you are making a movie, as with any small business venture, you are going to be under tremendous amounts of stress with very little sleep or money. In these circumstances, people's true colors shine through, which sometimes is not a good thing. It is important to work with people that understand the value of teamwork and collaboration, because after all, no filmmaker is an island! You have to pick and choose your battles, and hope that everyone has the same goal in mind.
Who were some of your role models?
I grew up on Spielberg and Lucas, but have since explored many groundbreaking filmmakers who work outside of the studio system. Michael Winterbottom, Steven Soderbergh, Alejandro Innaritu, Michael Haneke, the Coen Brothers, Wes Anderson, etc. I think if anyone is serious about getting into filmmaking, you have to look outside of mainstream cinema to see the real pioneers and innovators of the industry.
What advice would you give to a young aspiring filmmaker?
Do it. Don't make plans to study it, don't think you have to go to film school, and don't make excuses. With technology where it is, anyone can pick up a camera and with no money, can start making films. The more hands on practice you get, the more you will develop as a filmmaker. I can't tell you how many times I hear people complaining that they have an idea but don't have the money, or who have seen a film and think they can do it better. Build a body of work. Becuase believe me, you will make mistakes at first. Better to get those creative ones out of the way early, so when you do have an opportunity to make a film, you can make the most of it.
Where can we find out more about your work?
Bomb the System
, my first film as producer, is out on DVD, as is Waterborne, my directorial debut. You can view the trailer for my third film CarBabes at www.carbabesthemovie.com. Also please check out www.dropsentertainment.com and www.thenextattack.com. Fortunately, there has been great exposure for our work, so if you are really bored, type "Ben Rekhi" into Google and a bunch of fun stuff comes up. |
