Big Visions, Messy Truths
How we see New Zealand.
For the last year I have been incredibly fortunate to travel the length of New Zealand with my wife and four boys. On this trip I had a camera with me almost constantly, and as the year went on I was fundamentally challenged by what I found important to capture. In the past, as a filmmaker I have always tried to frame things in a way that looks pleasing to the eye. I think that is what we, as New Zealanders, do in real life. We live in a spectacularly beautiful country and we are proud of that. We are proud of our towns, our people, and our achievements. This is all awesome. However, what this means is that with so much beauty and good stuff surrounding us it is easy to reframe what we see. If something ugly or out of place pops up it is ok because we just look somewhere else. We look at something pretty and that reaffirms to us that everything is ok.
I have found that I get a kind sick of only framing the pretty stuff. I have found that some of the best things I have filmed on this journey have been when I was barely looking at the camera because I was so engaged with somebody’s passion and authenticity. What they have been talking about has sometimes been ugly but has meant so much more because of the realness of what they are talking about. As people, we seek love, hope, relationships and authenticity and I have found this far more fulfilling then any picturesque backdrop NZ has had to offer. The fact that my family and I have been able to experience both sides of the beauty that NZ has to offer has been a blessing that I won’t soon forget
Chris
How we see New Zealand.For the last year I have been incredibly fortunate to travel the length of New Zealand with my wife and four boys. On this trip I had a camera with me almost constantly, and as the year went on I was fundamentally challenged by what I found important to capture. In the past, as a film maker I have always tried to frame things in a way that looks pleasing to the eye. I think that is what we, as New Zealanders, do in real life. We live in a spectacularly beautiful country and we are proud of that. We are proud of our towns, our people, and our achievements. This is all awesome. However, what this means is that with so much beauty and good stuff surrounding us it is easy to reframe what we see. If something ugly or out of place pops up it is ok because we just look somewhere else. We look at something pretty and that reaffirms to us that everything is ok. I have found that I get a kind sick of only framing the pretty stuff. I have found that some of the best things I have filmed on this journey have been when I was barely looking at the camera because I was so engaged with somebody’s passion and authenticity. What they have been talking about has sometimes been ugly but has meant so much more because of the realness of what they are talking about. As people we seek love, hope, relationships and authenticity and I have found this far more fulfilling then any picturesque backdrop NZ has had to offer. The fact that my family and I have been able to experience both sides of the beauty that NZ has to offer has been a blessing that I won’t soon forgetChris
Posted by Stop the Bus on Thursday, August 23, 2018
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