Idyllwild Film Festival Best Director Documentary Feature - Paint as You Like
A son takes an emotional journey through his father's life as an artist and explores universal themes. What is success? What is failure? What is art?
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Ryan Fenton-Strauss
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I think this story has always been with me, and something I've felt I've needed to do. Growing up and watching my father's 50 year painting career and the struggles in his work impacted me in profound ways, and making the film was cathartic for me.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
The film is an intimate psychological portrait of an artist and a close up look at his lifelong struggles to make art. His remarkable paintings are woven into the style and the look of the film.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The film explores universal themes : What is success? What is failure? What is art? These themes are integral to someone who has tried to pursue a life in the arts, and will connect with anyone who has faced failure and rejection on a quest for personal purpose.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
The film was a self-financed passion project, and it took 5 years in post-production to refine the vision.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The film just won Best Director for Documentary Feature and was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at Idyllwild. It also received an Honorable Mention at the Utopia Film Festival. So far, the audience have been extremely warm and receptive to the film. It seems to open people up and start conversations, which has been really exciting.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I didn't know whether this film was too personal to resonate with others, but what I've found is that people are able to find a theme in the film that connects their own lives.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
Ultimately, my goal is to get my film streaming on Amazon Prime or Netflix so that it can be viewed by many. I'm hoping that by making the film more visible, it will move me closer to this goal. My father has a huge legacy of paintings and I am looking to get his work recognized as well.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
I need to connect with distributors or buyers, or people who can help the film get out there.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I would hope that my film would encourage people to pursue their own passions and to change their perspective on the meaning of success and failure.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
What is art? What does it mean to be successful? What does it mean to fail as an artist? What if you had to choose between your passion and your responsibilities? Pursuing your art versus supporting your family?
Would you like to add anything else?
The short synopsis of my film: Fresh out of art school, Michael I. Fenton sold his first painting to the Cleveland Museum of Art. At the age of 25, he was on well on his way to making his mark in art history. Michael's son, filmmaker Ryan Fenton-Strauss, takes us on a journey through 50 years of his father's work, from abstract expressionism to narrative painting. Paint as You Like weaves together biography and art to tell a comical and sometimes painful story of an artist's life. Father and son, uniquely connected by their passion for art, explore universal themes. What is success? What is failure? What is art?
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I work for the USC Shoah Foundation, and I have a number of projects in the works related to the foundation's educational mission. I am also in the pre-production stage for my next documentary film.
Interview: March 2018
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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTIAQ+, scifi, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
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Paint as You Like
A son takes an emotional journey through his father's life as an artist and explores universal themes. What is success? What is failure? What is art?
Length: 64 minutes
Director: Ryan Fenton-Strauss
Producer: Ryan Fenton-Strauss
Writer: Ryan Fenton-Strauss
About the writer, director and producer:
Ryan Fenton-Strauss earned a BA in Theater at Brandeis University and an MFA in Film Production at Chapman University. He has been working at the USC Shoah Foundation managing post production for the past 15 years.
Key cast: Michael Fenton
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): All of the above
Social media handles: #paintasyoulike www.paintasyoulike.com
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?
I have pending submissions that are currently "in consideration" to many different film festivals.