[Winston-Salem, NC]
I had the pleasure of spending the afternoon with my dear friend and storyteller Lindsay Thompson. Lindsay is currently a senior film directing student at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts where she’s putting the finishing touches on her latest project, “Furiously, Hold Me,” due out in April 2012.
Lauren Martinez: Before a director, you describe yourself as a storyteller.
Lindsay Thompson: My mom will tell you that before I could write I was dictating scripts to the older kids so we could put on plays. As soon as I could read I ate up every book I could find and when I learned to write I began to write my own stories.
LM: Can you remember your first inspiration?
LT: I had an enormous love for fairytales—anything that created complete other worlds to be explored. So clearly, the mythology section of the library was my favorite. As children our dad read my brothers and I the Chronicles of Narnia and the Wizard of Oz books. When I saw the film version of Lord of the Rings in middle school, I was in awe of how the written world I loved could be translated visually to the screen. I knew I wanted to do that. Now that I’m older, filmmakers such as John Cassavettes, Derek Cianfrance, and Terrance Malick continue to inspire my work.
LM: Tell us about your most recent project, “Furiously, Hold Me.”
LT: When I wrote the script for ‘Furiously, Hold Me,” I wanted to do something I hadn’t done before: I wanted to mirror our own world as accurately as possible. The film tells the story of a couple who discover that their child has spina bifida and will be born paralyzed. They are confronted with the decision of whether protecting their child looks like saving it from a life of pain or giving it the chance to live. When I pitched the story, I was warned that this movie couldn’t be created without it being an issue film. But it isn’t. Real people have to make this choice everyday.
LM: What’s next for “Furiously, Hold Me,” how can we see it, and what’s next for you?
LT: It’s out in April, you can visit UNCSA.edu for public screening dates and times. Right now we’re working on composing an original score and sound editing. After this semester we will try the festival circuit. I’ve already begun planning a documentary to be filmed in Spain during the summer of 2013. My crew and I will follow the story of pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago. After that, I hope to work as a filmmaker here in North Carolina. North Carolina’s film scene is up and coming with a rich new flavor. I’m excited about the future of the NC film industry and want to be a part of building it.
LM: Lastly, tell us about your love for film, and more specifically, directing.
LT: I love film because it’s a collaborative art form. As a director I get to bring together a group of artists to create something new and beautiful. Directors don’t have all the answers-- I like that. Directing is like being a conductor who brings together a range of different voices to create something unified and beautiful. Film is an art of observation. Observation speaks so much more truth than a sermon or an agenda ever could. I love the truth that comes with watching.
LM: Thank you Lindsay. How can we keep up with you and what’s next for your work?
LT: For now you can find me on Twitter @SuchTallTales and keep your eyes peeled for my website launch in May 2012.