Written by: Shirley Baugher
John X. Carey is a talented young filmmaker with a passionate belief in the power of education. There is a question posed by a teacher in Carey’s exceptional web film, Shelter from the Storm, that gives testament to this belief and asks the viewer to consider education’s true purpose. Maria Reifler looks at her fifth grade students and asks, “What kind of human beings will you become?” She says it’s all very well and good to aspire to Harvard and Yale, institutions that require “ready-made” persons, but teachers who focus only on preparing their charges to become good doctors or lawyers by gaining entrance to these prestigious universities are not providing an education that will affect the total human being.
Two of Carey’s extraordinary short films, Voices from the Field and the aforementioned Shelter from the Storm, show that hope, education, and the commitment of just one human being can change the world. Voices from the Field tells the story of four dedicated human beings whose work gave hope to the people of Zambia. Dr. Jim Turbin, a physician in Coronado, California, found a meaning that was missing in his life by leaving a lucrative practice to create Project Concern and treat children orphaned by AIDS. Regina, a teacher, who recognized that people were dying and nothing was being done to help them, took the children into her classroom and showed them the value of education. She also became the leader of a women’s savings group that bought land to raise chicken and pigs that would feed the hungry. Christine, an HIV-positive woman deserted by her husband, gained the strength to stand on her own and raise her four children alone through her association with a group of women in similar circumstances. Tobias, a former street orphan now studying psychology at the University of Zambia, dedicated himself to getting other homeless orphans off the street by helping them get the education they would need to carry them through the obstacles they faced.
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Another one of his films, Be Near Me is an astonishingly moving short love story based on a poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson that takes a slightly different approach to the importance of hope. In it, a young woman’s hope allows her to accept a devastating loss and find solace in the memory of her loved one. Both the music and the camera work contribute significantly to the overall power and beauty of the film.
Who Is John X. Carey?
John X. Carey is a freelance filmmaker and editor who was educated at the Art Center College of Design. He has wide experience directing commercials and documentaries. Recently, Mr. Carey signed with the digital production studio, The Famous Group, for which he made the powerful Voices from the Field. He was nominated for the Cannes 2011 Young Director’s Award for this film. He also won the 2011 Art Director’s Award and was featured in the LA Times. John X. Carey is definitely a talent to watch.
An Interview with John X. Carey
Q. What inspired you to choose filmmaking as your life’s work?
A. I was attracted to the idea of being a person who doesn’t live a standard life. When I was young I thought of it like you have to become Indiana Jones or something – now I think of it like you have to become a writer.
Q. As an up and coming young filmmaker, what made you decide to focus on short films for video?
A. I’m just trying to work my way up. Short films are calling cards and when you spread them around you can land bigger opportunities.
Q. What do you like about being a director?
A. You get windows into lives that most people don’t have access to. Two weeks ago I was in Kuwait documenting the Gulf War and I got to meet and talk with people who had incredible stories to tell about the Iraq invasion.
Q. How do you select the subjects of your films?
A. I always want to tackle emotional projects. That doesn’t mean sad, soap-opera films but films that have an impact. I remember seeing Passion of the Christ and watching as the entire theater sobbed and thrashed about in their seats for two hours. It was mind blowing to experience the emotional impact that film had on its audience. It made me appreciate the emotional power of movies.
Q. When you have selected a subject, how do you approach a film?
A. Once I have an idea I start finding mood images and music that are related to that concept.
Q. Of the many films you have made, you seem to have a special affinity for the plight of underprivileged children. What inspired this interest?
A. Kids don’t talk and they have a lot of repressed feelings in them that adults don’t realize are there. The other day a fifth grader committed suicide because of bullying and the adults never saw it coming. It’s an issue that should be talked about and addressed.
Q. What is your philosophy of filmmaking?
A. Personally, I go to movies to experience emotions. I think the more an audience experiences emotional gratification, the better you’ve done your job as a director.
Q. How do you determine the elements of your films: music, cinematography, story line, dialogue? How do you incorporate all of these elements into a complete film?
A. I have a large reference library of images and music that I am constantly adding to and taking from when I’m shooting.
Q. Who are your film idols?
A. Growing up I liked Spielberg and Peter Jackson. Now I really like Joe Wright, David Lean, and most recently Cary Fukunaga’s Jane Eyre.
Q. How do you feel about your films once you have completed a project?
A. I try to always look forward and not dwell too much on past work.
Q. You were nominated for the Young Director’s Award at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. What did that nomination mean to you personally and professionally?
A. The entire three years I was in film school all I wanted to do was win that one award so it was major to me. I was very proud and excited to be nominated.
Q. Where do you see your career going in the future?
A. I am trying to move into a more narrative direction. It’s very hard to cross over from being known as a “doc guy” to a “narrative guy” but I’m determined to make it happen …
What They’re Saying
Wow, dude. You have got game. I watched all of your pieces on the advice of my friend Phil Arntz. Everything: your lighting, lines, sound design, music, screen direction, acting, angles, DOF, length, camera movement, title, font…all seem to blend. Absolutely special!!! Your whole style is very unique. Steve Weiss from Zacuto
Congratulations you guys. This is wonderful. Such an amazing way to use your talents. Maria Bilber-Ferro
Love it. Terence Malik would be proud. Keith Rivers on Be Near Me
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. I cannot say it enough. I hope that one day I can make work that moves the soul like this. Zack McDowell on Be Near Me
Beautiful work. Short and powerful. Very nice stuff. Epicity Pictures on Be Near Me
JXC. Let me know if you ever need an actor. I wanna’ go to emotional plains like that. Nice work. Michael J. Coughlan on Be Near Me
Born in 1987 and raised on a farm to parents who were both writers. After moving to Los Angeles in 2008, studied commercial filmaking at the renowned Art Center College of Design on a full tuition paid scholarship.
Quickly gained experience in production studying under acclaimed filmmakers such as Allen Daviau (E.T.), Billy Weber (The Tree of Life), and Affonso Beato (The Queen). Gained field experience shooting prime-time documentaries for Disney-ABC. Created successful marketing campaigns and films for GOOGLE and Firefox.
In 2011, won GOLD from the prestigious Art Directors Club and nominated for the Young Director Award in Cannes. Work has been featured by the Los Angeles Times, NPR, and TakePart.org.
Works successfully as a freelance director and editor for branded content, commercials, and documentaries.
Interested in emotional projects centered around exceptional people.
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