We were lucky to catch up with Andrew Lee recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Andrew, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Super tough question as I like to think any of my projects are meaningful. Making a film takes a gargantuan amount of effort and requires steadfast tenacity so when I decide on a film to make – I’ve really made sure that it’s the one that I want to spend all of my energy on. So to answer this question properly I’d say that my most meaningful project is my most recent one – a short film I just made called “Guacamania!” – a story about a dude that must prevent his highly anticipated guacamole from browning while his girlfriend argues with her parents over their not-so-dead family dog.

I know with a logline like that it sounds pretty shallow and silly but that’s what made it so important for me. This was the first short that I made purely for entertainment purposes – each of my shorts contained some deeper thesis with usually some heavier themes such as (suicide, trauma, depression, alzheimers, regret, etc.) and allowing myself to just make a comedic story that is just a wacky and funny scenario was just a delightful experience.

I think as creatives we always want to have a ton of impact in people’s lives when we tell stories and while I generally agree on that sentiment, lately I’ve been feeling a total lack of movies that are just fun for fun’s sake. It feels like we’re in some dark times and our movie options reflect that but I think it’s about time that we get some more light-heartedness back into the mainstream.

In addition, I’ve always been a huge fan of anime and what that artform can do. It’s total creative freedom! It’s been a growing dream of mine to try to blend the mediums of live-action and anime to try to create a brand new visual – after all, movies should be a spectacle! I’ve implemented heavy anime-influenced techniques into the visual element of “Guacamania!” that I am super excited to show the world.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a filmmaker (writer/director/producer) that focuses on creating narrative films with unique visual aesthetics and boundary-pushing storytelling. I first fell in love with filmmaking when I realized how powerful a movie can move me. Within a few minutes I can be whisked away into a new world and experience new things I wouldn’t be able to otherwise. Watching any film is always such an enjoyable journey that I knew I had to create my own.

There are so many types of films that I want to make, I don’t see myself as a one-genre or one-type of director. I love watching any movie (rom-com, romance, horror, thriller, action, adventure, family, coming-of-age, animated) so why should I limit my filmmaking to just one section? However, what always comes first before genre is the story. I’m extremely proud to say that I’ve been able to have a strong variety of films in my short span as a writer/director and I hope to continue to add to my catalog as I grow in my craft.

I also have a production company called “Eboshi Platinum” – that acts as my personal brand of films as well as a curator/haven for other indie films. While I can only make a limited amount of movies on my own as a writer/director, I still want to help curate and foster films from other talented filmmakers like myself. I want “Eboshi Platinum” to become a place for indie films where they are allowed to explore all types of creative storytelling without worry for support. Filmmaking is an artform just as much as any others (although way more expensive), and creating an environment where we can explore the boundaries and traverse these obstacles is sure to make brand new films the world has never seen before.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Filling up a theatre with a crowd of people eager to watch your latest film is easily the most rewarding part of filmmaking. After working on a project for 1 or 2 years and having sunk so much time, money, and energy, a film premiere is quite the euphoric and cathartic experience. That’s it! I make movies to show the world and if I’m unable to do that then there lacks a point in filmmaking. Sitting in that dark room with others and having them gasp at the right moment during a climax, cry in unison from an emotional scene, or howl with laughter from jokes is extremely gratifying.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

A question I get asked a lot is: how do you become a director? Just start directing!

Yes, there are film schools and film programs at universities but nobody is asking or cares to see where you graduated from before agreeing to work on a project that you want to direct. Literally nobody. Start with your phone (because every smart phone nowadays can record video) and record some footage. Then learn any editing software (even the free basic ones that you can use on your phone or free ones on any windows or mac app store) and cut your footage together. Boom, you’ve just completed step 1 of becoming a director. Rinse and repeat multiple times over and over again and try new things, new software, new equipment, and if you do this enough times you’ll slowly gain the confidence and knowledge that any director today has. Being a director is about making a story through video and sound. There is no career training path nor certification needed for this. This is essentially how I started out myself many many years ago.    

Contact Info:

• Website: www.andrewjlee.org
• Instagram: jeanlucregard
• Other: Production Company’s social handles:
• Website: www.eboshiplatinum.com IG: @eboshiplatinum

Image Credits
Patricia Villafañe Brad McGaughey