We were lucky to catch up with Jonathan Martin-Ives recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jonathan, thanks for joining us today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your career and how did you resolve those issues?
Seeing as how I have taken a path to indulge in mostly sci-fi, horror and fantasy themes, the ability to create has been quite challenging. First of all, I work a regular 9 to 5 (well, actually 6 to 2:30) and only have an old laptop, old Nikon, and a very limited budget. I also don’t have the luxury of effects programs most are subscription-based and take up a lot of drive space.
Secondly, securing acting/crew talent has become cumbersome and a bit of a ‘crap shoot’. I’ve gone from having about a dozen or so reliable participants, to minus one at times. As such, I have been relying on stock footage to fill in gaps for special effects and acting talent.
Luckily, I have an ally in Indonesia who has done some amazing additional effect work for my efforts. She goes by the name Midnight and doesn’t charge me three arms and a leg. Also on my side is a free version of the editing software known as Davinci Resolve. I proudly admit that like Roger Corman, I churn out B-movie content and take inspiration from old 50’s movies. It has been a tough road to say the least, but I refuse to give up this passion!
Jonathan, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Like Steven Spielberg, my journey into filmmaking started out with an 8mm camera. I used red yarn for laser beams and black posterboard placed in front of a window with pinholes for starfields.
I was rekindled in 2021 when working on a friend’s indie film. The whole atmosphere just lit me up inside and I knew that this was something I wanted to dive into. I approached my director friend, expressing that I had a story idea and asked if he’d help me make it after we finished shooting his movie. He took me aside and said, “If you write a script, and get it copyrighted, I will help you. So… I researched and wrote a script, got it copyrighted and proudly presented it before my mentor who promptly said, “No. I laugh about it now, but as you could imagine, I was crushed. Nevertheless, I was able to gather together a motley crew and my first Roger Corman-esc film, The Soul of St. Ives was born. Since then I have made over a dozen shorts and last October was honored to have Zorg! Monster from Outer Space shown at a local festival. I didn’t win in my category, but just to experience something I created and the wonderful audience response enough of a win for me. I am also very blessed to have had professional actor, Genoveva Rossi guest star in two of my films!
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
I am a storyteller. Even with the limited resources I have at hand, I can fill a canvas with my imagination. For those who can appreciate my art, the greatest reward is having someone enjoy what I’ve created.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
Give the ‘little guy’ a chance or in this case, a glance. Just because a lot of us are not supported by or associated with a big name or brand status, doesn’t mean we have nothing to offer.
I have found myself looking through Cd’s (yes, I still listen to Cd’s) at thrift stores and such and quite often, I pick up an artist I know nothing about or even heard of, and most of the time have been pleasantly surprised. We all have to start somewhere…
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