Directing 'Off the Beaten Path'

What makes a good film? Some may say the acting, others the plot. There are countless answers to this question, but when it comes down to it, no one would deny that the story, and consequently the story-telling, is a vital element of good filmmaking. Director Scott Schirmer, 30, of Bloomington couldn't agree more. This is why when he wants to get a point across in one of his films, he's sure to make it secondary to the story he's telling.\n"As mother always said, if you can't entertain them, you're not going to teach them anything," he said. \nLast weekend, Schirmer's feature film "Off the Beaten Path" premiered at PRIDE, Bloomington's annual film festival devoted to issues and situations concerning the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities. The festival was a two-day event beginning on Jan. 28, with Schirmer's film showing the second day. Schirmer wrote, directed and edited the film. \n"Off the Beaten Path" focuses on three characters: Lewis, a devout Christian; Skeet, described by Schirmer as a "militant queer"; and Puff, an 18-year-old pot addict. The film follows their journey to visit a troubled friend who attempted suicide.\n"('Off the Beaten Path') is about two friends struggling to accept each other and their differences," said Kim Davis, co-chair of the PRIDE selection committee and president of the IU Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Alumni Association. "They have to come to grips with their own biases and prejudices."\nOver 60 films were submitted from around the world, but only 21 of the entries were selected by the festival committee. According to Davis, films were chosen based on criteria which determined the level of diversity shown and a number of technical aspects including audio and visual quality.\n"I wanted something less depressing (than some of the other entries), something with meat to it and something that kept the dialogue moving," said Davis about her selection of "Off the Beaten Path." \nDavis praised the "realness" of Schirmer's film, but also cautioned about its frequent use of profanity. \n"The intensity of the language turned a lot of people off, and it was what stuck out the most for me at first," she said. \nSchirmer accounts for the intensity of his characters with a political response.\n"The politics today have pushed me into making angrier films," he said. "With Bush stealing the election again, I feel an obligation to speak for the disenfranchised. In ('Off the Beaten Path') I've addressed the undeclared war between gays and Christians."\nSchirmer goes further to say that in today's society it is unfortunate that "religion can be used as a weapon to divide straight and gay people." \nMany viewers picked up on the film's religious tension.\n"I thought (the film) was an extreme but accurate portrayal of the potential conflict between religion and homosexuality," said sophomore Eleanor Schreiner.\nSchreiner and some of her friends accompanying her to the festival did not feel this "accurate portrayal" was present in other aspects of the film.\n"We thought the film was pretty good, but it wasn't realistic in terms of the characters," explained Schreiner. "Why would such different characters be in the same circle of friends?"\nSchirmer feels the need to represent different types of masculinity in his films, which may play a part in what some consider the extremity of his characters.\n"When I came out of the closet, I found that there were many different types of gay people," he said. "There's no stereotype. I try to explore and expose masculinity in many of my films because it is often too rigidly defined to the detriment of many." \n"Off the Beaten Path" was filmed in Bloomington over a period of three days in the spring of 2002. The film featured local actors and, with no external sound or lighting equipment, cost less than $200 to make. Schirmer claims that despite its fast-paced filming schedule and low budget, "Off the Beaten Path" is his best-received film to date, and also his favorite to make.\n"It was the most fun I've had making a movie," said Schirmer of the experience. "We had a week when everyone would be available, and we just thought, 'Let's do it!' The actors got to do a lot of improvisation, which I love." \nSchirmer's love of film can be traced back to the time his mother took him to see "The Empire Strikes Back" when he was six.\n"I grew up on a farm in Hanover, Ind.," he explained. "To me, 'The Empire Strikes Back' was the pinnacle of escapism."\nThis appreciation for escapism in film has made science fiction/fantasy Schirmer's favorite genre, with horror coming in "a close second." \n"A film may affect me profoundly, but it's 'The Lord of the Rings' and 'Star Wars' that I watch over and over," he said. \nOver the years, Schirmer has found inspiration in a number of directors. One that stands out in particular is Peter Weir, the creative force behind such films as "Dead Poets Society" and "The Mosquito Coast."\n"He's poetic. I like the poetic license he takes," said Schirmer of Weir's directing. "He'll tell a very straightforward narrative, but has the ability to heighten emotions. There is a very lyrical quality to his filmmaking." \n"Off the Beaten Path," in particular, was influenced by George Lucas' 1973 film "American Graffiti." \n"We tried to make it like a documentary. It's a sort of a faux documentary," said Schirmer in the discussion following his film. "'American Graffiti' is one of my favorite films, and I think we took a similar approach."\nAs a child, Schirmer channeled his creativity into drawing pictures and writing stories. In 5th grade, he began to experiment with other forms of expression. Schirmer won first place in the Association of Indiana Media Educators' annual media fairs in 1985, 1986 and 1988, before earning five consecutive "best in state" awards for his multi-media presentations which included slide shows, audio productions and videos.\n"I learned to enjoy the exhibition aspect of storytelling through these media fairs," he said.\nIn 1992, Schirmer entered IU as an individualized film major, earning a scholarship for his work in video art. During his first year, his short-subject feature "Maybe the Sky is Falling" won third place in the International Student Media Festival, and a year later he received a university grant to produce his first feature length movie "Variations." Schirmer also produced several additional short films and videos and an animated fantasy-adventure called "DarWest" during his time as an IU student. \nPursuing his studies on a part-time basis, Schirmer finished his degree requirements in 10 years.\n"I had a whole lot of parking tickets," he explained with a chuckle. "I would work a little, go to school a little and repeat the cycle."\nDespite his interest in film, Schirmer opted for a B.A. in sociology and gender studies to avoid some required film classes he wasn't interested in taking. This background has had a profound affect on his filmmaking, as shown in "Off the Beaten Path."\n"Majoring in sociology allows me to make films about something," he said. "With 'Off the Beaten Path,' I'm hoping to show that masculinity doesn't have to be so narrowly defined. That men can be more accepting and inclusive and that it's a healthier way to live." \nApart from "giving it a whirl" in Los Angeles for two years, Schirmer has resided in Bloomington since 1992. He continues to work on various film projects and hopes to return to L.A. someday with a larger portfolio. \nSchirmer is currently working on the script for a supernatural horror series called "The Last Chapters" and plans to begin casting later this month. He has also recently finished editing a science-fiction thriller called "The Day Joe Left." DVDs of Schirmer's films are available on his Web site: www.scottschirmer.com/nowin.html.