The following Interview was submitted by Ambassador League Agent Erin M. during the 2007-2008 League.
Interview With a Leader #5 - Philip Bolzman, Filmmaker
Philip Bolzman worked with the Advent Film Group and attends Compass Film Academy. He also volunteers as an ADC for the Student Statesmanship Institute on a yearly basis.
Q: What is your job title and what all does that entail?
A: I was officially credited as a second unit boom operator, and an assistant to b-camera. On set though I played the roll of a Production Assistant (PA) but due to our limited personal I did a lot of jobs most of which would have a name title and position that I did not even know existed. I was a do whatever anyone (yes everyone was my superior) asked me to do. because Production Assistant is generally associated to slave labor, and because I played a more important roll on set that just a PA, I was given a slightly better sounding credit.
Q: What training is important to prepare you for your position?
A: At the level I worked at the best training could be found in a weight room. Seriously I did a lot of moving equipment. But the most important part to this job was having a servants attitude. I told people I was there to make the production run as smoothly as I could, and with a little teaching I could do almost anything they wanted (yes this attitude got me the opportunity to drive into Washington DC, not a thrilling experience, but one that I am very thankful for now). This skill was learned through having good parents who trained me up right. Of course at that point I had taken a year of classes at community college in the field of broadcasting so I knew a little of the terminology and the functions of technology going into the production, but I learned a lot on site.
Q: What is one lesson you have learned from your job?
A: There us no such thing as a menial job. Every task no matter how small has importance, and things need to run smoothly at the base level in order for things to run smoothly higher up. I worked hard, and I hardly touched a camera. That is to say I moved the cameras a lot, but never operated them. But still I felt like I was an important contributor to the final outcome of the film. Also, being ready to jump and do a job at a moments notice was a very good lesson. it was said by one crew member that we did two hours worth of work in fifteen minutes, and then over the next two hours we did 15 minutes worth of work. The up and down is taxing, because even when you are doing nothing, you have to be alert for something that may need doing, and usually it needs to be done about five minutes ago.
Q: What role, if any, does faith play in this field?
A: Faith should play a central and defining role in any field, and film is not exception. As a filmmaker, I need to understand that I am telling stories that can, and if successful will, influence hundreds perhaps thousands of people, and I need to make absolutely sure that the message I tell is totally centered on a Biblical world view, and a healthy biblical worldview is maintained by making my faith central in all that I do.
Q: What do you recommend for students who are interested in working in your field?
A: Don't wear blinders, go in with both eyes open, watch and learn as much as you can. Ask questions if you need to (advice I need to put into practice more) Have a servants heart, and be willing to do whatever is required of you. Be the person that is first to jump when a job, any job, needs doing. Make friends and connections with reliable people who you can count on for support if you need it, and also to bounce ideas around with.
