We had the good fortune of connecting with Phil Svitek and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Phil, how do you think about risk?
The question “What would I do if I couldn’t fail?” is often posed as a way to explore one’s aspirations and goals. However, this question can actually be limiting because it assumes that failure is something to be avoided at all costs. It can lead to a focus on only safe or easy paths, rather than taking risks and pursuing true passions.

On the other hand, the question “What would I do knowing that no matter what I did, I’d fail?” may seem counterintuitive, but it can be a powerful tool for discovering one’s true purpose and desires. When one acknowledges the possibility of failure, it can remove the pressure of needing to succeed and allow for a more authentic exploration of what truly matters.

This mindset can be especially valuable when starting new projects. By assessing the risks and looking for potential benefits, even in the face of failure, it becomes easier to take risks and pursue projects with passion and enthusiasm.

An example of this mindset in action was with my last feature film, A Bogota Trip. We filmed in Colombia and my thought going into it was, worst case scenario, if we failed with the film, at least we can turn it into an amazing vacation. That, and I could film some fantastic clips for the actors to use in their reels.

By approaching the film with this mindset, I was able to remove the pressure of needing to succeed and instead focus on the process itself. This allowed for a more pure and authentic creative process, which paradoxically is what leads to success.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My favorite movies push the limits of what’s possible or conventional, but do so in a way that’s clear and enjoyable by audiences. I especially love the risk takers: like Wong Kar-wai and how he made Chungking Express and Fallen Angels, Richard Linklater’s entire filmography, Robert Rodriguez’s approach to filmming, Hayao Miyazaki’s inventiveness and ability to tell a wide array of stories, Thomas Vinterberg’s use of the Dogme 95 movement and so on.

They inspire me to take big swings, knowing there are audiences out there who crave movies like that. The key is to find the truth and make the audience empathize with the characters. A big aspect of that is not having an agenda. It’s rather an exploration, which can present a challenge because things take longer. But it also presents an opportunity because it’s during the development phase where things are cheap. After all, the only limitation is imagination. And I let my imagination run wild!

That may make it seem like I’m making things costly later on down the line, but not really. The reason for this is because I know what I’m going for. Many times people wait to commit to an idea and try to have options. I don’t. I’m willing to fall on my sword most times. I know what matters for the story and how I want it to look. This allows me to shoot my films fast and cheaper.

Now, of course, any artistic endeavor is hard. But I overcome those challenges thanks to the years of therapy I’ve done. The benefits of the work I’ve put in on that front have allowed me to see the problem and not be bothered by them. Instead, I automatically look for solutions. That’s helped me a lot.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was visiting LA, I’d plan to visit the Academy Museum, go paddle boarding in Long Beach or somewhere else, and then on Sunday we’d hit up Smorgasburg in downtown LA for tons of great food.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I owe my success to a. lot of people and I try to recognize them regularly if I can. Certainly, whenever I work on a project, I aim to highlight the efforts of those who brought it to life. But the people who’ve had a foundational impact on me are:

-My mom who taught me compassion and empathy
-My grandmother who taught me the love of learning
-My soccer coaches Paul Hunter, John McKittrick and Jared Scarpaci who taught me life through sports
-My film professors Madelyn Paskiewicz, Chuck Reale, Robert Patton-Spruill for encouraging my storytelling passion and showing me how to do it
-My former boss Keven Undergaro for helping me realize what I’m truly capable of
-My therapist Chuck McCaughan for elevating me continually to be the best version of myself
-And my frequent collaborators without whom nothing would be possible: Courtney Stewart, Ian Keiser, John Comerford, Sara Stretton, Khaliel Abdelrahim, Derrial Christon, Alina Vission, Jesse Janedy, Tiona Hobson, Emily Krempholtz, Edgar Cortes, Jonathan Moulton, Danielle Argyros-LeFever, and Jeff Graham

Website: http://philsvitek.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philsvitek/

Youtube: http://youtube.com/@PhilSvitekYT

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