Meet Michael Bell | Filmmaker

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

Hi Michael, can you tell us about a book that has had a meaningful impact on you?
Postcards from the Edge by Carrie Fisher is a book that really touched me. It is very much autobiographical on Carrie’s life but the story does have this heightened reality to it. But the thing to me that struck me most about was how it was able to ride this line of being fully sarcastic as well as completely sincere. It was a beautiful meld of those two things when exploring just sort of day to day stories in the main character’s life. It’s a wonderful book.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m still very early onto this journey of being a filmmaker but I try to approach my art with sincerity and vulnerability. My favorite artist of all time was the last great David Lynch. And the way he created was just so fearless and pure. His work also just radiates so much empathy that I connect with, so I try imbue my work with as much of the compassion as well. What sets mine from others is maybe my specific influences. How everyone creates is very specific to their interests and personality so inherently everyone’s art is set apart from one another. But for me I really love surrealistic work and from a filmmaking point of view I like very specific framing and a kinetic camera, so that drives alot of how I work in filming. What I most proud of is my thesis film I submitted to colleges, I did a two minute film about someone in a mental crisis choosing between life and death. Professionally I just try to shoot and photograph as much as I can in order to get the ball moving so to speak, just chip away at things and eventually you’ll get chances for stuff. And it’s not always easy but my best advice is simple but also not really, just open the door. Before a project I have a tendency just to get super nervous and anxious, but as soon as you open that car door to go to wherever you go the rest starts to fall into place. The lesson I’ve learned is that ideas matter, and it doesn’t matter who or where they come from. And what I’d want people to know about me is that creativity is this beautiful thing and you’re story matters just as much as anyone else’s.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Usually when a friend is here from out of town we’ll hang out and play video games at my place. Then we’ll grab our sneakers to play some Basketball. And after we are gassed we’ll go to In N Out to get a double double with animal fries. Then finally after the food is enjoyed watch a movie at the theater down the street.

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?
My parents deserve the biggest. A few years ago the way I was mentally I really didn’t think I’d be alive much longer with how my depression was eating me up. But when I finally confided in them my struggle they met me with love. Obviously there’s still hard stretches of life but I feel some much more equipped to rise up to the challenge because my parents were there in my moment of desperate need.

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Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ShellShocked398

Other: Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Michael_Bell_10

Image Credits
Alexander Vilalta
Colin Melendez
Joshua Hoyo jr
Michael Bell (myself)