I went to hear Alan Spearman and Mark Adams speak about their film As I Am. The two both started at newspapers and eventually moved into the realm of filmmaking. Spearman explained the reason for this transition was to challenge himself. This new outlet allowed for not only more creativity but also the chance to relate to, and really involve themselves in the stories they are telling.
Spearman and Adams had an interesting perspective on stories. They stated multiple times that all the films they have created existed before they made them, they just needed to be captured. I had personally never thought about films in that way, but the concept is very logical. The job of the filmmaker, especially in the genre of documentaries, is to simply combine elements that already exist, whether they are characters, environments, or dialogue. Combining these elements in a way that has never been done before is how a new story is created. Spearman spoke about how a critical part of his creative process was “mindful walking”. This is a technique taught to him by a Buddhist monk in which you simply walk and meditate in an attempt to clear your mind of all clutter and allow yourself to simply absorb your surroundings. On these walks is when Spearman says that he is able to see stories and potential stories the clearest.
Both Spearman and Adams also attempt to live their lives as fully as possible. The words that the two live by are exploration and curiosity. Not only are they constantly watching for stories to present themselves, they want to live stories themselves. They are always looking to take the road less traveled. For example when As I Am was nominated for an Emmy the two decided that rather than fly, they would ride their motorcycles to the event. They insisted that simply putting themselves in interesting places, and around interesting people is the key to their creative success. Getting to know people at a heart-to-heart level is what the two felt was missing from their work in newspaper. Filmmaking allows them to connect with their subjects on such a deep level that they actually call them friends.
The film As I Am is dependent on this closeness between Spearman, Adams, and the protagonist of the film Chris Dean. The two found Dean in the Memphis, the poorest metropolis in the U.S., and immediately noticed his talents. Dean is gifted in poetry, music, and art and uses these skills for survival. Spearman and Adams enter to tell his story. Yet they intended to do so in the truest and most natural way possible. The two built up so much trust and mutual respect for Dean that they refused to even call him a subject. They let him in as a collaborator and insisted they wanted to tell his story, the story that is already out there, rather than what they may want to say or what would be successful.
I greatly admire the work that Spearman and Adams do. Their whole philosophy on both stories and life in general are awe inspiring. After hearing them speak I challenge myself to live more like I am a character in a Spearman and Adams film, and be more observant of the stories that are all around just waiting to be captured.