Interview with Jeffrey Blake Palmer

I’m from New Hampshire USA, spent ten years in California and moved back to the Boston area where my wife and I currently reside.

Why did you get into filmmaking
I think what attracted me to filmmaking is that it’s a collection of all types of art forms and mediums such as writing, acting, set design, music, lighting, costumes, photography, special effects… etc. But mostly it’s about telling stories and connecting with audiences, with people, near and far.

It’s not GHOSTBUSTERS, but our all-female #WomenOnScreen @SplitCosts w/ @ItsMelaHudson @ttttori234 goes BOO-M! 👻 pic.twitter.com/itnVEV688o

— JB Palmer (@JBPixel) July 19, 2016

What films have you made
I’ve made a wide variety of films, including features, shorts, documentaries, and music videos. I’m proud to say that my music video MULLIGAN’S ISLAND for the band We Govern has claimed 11 music video awards since it’s debut in 2013. I really enjoy music videos because they rely heavily on telling a story and creating a mood primarily with visuals. The dialog, as such, are the song’s lyrics. It’s a challenge I love taking on, finding the most appropriate tone and mood for the given artist’s music.

What is your perspective on collaboration
Whether it’s a small intimate production or a larger scale project, collaboration is key. Without the collaborative spirit of all involved, you’re doomed. It’s so critical to work with cast and crew members who share the same sense of purpose as well as creative vision and attention to their craft. To date, the most rewarding experiences in filmmaking have been on projects where everyone feels like equals and bring their A-game everyday to make the best possible film.

How do you find the process of filmmaking as an indie filmmaker
Go indie! Being independent actually means you end up depending on a lot more “hopes and prayers” than if you had studio backing, but it does offer more autonomy in telling personal and more risky stories. I wouldn’t turn down an opportunity to direct a studio funded production, for theaters or TV, although I would always want to be shooting my own projects on the side. Realistically, I’ll most likely be an “indie filmmaker” for the breadth of my career – and I’m totally okay with that. I love the thrill of working on smaller (scrappy) productions, making something from nothing but inventiveness, grit, tenacity and the efforts of talented collaborators. That’s really what making movies is all about for me; being creative however you can, whenever you can with whatever means you have available. If you can make the most out of that scenario, just imagine what you can do with a bit more funding in place?

Describe your recent work, take us through pre-production, production, post-production the and marketing
Just this past February I had the pleasure of shooting a micro-budget short film SPLIT COSTS with two amazing actresses, Mela Hudson and Tori Hall, here in Massachusetts. We reached our goal and successfully raised more than all the funds necessary with a GoFundMe campaign (thank you, donors!). We filmed about 80% of the script in three days. Because of the nature of the story – a ride share in the dead of winter – it simply wasn’t practical to have even a small crew involved because the car was crammed with one of the character’s belongings… so it was just me behind the camera, recording audio, producing and directing. I love that sort of guerrilla gonzo filmmaking! And the actresses were paid, fed and both were troopers when it came to production. It’s always such a treat to work with professionals. Those two were great!

Our goal was to pack a feature worth of story into a short format piece. Right now we’re doing a lot of promoting via my twitter account

What does the future hold for you
Besides finishing SPLIT COSTS, I have several other short projects I’m hoping to wrap up and release by year’s end. One is a Halloween themed short THE HALLOWEEN SPIRIT, another is a documentary on a local fencing club MOE Fencing here in Somerville MA, and then there’s a supernatural short titled RIVER’S BEND I’d like to shoot this spring/summer. I am also involved with the global film project BREATHE EASY – Twitter and I’ll be shooting a segment for that film in the coming months. I helped design the logo and put together a teaser

This past fall, my award-winning short screenplay WORN was optioned by producer Carrie L. Gomez out of Denver Colorado. You can see a trailer and learn more about that production. Although I wish I had been able to direct it, I’m very much looking forward to seeing how the story was interpreted. I do think it is important to go through that process of letting go of your writing and allowing others to offer their take on the material.