Vincent Skeltis Ends It All

PORTABLE: Self-portraits are typically still images. Why create them as videos?
As a photographer self-portraits have always been a big part of my work, but I hadn’t considered making them as films until six months ago. In December (2010) I made the decision to semi-permanently walk away from and stop pursuing commercial photography, and focus more on fine art and filmmaking.

The choice to make these Self-portraits as short films (or videos) began as a personal test, a series of questions posed by me, to myself. If you wanted to make a feature film, could you? What would it look like? What material would you use for your narrative arc? Could your story live up to your ability to execute technically, and vice-versa? I knew I wanted to make something fictional and visual while loosely beginning to build a character using stories from my own life. Rather than make something absolute (which since early 2009, I was already doing with a project called Non-Fiction) I wanted to create pieces that were open-ended, a series of films without discernible or contextual relevance to the one before or after it.

What similarities are there between the Vincent Skeltis in the videos, and the one doing this interview? What differences are there?
The man you see in this series of videos knows as much as I do about what he’s doing.

What have been the greatest challenges in taking on all roles in the production of the videos?
[In] FRI 9:43am, for example: After acting out a process one could possibly go through before killing themselves, from a number of different camera angles no less, I was significantly fucked up for the remainder of the day. I cried twice that day. Both times having no idea how to control it. The first time, 90 minutes after I wrapped the last shot, while eating ice cream with my son, and a local woman and her son. Kinda horrifying, right? And awesome. I hadn’t properly prepared myself for such a thing to happen. Emotionally, however apt, I don’t think I was ready to go down that road.

The most surreal aspect of making FRI 9:43am played out when I started writing the letter. Words and feelings and regrets began pouring out of me, out of the pen I was writing with. I was so freaked out that between takes I almost discontinued shooting the piece. I had no idea it would affect me the way it did, and that was a jarring revelation when it hit me. I didn’t feel anything remotely similar while shooting the first two films (WED 11:29am & TUES 10:07pm). Those felt more like exercises within a structure I am all too familiar with. I was an addict for years, something I’m proud to say I no longer am—that’s long been put behind me—but I knew how to shoot those, and how to act those out in a believable manner. An aside, a dialogue (self-portrait) piece may be next up.

With all of these films, the technical questions are answered as I go. There are many elements at play and they factor in to how the story is told and what it will ultimately look like. Changing light, time constraints, a refrigerator hum, a car alarm sets off at the wrong time, rain, fear of someone snatching a $2k camera off the top of an unmanned tripod on the side of the road, interior and exterior rigging mounts hold or fail; the list goes on…I have been trying to shoot scenes in chronological order to be viewed, seemingly, as an event being played out in real time. To successfully achieve this, a lot of elements have to align.

There’s probably plenty to be said about making a (short) self-portrait film using only static, locked-off shots. I personally like the challenge of doing so, and am excited to see where I can go with it, but it’s not for everyone, stylistically or otherwise.

The third installment in the series looks like a finale. Will there be more? Where do you want to take them from here?
Despite what it is you see happening in FRI 9:43am, it was not intended to be a finale, no. The series will continue beyond the first three films. Figuratively speaking, I haven’t thought far enough ahead to know where I want them to ultimately go—I will concede once the series is complete I’d like to show them all in succession as an installation piece.

What were you doing before you began working on the series? What else are you working on?
Before I started this series, more of the same tail-chasing with Non-Fiction. We’ve been in arduous talks with TV people regarding the sale of it as an unscripted television series. It’s ongoing… it may land somewhere in the next month or two.

Throughout the summer we’ve been shooting a kind of real-life-meets-fantasy play-action soccer piece with my son, Henry. I’m really excited about that film—some lighter fare for the faint of heart (like my mom).

What creative people inspire you?
I honestly couldn’t tell you much about what’s going on with artists, directors, photographers and designers, especially new ones. I don’t look at print magazines and when I’m online I generally prefer to seek out news and current events via NPR, The Associated Press, NY Times, etc. Current events inspire me. Regular people inspire me. Creative people? Eh.

Creative People I find inspiring on the subject of self-portraits: Lucas Samaras, Cindy Sherman, Nikki S. Lee, Chuck Close, Kurt Cobain,

Creative People I find inspiring for one reason or another: My son, Henry. He’s more inspiring than any creative I know or know of. Cheesy, right? But true. Pascal Teixeira, art director for Phoenix, an old friend, trusted collaborator and French misanthrope. Will always give you legit feedback. Britney Spears during her “fuck you all” meltdown days—that was inspiring.