How carpe diem led Alex Braff to the world-renowned film festival with his short film Framed
Justin Li
Contributor
For Alex Braff, an East Asian studies and philosophy double major in second year, applying his academic disciplines has helped him accomplish something most filmmakers only dream of: getting his film screened at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.
Braff’s 10-minute short film Framed documents the strain and labour that writer’s block can have on relationships and the ability to create new material. Although it may sound like a fusion of Spike Jonze’s Adaptation with Federico Fellini’s 8½, Braff is quick to point out that, although depicted from a writer’s perspective, the film is more about “creative block” in general, something that “everyone can relate to.”
For Braff, creative block is a universal concept. Whether at home or at school, writing screenplays or writing essays, the process of formulating thoughts into tangible results is an everyday struggle, and in the enterprise to overcome, we often alienate those around us.
“When you sit down with your notebook, it’s just you and your notebook,” says Braff. “There’s nothing else in the world except those two things. And when you’re absorbed into your world, it’s very difficult to bring someone else in and to see anything other than what’s in your focus.”
Braff insists that his philosophy background has helped him see and approach the film differently.
“In a lot of cases, a person only sees things one way,” says Braff. “Philosophy allows you to think outside the box and see different viewpoints.” Because he was taught to look at things differently and from varying perspectives, Braff describes how he can add fresh, creative, and unconventional insight. The result, he says, is a more nuanced and layered film.
In the making of Framed, however, Braff had a very different story to tell. He says the film was a byproduct of his mantra for seizing the day and the begetting of a beautiful friendship with the film’s director, John Virtue.
“The only reason this film was my project and the director’s, is because I’ve known the director for a long time and we’re good friends,” Braff explains. Virtue sent him a copy of the script while he was in Japan at the time, and he instantly liked it. Braff replied by saying the pair could turn the script into something meaningful.
In way of offering advice for budding filmmakers, Braff says that if a friend comes up to you with a good idea for a movie, give them five to 10 minutes.
“If someone approaches you with a great idea, don’t say you’re too busy for it. Take a moment and look at it,” suggests Braff. “Framed all started because a friend sent me a document that he had written out of fun.”
To Braff, having fun is what life, and university, is all about. University, he says, should be about meeting people with great ideas and adding your own creativity on top of that. If he wasn’t at York, Braff admits, the process of making a film would never have crossed his mind.
Braff says networking is the most important thing.
“At the end of the day, it’s who you know and how you know them,” he says. “Six degrees of separation ends up working for you.”
His personal convictions and hard work have paid off, culminating in a confirmation email from the Cannes Film Festival that booked him, his director, and their film, a ticket to France.
“It was the best day of my life,” Braff says.
But just because he has booked a ticket to Cannes, it doesn’t mean Braff will be taking a break from his producing duties. Along with his upcoming exams, his schedule is full.
He and Virtue are currently in the process of securing venues to screen their film with at the TIFF Lightbox—and on campus—before they embark for Cannes.
On top of that, Braff sees Cannes as a great opportunity to generate interest for the film and to connect with possible distributors, producers, and other eminent members of the film industry. When asked whether or not he thinks Framed will win any awards, Braff says that producing the film was an achievement in and of itself.
