Directing, Passion Projects, Faith & Family - Salomon Ligthelm
Feb 6, 2024
auto_awesome
Salomon Ligthelm, renowned filmmaker and talented musician, discusses writing, directing, passion projects, family, faith, AI, and technology. He shares insights on overcoming failure, the importance of a supportive partner, the role of AI in technology, sacrifice and personal growth, parenting, character-driven storytelling, balancing passion projects, navigating film festivals, creating art for an audience, and the joy of filmmaking.
Recognize and reject harmful self-talk to prioritize personal well-being and relationships over career success.
Prioritize curiosity and personal interests in artistic growth rather than striving for success or comparison.
Struggle to balance creative work and family life, emphasizing the importance of open communication and support from a partner.
Acknowledge the damaging effects of excessive social media use and value the significance of sacrifice and confronting challenges for personal growth.
Deep dives
Recognizing the importance of forgivness and self-forgiveness
The speaker reflects on the challenge of forgiving oneself for mistakes and the detrimental effects of self-criticism. They share personal experiences of spiraling into negative self-perception and atrophying relationships due to sacrificing personal well-being for career success. They emphasize the value of recognizing and rejecting harmful self-talk and seek spiritual encounters and support from loved ones.
The significance of curiosity in creative pursuits
The speaker explores the role of curiosity in driving artistic growth and fulfillment. They discuss the importance of following personal interests and curiosity rather than striving for success or comparison. They highlight artists like David Lynch, Martin Scorsese, and Terrence Malick, who prioritize curiosity over ambition, allowing their work to be deeply connected to their true selves.
The struggle of balancing work and personal life as a creator
The speaker shares their experience of struggling to balance the demands of their creative work with their family life. They discuss the challenge of being present in their relationships and the tensions that arise when work consumes their time and energy. They consider the support offered by a partner who recognizes their struggles and encourages open communication about the difficulties they face.
The erosive impact of social media and the importance of sacrifice and reward
The speaker reflects on the damaging effects of excessive social media use and the erosion of the sacrifice and reward system in modern society. They discuss the addictive nature of social media and its negative impact on mental health and self-perception. They emphasize the significance of sacrifice and the value of confronting challenges to gain a deeper understanding of oneself and the world.
Importance of personal growth and accepting differences in children
The speaker reflects on the unique qualities of their children and how it has impacted their own personal growth. The speaker acknowledges their daughter's natural showmanship and recognizes how it has helped them have more grace for others who are different from them. They discuss the importance of not judging others and appreciating different personality traits.
Evolution of storytelling approach
The podcast explores the speaker's evolution in their approach to storytelling. They initially relied heavily on music to anchor their narratives, but have now shifted towards focusing on character and story. The speaker emphasizes the importance of exploring character behavior and the impact of the environment on relationships. They discuss their interest in stories where the location serves as an invisible character, influencing the behavior of the protagonists.
Navigating passion projects and defining success
The speaker shares their perspective on pursuing passion projects and defining success. They discuss the challenges and sacrifices involved in pursuing personal creative endeavors. They emphasize the need to prioritize and balance career, passion projects, and family. The speaker reflects on the shifting definition of success, recognizing that genuine curiosity, personal growth, and meaningful connections are essential components of a fulfilling creative journey.
Today I have the pleasure of sitting down with someone who has been a major pioneer in the world of modern directing and storytelling, Salomon Ligthelm. Born in South Africa but currently residing in NYC. He has a vast array of work ranging from high end commercial work, innovative music videos to very intimate human centric stories. When you see his work you know its his. Not only is he a renowned filmmaker but he is also an extremely talented musician, music producer and audio engineer. He is a father and husband. In this episode we talk about writing, directing, passion projects, family, faith, AI and technology. Hope you enjoy!
