Esteemed photographer-turned acclaimed Doc Director, Lauren Greenfield, visits BYOD and examines her work and inspiration with Ondi.
Though she started out documenting other cultures, she discusses how she made the transition to telling the stories of the women around her in America. Eating disorders, girl culture, and materialism are the bread and butter of her work, and we dive in deep.
Watch new episodes of BYOD live each week on Tuesdays at noon on TheLip.TV, or tune in for the archived replay starting here on the following Thursday.
ABOUT BYOD:
BYOD is hosted by Ondi Timoner, director of “DIG!,” “JOIN US” and “WE LIVE IN PUBLIC,” and has the rare distinction of winning the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance twice. Each week the show explores a different documentary filmmaker or aspect of filmmaking, with special guests and a live Q&A– diving deep into creative process and the business realities of producing and distributing films. Ondi shares her insider views, opinions, and personal stories, welcoming audience participation. BYOD aims to entertain, inform, and elevate documentaries in general by bringing attention to films and film makers that deserve exposure.
GUEST BIO:
Lauren Greenfield is an American artist, documentary photographer, and documentary filmmaker. She has published three monographs of her photographic work, directed four documentary films, exhibited photographic prints in museums throughout the world, and had work published in a variety of leading magazines and other publications around the world.[1] Her photographic work and films generally deals with issues relating to the influence of popular culture on how we live (youth culture, gender identity, body image, eating disorders, media, wealth, fashion, beauty, and consumerism).
In January 2012, Greenfield was awarded the Sundance Film Festival Directing Award, US Documentary 2012 for her feature documentary film, The Queen of Versailles. In 2003, American PHOTO Magazine named her one of the “The 25 Most Important Photographers Now”. In April 2005, she shared the third spot of the “100 Most Important People in Photography”, again in American Photo Magazine. She has received many photography awards and grants, including the Art Directors Club Gold Cube for Photography, National Geographic Grant, the ICP Infinity Award for Young Photographer (1996), a Hasselblad Foundation Grant, the NPPA Community Awareness Award, and the People’s Choice Award at the Moscow Biennial.
ADD’L LINKS:
http://www.laurengreenfield.com/
http://twitter.com/lgreen66
EPISODE BREAKDOWN:
00:01 BYOD Introduction
00:27 Welcoming Lauren Greenfield of “Queen of Versailles,” and “Thin.”
01:41 Lauren’s photographic and ethnographic base for film.
03:17 The stunning verité style of “Thin.”
09:13 “Thin,” Clip.
10:03 “Did anyone ever tell you to tell the camera off?”
11:27 Getting inspiration from her own culture and shifting focus to money and beauty.
14:01 Inspiration for documenting girl culture and eating disorders.
18:20 “What happened with those women?”
20:30 “Kids + Money,” and exploring consumerism.
22:41 “Kids + Money,” Clip.
24:15 Background on the shoot and magic moments of verité.
26:16 “Kids + Money,” Clip: Dressing for different social classes.
28:50 “How did you start ‘Queen of Versaille’?”
30:16 The allegory of the overreaching of America.
34:05 “Queen of Versailles,” Clip: Inspiration for the biggest house in America.
36:00 Screening the film for the government.
37:40 Hosting the Miss America ball, and then losing the house.
40:57 Working with a subject that is used to being in control.
41:40 “Queen of Versailles,” Clip: Putting the house on the market.
42:20 The house itself as a main character.
45:35 The reaction to the film, and lawsuit.
47:30 “Queen of Versailles,” Clip.
49:25 Thanks and Goodbye!
