Filmmaker of the Week – Michaell Magrutsche

Episode 45 of Filmmaker of the Week featuring Michaell Magrutsche!

Give us a brief introduction of yourself, where you’re from originally and where you are now if different

I was born in Vienna/Austria. I have been an artist since I was six years old. I was into music at 10 and discovered Jazz and Soul when I was 14. At 15 I had little money and had to earn some and together with my friends, I turned my music hobby into being a DJ. Together we built two amateur discos, one in the basement of my home, one at my friend’s garden house. Both were the talk of the town. 

I produced fashion shows, went into TV and was part of the electronic media evolution. Worked with Austrian Television (ORF), produced for A&E, Discovery and PBS. Later, I was elected City Arts Commissioner of Newport Beach, California. Currently, I am a multidisciplinary artist; painter, musician, and author of 5 art related books. Everything I did creatively was its own life and today I try to understand the context and wisdom that runs through all these creative disciplines for me and other creators.

What is it that first got you into the world of filmmaking?

I moved to the United States when I was about 20 years old. I always wanted to be a Hollywood producer. During the years, I refined my passion because after living some of my dreams; I changed to where the wind blew me literally.

Share a little bit about your specialty in the film world

Like so many people, I loved movies and turned into a movie buff.  I was never drawn to the fame/celebrities but rather how things work and I did not want to get bored as a creative. Being a producer allowed me to fulfill this dream by having my nose in the storytelling, director’s chair and selecting the right talent, etc. I started an American/European TV production/distribution company with two partners. There I learned the business hands on.

 What has been your most challenging project to date?

It was with Robert Evans’ personal pet project, a Sunday Special for channel 5 KTLA.

I was not even aware who Robert was (knew his movies) when his line producer flagged me down at the Cannes TV show MIPCOM. Once back in LA Robert and I met, hit it off and started creating.

It was in the early times of video production. We had to use a lot of stock footage and Betamax video editing. Video was expensive because there were too few video editing facilities and this demand created 24 hour video editing with seamless shift changes of creative and technical personnel. 

Robert and I had to drive every night to the San Fernando Valley where our Betamax editing sessions started between 11-11:30 pm until 5-7 am because there was no other time available. This situation of creating a 90 min docudrama with massive amounts of raw footage in very little time taught me how to create effectively.

Tell us a bit about your latest project.

My latest project is about how creatives can be more effective. I found that if creators understand the creative process from inspiration to script to physical execution, all creations will go smoothly.  People will be a better fit through understanding of the project’s creative Voice and how to communicate it with each other and the world.

What is one moment you’ve had in any part of the filmmaking process where you learned a really valuable lesson?

I must summarize because there are too many moments. Humanly, my experiences confirmed in all my lessons: Even if you fail, run out of money, or you made the wrong decision or mistake,  be honest right away. You can make a lot of tries or mistakes, but there is only one thing other humans are gauging if you are a fit to work with them or not, your character.

Professionally, especially in the creative industry, I learned to never pretend that you are an expert or specialized in let’s say editing, scoring, directing because such evaluations are subjective in the creative business if you can’t deliver to the artistic context of the project.

I would rather ask for permission to give my opinion. If your input is good for the project (not for your ego), every creator that is conscious will let you participate. In my case, I actually was invited to do all three of the above mentioned skills because my perception of the creative product and its creators was on point.

You don’t learn this in any school because it is not based on knowledge but wisdom of your creative experiences. Especially when you care and focus more about the product creation than its success. 

What are some of the 5-year goals for you as a filmmaker/creative?

Why? Because 95% of worldwide artists exist around the poverty level. No other “job” could even exist with such slim chances to succeed, and more and more people become artists. There is a tremendous power behind art/creativity that we humans have no clue about. 

That’s why I created the Self Aware Art Movement in 2015, which focuses on the process of finding and defining an artist’s creative voice (Voice) and to unveil the philosophy of this human superpower in my 30.sec podcast The Smart of Art – The Power of Art and Creativity.

By unveiling and becoming conscious of art’s powers and the process of creating from inspiration to physical product, artists/humans will be more impactful all around.

This is especially important in a time where everyone creates but has a hard time to get attention.

If you could work with one idol of yours, who would it be?

I really don’t have any idols, nor do I want to be in someone else’s shoes/life.

BUT, I would love to converse with Ron Howard and work with J.J. Abrams, because they seem to be the most conscious about the process of bringing the non-physical inspiration into the physical and communicating it in a way that humans get the message.

Name three films that have inspired you most in your journey.

Currently, I prefer series. For instance, almost all the PBS Masterpiece Theater series. The Outlaws on Prime, Slow Horses on Apple TV. You see, I really love good acting.

I just realized all of those are extremely humane, emotionally understandable and teach about the human condition. This is all I care about in life. My true north is in all my decisions: Humans, human potential and our habitat Nature. Thanks for this question.

Where can folks find out more about you online?

https://MICHAELLM.COM This gets you to my social sites, my 30sec. podcast, my music, books and screenplay.

Any last thoughts or pieces of advice to filmmakers out there?

There is nothing to know but to become conscious. A film school does not make you a successful or fulfilled creator. Like any school, academia is a business and sells you to teach you some filmmaking skills (which you can learn on the web for free) and social human interactions with similar minded individuals (this is the true value of any school, the social interaction.)

You can use your talent/life force to either become a super system navigator, getting financing, knowing the right people and how to make systems like Netflix, WB, Disney, Paramount to get your attention, but know in the end you have to be okay to please systems before you and your family.

Or, you can choose to use YOUR inner creativity to grow and understand your limitlessness through creating. This will make you independent of any system. Once you have some traction/experience, you can always use academia to fill in the exact blanks that you need or where you want to expand.

Creating is the key to discover the powers within you. It is more powerful than any university can ever be, because creating art/creativity teaches you the language of wisdom.

Once you are plugged into your wisdom, which creates guides to, you will enjoy most moments in your life and you will have all the right answers when you need them. Creation is key to a fulfilled life, not its potential symptoms of fame and glory.

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