Today we’d like to introduce you to Patrick Shen.
Hi Patrick, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m a filmmaker based out of Arcadia, CA. I make mostly non-fiction feature length work and the themes of my films tend to lean toward the existential. I was a really existentially curious teenager. From Freud to Plato to Native American spirituality, I read and explored everything that could give me some clues about how to be in the world. While in high school, I got the opportunity to take a video production course which I would attend in the evenings and I was immediately hooked. I had discovered a language that could for the first time speak into the human experience in a way that spoken language could not for me. Later I began to understand how cinema could be, rather than just a carrier of a message or narrative, an embodiment of those things where the delineation between idea and form dissolves.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The lack of struggle would be a sure sign that I’ve taken the wrong path. I’ve struggled just as much as the next artist. Lack of funding and resources, self-doubt, stolen gear, hard drive crashes, etc. all come with the territory of venturing bravely into a world that doesn’t often reward those who veer from its hard worn paths. I think ultimately sustainability is the greatest challenge of any artist. Whether it’s financial, emotional, or spiritual, there are always forces working against them as they struggle to stay committed long term to the work. Staying committed to a singular vision for years on end – as filmmakers must do with each project – is a tall order and requires one to fight with every fiber of their being just to keep their heads above water.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
While I dabble in writing and photography, most of my work is of the cinematic kind. I’ve spent the last two decades making mostly non-fiction feature films. I’m grateful that all my films have received distribution and have been seen widely. My most recent feature film “In Pursuit of Silence” was released theatrically in 8 countries including the UK, USA, and Japan and opened in 150+ theaters. It’s an incredible gift for me to see that my existential pursuits translated to the cinematic realm have resonated with others. I’ve lost count of how many times people – family, friends, etc. – have urged me to make a more “commercially accessible” film in order to widen the reach of my work. The world is always tempting us to fall in line and I’m proud to say that I’ve stayed true to my mission and have found a way to make a living at it. I like to think of my work as a trail of bread crumbs for the existentially curious and for those asking the big questions which have implications in the here and now, but also for generations to come.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
As my work has taken on a quieter and more contemplative tone over the last several years, many would be surprised to know that my creative roots are and will always be firmly embedded in the world of metal music. I grew up playing in metal and rock bands all the way into my twenties and that desire to move people, to agitate the sleep of mankind, to inject my work with an energy that is unmistakable has stayed with me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.patrickshen.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/patshen
- Twitter: twitter.com/patshen
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/transcendfilms
- Other: https://vimeo.com/transcendental
Image Credits:
Patrick Shen
