Christen Bach: Balancing Passion and Pragmatism in Film

What are the most formidable challenges inherent to the profession of filmmaking?

Funding: It is a bit of a pragmatic answer. Although a huge part of making films comes from a place of love, you also want to work with great, and skilled people, and sometimes it is nice to be able to pay them their worth. I work in animation, which is a medium of endless possibilities, and I love every moment of it. But the process can be a bit pricey, and the bureaucracy of finding the finances can be an almost Kafka’esque endeavour at times. Luckily there are good producers out there that are passionate about excel sheets and navigating the system. The rest of it: The collaborations, the development, the problem-solving, the process… Even the long hours at times. I f#!§% love.

Could you elaborate on the wellspring of your creative inspiration for this particular short film?

“The Great Connection” is a (very loose) reinterpretation of an old Hans Christian Andersen story from 1871 called “The Great Sea Serpent”. Together with 9 other animation directors I was commissioned by a museum to create an audio/visual rendition of mythologies or stories from the Wadden Sea – a stretch of shallow waters off the coast of Denmark, Germany and Holland. Because I am Danish, we got a story by HCA. It happens all the time! In the original story the ocean wildlife is wondering about a new telegraph cable appearing at the bottom of the ocean. It is basically just a bunch of fish wondering what the heck that cable is. We were a bit more intrigued by the mythological angle, so we reworked the material to be a bit more contemporary. I wrote and created the film together with the composer, Elia Rediger, and from the get-go we knew we wanted to make it a musical. And our approaches combined ended up in this weird mix between Philip Glass, Disney and Bowie.

Could you elucidate on the central thematic underpinning of your film?

I guess it is a philosophical musing on what happens to our spirituality in a time of instant information… Mythology vs the digital communication age. We are living in a time where people are lonelier than ever in spite of being instantly connected all the time: And the creatures asks themselves: Is this the future? Or will the teeth of this thing cause nothing but tears?

How do you navigate the task of strategizing cost-effective promotional efforts when operating within a constrained budget?

Cost effective is almost always equal to doing a lot of the work yourself. There is a whole hierarchy on the festival circuit; What festivals to apply to first? What festivals cost money? Which are worth it? etc… and the application process takes a lot of time. Sometimes it pays off hiring a distributer to deal with all the festival application stuff. It is a time Vs money issue. Luckily, It has gotten way easier to reach a larger audience through social media, and if you are lucky (or well connected) and your film is making waves, the promotion almost takes care of it self.

In today's dynamic marketplace, how pivotal do you consider the role of film distribution?

It is an interesting question, since the landscape is changing so quickly. The role of film distribution is still quite pivotal, however, the way films are being both produced and distributed has changed vastly over the past few years. We all know someone who is planning to do their next big thing with Netflix (if they can find a way to pitch it), And luckily, the rise in short film driven formats, like Love, Death & Robots or The House, is also helping to put more focus on shorter, snack sized formats in viewers that traditionally only have been watching features or series.

For individuals contemplating the path of self-distribution, what counsel or insights can you offer?

To be honest, I don’t really have much insight to offer on that account. It is not really my wheelhouse.

In your estimation, what level of significance do short films hold for aspiring filmmakers seeking to embark on a career in directing?

It is the A&O. It is a bite-sized endeavour compared to making a feature – although it can be a daunting task if you fall too far down the rabbit hole. And if you look at it, a great feature is nothing more than a series of shorts stringed together in a beautiful manner. That being said, I often get the feeling that people underestimate the skillset that goes into making short films. I know great filmmakers that have build a career out of making amazing shorts. It seems to be changing now with all the new digital streaming platforms and people getting used to shorter format content through ex. YouTube, and more and more niche shorts are doing quite well on platforms like Vimeo On Demand.

Reflecting on your professional journey thus far, could you share an instance of the most formidable challenge you encountered and how you surmounted it?

The biggest challenge… a proper work/life balance. For years every project I did was “do or die” and created in almost manic bursts. For most of my professional career I didn’t separate myself from my output, and I honestly think that most people in my surroundings did the same… It sounds pretty rock’n’roll romantic, but it is an unhealthy loop. As I met my wife, she was quick to cut through all the bullshit and pull me out of my work-mode to go sit on a log in the woods somewhere or take a daytrip to the beach. It took getting kids and a burnout for me to finally do something about it. And honestly, the inspiration from doing something else, the periods where I completely unplug, and shedding the idea of yourself as a protagonist has been a huge gift. It has brought a focus and a hunger back into the creating process. I think the realization that my work isn’t that important compared to being a good dad or husband or friend, helps make the process lighter and more playful…

What, in your view, are the critical factors that contribute to the creation of a cinematic masterpiece?

What a larger-than-life question. Haha. I can only talk for my own process, and the more playful and enjoyable that is – the better the end product. But isn’t a true cinematic masterpiece lightning in a bottle if we have to be honest? It is the perfect storm of people, story and circumstance.

If you could revisit the inception of your career, are there any aspects or decisions you would choose to alter in hindsight?

I would probably have tried to go to film-school. Back when I started out, I didn’t agree with the approach to animated storytelling they had at the Danish National Film School, so I took a different route. What I realized after working in the industry for a while, is that a good film- or animation-school fast tracks you by providing you with a close, professional network – and it automatically sets you up as a part of the system. It proved extremely hard working my way into the national funding system without a proper degree, although I had 2 extremely successful independent shorts under my belt, that I had both produced and directed. One of the consultants at the Film Board told me straight up, that their money was better spent with someone who had properly learned how to make film. I guess that is honest talk. Haha. Luckily that is all water under the bridge. Life is too short for regrets…