"Films may be becoming more difficult to make than ever due to the lack of availability of supplies, but there are still a few out there making breathtakingly beautiful cinematic masterpieces. One of these people is my friend Sandra Powers. Sandra's work celebrates the unpredictability and the beauty of true art film. Sandra and I attended art school together and shared several film courses. I was lucky enough to work on shoots with her for class. She is an extremely driven cinematic visionary.
You may know Sandra from her audition on the TV show America's Got Talent when she was performing as part of the avant garde music group Timur & the Dime Museum.
Enjoy my interview with Sandra..."
You can read the full interview here:
http://nefertara.buzznet.com/user/journal/7782641/mini-interview-avant-garde-filmmaker/
As a child I was obsessed with painting. With my father's push, I decided not to pursue the pre-med path I had been accepted into for college and instead enrolled in the Massachusetts College of Art for painting. My first semester there I began working on installations that incorporated sound, image and lighting. I was trying to make my images come to life. Then I took a required introductory filmmaking class and realized that I had found the perfect art form that encompassed imagery, sound, lighting, imagination and story. I tried double-majoring with painting, but became too obsessed with film and decided to devote all my time in the moving image discipline.
The last roll of Kodachrome I shot was in New York with my friend Sindy, 3 years ago. I'm actually still editing that footage, but have to shoot a bit more (obviously with another kind of film.) I have to confess, I still have 1 roll of Kodachrome with sound that I am saving for a extremely rare, special occasion.
Film is precious. There is something very spiritual in shooting film. You never know what the results will be, and as much as you try to control it you can't because in the end it's chemistry and is affected by nature itself. I would prefer to shoot film any day over video, however it's very difficult to do that without huge financial means. The technology behind video is improving, It is also an instant medium and with hard drives it can be a very efficient and cost effective workflow. I've had to bite the bullet and switch to shooting video the majority of the time.
I have so many incredible influences in my work, from early photography to eastern european folktales and mythology and sideshow carnivals. I have always had an interest in the macabre and the bizarre. I find pleasure playing in the world of shadows and the unknown and seeing what it will unveil.
I love the late Alexander McQueen. A few other fashion designers I admire for the unique and bold visions are Gareth Pugh, Hirooka Naoto and Betsey Johnson. I also love the clothing subcultures of Japanese lolitas, Steampunk and Romantic Gothic.
That was quite the experience! I'm not sure how I ended up blowing bubbles on national TV for the carnivalesque, glam- rock ensemble "Timur and The Dime Museum," but I do know it has one of my most memorable experiences. Within 30 seconds we had 6 high amplitude PA's blasting boo's straight at us from different angles of the stage. It's amazing how preplanned the entire show was and how dramatically they edited the footage for what finally aired on TV. It was incredibly different live. Sharon Osborne even said, "You're called avant-garde and the rest of the world isn't ready for this yet." I took that as a compliment.
Alejandro Jodorowsky, Derek Jarman, Sergei Parajanov, The Brothers Quay, Georges Melies, Charlotte Pryce
I would love to be traveling the world and hopefully working on a contemporary fairytale film in another country.
8. What words of wisdom do you have for aspiring filmmakers?
To be sincere in your motives and follow your instincts. Filmmaking can be a very exciting subconscious process if you just follow what feels right. 
