JOURNEY TO DISCOVERY
Albuquerque filmmaker to present film, ‘Gyrus,’ at Guild Cinema
Details are everything to Eric Chamberlain.
By paying attention to those details, the Albuquerque-based filmmaker got inspired to create the film, “Gyrus.”
“I went back to school to finish my degree with the idea of remaining a graphic designer,” he says. “That’s how I got into the film thing. Halfway through that, I wanted to make my own films and use my own ideas.”
During that time, Chamberlain developed the beginning of “Gyrus.”
The film will screen at the Guild Cinema at 10:30 p.m. Nov. 29. The film is also available to stream on Amazon.
The film follows Subject 8477447, played by Chamberlain, who is trapped in a room and wants to go home.
Tormented by an unknown being, he escapes to find the world is not as he thought.
His journey home is not just physical, but also spiritual, ultimately a single moment between life and eternity. And what his evolution means for humanity is ultimately up to the viewer.
The film, written, directed, produced, shot, acted, scored and edited entirely by Chamberlain, was produced over seven years in Albuquerque.
After working with other actors fell through, Chamberlain made the decision to make the film completely by himself.
“I wasn’t going to be in the film myself,” Chamberlain admits. “The original role was to be female. I ended up making the film myself and writing myself into it.”
He continues, “My inability to govern my creative energy led to life-threatening self-destructive behavior. I had to become a filmmaker to save my own life. Some of the visions in ‘Gyrus’ are among my earliest memories as a child. ‘Gyrus’ is the result and is, in a sense, semi-biographical.”
Before he began shooting, Chamberlain had a life transformation.
“I lost 60 pounds in four months and right towards the end of shooting, I had to be taken to the hospital,” he says. “It turned out to be just exhaustion. Another challenge was that my mom suffered a stroke while I was making the film. I had to look after her while still doing production. I had to also make sure I was taking care of my health problems.”
Filming took place at his mother’s home, as well as arroyos and open space next to the Four Hills area.
“The editing wasn’t hard,” he says. “It’s also the most important part and no matter where you are in the film, the ideas become the raw material for the next step.”
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