Past Filmmakers

Eric Mlyn
Pinwheels

1. How did you come up with the idea for the film?
Prior to making the film, my family had been at the beach together talking about how much pinwheels are loved, and how special it was that grandma always made sure that the cookies were at the beach. She often will have a member of the family deliver them to us.  This happens more and more as she is able to travel less. It was then that we decided to document this important tradition in our family. I guess we wanted to save this for history.

2. How long did the production process take?
The filming took a weekend and a few other interviews, and the production took 6 months.  There was a lot of editing, as we had to reduce about 15 hours of film to 5 minutes.

3. What challenges did you experience in the creation of the film?
My grandmother at first refused to participate, but she eventually came around. She was very self-conscious about her appearance. I think that she really turned out to be a star, played very well to the camera and is actually a compelling character in her own right.  And she is funny, and I think very often knows it.  We also had to leave some family members on the cutting room floor, and they are not very happy about this.

4. What is your favorite memory from creating the film?
Eating the cookies warm, something I have not done in years. I think that we all really enjoyed learning about the history of pinwheels and how they are made, but I do not think any of us would dare try to make them.  There is something sacred about them as made by Helen.

5. When someone has finished watching the film, what do you hope they take away from the experience?
I hope they take away the importance of and sense of family. I also hope they take away the importance of humor, which is very central to our family but I am not sure we realized how important humor would be in this film.  I think that Helen's son Sandy is really funny and makes the film.  Pinwheels are symbols of something bigger than cookies.

6. What type of reaction has your film received from viewers?
They have laughed, and that is very gratifying.  People seem to really like it so it is nice to see the response.

7. What advice would you give to aspiring young filmmakers?
Make a film that you care about, and have a sister and brother-in-law who really know how to do production. As a first time filmmaker, I did not realize how hard this whole process is.  And I of course would have been left with just an idea without the work and expertise of my sister Mara Mlyn and her fiancé Michael Cormier.  They did the bulk of the hard work, and I would simply complain when they made decisions that I did not agree with.

8. Please tell us about the next film you plan to work on?
No immediate plans.

9. What are your thoughts on the film industry in NC?
I really do not know much about the film industry per se, but I do know that the documentary scene in the area is very vibrant.  The Documentary Film Festival and the Center for Documentary Studies are wonderful incubators for documentary filmmakers.  I direct a scholarship program where many students do a lot of documentary work around the world, so I have been able to observe the power of making documentaries.