Meet Marie-Michele Jasmin-Belisle | filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Marie-Michele Jasmin-Belisle and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marie-Michele, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
These days, I’m learning that the road less traveled is what people are most interested in… shooting without a tripod (it slows me down!), with available light, with a micro-crew, involving non-film people, making it a community event, building and rebuilding story and character as we go, channeling the spirit of the locations we shoot in, leaving a healthy amount of space for improvisation… that’s what has made me ‘me’, but also what has gotten me to where I am now! Nobody’s got time to climb the ladder…

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’d say that a healthy part of ‘ignorance is bliss’ with a heavy dose of ‘i don’t care, i’m doing it anyway’ and a sprinkle of lucky stars is what has led me to where I am at… not that my path ends here or that I am anywhere remotely near to where I’m headed! While being told of the model of ‘start as a P.A. on various sets and work your way up from there’, I ended up ditching the ladder and taking the side door instead. This meant choosing to be indie as opposed to industry, self-funding my own projects while directing, shooting and editing for other people in order to pay my bills, and occasionally taking a non-film side job, like a 3 year stint working with costumes back home in Montreal – which incidentally, led me to writing my first period drama series based on the story of the costume house I was working at! I strongly believe that doing too much client work in film leads to never making your own, and that you need to set boundaries -and give yourself deadlines- to finish your own films. My reference to ‘ignorance is bliss’ is in regards to ‘how things are done’… i think by most standards, I don’t operate in a way that makes sense -it’s too risky, too rushed, there are too many unknowns… by working with non-actors, shooting in public locations without asking for permission, not bringing in a whole crew but keeping it small -more nimble, more flexible… But that is exactly what has allowed me to get the shots in these locations, get the real emotions because I cast people who “are” the characters, and get really close to people’s faces- and emotions- because there isn’t a whole set up of lights around me to distract them… I am still learning so much especially within the narrative space, and of course I’ll be happy to shoot a film ‘the proper way’ one day and see how that goes, if I can still get the magic and the goosebumps.. but for now, I have plenty on my plate and I am excited for the new projects I’m involved in at the moment !

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Get a poke bowl or two from Poke Poke, set up my truck with cushions and pillows and go tailgate on Vulcan ave. in Encinitas overlooking the ocean… Later on, drinks at Waverly in Cardiff, and/or a visit to Wolfie’s Carousel in San Diego or Raised by Wolves in La Jolla (the latter being a speakeasy… and a proper one!)… Walk from Swami’s beach to D street beach, hike Torrey Pines, or the slot canyon by the lagoon… Go the the Leucadia Farmers Market on Sundays and get the vegetarian buns, check out what’s new at Seaweed and Gravel, Friends of Friends and Station (next to the salon)… Head to Gelato 101 for the afternoon fix… Bird Rock Roasters for afternoon coffee (also, pop tart w raspberry!)… Praeger Brothers for a quick sandwich… I mean, I could go on all day. This little part of the coast is nothing short of lifestyle paradise.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Selena Moshell! Always has my back and believed in me since day 1!

Website: www.8h51.com

Instagram: @8h51_mariemichele

Youtube: youtube.com/8h51

Other: patreon.com/8h51