Artist Manifesto

My name is Ben Bonham and I am an Artist.  Digital film, photography, graphic art, music, and woodworking are all specialties of mine, although I am special in many ways.  My favorite part about making art is the response.  I can't say that there is a certain response I look for when making art because the art is created in the moment and it comes from within. I believe we all have different life stories therefore we are all capable of making art that is different than anything ever seen or created before. I plan to graduate from UNCW as a Film Major with a graphic art minor in order to one day have all the tools and connections to build a production company here in Wilmington NC.  Lets bring back those film incentives not through competing with one another but through collaboration and coexistence!

Fred Camper's What is Experimental Film - I agree with Fred Camper with most of his bullet points.  The only thing I would have to say about these notes is that experimental film should not have rules, categories, or requirements.  Experimental film is an experiment in order to find what works for the artist/filmmaker, not the viewer.  

Maya Deren - As of right now, I consider myself a professional amateur.  Although I know what it takes to be a professional filmmaker, I love to make film and I do so for the sake of it. I also realize I have to make a living.  I understand being a professional can take the fun out of making a film, but there is a time and place to be an "amateur."  When I am trying to make money, I have to be professional to make the client happy.