1263: Film Theory by Xan Forest Phillips - The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily

Summary5 min read

Podcast Summary: The Slowdown Episode 1263 - "Film Theory" by Xan Forest Phillips

Release Date: December 18, 2024
Host: Major Jackson
Podcast: The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily
Produced by: American Public Media in partnership with The Poetry Foundation, supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Introduction to the Episode

In Episode 1263 of The Slowdown, host Major Jackson delves into the intricacies of poetic expression and personal resilience through the lens of Zan Forest Phillips' poem, "Film Theory." The episode intertwines Major Jackson's personal experiences with broader reflections on the artistic journey, particularly focusing on the theme of rejection and its impact on creativity.

Personal Journey Through Rejection [00:36 - 02:30]

Major Jackson opens the episode by sharing her initial struggles as a poet facing rejection from literary journals:

"My first rejections from literary journals were a gut punch. I took the plunge to see how my poems would fare in the big wide world of lit magazines, hopeful that I would find an audience." [00:45]

She recounts the painstaking process of selecting and submitting her work:

"I sent only five poems. They were carefully curated to match the tastes of editors at five chosen literary journals." [01:10]

Despite her meticulous efforts, the responses were terse and discouraging:

"Please submit in three years. We don't publish these. Ouch." [02:00]

Jackson reflects on the emotional toll of these rejections, emphasizing that the pain is a common experience among artists:

"The feeling lingered for days. Of course it wasn't personal. Eventually I accepted that my pain was part of the process." [02:20]

The Universality of Artistic Rejection [02:31 - 03:40]

Expanding beyond her personal narrative, Major Jackson explores the universal nature of rejection in the creative fields:

"Think of those stories of the visual artist not selected for a group show, or the actor who doesn't get the call back, or the dancer whose tryout was just shy of their peers." [02:55]

She underscores how different artists channel these experiences, either by letting the hurt extinguish their creative spark or by using it to deepen their commitment to their art:

"The best of them use it to fuel their creative fires." [03:10]

Jackson poignantly notes the perpetual presence of desired achievements on the horizon, implying that the journey of an artist is one of constant striving and resilience:

"Even after small or great success as an artist, the hurt of falling short in face of what you want never goes away. Some desired achievement is always on the horizon." [03:30]

Analyzing "Film Theory" by Zan Forest Phillips [03:41 - 05:50]

Transitioning to the featured poem, Major Jackson provides an in-depth analysis of "Film Theory," highlighting its exploration of fiction versus reality and the construction of character through film:

"Film Theory by Zan Forrest Phillips... Hurt me considerably, and I'll act like nothing happened. Nothing happened, but I expired on the cellular level." [04:00]

She delves into the poem's examination of how fiction manipulates images and characters:

"Fiction cannot unplant an image. It can only corrupt it. Film corrupts an image at 24 frames per second." [04:30]

Jackson interprets the poem's commentary on identity and shame within the confines of cinematic portrayal:

"A character wears a body, not the other way around. A body wears shame its own or a director's. Anything that contradicts a director, they cut." [05:00]

She reflects on the metaphor of the "cut" in film as a moment of severance and transformation for a character:

"A cut is a place where I have been severed from myself. A character is a version severed from itself." [05:20]

Concluding Reflections [05:51 - 06:05]

Major Jackson wraps up the episode by reiterating the show's mission to provide daily moments of calm, inspiration, and engagement with poetry:

"The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual... with host Major Jackson, we collectively take a moment to calm, to inspire, to learn..." [05:51]

She encourages listeners to connect further through the show's online presence and newsletters, fostering a community centered around poetic reflection.

Key Takeaways

Resilience in Art: Rejection is an inherent part of the artistic journey, serving both as a test and a catalyst for creative growth.
Impact of Rejection: The emotional response to rejection can either diminish an artist's drive or intensify their commitment to their craft.
"Film Theory" Insights: The poem explores the fragility of identity within fiction, the manipulation of images through film, and the inherent disconnect between a character's true self and their cinematic portrayal.
Artistic Identity: There's a continuous negotiation between an artist's internal self and external portrayals, emphasizing the delicate balance between personal authenticity and creative representation.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

On Personal Rejection:

"My first rejections from literary journals were a gut punch." [00:45]
On the Submission Process:

"I sent only five poems. They were carefully curated to match the tastes of editors..." [01:10]
On the Emotional Impact:

"The feeling lingered for days. Of course it wasn't personal." [02:20]
On Universal Artistic Struggles:

"Think of those stories of the visual artist not selected for a group show..." [02:55]
On Using Rejection as Fuel:

"The best of them use it to fuel their creative fires." [03:10]
On the Nature of Fiction:

"Fiction cannot unplant an image. It can only corrupt it." [04:30]
On Character and Identity:

"A character wears a body, not the other way around." [05:00]

Final Thoughts

This episode of The Slowdown masterfully intertwines personal narrative with poetic analysis, offering listeners both solace and insight into the often tumultuous journey of artistic creation. Major Jackson's reflections on rejection and her thoughtful dissection of "Film Theory" provide a compelling exploration of the delicate balance between an artist's inner world and their external expressions.

For those seeking daily inspiration and a deeper understanding of poetry's role in reflecting our shared human experiences, Episode 1263 offers a profound and relatable meditation.

Connect with The Slowdown:

Website: slowdownshow.org
Newsletter Signup: Available on the website
Instagram: @SlowdownShow
Support: Visit arts.gov for more information

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Transcript3 lines

[00:01]
A
Once upon a time, Amazon Music met audiobooks, and listeners everywhere rejoiced. Oh yeah, because now they could listen to one audiobook title a month from an enormous library of popular audiobook titles, including Romantasy, Autobiographies, True Crime, and more. Suddenly, listeners didn't mind sitting in traffic or even missing their flight. Amazon Music Unlimited now includes Audible Download, the Amazon Music app now to start listening Terms apply.
[00:37]
B
I'm Major Jackson and this is the Slowdown My first rejections from literary journals were a gut punch. I took the plunge to see how my poems would fare in the big wide world of lit magazines, hopeful that I would find an audience. I had until then only shared my work with friends. I purchased the trade book Poets Market and identify which publications I thought my work best fit. As instructed in the chapter Insider Tips on what Editors Want, I sent only five poems. They were carefully curated to match the tastes of editors at five chosen literary journals. This was in the days before online submissions to write the COVID letter, make out checks for submission fees, stuff the envelopes with poems in a self addressed stamped envelope, then drive to the post office. Took me several hours. When I deposited my palms into the big blue mailbox that first time, I felt the glow of pride and confidence. Several days, not weeks later, the poems were returned with little slips of dismissive remarks Inside doesn't do it for us. Please submit in three years. We deliberated long and hard. Alas, these poems never reached the finish line. Nice sonnets. We don't publish these. Ouch. The swiftness and brevity of responses stung. Maybe. Maybe I wasn't cut out to write poems. It felt personal. The feeling lingered for days. Of course it wasn't personal. Eventually I accepted that my pain was part of the process. All artists experienced the dreaded no thank you many times over. Think of those stories of the visual artist not selected for a group show, or the actor who doesn't get the call back, or the dancer whose tryout was just shy of their peers. The best of them use it to fuel their creative fires. Even after small or great success as an artist, the hurt of falling short in face of what you want never goes away. Some desired achievement is always on the horizon. Today's poem reminds me that artists exist in a culture of rejection and over time, the little illusory nicks to your ego and the weight of commitment to your art either extinguishes your fire or has you recommit even more. Driven by that sheer love of making Film Theory by Zan Forrest Phillips a character I love dies and I am ruined. Things that haven't happened hurt me considerably. Hurt me considerably, and I'll act like nothing happened. Nothing happened, but I expired on the cellular level. Cell death corresponds to an intangible loss. Intangible loss is fiction's cornerstone. I corner fiction for a confession. I'm not real. None of this is. Fiction cannot unplant an image. It can only corrupt it. Film corrupts an image at 24 frames per second. When an image corrupts a body, we call this character. A character wears a body, not the other way around. A body wears shame its own or a director's. Anything that contradicts a director, they cut. A cut is a place where I have been severed from myself. A character is a version severed from itself. A version deceased withers on its person. The Slowdown is a production of American Public Media in partnership with the Poetry Foundation. This project is also supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. On the web@arts.gov to get a poem delivered to you daily, go to slowdownshow.org and sign up for our newsletter. Find us on Instagram. Slowdown Show.
[06:05]
A
Once upon a time, Amazon Music met audiobooks, and listeners everywhere rejoiced. Oh, yeah, because now they could listen to one audiobook title a month from an enormous library of popular audiobook titles, including Romantasy, Autobiographies, True Crime, and more. Suddenly, listeners didn't mind sitting in traffic or even missing their flight. Amazon Music Unlimited now includes Audible Download, the Amazon Music app now to start listening Terms apply.