Meet this month’s standout artist, Genevive Mack, whose unique voice in filmmaking has earned her the title of The Forge’s Artist of the Month. From an early age, film and visual storytelling were present in Mack’s life, but it wasn’t until recently that she fully dove into the world of filmmaking with a serious eye. Her journey is filled with experimentation and a commitment to creating art that stands out. Mack’s love for filmmaking runs deep. Growing up, her dad introduced her and her sister to a world of unique, obscure films. This exposure shaped her creative mindset early on.

The Multimedia Art and Design (MAD) Academy music video project marked Mack’s first serious filmmaking endeavor. With a desire to create something fresh and different, she aimed to express ideas that felt authentic and outside the norm. She shared, 

“I definitely wanted to stay away from a stereotypical story, something out of the box and out of my comfort zone.”

For this project, Mack chose “Dance Yrself Clean” by LCD Soundsystem as her soundtrack, allowing her to experiment with vibrant colors and playful visuals. The energy of the song gave Mack a vivid idea of what she wanted, which she brought to life on screen. Her love for music has always played a role in her creativity, influencing her choices in storytelling and visual style.

This year was the first time Mack worked with professional equipment. With guidance from her MAD Academy teacher, Shay, she learned the ropes of using Canon Rebel cameras and experimented with fisheye lenses. The professional tools allowed Mack to explore new techniques in her filmmaking.

One of her favorite aspects of filmmaking is playing with color, which has become a hallmark of her style. Mack prefers colorful imagery and feels the best outcomes come from broad ideas, instead of boxing herself into one concept.

Storytelling, she admits, was one of the most challenging parts of the creative process. When developing the storyline for her music video, she went through multiple plot ideas. 

“The best thing you can do when coming up with a story is film what you know and use your resources,” she notes. Mack also utilized her friend’s car and any houses that inspired her, and just got creative with what she had around her.

Mack often grapples with the pressure to meet her own high standards. One of the most significant challenges has been managing these expectations and learning to give herself the same grace she affords others. 

“I try and remind myself that I shouldn’t have such high expectations for myself.”

Looking ahead, Mack envisions a future that blends her love for music and cinema. She hopes to work within the music industry, potentially creating music videos and collaborating with bands. The resources available at the MAD Academy have given her a chance to explore these interests further.

To other students interested in exploring photography and filmmaking, Mack has simple but powerful advice:

“Go and create, that’s all you have to do. Even if you don’t think you’re good enough, or you don’t think you have the resources for it, that’s never the answer. It doesn’t matter if you’re good enough as long as you go and create, because you’re ahead of so many people who won’t even try.”

[Image Credit Genevieve Mack]