Meet Julie Busse | Filmmaker, Film Editor, and Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Julie Busse and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Julie, putting aside the decision to work for yourself, what other decisions were critical to your success?
The most important decision that I make every day is to search for the real thing at the heart of the film, and don’t stop looking until it’s been uncovered. This means you have to dig deep into the artmaking and assess what about the film rings true, and what about the film is trying to be something it’s not. Yes, there can be stylistic choices, fiction, and dreams, but at the center of everything there has to be something real. Often I think what I put into my films comes off as surprising and unexpected, but that’s because it’s all true. The memories are true, the feelings are true, and the experiences and observations it’s based on are true. And then viewers respond to the surprise of seeing something they know from their own lives where they least expected to find it. Isn’t that why we make films at all – to see each other?

So often filmmakers are told that we have to make films for certain demographics because it has to sell, but I push back on that. If you make something true, it resonates with people in a way you cannot predict by their age or where they live. People can feel something real because it taps into all the complexities and nuances of their own life experiences. And that’s also why it’s so important to uplift diverse creators in film instead of trying to guess what viewers are going to like. Diverse voices bring truths that all of us will respond to in ways the larger film industry hasn’t seen before. The more space we all can make at the table, the fuller and more honest the picture will be.

This search for realness is important when I work with other film teams as well. As an editor or producer I am honest with my opinions in a respectful and direct manner. I definitely don’t know everything, but directors and other producers want to work with me because of my experience with and study of filmmaking, so it is crucial to provide that trained eye to their project while holding space for their ideas. Sometimes this leads to hard conversations when elements of a film aren’t lining up, or the story is too thin, or the footage just isn’t going where they had expected it to go. But if you are serving the artwork, the greatest honor you can give it is to assess it honestly and critically and work with the whole team to find the real thing, and then the film will achieve its most realized self. This as a sign of respect to the directors and producers as well – we can all give and receive constructive feedback because we all want to work together to elevate the film.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a filmmaker, and have made films in art cinema, dance film, and nature film. These three genres might seem different, but to me they are made up of the same elements – uncovering hidden truths in unexpected places, capturing sublime moments of beauty, and telling stories through movement.

My films focuses on wild spaces, and seeing ourselves in relationship to other people and in continuation with other animals. I think it’s important to dig deep into our own psychologies, communities, instinctual and ancestral lessons, and physicality to find healing and a better understanding of how we can live as a united part of the planet, with all of its wonder and darkness. I think this type of connection encourages a different perspective on time, which is another reason why I like film. Film has the special ability to use time as an artistic medium, and so in my work I like to nestle spaces that can exist outside of time into linear stories, and drawing attention to time as a medium.

Something I’m most proud about in my work is the way it feels. I have spent years studying many genres of film and working to hone my artistic eye to look for the new synthesis of meaning created by the edit points. My goal is always to find the through line that flows through the emotional twists and turns of the story and unites all of the scenes.

My rhythmic, melodic style owes a lot of thanks to my training in classical music. I come from a large family of musicians, and actually, some folks in Denver reading this may have had my grandma, aunts, or cousins as music teachers! I played viola in symphony orchestras for 24 years, and was part of the Denver Philharmonic until 2022.

Recently I co-directed a film with Candice Odgers called “The Old Bear”. It features Casey Anderson and has an original score by M.G. Clark. It all started when Casey, who’s a National Geographic Explorer and bear expert, mentioned in conversation that when old bears go to the mountain for the last time, they aren’t just digging their dens – they’re digging their graves. They’re just too old to survive the winter and they pass away while in torpor (often called hibernation). Candice and I were immediately intrigued, and the film has emerged as a reflection on what nature can teach us about aging and death. We interweave family stories and archival footage with spectacular footage of grizzlies filmed in Katmai National Park in Alaska. I also edited the film, and I think the pacing, color, and philosophical musings are all accurate examples of my artistic style. “The Old Bear” is set to premiere in Singapore at the Earth In Focus festival in November 2024!

I have also been the film editor for several nature films, and one of my favorite parts of working in nature film is getting the privilege of learning about how communities interact with unique ecosystems across the world. I am especially interested in human-animal stories, which play out in complex ways everywhere the lives of humans and wild animals meet. You can see this in “Kuishi Na Simba” (Living with Lions) (2023), a film I co-produced and edited for director Erica Rugabandana of Tanzania and producer Jacqueline Farmer. The film is about a family who live on the border of Serengeti National Park, and are struggling to live next to a family of lions. To protect the livestock who are crucial to his family’s livelihood, the father wants to poison the lions. But his young daughter says there’s another way forward – fortified bomas (cattle enclosures) and trip lights that scare the lions away. What I liked best about this film is that it was directed, written, and acted by people who are experiencing this same human-animal conflict in their own lives. The entire film is in Swahili. I think it’s crucial to hear about these issues from the very people who are living it. Human-wildlife conflict reaches across borders too, and you can see similarities in the nuances of the conversations communities who live alongside lions in Tanzania are having to the discussions we’re having in Colorado about the wolf reintroduction. You can stream “Kuishi Na Simab” (Living With Lions) on Curiosity Stream.

In a nutshell, here is how I got to where I am today, professionally. It’s an unusual path, and I hope it encourages anyone reading who thinks that film might be closed to them to go for it. Although the pipeline from film school to LA is valid, there are many different roads to becoming a filmmaker!

The same year that my twin sister and I were born, my family got a VHS camera. It was heavy and hard to use, but from the minute I learned how to press the buttons, I began to make films. First they starred my toys, then our family dog, then my friends. But there’s a catch. Although I loved making these home movies, I was also completely overwhelmed by film as a child. Its power to manipulate emotions was too much for me. So, fast forward to college, I went on to get an art degree instead. But through video art and experimental film courses I saw films like “Ballet Mecanique”, “Dog Star Man”, and “Meshes of the Afternoon”, which opened up new doors for me about how to consider the stories that could be told through the moving image. (To be honest though, the power of film still feels immense to me.)

I did my Master of Fine Arts at the University of Colorado Boulder where my experimental and historical understanding of film expanded. While there, I befriended and began to make films for the dancers in the dance MFA program. Ever since some of the earliest 19th century films, dance and film have been connected. So I moved to NYC and began working in dance film with Nic Petry of Dancing Camera. Through Dancing Camera I developed my artistic style in challenging environments. A dance performance passes by in real time (no retakes!), has a ton of movement, and often has very low lighting, all of which you have to capture after lugging heavy through the NYC subways. And like every new filmmaker, I made just about every mistake you can imagine. But that’s all part of the learning experience, and that trial by fire made me stronger. Thanks to Nic’s patience and tutelage I made big improvements and over the next few years we created many beautiful short films that highlighted important stories of dancers empowering change through art. On top of that, I got to see some of the best dance artists in the world!

I left NYC to teach as a visiting artist at Indiana University, and then after a year in San Francisco, moved home to Denver. In 2021 I edited “Isolation To Creation”, a four part dance miniseries about dance artists during the pandemic, directed by Nic Petry and produced by Works and Process at the Guggenheim. It went on to be nominated for a NY Emmy in 2022. That experience encouraged me to dream bigger about my goals in film.

In 2022 I made the leap into nature film by joining the Jackson Wild Collective. The collective is made up of nature filmmakers in every role, and attending the virtual and in person summits is how I was able to meet like minded people to team up for films. The Jackson Wild Collective is one of the largest film hubs for nature film in the world and is relatively close to Colorado, so I recommend any Denver filmmakers who are interested in nature film to check them out!

Today I am working on several films for larger teams as well as embarking on a new film that I’m writing and directing – I look forward to sharing it with you soon!

It has been a beautiful journey, but not an easy one. You ask what the biggest challenge was, and ironically it’s not the ideas, the art, the tech, or even meeting people that has been hard. The challenge has been the finances and practical matters of being a professional artist. Like so many people, in the beginning I had to work other jobs to keep the lights on. And there weren’t too many jobs available when I graduated in the 2009, during the height of the recession. I worked a number of service jobs, part time work, and teaching, gradually increasing the amount of paying film work I until I was full time filming and editing. Although these professions are important and the people I met were kind and dedicated, working other jobs on top of your full time job as an artist takes a lot of time and energy. And although you’re working hard and long hours, when you’re low income you have to make tough choices about housing, health care, you name it. It’s a fight to keep your own creative energy burning.

But I was able to keep going, with much thanks to the emotional support of my family and friends, especially my twin sister, mother, and husband, who encouraged me every step of the way. Knowing that even one person believes in your work can make all the difference. Through hard work and trust filled working relationships, I got some amazing opportunities to travel for film projects. I found the strength to move out of cities that depleted my resources and energy, despite their allure. A friend helped me out with housing. And then, little by little, one opportunity led to the next, and things began to change.

So, one thing I’d like the world to know from my story is to always believe in the art. To make sure that your health and safety is protected, but to not be afraid to take risks if you know there is something real trying to make its way into the world through your artwork. You can never stop fighting for that art, because you are its keeper. No one else can protect it but you, so don’t wait for someone to give you that elusive, solve-all-problems opportunity we’re all secretly hoping for. There is no silver bullet, so stop waiting and make the work now! Your art is in you for a reason, and you are the only one who can tell your own story.

Find your place with your people and physically put yourself there. Develop your relationships and always be an honest person who other people know they can trust. Tell the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable. Be kind, thoughtful, and generous. Look to other people just enough to appreciate new perspectives, but remember that your path will be different than the road other people have taken.

I hope that one day there can be a better national financial support system for artists. But for now, try to create the right amount of stability in your life so that the your art has a chance to grow. This may look different than a situation someone with more resources may have, but if you can carve out a life that feels creative and balanced the best you can, things will start to work out. And above all, don’t give up! Tell your story!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Here are some art spaces that I highly recommend everyone check out!

– Rainbow Dome: This is an art space that is also a roller skating rink. It’s LGBTQ+ led and very welcoming to everyone. The artwork is great and they have wonderful special events.

– The SIE Film Center always has great programming and the staff is so kind. They show films you can’t see anywhere else, and host a number of events that feature hard to find films!

– Circus Foundry performs all over the world, but their home is right here in Denver! They’re talented and creative circus artists, and I always catch their shows.

– The Colorado Burlesque Festival is filled with body positive celebration! It’s a three day event that happens downtown in Denver every summer and it’s so much fun.

– Collective Misnomer screens video and new media art, and is your way to find out what’s happening in the experimental and underground art cinema scene! The organizers are artists themselves and always know how to find what’s next in video.

– You can hear some wonderful classical music with the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra!

– Speaking of music, there’s lots of great local music venues in Denver, and my favorites are High Dive, Lion’s Lair, and Meadowlark. I’m especially intrigued by Meadowlark right now because I liked it as the bar it formerly was, but I love it even more now that it has turned into a hub for local music.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to shout out four people in the industry without whom I never would have gotten where I am today!

First, Nic Petry, Director of Dancing Camera, a production company in NYC that specializes in films for dance and the arts. He saw the potential of my work before anyone else, and supported me whole heartedly as I developed my artistic style.

Secondly, Sarah Lasley, an incredible film artist who teaches at Cal Poly Humboldt in California. In addition to being a great friend, Sarah has seen me and my work with deep understanding, and her energy, encouragement, and inspiration have powered my work tremendously.

I also want to shout out Candice Odgers, who is an amazing film editor from South Africa, and director of Think Lemonade Productions. She has enthusiastically nourished my cross genre ideas, and supported me in every way as I entered the nature film industry. I couldn’t have done it without her.

Lastly is Jacqueline Farmer, producer and director of Ouragan Productions and cofounder of the Nature Through Her Eyes Festival . She saw that I could take the next steps in my career before I even knew I was ready, and we have worked together on a number of amazing projects. I have grown so much as an artist under her guidance. She does amazing work supporting women and diverse voices across the globe.

Website: https://www.juliebusse.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howlllfilm/

Image Credits
Image 1 – (Man holding staff with cows). Credit: Still from “Kuishi Na Simba”, Directed by Erica Rugabandana. Julie was editor and co-producer. Image of Kenyata Rugari.

Image 2 – (Julie filming a deer) Credit: Julie Busse

Image 3 – (Lion yawning) Credit: Still from “Kuishi Na Simba”, Directed by Erica Rugabandana. Julie was editor and co-producer.

Image 4 – (Bird silhouettes) Credit: Still from “Wild Places” Co-Directed by Julie Busse and Aaron Travers.

Image 5 – (Bear sleeping) Credit: Still from “The Old Bear” Co-Directed by Julie Busse and Candice Odgers. Julie was also editor. Videographers Casey Anderson, Eli Harris, and Nate Kenney

Image 6 (Horse Running) – Credit: Still from “Everything, All At Once” (2009) by Julie Busse

Image 7 – (Woman in white with sun glare) Credit: Still from “(Re)Brilliancy” Directed by Drummond West, Produced by Tara Rynders. Julie was editor. Image of Tara Rynders

Image 8 – (Isolation to Creation Poster) Credit: “Isolation to Creation” Poster, Director Nic Petry. Julie was editor and screenwriter. Image of Karma Stylz.