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Ready, set - action!
There are plenty of multi-hyphenated actor/writer/ directors out
there - or singer/songwriter/actor/directors or what have you. But
how many psychologist/ writer/directors do you know?
Forensic psychologist, Maryanne Galvin, Ed.D., is employed full
time for the Department of Mental Health (DMH), working in the Massachusetts
trial courts. In her spare time, she has written screenplays, directed
short instructional films for the DMH, and filmed, directed, edited
and produced two feature-length documentaries, one of which has
been shown in film festivals around the country and in Ireland.
How does a psychologist become a filmmaker? New England Psychologist's
Catherine Robertson Souter sat down with Galvin to find out.
Q: Were you a psychologist who became a filmmaker or the other
way around?
A: Well, I got my doctorate from UMass Amherst in 1980, but,
I had a very early interest in writing and storytelling that was
pretty much there all through my history. So much so that my doctoral
dissertation was on creativity and problem solving. I was always
interested in the cognitive processes and also the more visceral,
creative process that individuals go through in solving problems.
I would say that was really the genesis for pushing forward with
more creative writing.
Early in my career as a psychologist I did a lot of academic writing,
juried journal articles, spin-offs from my dissertation. Then, I
became more interested in writing more popular articles. For instance,
I did an article about adolescents who join gangs and published
that in a magazine for adolescents. I started to branch out away
from the academic and more towards the general public.
It was something I did for myself on the side as a creative place
for myself to go and re-create and relax.
As I got more interested in writing as a sort of parallel self-fulfillment
outside the job, I decided that I wanted to take more classes and
be in a community of writers. I submitted some writing samples and
was accepted into the Emerson College Master of Fine Arts program
[where] I did a feature length fiction screenplay as my thesis.
So, that really sort of further developed my interest in cinema
and screen. I'd always loved film and dramatic storytelling and
so this sort of coalesced all those interests.
Q: You did all this while working at the DMH?
A: I was working 40 hours a week as a psychologist, but the
MFA program was geared to graduate students, so classes were at
night, a lot of weekend workshops. I had already been practicing
psychology for about 10 years. At that point I was working with
DYS, but still court involved. Really early on I was more child
and family focused, worked at New England Medical Center and at
McLean Hospital and I always had a little bit of a private practice.
Q: Do you still have a private practice?
A: No, I haven't done any psychotherapy treatment in probably
12 years.
Q: What do you, as a psychologist, bring to the medium?
A: I think it's a wonderful complement, to be a psychologist
and a filmmaker. They are parallel tracks if you ask me. First of
all, the very ability to interview someone - that's inherent in
what we do as psychologists - and the overriding need to get to
the heart of the matter with clients and patients. And my ability
to be comfortable with people and make people comfortable with me
(helped). People on the last two films that I was working on said
that they really did forget that I had a camera in the room. I set
it up and get it rolling and just get a conversation going. They
forget it's there.
Certainly the overriding interest in the narrative in another person's
life… I really want to know this person on many levels and bring
that sensibility to a film. I think it enriches my work…I hope.
Q: Your film, "Amuse Bouche, A Chef's Tale," a documentary about
South Boston native and celebrated local chef Barbara Lynch, has
seen some success.
A: It was shown at eight festivals and it's still having a nice
little life for itself. It won an award at the 17th Annual Wine
Festival in Sonoma, California - Best Domestic Documentary. It was
screened at the Rhode Island International Film Festival and the
Woods Hole Film Festival. It screened in New Hampshire, in New Bedford,
Mass., and even in Northern Ireland. I was invited there in their
short competition.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I am working on a film entitled "High, Fast and Wonderful."
It's a non-fiction essay, both an internal and a surface odyssey
with a spiritual narrative structure.
Q: Which means what? What would the box in the video store say?
A: Hmmm, well…'It's a multi-layered saga ex-ploring four extraordinary
individuals who are Catholic clergy ministering in some most unusual
places.' The four clergy are under the direction of the U.S. Catholic
Conference of Bishops in Washington, D.C. and their mission is entitled
"People on the Move." One ministers to circuses all over the country.
One is a priest who ministers to champion racecar drivers all over
the world. The third is a local priest who ministers to migrant
workers on Nantucket. They are all under the coordination of a nun
who directs this "People on the Move" ministry. She is the guide
through this journey.
It's sort of a subjective journey - so that's why I say it's an
internal odyssey - which was prompted by some unfortunate experiences
that I had which caused me to look at a renewal of my faith, just
at a time when the Catholic Church was going through its own crisis.
These four are my guides through this search for meaning, connection,
and a renewal of faith.
I did all the filming during the summer and fall on weekends and
now I am editing.
Q: Any advice for other psychologists who read this and may
be inspired?
A: Have a good story; learn as much as you can about the craft.
The resources are out there to learn. Be willing to sacrifice a
lot of your personal time and most likely your own resources. There's
not a lot of money out there for independent filmmaking.
Look at your values. What is important to you? What brings you
fulfillment? That could be different for everybody. If you think
that writing a story and then telling it visually will fulfill you,
give it a shot.
But I think my overall advice, and I don't have to tell psychologists
this, is honor your creative drive, whatever it is. Knitting a sweater,
planting a garden, baking the best chocolate cake.
Certainly before they embark, think about doing what they value.
All choices come with a cost. In my case, I work part-time at a
job I love but I live a pretty low-maintenance lifestyle in a two-bedroom
condo. I drive a Honda; I wear clothes I bought 10 years ago; I
don't belong to a fancy gym; I don't watch much television. Analogous
to raising a child, there is a lot of self-sacrifice but you make
a choice.
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