“My inspiration came from the love and excitement that encompasses a story,” he said. “Stories offer salient points of the human experience; this can be in films, books, poetry, and other art forms.”
On his favorite part of this experience making this short, he said, “My favorite part about making the film was I could bring actors from all backgrounds to the project; the diversity made the magic.”
He acknowledged that he is a “fan of the digital age.” “I would call it the advanced age in the industry. With streaming services, people get more films faster and at a better price. Although I love going to the movies, not everyone has the time, extra money, transportation, and health,” he said.
“Also, it opens up opportunities for unknown actors and marginalized groups to produce and distribute content,” he said. “Many filmmakers have a hard time accepting the digital adjustment; however, most of the disappointment comes from their ego. I understand it is not solely ego; it is also the financial estimates, and the human connection or camaraderie that warrants this disapproval. Nevertheless, if you make a good movie people will notice.”
Regarding his future plans, he said, “I am in post-production on my feature documentary film ‘Mucho Gusto Colombia’ that highlights Colombia’s food and culture. The culture is often not acknowledged by popular media due to vices and crime. In addition, I am moving forward with my team on writing a telemovie.”
For young and aspiring filmmakers, he encouraged them to “be flexible,” and then, the “magic will happen.” “Another thing I can not stress enough, use all your resources regarding equipment and locations. In other words, if you only have a camera phone to make a film, use it–don’t wait on approval,” he said.
He opened up about life during the quarantine. “As you know, the quarantine froze the world; I used my time to write short scenes from previous ideas. Also, I attend the University of California, Berkeley, so the silver lining was focusing more on my studies,” he said.
On his definition of the word success, Duffey said, “Success is having the freedom to unite with life in a meaningful way. Undoubtedly, people focus on material wealth as a representation of success. However, it can not be purchased. Any success I have obtained in life has been from accomplishing goals that I feared.”
Duffey concluded about Jim’s Gibberish, “It is a dark comedy that implements real-life situations that might arrive at work. Throughout the movie, Jim’s delirium defends his reality, making for funny yet dark moments.”
