I made some rules and one was that the camera must be passed. Everyone in the scene must agree to be filmed. No one could just observe the filming … I wouldn’t use a tripod; if you see a static shot, it means the camera has been placed on a table, on a chair, in the kitchen, or the bathroom. The reason for that is I wanted to speed the process up, so that one wouldn’t be too thoughtful about it, make it really light and easy. Don’t make the camera important; diminish the importance of the camera … The camera is just a part of your life …
Q. How did you stay honest with yourself?
A. It is the big challenge, not to be self-conscious. I’m very aware as a viewer you can immediately see when someone is acting or when they’re uncomfortable … my whole effort was to work with the camera in a way that it just became a part of my daily life … I didn’t make a big thing of it and also, I decided I’d shoot hundreds and hundreds of hours, knowing that most of it I’d never use. So, in that way, I made it lighter. “I can shoot hundreds of hours, it can be crap!” … again, diminishing the importance of the camera and the footage so you relax … So when we edited, we really looked for the most authentic moments.
Q. Did you ever grow weary of filming over the four years?
A. Shooting takes a lot of energy, but it makes you feel more alive … you become awake and aware when you take the camera out. That awakeness is really exciting. The littlest thing becomes a piece of art … It brings a lot to your life. Now I’ve gone back to sleep … I’ve put the camera away, but I’m sleeping again. Of course, it’s comfortable, but it’s not as fun. It was a lot of fun shooting all the time.
Q. Does Buddhism inform your sensibility as a filmmaker?
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