讀後心得

Sean Baker voices the marginalized through his works. His third feature film, "The Florida Project," had a budget of only $46,000 and tells the story of an African immigrant selling goods in New York. Although the film did not perform well at the box office, earning only $28,000, it received critical acclaim and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award, paving the way for his future projects. Subsequently, he raised $250,000 to make "Starlet," which won an Independent Spirit Award, and the film's star, Dree Hemingway, became a rising star, showcasing Sean Baker's potential and talent.

Sean Baker voices the marginalized members of society through his work. His third feature film, "The Prince of Broadway," had a budget of $46,000 and tells the story of an African Ghanaian immigrant selling goods on the streets of New York. After completing the filming, Baker decisively invested the remaining $100,000 for promotion and distribution, but ultimately only recouped $28,000, which put him under pressure and brought his directing career to the brink of an end. However, fate opened a new window for him. Although "The Prince of Broadway" was not a box office success, it received recognition from several film critics and was nominated for the John Cassavetes Award at the Independent Spirit Awards. In the same year, "Take Out" was also nominated for the award, bringing him double joy.

This time, Sean Baker no longer had to dig into his own pockets, as he secured an investment of $250,000 to shoot "Starlet," and successfully won an Independent Spirit Award. The film stars American supermodel Dree Hemingway, who is the great-granddaughter of the famous writer Ernest Hemingway. At that time, Dree was willing to participate because her agent was convinced by the results of "The Prince of Broadway."

In the film, Dree plays a small adult film star who unexpectedly comes into a windfall and develops a unique friendship with a reclusive, irritable old woman. Dree showcases her charm and cool demeanor, and after the film's release, she became a rising star. Sean Baker stated that although the box office failure of "The Prince of Broadway" left him broke and depressed, even beginning to doubt his life, he originally thought his directing career had reached its end. However, this film might become his starting point. Despite his poor return on investment in distribution, the film being watched by more people provided him with opportunities for critical discussions and allowed him to compete in certain film awards, giving investors a chance to see the film. This can be seen as a blessing in disguise.