Producer/Director/Editor Kyle Boyd talks about filming family members, audience responses and green chilies.

What do you hope to achieve with this film?

While I don’t think that LIFE MATTERS is specifically or only about abortion, I do think that it sheds light on a largely unknown part of our history. Perhaps it can serve as a reminder that the struggle for reproductive rights is ongoing or simply motivate others to become more active in issues they find important.

What are the special challenges in making a documentary about your father?

There is always the hope that the participants in a documentary will be happy with the finished project, but when the subject is a family member, I think there can be greater pressure to get it right. This is in fact the third version of LIFE MATTERS. I was never satisfied with the story because it felt incomplete. To have one’s life reduced to 49 minutes must be a hard thing to fully embrace. I have had to accept that this isn’t the whole story—it is simply this story.

What has been the reaction to LIFE MATTERS in your hometown and elsewhere?

While my hometown is Athens, Texas, our family moved away when I was four years old, so I have not had much contact with the community since the project’s completion. However, the reaction from most people who have seen it has been very positive. It usually brings out some personal connection—either reflection on their own life changes, the influence the Sixties had upon them, their own moral convictions and certainly comparisons to personal abortion experiences, both legal and illegal.

The independent film business is a difficult one. What keeps you motivated?

I am really not satisfied for long when I find myself simply working to pay the rent, doing the same thing day after day. There is an excitement approaching a new project. Each one provides its own inspiration and an education of a new subject. I also like the intimacy of the process, the small crews and personal interaction with the participants.

Why did you choose to present your film on public television?

I really can’t think of a better venue. In fact there are not a lot of choices for a documentary like this to be shown on television. What better place than PBS… it is accessible to everyone.

If you weren’t a filmmaker, what kind of work do you think you’d be doing?

I’d love to be involved in city planning or urban renewal—at least the creative aspects, the bureaucracy might drive me nuts.

What do you think is the most inspirational food for making independent film?

Chicken fried steak, tom ka gai, green chile enchiladas, green chile anything, yellow curry, peanut butter, pickled eel, pizza and cold beer. I also think local diners are hard to beat.

What advice do you have for aspiring filmmakers?

Join a media organization like AIVF (Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers) and take advantage of their seminars, training and discounts. They are a great resource for everything from funding and festival deadlines to rental equipment and networking. The other thing is to have a skill you can fall back on.

What sparks your creativity?

Travel and dreams and more travel. Late-night edit sessions with my production partner/girlfriend.

What are your three favorite films?

It’s really impossible for me to name only three favorites, but limiting the list to films beginning with the letter “S” I would say: Spinal Tap, Sherman’s March, Spartacus, Star Wars and The Shining.