Filmmakers Making A Social Impact: Why & How Filmmaker Tim O’Donnell of Pixela Films Is Helping To Change Our World
Obviously making a positive impact has a massive effect externally — but the profound feelings and meaning it gives you is unmeasurable. It gives so much purpose and fulfillment and I wish that for so many.
As a part of our series about “Filmmakers Making A Social Impact” I had the pleasure of interviewing Tim O’Donnell.
Tim O’Donnell is an Emmy-nominated and award winning documentary and commercial filmmaker. Tim’s work has appeared on ESPN, NBC, PBS, Hulu, CNN Films and events around the world. His film Not a War Story opened at #1 for all iTunes Documentaries and premiered at the Academy of Motion Pictures. His follow up feature Life Without Basketball opened at DOC NYC and premiered on SundanceNow. His personal film The House We Lived In won Best Doc at the 2022 NH Film Festival. HBO’s Mary Carillo said of Tim’s work, “The story is so beautiful, so lovingly told and so incredibly moving.”
Thank you so much for doing this interview with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to get to know you a bit. Can you share your “backstory” that brought you to this career?
It all started with my dad, and thats also the subject of our new film The House We Lived In. My dad taught me how to use a camcorder and I picked up the family hobby for decades before ultimately deciding to leave a career as an inner city high school art teacher and wrestling coach after 6 years to pursue fillmaking full-time. It was only 2 months into this new career that my dad woke up one day and fell causing a traumatic brain injury. I began filming in the ICU when he was in a coma and continued for 12 years his amazing progress into this entirely new life. I’ve been lucky to make 6 other feature length documentary films and launch our production company Pixela Films during that time — and now finally getting to finish this very personal and important film!
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
My filmmaking career overlaps a bit with my teaching career. I was making a film about a UFC fighter and I did not have the approval of the UFC, which is a big no no. During my break period I decided to check my emails in the library. It was as you can imagine extremely quiet, when I yelled out a very loud “Fuck!” Luckily I didn’t get fired or anything, I ran out of the library and into my car and called my friend. The email was a cease and desist and demanding $10K from the UFC (I had $24.05 in my bank account at point in my life) after I posted the trailer for our film and it got picked up by the BJ Penn blog. Luckily we chatted with the UFC and once they heard I was an inner city teacher and coach they quickly dropped the suit as long as I removed the video.
Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
I got to make this really wild and interesting documentary film Not a War Story that followed a group of veterans making the first ever all produced Hollywood indie film. It was a zombie apocalypse type setting and way way over the top humor. A little person zombie rips a prosthetic dildo off of a main cast member in bloody detail (which of course opens the documentary film), but that dude was a very high up person in the CIA. Its an interesting depiction of dark humor, but hopefully opens up a way into the contemporary American veteran through humor and love for cinema. They brought in 20–30 amputee veterans that all wanted to play a part. I was there when the group of amputeed folks said they all wanted to play zombies. It was one of the most amazing scenes I’ve ever witnessed, and without context one of the most traumatizing. I met Brian Aft, a double leg amputee, who was laying face down on the ground absolutely covered in fake blood. I asked it we could chat on camera after a bit. He said sure, but he didn’t want to move to get out of position. At that point I put my camera directly on the ground and laid down next to him and we chatted for 20 minutes. It was such a great conversation about coming back home, growing into a new life and feeling misunderstood. There was also something about lying down with another person on the pavement and talking that I’ll never forget. That project was also pretty cool as I got to interview William Shatner, Danny Trejo, Sean Astin — who were all really great humans — but by far the coolest folks I got to hang with were an amazing group of veterans and I often think about Brian and some of the things he said to me (both whats in the final version of the film and the stuff that isn’t).
Which people in history inspire you the most? Why?
My family is number one for sure (my wife Allison and two kids Dolly and Felix, my mom and dad, my 3 siblings TJ, Erin, and Lulu, both sets of grandparents) — also David Lynch as I’ve been doing Transcendental Meditation because of this 12-year long film and the stress involved with it. Francis Bacon was an amazing abstract figurist painter and all of my paintings are basically copies of him. Theres a horrific beauty to all of his work — and I feel a lot of that at times in life for sure.
Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview, how are you using your success to bring goodness to the world? Can you share with us the meaningful or exciting social impact causes you are working on right now?
We got an amazing opportunity a few years back to make the film Life Without Basketball, that followed Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir, the first Muslim-American baller to play Div 1 with hijab. She was banned from playing pro and we followed her for 4.5 years as she navigated her own identity. We got to launch a short film half way through production titled FIBA Allow Hijab and teamed up with Lebron James, CNN Films and the Human Rights Watch and this film has been credited with helping overturn the rule putting pressure on FIBA. Of course Bilqis is the main reason for this rule change — but we felt great being a part of the journey.
Many of us have ideas, dreams, and passions, but never manifest it. But you did. Was there an “Aha Moment” that made you decide that you were actually going to step up and take action for this cause? What was that final trigger?
Just. Fucking. Do. It. I’m extremely privileged and that first thing I just said to this question is one I’m lucky to get to say — saying just fucking do it isn’t as easy for each human — we all have different challenges and barriers and pushing through hard work isn’t the same for all. But there is something to that foundation. And its been a great way to approach filmmaking. I did’t go to film school but I often think about wrestling as my training ground and foundation. Its a weird sport that collects the misfit toys of humanity (very similar in my opinion to documentary filmmakers in the best way possible) — but personally I found I did get better in sport by putting in some extra time and pushing some weird boundaries — my first film (a 34 minute short doc titled George: Wrestling with Resistance) follows a former high school athlete I got to coach in his first year in community college. There were a few weird moments when I was making decisions on what to film and I just kept telling myself Fuck it, lets just fucking go for it. I followed him to the national championships sleeping on hotel floors where he made it to the finals. No one was telling me what to do — I was just going for it. I felt like his dad in the stands filming him — similar to my dad back in the day. That was the moment I became a filmmaker I guess. Taking risks — but also really really enjoying the ride.
Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?
I made a film about a young 11 year old boy on the autism spectrum titled For the Love of Dogs — and followed him to his first dog show where he rattled off facts and became an instant celebrity. He’s now a young adult in a college program with a range of amazing humans on the autism spectrum. I now have friends having kids (I have two of my own!) and found out a friend’s son was diagnosed. A decade after making that film I sent it to him and I think it has impacted him in a very positive way.
Are there three things that individuals, society or the government can do to support you in this effort?
Watch. Independent. Cinema. And go to the movies. And vote appropriately for the future and the environment.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.
Its actually the opposite — I’m so happy no one told me — if we knew too much we wouldn’t venture too far. I did have an amazing mentor Bill Anderson and he was always so positive and supportive. I think thats all you need coming up — lots of love and support — and maybe also someone pushing you and telling you to keep going.
If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?
Obviously making a positive impact has a massive effect externally — but the profound feelings and meaning it gives you is unmeasurable. It gives so much purpose and fulfillment and I wish that for so many.
We are very blessed that many other Social Impact Heroes read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, whom you would like to collaborate with, and why? He or she might see this. 🙂
John Daly if you’re reading this I’ve never smoked a cigarette and would love with you. I will wait till you answer.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Hard work solves everything.” -Dan Gable — this is the quote that fueled 7 features.
How can our readers follow you online?
This was great, thank you so much for sharing your story and doing this with us. We wish you continued success!
Likewise! Enjoy today.
Filmmakers Making A Social Impact: Why & How Filmmaker Tim O’Donnell of Pixela Films Is Helping To… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.