Filmmaking, Business & The Power of Creativity: An Interview with Michael Schuette
By Contagion Media
What does it really take to turn creativity into a career — and belief into momentum? Tucson-based filmmaker Michael Schuette opens up about his journey from childhood drawings to professional filmmaking, sharing raw insights on self-doubt, artistic purpose, and why perspective is one of the most powerful tools an artist can offer the world.
Video Transcription & Interview
Hi, my name is Michael Schuette and I'm a filmmaker from Tucson, Arizona.
Can you tell us more about artistic background?
I first began creating art. I remember when I was very, very little, just doing all kinds of drawings, stuff like that. But I really got into filmmaking when I was in high school. I took a course called Film Acting, and once I got into that class and I realized that I could make video projects, I didn't want to do anything else with the rest of my life. That was it.
How would your audience describe your style?
I create videos and films. I've heard people describe my style as kind of documentary, very kind of handheld, I guess. Rugged. I think, but also polished. One of my biggest artistic inspirations is Carlos Santana because of his music, because his stuff to me is timeless. And I aspired to create pieces that at times,
What is the biggest struggle as a filmmaker/artist?
One of the biggest challenges of being an artist is making the transition to doing it professionally and getting paid for it, because the art will always be there, you know that'll never go away. So being able to do it as a profession, that's a challenge. But once you get that, once you cross that bridge, that ends up being one of the easier parts. It's like, oh, I'm doing this professionally now. Now I just get to make art all the time.
What’s the biggest benefit?
I think the biggest benefit of being an artist is being able to move people and make them feel something, and when they didn't feel a certain type of way before they watched your art, and then afterwards, and now they have questions or just even think differently, that's a huge benefit. It's just being able to offer ideas.
Artists can change the world by offering their perspective, because perspective plays a lot in how we interpret information. It can just change how people think. So to change how people think inherently changes the world.
What message do you have for your fans?
The message I want to convey to the people who follow me is that you can do whatever you want to do. Really, that's it.You can do whatever you want to do. Nothing's, nothing's really holding you back.
Video Still by Michael Schuette | Contagion Media
Why is filmmaking your preferred artistic medium?
I chose creating videos as my artistic medium because I really enjoy being able to capture life
how I want to see it and like, kind of control a section in time of life and capture that and then play it back. And when you watch it over and over again, especially if there's like a movie
that you really like, then you can rewatch a scene over and over again. I like being able to read that. One of the hardest parts about what I do is sometimes getting over self-doubt. One of the hardest parts of getting over self-doubt, because it can just make you think you can't do it. And then once you start thinking, you kind of believe it, so. The easiest part about it is when you set up a camera and you turn on the lens and something already kind of looks good and it's like, oh, I don't have to do anything like, the world just gave me that shot.
The Takeaway
Michael Schuette’s journey is a reminder that artistry isn’t just about technique — it’s about perspective, belief, and courage. Through filmmaking, he captures moments in time that invite audiences to feel, question, and see the world differently.
For filmmakers, artists, and creatives navigating their own path, this interview proves that once you commit, the rest begins to fall into place. Watch the full mini-documentary series and subscribe to Contagion Media to discover more artists shaping culture through their vision.
Edited by KBR on December 28, 2025
