The Bridge - Director Eric Steel interview pt 1

[jenny13579]

Those ppl planed their fate, and it least he did call when things seemed to escalate. If you watch the movie or and footage, then you can shut the fuck up about your higher morals.

[1EvilScooterKitty]

If anything can be learned from this film to help potential jumpers, then wasn't this film worth it?

[carpetfarmer]

gene wasnt just running/talking/ and laughing on the phone then just jumped over. They knew something was up and followed him for a long time pacing the whole bridge etc.... even had multiple angles from both sides of his jump following him up top and falling..very slick.. any profit made from this movie is blood money..imo

[Pier2pie]

are u guys all stupid, Eric doesnt care for there lives he cares for the money, he should be arrested case solved

[chocolatedonut31]

Eric Steele is the lowest form of scum there is...

[HardRokMiner]

Suicide is just as illegal as homicide, so to intentionally video tape people killing themselves is just as illegal and immoral as taping someone killing someone else. I get the feeling this man doesnt believe in God....If he does, he should be very concerned about where he's going when HE dies.

[midaviru]

@HardRokMiner i agree with half of what you said but saying that god is the source of our morals is retarded.

[ThePennywiser]

@HardRokMiner Delusional people like yourself who believe in a nonsense called "God" are those who create the suicidal environment in the first place! All the judging by saying people are going to hell because they commit suicide or tape one is just plain stupidity. I wish people would start thinking with their own heads, it´s the 21. century people!

[ChristianOAI]

@ThePennywiser No offense but without God then human life has no value. The only value it can have is only relative to the individual. You can't even have morality without God so therefore your argument is only a subjective one. If I say suicide is a good thing you can't argue against it. The only way suicide can be wrong is if we are a product of a creator and have value. Without God we have no value. Wake up, it's the 21st Century, learn about the truth behind your beliefs.

[ThePennywiser]

@ChristianOAI I´m a sociologist and I believe in science. What you believe is your business, that´s all I´m saying.

[crythisbloodforme]

Why are people hating on this man? listen to what he said at the beginning. He would phone the coast gaurds and police whenever he saw someone was about to jump.

He has helped out alot of people with depression and has removed a lot of stigma from the mental illness and depression from this disgusting society we live in.

[fleshpoetry]

Fuck this guy had better pray that I never come across him someday.

[ushiuni82]

This guy is the worst kinda scum

[rick182z]

Maybe the guy on the phone just got told some real bad news!

[jfreak631]

Nothing in life is worth killing yourself over, nothing.

[HeRsHeYsKiSsz]

killing yourself is never justfied...especially in the US; i mean I would understand if some Middle Eastern sufferers cant bear the Taliban's brutal treatment [or another alternative situation of such magnitude]...but no problem is big enough to die for in the US; hard work compounded with such immense freedom can always see u out of your misery [imo...]

[comperic2003]

@HeRsHeYsKiSsz Pull your head out of your ass and learn about the nature of mental illness.

[HeRsHeYsKiSsz]

@comperic2003 So youre telling me every single one of these people that committed suicide had a mental illness!?!? Are u fucking retarded?!?! Most of these people were not mentally ill, dumbass! They were--in some way--disappointed with life.

[aunaturel4]

wpmacyt - and what is it you learned from this documentary? Anything you didn't already know before? What has Eric Steele taught you with his film, which caused you to change your behavior? It was a voyeuristic journey into the world of suicide, and ethically highly questionable. Forget the documentary filmmaker, as a HUMAN BEING it IS his responsibility to try to save someone's life. No jumps, no film, no profit, no name recognition.

[aunaturel4]

Sorry, Eric. I  don't buy it. If your reasons for filming people commit suicide were so altruistic, I'd be interested in hearing about what percentage of the profit you made from this documentary went to suicide prevention causes. If this documentary had at least a direct call to action, I might maybe have given you the benefit of the doubt, but you just interview family members and friends who were directly involved in these people's life's, which makes for interesting footage, but that's all.

[maveholic]

this cunt just let those people die so he could earn profit for his precious footage

[steffahippie2489]

@maveholic he didnt let people die. they did it themselves. if he had of stopped them, which he couldnt because he wasnt physically there, whats saying they wouldnt go back the next day and do it again.

[imherewaiting]

very true. Eric steel is a film maker. He is not there to save a person's life. We learn through documentries. That is what they are made for. You can't save everyone. Not to mention, if someone wants to die, they will find away. This document was to open our eyes. Some people are close-minded and don't want to understand that suicide is a real thing! They consider it a crime/sin. nothing more. This documentary has opened a lot of hearts and eyes!!

[strke69]

There is help so please help me give me a gun to end this fuckin useless existance.

[1960jack]

People there is help,

SFSP

San Francisco Suicide Prevention.

CALL if you need to talk to some one.

[spider23000]

What happened to the documentary? It used to be on youtube in 10(i think) separate parts. Is it online anywhere else?

[docko84]

its on there still type in 'The Bridge 1/9'

[spider23000]

@docko84 Oh found it. Thanks!

[wpmacyt]

As a documentary filmmaker, it's not his responsibility to save anyone's life, even those who come into the range of his camera's lens. Like a filmmaker documenting any other form of nature he should not interfere. He records so we can learn. Maybe some of you critics should go to the bridge and start saving lives. Oh, too busy? Someone else's job. I see.

Also, I hope he's gay, otherwise it's a total waste of a perfectly good affectation. And now I'm going to use up the rest of my char

[kamelion7]

@wpmacyt Very Good!!! A perfect transcription of my thoughts regarding those who say Eric Steel should hang his head as he didn't rescue every single jumper

[pintocake]

the director was not seeking to capture people dying on film...he filming the reality of the situation. this happens all the time and goes unnoticed, he merely put it behind the camera

[NatalyaHart]

i think its unfair for people, to accuse him being sick by capuring peoples last moments, he tried to save alot of people and he has made people realise about sucicide

[Globodyne]

Im glad for Eric Steel's efforts to disassemble the stigma surrounding mental illness and suicide.

[Gtrplyr1]

Our society today is to concerned with themselves and lacks awareness of serious everyday problems in society wheter it be murder, rape, animal abuse etc. This documentary was a clever way to show people the "real world" and one of the horrendous problems that is going on all the time. Great documentary..

[Erverino]

@Gtrplyr1 Wow, another generic and uninsightful comment that's almost impossible to disagree with, here, on Youtube? Except for the fact that many people are well aware of everyday problems like the ones you listed. Why the hell do you think billions of dollars are donated yearly to organizations designed to prevent these things?

[Gtrplyr1]

@Erverino aww did i make you mad? Offcourse there are some people who know, but the majority of us are to busy with our own sheltered from reality lives to notice the hardships of others, the corruption in the government, the banks etc... Don't come here with an attitude about who knows what, especially when you coward with no pic on your profile...

[Erverino]

@Gtrplyr1 I'm going to disregard the rest of your baseless comment, but let me get this straight: You think I'm a coward because I don't have a pic on my profile? What planet are you from? Or did you discover the internet just yesterday?

A coward with no pic in his profile... Wow, I feel like I have now seen everything, but every once in a while a bigger loon rears his head.

[Gtrplyr1]

@Erverino you feel the need to comment and argue due to my amount of thumbs up.. Suffering from inferiority complex i presume?? In fact i am willing to bet you will most likely write back as a mean to fulfill your inner "i am right you're wrong" So i will write you in advance to your next reply and say... Good day. Before you chose to argue with someone make sure you understand what that person is doing to contribute to society.. Me-- become a doctor to help... You? sit on comp and complain.

[Erverino]

@Gtrplyr1 I am replying to you because I think you're wrong, is that too hard for you to comprehend? Also, are you saying you aren't sitting at your comp?

Seriously, with every comment you manage to attain a new level of stupidity. Keep it up, it's hilarious.

[Gtrplyr1]

@Erverino aww little baby has to right?? ok you're right you win...

[Erverino]

@Gtrplyr1 Oh wow, calling a person a crying baby, did you just walk off a playground from the 50s? Anyway, I won the moment you called me a coward because I didn't have a pic on my profile.

By the way, do you have anything else funny to say? Maybe more about how proud you are of your 16 thumbs up?

[Gtrplyr1]

@Erverino i am proud of my ambition in school, my high G.P.A. for a successful future.. What do you do for a living? What charity do you donate to?? I am convinced you aren't intelligent because instead of arguing about the current debate you keep going back to something irrelevant to what we are arguing over in the first place... There is a word in psychology for people like you, who need to feel right, and since i understand your personality based upon your responses it doesn't bother me..

[Gtrplyr1]

@Gtrplyr1 ok going back to life now.. Bye bye champ..

[Erverino]

@Gtrplyr1 Okay retard, let me explain to you what an argument is since you're way to braindead to understand. Here's a dictionary definition to get you started - "a discussion involving differing points of view"

I countered with my point of view, and then you simply said "nuh-uh". How is that an argument? It was obvious from your first reply that you aren't very bright, but how can you possibly call that an argument? How stupid is too stupid for you exactly?

[23lainey]

No matter what others say, I think this documentary was done with feelings, showing how suicide affects friends,family, and even people like me, that just feels I wish I had know them and been there but alas it can never be. Life goes on after but it will never be the same. I hope gene and all the jumpers are now free from the pain they must have felt ! RIP. . (Lainey England)

[limynet]

It takes a lot of courage to make this film. Rather than making it into a moral question, let's face the fact people are in trouble.

[thinkyertirednow]

those people are in real pain or just plain apathy and that's a hard thing to deal with especially when you feel like you have no one to reach out to about it or you don't have the financial means. and it happens more than the statistics and depressed people themselves are willing to admit.

[thinkyertirednow]

whether the director was seeking fame or fortune when he made this film, is neither here nor there. these things ARE happening regardless, and i'm glad that someone has chosen to shed some light on them, whatever his intentions were. we need to ask ourselves some serious questions when over 10% of the country are majorly depressed or have another similar mental illness and 80% of depressed people do not have treatment, mostly due to poor health care options in my opinion.

[MrEdyoulis]

Very heavy film. Very interesting interview.

[mohowe]

Ok, I do agree about Gene pacing back and forth on the bridge, looking around waiting, Someone should have seen that coming and been there to stop him, but with a rate of almost 2 people a week jumping off the bridge, someone had to shed some light on this and bring it to the people so something could be done.

It is a good documentary.

[MellowLedbetter]

my view on the documentary is that the crew from "the bridge" did save a couple lives as they were filming it, and if they didnt film it, then those people would be dead.

[dopamineluv]

Creative? really? bringing attention to this is a great thing, but put your money where your mouth is. If this guy is for real all profits should be going to suicide prevention, sacrifice your profit it if any. I do not think this is very creative anyway. mental illness is a very painful thing. being provocative is not painful, is easy. Also "coming after me" like he is some victim? please! he knew there would be critics and ATTENTION towards him, more than any bridge jumper would ever get.

[jaialin]

Profits? Please. This guy isn't studio produced. I'll bet they barely even broke even.

[tuktuktok]

I admire this great Director. The most moving documentary I've seen. Perhaps controverial but still very fascinating. I hope all the best for Steel and hope I may see his other works.

[greatliar123]

suicide? u gotta be kiddin me. life's good. just look at the bright side. there r good times and bad times. just go thru the latter patiently. =)

[doggyrasta342]

Why does it matter if people r killin themself at the bridge? by building a net or fence its not going to solve the problem, just move it. These people are still going to kill themself, they'll just do it somewhere else.

[samiabusaad]

But, for crying out loud, the people who commit suicide are mentally ill, and their illness is totally treatable. Why not spend such a small amount of $40 - $50 million (yeah that is a very small amount if you compare it to the $700 BILLION we're giving away to Wall Street companies, on top of the $200 Billion we already pumped into AIG) to build a net system that would not even change the historic significance of the bridge.

[sparklndimnd22]

you cant rethink mental illness....its an illness! i dont know how this guy sleeps at night

[danmo66can]

This guy is a bastard calling himself a director of what, human killings! If you know some one is going to kill him self and you do not save those people from dying is just a human responsability. this bastard is fucking lying!

[xavierignatius]

live and let die

[lostMachinima]

His purpose is to stop these suicides. Have you watched the film? If not then you can't say shit. He made this to open the public eyes to these suicides, and they actually saved a couple people when they filmed this.

[brainybipolar]

A guy named Gene was on the golden gate bridge for 90 minutes and he paced back and forth. He could have been stopped but was not.

[me282uk]

How many people cross the bridge a day? How can you keep track of every person on it?

If they called the police every time they saw someone who's behaviour they didn't understand, the police may not have as receptive to their next call when it turned out to be nothing.

[normank27]

how do you know this, i watched the bridge and they never said that

[TheEverydayMoviegoer]

@brainybipolar

Of course, it's easy to blame the filmmaker AFTER the jump was made, but you weren't there in real time.....He just saw a guy pacing back and forth, how would he have know for ALL 90 minutes that he was going to kill himself?

[fitboyfitboyfitboy]

another opportunist strikes again, blood money on your hands, trying to justify your need to be famous, why else would someone to a film like this.

[97TSupra]

This guy spent a year filming from what a 1/4 mile away....he should have spent that time on the bridge saving these people instead of watching them die to make a dumbass movie every minute he spent filming would have been better used up on that bridge with a spotter possibly in the spot he was at filming as he saved these what 12 people that they filmed jumping off? it would still capture the emotion of the film without the death...

[doggyrasta342]

if someone wants to die they want to die. once you get somone in that mind set there noway of turning back

[ryboross]

wow, that was the most ignorant statement i've ever heard. Don't you think its worth trying to talk to someone if you had the chance, especially if you were there expecting it!

[DforeverDscarletG]

doggyrasta your an idiot. i was suicidal 2 years ago and someone talked me out of it. all i needed to get out of the state of mind i was in was someone who would listen. im proof they could have been saved

[doggyrasta342]

hahaha

just by lookin at you taste of music i can tell you were only fake deprest

was it cos you didn't have a girlfriend or because your dad used to "hit" you

go fuck yourself

[ryboross]

I gree

[82648947]

Great film, which dealt sensitively with a difficult subject. Well done. As a retired police officer I attended many suicides, but only AFTER the events had taken place...this film has given me much to think about. A truly haunting depiction.

[tcbook]

Good job Eric. 20/20 did a good job too. People should thank you, at least you did something...

[bidibumbum]

He sat like a hunter waiting for its prey. Sadly his prey was the limitlessness of the human mind and its ability to say I quit.

He did a job, he did it well, and to say he could have stopped something that was already going to take place. They did not put the idea in the heads of the people, he brought to light an unseen circumstance of rational thought

[daleyander2468]

He sick man. He do nothing to stop them.

[VeeFilms]

watch first, then make dumbass comments

[daleyander2468]

I did asshole!

[Vaxxel]

If you did you would know he did do something to stop them, he cannot be on the bridge 24/7 to prevent suicides for ONE YEAR

dumbass

[daleyander2468]

I know, ocome you can't be on the bridge for one yrs to prevent future suicides. Ocome can u do that?! People who commit suicide will succeed in afterworld. We can't stop anyone do tragedies on themselves.

[dudejonz]

Thank you. This is a very disturbing but a very real video that shows the delicate nature of humanity against something much bigger. NOT religion, that's not what I am saying. Interesting topic and execution for a documentary.

[Law1eyG]

damn G I bet Eric has a small cock like me but good interview G

[laveyantonlcedmalden]

ROTL copter

[MokomaSusi]

Thank you. Great interview and great movie.

[LawleyG]

!!! roflcopter !!!

[LawleyGswallowscum]

I feel the same way writing this bitch

I OWN YOU

[LawleyGswallowscum]

bitch