In casual conversations, asking “what” is usually the default. The questions are simple, practical, and easy to answer: What’s your name? What do you do? What instrument do you play? Asking “why” on the other hand, demands a more personal response. It can open discussions about identity, vulnerability, and emotional attachment—topics that don’t always fit into everyday small talk. 

For student filmmaker and musician Rykken Vivekanand ‘26, these reflections led him to focus on music, a passion he’s long carried that ultimately inspired him to make his first feature-length documentary—an intimate exploration of why musicians make music in the first place. Rather than focusing on genre, technique, or different kinds of instruments to play, the film emphasizes on motivation, inspiration, and the personal meanings music holds across different lives and skill levels.

“I often had conversations with people about music in a few routine ways, fielding questions about what instruments I played, how long I’ve played them, and what’s my favorite thing to play,” Vivekanand said. “Although these questions are valid, I thought that it didn’t touch deeply on the drive of musicians. We often ask what inspires a painter, or what motivates a dancer, but we don’t often probe into the minds of musicians. I sought to answer that question with this film.”

This curiosity led to nearly a year of work. The project required months of planning before filming even began. Vivekanand began his pre-production process in early 2025, creating a list of possible interviewees and slowly narrowing down to the final group who would feature in the documentary.

“I spent January to March of 2025 finding who I was going to interview, and developed a list of over 25 individuals that I thought would be interesting to speak with about music,”  Vivekanand said. “From May to July, I ended up interviewing six individuals. From August to September, I edited the documentary and worked on marketing materials, and on September 30th, I submitted the film to seven film festivals.”

A key element of the documentary, according to those involved, is its openness, both in structure and in the conversations.

“The project was really about giving people space to talk honestly about how music shows up in their lives,” said Hugh Jordan ‘26. “There wasn’t pressure to explain music in some technical or academic way, just to talk about what it means personally. That gave the documentary a kind of grounded, human feel.”

Jordan emphasized that while he helped with some technical aspects during filming, the documentary was largely Vivekanand’s vision from start to finish.

“My role was very small,” Jordan said. “I helped with some of the recording and setup and then mostly stepped back to let Rykken do his thing. He led the interviews and shaped the direction of the conversations. I was there to support the process and make sure everything ran smoothly, but the vision and execution were very much his.”

August Casteel ’26, a longtime music collaborator of Vivekanand who often performs and records with him, offered a unique perspective on the documentary’s development, witnessing how Vivekanand captured musicians in their natural element.

“I was lucky enough to watch the project in process and see the meticulous details someone who wasn’t behind the scenes would overlook,” Casteel said. “I think that was incredibly rewarding because it made me more connected to the final product—which is beautiful in itself.”

Casteel’s involvement came through the simple act of letting Vivekanand film during studio sessions, capturing musicians in real time as they worked.

“For a couple months, Rykken would set up a camera during our studio sessions for our upcoming album,” Casteel said. “It would sort of just catch us in our element, while we were writing, and I think it helped make the documentary feel really human.”

Vivekanand and Casteel’s years of collaboration goes way beyond the studio, influencing not only their music-making process but also the way they perform together on stage. 

Although the filming itself was time-consuming, Vivekanand said that his biggest challenge came later during post-production, editing and shaping hours-long footage into a carefully organized, coherent film. 

“I had gathered nearly five hours of footage, and so cutting that down into a documentary, with a story arc, was not straightforward.” Vivekanand said. “I watched each interview 3-4 times, noting specific phrases or interesting stories, and then organized those moments into like-groups with other stories by other subjects.”

Even so, Vivekanand pushed through, and completing the documentary became a major personal milestone. 

“This film was the first feature-length documentary I had made, and the first documentary I have made on my own,” he said. “I learned a lot, from pre-production scheduling, production set-up, location scouting, and post-production materials, and festival submissions. I hope that I can use this experience to improve my art going forward.” 

Still, Vivekanand remains realistic about the challenges and competitiveness of the film world, and as a student filmmaker, he acknowledged that the film may not match the technical level of professional submissions.

“Although I poured all of my effort into this project, I know it falls short in terms of quality, since I made this film with a zero-dollar budget, and non-professional equipment.” 

Nevertheless, Vivekanand said being selected by any of the seven festivals would be deeply meaningful—not just from prestige, but because it would validate his work with limited resources. 

“To be selected would mean that I did the best that I could with what I had available to me,” he said. “And that would mean the most.”

Whether or not the documentary gets accepted into a festival, Vivekanand’s project shows something more than just competition: it’s a testament to his curiosity and deep passion for music. From the first questions he asked to the final edit, he pushed boundaries, explored the “why” behind art, learned new skills, gained experience, and showed that there are no limits to where curiosity and dedication can take you. The result is not just a documentary—it’s an impressive example of what happens when someone truly follows their passion.