This Savage Art

Forget the three picture deal. Fuck it. No really, fuck it.

After reading the sobering post from Jonathan Marlow They Didn’t Build Their Sales Model For You and its follow-up about film festivals and the state of distribution for the independent filmmaker on GreenCine Daily [Hands down one of the best film sites on the interweb. Thank you David Hudson] I had to come out of my recent sleep deprived dormancy. Like a cold pail of ice water in our faces Marlow sets a bleak and hopeful tone at the same time. I don’t say that in a casual way. It’s tough out there as we all scramble to figure out how to get our films into the right hands. The old models are broken. The long road of getting a film made, distributed and seen can seem longer. The glut of product seems endless. A filmmaker can no longer just make the film. He or she needs to be a technically proficient magician. A multi-tasking machine in all areas of business and marketing too and it still guarantees nothing but begs the question; is this really the best way to make a film outside the studio system or the only way? Great marketing ploy but shitty film?

Truth is empowering. Knowing what is really going on behind the scenes can save filmmakers a lot of time and anguish and give them the ability to utilize their resources more wisely. But the prospect of democratizing the process is over. We have arrived. We have technology on our side and have had it for close to eight years now. The Long Tail theory is relevant but it now needs to be reegineered for the independent filmmaker.

The truth can also be depressing. Hearing the stories of other filmmakers grinding it out on the front lines and coming up empty handed with orphaned projects can make even the die hard weary. We’ve all been there. We all have our stories. And yet we still do it because we have a passion for telling stories.

The good news is there will eventually be a venue for all of us. The tide is turning so just hold on. Changes are being made to get those gems off the shelf and out to an audience. I think now more than ever marks a real departure from what was and what will have to be to survive and thrive as a filmmaker. I’m a firm believer in cutting out the middle man if you can. By harnessing the internet to get your work out their I think individuals can bypass the taste makers altogether and deliver right to an audience. Of course I would love to see my films on the biggest screen possible but I would rather build an audience and skill set so I’m ready if that day comes. I’m also a believer in a Darwinian process for art. If that film is meant to be seen, it will be seen. The only problem with that is in the real world when it comes to a David vs Goliath face-off guess who is going to win? The one who is still paying off credit cards from three years ago to finance their last film or the one with a million dollar marketing budget. Who stands a chance? It’s true every once in a while a smaller film slips through and gains critical attention and box office numbers but do you really want to invest time, money and blood in possibly being that one? Maybe? What are our choices though?

Definitely food for thought. If you are a filmmaker or involved with film in any way and haven’t read those two posts I strongly recommend you do. Be sure to read the follow up comments too.