I have always loved and appreciated magic. Not in the supernatural 'rabbit and that hat' context but in a much more visceral meaning. Let me explain. I am, to some degree, in the movie business. I enjoy my time there because of the romantic notions of the creative artist. The tortured individual whose purpose is creating forms of entertainment, sometimes at the risk of himself. I believe that a true artist is a complex and tormented one. After all, where is the artist who doesn't not have such profound disputes within? This creative ebb and flow produces the magic that I speak of. This magic permeated through the golden age of the screen. The Paul Newmans, Bob Evans, Stanley Kubricks and Dustin Hoffmans not only possessed a magic but celebrated it along with the general public. It wasn't about the 'story' of how the film came to be. It wasn't about the URL. It wasn't about the EPK. It was about, simply, the film itself and it's profound nature. The piece, not the process was to be noted. Times have changed, though not entirely, yet...
With the birth of 'Indie Filmmaking' came it's tough but clever child 'Guerilla Filmmaking'. I have nothing against 'Guerilla Filmmaking', except for perhaps, it's whining underachieving offspring, the grandchild of 'Indie Filmmaking': 'Gimmick Filmmaking'. 'Guerilla Filmmaking' allowed me to be where I am today, whatever that may mean. I even implemented tactics that would evolve quickly into the system of "Gimmick Filmmaking'. I too am guilty. My feelings of pride and shame are mixed.
As access to money and budgets diminish at alarming rates so does the class and credibility of the worlds Indie Filmmaker despite their anti-money mentality. The present retarded elephant in everyones room, be him still functioning, is the economy which is the IV that the film world is hooked up to - and hooked on. With each passing day, it gets harder and harder to get your film made. Yes, technology has allowed every one and their sister to make a film and call themselves a filmmaker but at what price? I use three examples, and in no way mean to insult or belittle the people behind the examples and their achievements. I hope, truly, that they succeed in their careers in the film world. However, the means in which they are going about it embody precisely the slow retardation of the nature of Indie Film and the possible extinction of the cinematic 'magic'.
My Million Dollar Movie
I have had countless conversations about this project with people inside and outside of the film world. If you haven't heard, the idea is to get $10 off persons of the general public in exchange for a 'producer credit' on the film and a piece of memorabilia. I can imagine the very long list of producers in the ending credit scroll almost having a counter-productive effect. The idea, while clever - I admit, has one innate flaw. As I mentioned, I have had countless discussions about this endeavor and have yet to find out what the film is actually about. Now given I could dig deeper and inquire into the actual narrative and genre of the film, but the fact that the project itself hit my radar long before I could even be exposed to what the film itself was, I believe, kills that 'magic'.
How Many Days
Filmmaker Gavin Booth is on a mission. Whether it's to make a film or not, I'm not exactly sure. I spoke with him on the phone once, and he was a very nice fellow. We spoke of some potential collaborations that would never be. With a few shorts under his belt, and I believe a feature that is unreleased, he is trying to make his mark in the beast that is the film world. A long while after we spoke, his new endeavor would surface. It's ambitious and also clever and entertaining to say the least. The website that will eventually take the form of a documentary I would speculate, is of Gavin's quest to meet and greet the filmmakers that molded his style and serve as role models for him. I gather this venture is to make contacts, build a network and ultimately provide a level of exposure necessary to get that coveted first major feature film off the ground. Again, clever and resourceful. But again, where is the film 'magic'? Where is the film? Where is the surreal screenplay that every producer wants to produce and every actor wants to perform?
The Purchase Brothers
I can relate. Brother filmmaking team trying to get noticed. Been there. Still there. And these guys have shot their way out with sniper-like aim. A few years of producing short, shaky-cam action films and spec commercials provided them with the know how to take on something with more stature, more relevance and most importantly more inherent fan-base. They made a short film piece based on the wickedly popular "Half Life" video game. Duplicating the costumes, effects, sounds, imagery, perspectives and tone of the actual video game they succeeded in creating a very impressive live action version. But where is the originality? Where is the magic? After posting it on YouTube the interpretation would collect more than 2 million views in the first two or three weeks. No small feat. But, with immense numbers of people typing 'Half Life' into the search bar in Youtube every day, it's no surprise they had this level of viewership. Once Hollywood caught wind of this spectacle, they were hot on it for one reason and one reason only; these kids can generate 2,000,000+ hits but we, the All Good and All Powerful Omnipotent monster that is Hollywood, can't generate $2,000,000 at the box office. "The Purchase Brothers know something we don't" I picture the stiff suits contemplating in their frosted glass boardroom. I look forward to seeing what comes of this over-night phenom. Will they choke on Tinsel-Town sized budgets, will their visible lack of creativity be an achilles heel? Or will they step up? In any event, I still fail to see the artistic magic.
I congratulate the above artists on their achievements thus far, and the success they will surely receive. They are all fellow Canadians, and for that reason and reasons beyond, I am in their corner. But they do, in my humble and perverse opinion, lack the movie magic that I already miss. It has become more about the "How are we going to do it-" then "What and Why are we doing it-". And I repeat, I am guilty of such crimes as well. I paraded around Toronto International Film Festival with a shirt that read "I HAVE A FILM FOR SALE" and not only sold the film because of them, but got an Entertainment Tonight Exclusive as well. I benefited from the very tactics which are starting to erode my faith in the future of long-form cinematic entertainment. I had won and therefore lost.
I mean no offense, I am merely making my point. I look forward to seeing these projects and fighting the good fight together. We all dream together and hope to be the exception to the rule. But, as I grow I realize that we must dream to be the exception but plan to be the rule..
writing under the influence,
jeffc
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
The Rise Of 'Gimmick Filmmaking'
Posted by
A Writer Under The Influence
12:50 p.m.
- Anonymous March 24, 2009 at 6:31 p.m.
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TO MAKE THINGS INTERESTING AND INTERACTIVE IT WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR JEFF TO RESPOND TO THE COMMENTS, NOT JUST ON THIS POST BUT ON ALL OF THEM.
- A Writer Under The Influence March 24, 2009 at 6:55 p.m.
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I couldn't agree with you more... "Anonymous". ;)
To be completely transparent, your caps-lock comment finally triggered me to learn exactly how the author posts a comment on his or her own blog. As I am extremely new to blogging - as one may be able to tell from the elementary blog layout analogous of a school boy drawing outside the lines - I was unaware of how to partake in the comments. But alas, 'Help' showed be the light.
I agree with your comments on change, and have never been against it. One may be able to tell from my recent foray into the world of blogging. I think any change, at any point, in any discipline, can be either good or bad. It can embody either the evolution or the de-evolution of something. In my professional opinion, and it is only that, the recent populous of Gimmick filmmakers doesn't bode well. Indie filmmaking meant Creativity over Money. Gimmick filmmaking, to take it further, seems to mean Resourcefulness over Creativity.
There is nothing special about Gavin Booth, on a film scene level. I chose to talk about him not because he stood out, but simply because I already knew of him, and had spoken to him in the past. But, from where I am standing, it seems that one who follows and surrounds himself with already successful people is at risk of never becoming successful himself. One must pave their own path if you will.
The Purchase Brothers, well, you pretty much said what I was trying to say but couldn't for lack of ability.
I will do my best to not only moderate the comments, but take part in them as well. And readers; bare with me as I stumble down the steep learning curve that is The Blogosphere.
writing under the influence,
jeffc
Very interesting take on things. You do make a good point about how independent filmmaking has grown into an almost experimental art. However, I do believe that with every single art (film, painting, music, etc.) new movements will emerge that will bring in change that it is welcomed by some and disliked by others. It is inevitable and it is called growth. Question remains: Will it be positive? I guess time will tell.
In regards to the three subjects of your particular blog I do agree that this projects are being done in an unconventional fashion. My Million Dollar Movie is asking people to donate money for their film. It is not much different than what other filmmakers do except by the way they are going about it. However, if you have done your research and feel that the filmmakers are looking for money without explaining to those people what the movie is about (or even if there is a movie) then yes, you are right, it is highly suspect.
About Gavin Booth, I don't know much about him and I have no idea who he is. I went to his website and it is not functional. Searched him on Youtube and Myspace and only found minimal information on him and his work. My question to you is: what makes him so special that you chose to talk about his work? In my opinion he is no different than the thousands of filmmakers out there who have had one or two shorts and have done some festival play. Please elaborate on this fellow so I can understand where you are coming from.
And finally, in regards to the Purchase Brothers. I actually became quite angry about the fact that people out there are entranced and become believers of "filmmakers" who have the abilities to manipulate post-production. I went to Youtube and watched part one of their Half Life episode. They did not do that work, the computer did, the software did, and I'm sorry but that is not filmmaking. Filmmaking is writing a script, looking for locations, doing a casting call, you get my drift. It is not filming your buddies holding some guns and putting some bad ADR on them and letting the computer mask the huge weaknesses of the product. Filmmaking is visual storytelling and I'm sad to say that the Purchase Brothers are not filmmakers. They are video game developers or post-production wizards.
As you can see my takes on your blog are slightly divided. I have agreed with you on some topics and disagreed with you on others. But I do believe that the one thing that it is for certain: Filmmaking is undergoing a significant change and more of these unusual characters will emerge from the wood works. Question is: How many are going to survive and remain in the game of FILMMAKING!!!
Good job!!