"It’s an odd thing, but everyone who disappears is said to be seen at San Francisco. It must be a delightful city, and possess all the attractions of the next world."
—Lord Henry Wotton (George Sanders) in The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)

Speak with any San Francisco-based moviemaker, and he or she is likely to agree: San Francisco is indeed a delightful city. Though it’s the fifth largest metropolitan region in the United States, people come—and stay—in San Francisco because of its “small town” atmosphere. A hotspot of arts and culture, the city also boasts a diverse collection of neighborhoods, from North Beach to Chinatown. It’s this chameleon-like quality that brings as divergent productions—and characters—as Dirty Harry and Dr. Dolittle to the Bay Area. But what about those moviemakers who call San Francisco home every day of the year? MM recently spoke with a group of them about just what makes this city so special.

What could be better? An amazingly talented pool of people and a counter-logical and incredibly complex microclimate eco­system. But mostly, it’s the people. In the midst of an increasingly cynical and bottom line-oriented world, there is a reassuring sense of community in the film folk of this town. People constantly help each other selflessly execute the most surreal and utterly non-commercial projects for the love of the medium.

Mo Husseini

—Mo Husseini, Director

Joan Levinson

Because the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area is a cauldron of film lovers, creative arts people and hundreds of movie­makers—as well as up-to-the-minute technology—it’s a perfect nesting place for movie­making at all levels. Perhaps the primo element is the culture of professional generosity—encouragement, critiques, flexible tech rates for moviemakers—that makes every film venture a truly cooperative one.

—Joan Levinson, Co-Producer (Let’s Face It)

San Francisco is like a rich aunt every movie­maker wishes he had. She supports my moviemaking with her wealth of resources, beautiful surroundings and inspiring people. The city is a muse for new compositions, stories and ideas.

—Jason Wolos, Writer/Director
(Waiter Duty, The High & The Mighty),
Education Director, Film Arts Foundation

Jason Wolos

In my backyard I have redwoods, Victorians, bridges, beaches, farms, vineyards, snow-capped mountains, urban sprawl, suburban sprawl, ethnic diversity and widespread perversity (I have a big backyard). San Francisco is a location Shangri-La with an incredibly supportive local renegade moviemaking community. And we have better coffee than LA!

—Lee Miller, Writer/Director

Desi del Valle

If free speech and individuality are American characteristics, there is no place more American than San Francisco. Movie stars here are not flesh-and-blood people, but ideas and cries for social change. San Franciscans love film. To quote one colleague: “You can’t spit here and not hit a film festival.”

—Desi del Valle, Director/Actress
Frameline Distribution

I grew up in suburbia, but studied film in San Francisco, where Gene Hackman recorded the famous conversation. I once wanted to make blockbusters, but became a personal moviemaker when exposed to a city of personal views, expression, diversity and art.

—Michael Picarella, Writer/Director
(1 2 3, Punchcard Player), www.nppro.com

Jennifer Chaiken

San Francisco has one of strongest documentary communities in the country. Always looking to peers and other filmmakers for inspiration, San Francisco has much to offer. It has always been a city that fosters critical thinking that’s free of constraint and outside of the box. As an independent moviemaker, one cannot ask for much more than freedom of thought.

—Jennifer Chaiken, Producer
(My Flesh and Blood, Big Eden, Naked States)

Paul VanDeCarr

The beauty of San Francisco is there’s an enormous and largely untapped pool of talent on both sides of the camera. It has locations to die for, a cosmopolitan feel and a small-town “anything’s possible” attitude. Its uniqueness enabled us to create a rare entity in Full Circle, where we can both produce films and nurture actors. It’s a city of dreams where we can explore a different—and perhaps better—way to make films.

—John Howard Swain, Producer/Director

San Francisco is my muse. Many views, many filmmakers, much filmed. The challenge is responding to the city as I see it and as others have envisioned it. Working here has taught—and is teaching—me to always look anew for the particulars, to stay in the conversation that is San Francisco.

—Paul VanDeCarr, Director (After Jonestown), paulvdc@hotmail.com

Karil Daniels

I work and live in the South Bay and document the lives and struggles of gay and lesbian people who work and live in the suburbs. The San Francisco film community is like a huge umbrella that casts its shadow all the way to San Jose. Most of the time, that umbrella offers support and shelter; sometimes it darkens and dampens, since suburbia and its middle class ambience aren’t perceived to be as hip as the gritty city. My education: being true to my vision.

—Pam Walton, Independent Video Producer
(Out in Suburbia, Gay Youth)

Paul M. Lucia

Twenty years ago I told my dad I was moving to San Francisco. His response: “Only kooks and crazies live there!” Turns out, being crazy is a good prerequisite for being an independent moviemaker, which is perhaps why there is such a dynamic community of us up here.

—Gary Weimberg, Luna Productions

The San Francisco Bay Area is a wonderful mix of peoples, cultures, history, architecture and geography. The physical beauty, mixed with a huge amount of creative energy, means an environment that is both soothing and stimulating. The mutual help and support that is standard for people in this media community is a big plus.

—Karil Daniels, Location Scout/Indie moviemaker (Water Baby: Experience of Waterbirth)

Terry Heffernan

San Francisco is a provincial city of contrasting looks, perched on a peninsula only seven miles wide. Result: reputation is key. A highly talented pool of cast and crew exists here. The trick is catching them before or after they’ve made the trek to Mecca (Los Angeles). San Francisco does work.

—Paul M. Lucia, Producer/Director

Abundant independent and student films. Excellent coaches. Film clubs and alliances. Showcases, free concerts and art galleries. The California Independent Film Festival! But SF’s greatest gift is generosity. My acting competition genuinely helps me give my best audition because, though they want the part, too, the SF community is... just that.

—Lauren VA Waters, Actor
(The Ronin Boys, Madison Rye)

Yoav Potash

San Francisco is a city that values individuality. I used to live in Los Angeles, and I always felt self-conscious there about my clothes, my car and all the ways in which my films were different from those in the mainstream. In San Francisco, the more different the better.

— Caveh Zahedi, Director
(A Little Stiff, I Don’t Hate Las Vegas Anymore)

San Francisco affects my way of seeing and moviemaking on a daily basis. Its interplay of light, shape and form entertain and delight my senses. This, combined with incredibly diverse cultures and cuisines, creates a fertile learning ground for art, life and moviemaking. It is the best of all worlds.

—Terry Heffernan, Director

Jenni Olso

I believe in energy, and there’s a lot of it here. Living in San Francisco has been a source of artistic nutrition for me, and has given me unexpected inspiration. Daily life here gives me the feeling that perhaps it’s really not about the work I’m creating. Maybe it’s more about my participation in the process.

—Theresa Wingert, Director

A city of warm people and schizophrenic weather, San Francisco is the California counterpoint to LA’s constant sunshine and company town mentality. Moviemakers here have diverse backgrounds. I’ve collaborated with former doctors, engineers, paratroopers and activists. Young and old, fictionphiles and doc-lovers. We huddle in North Beach cafes, trading cameras and keyboard shortcuts.

—Yoav Potash, yopo@yoavpotash.com

San Francisco is a place of magical self-discovery and melancholy beauty. The city itself is my daily cinematic muse. Some of the lesser-known facets of San Francisco have provided the backdrop for many of my short films (not the traditional landmarks, but the far more inspiring mundane back alleys). These exquisite landscapes are the star of my current feature, The Joy of Life.

—Jenni Olson, Writer/Director
(The Joy of Life, Meep Meep!, Blue Diary)