MM Notebook

by Timothy Rhys | Published November 1, 1994

At the risk of sounding irritatingly cheerleaderesque, this month I had a notion to devote my few hundred words of spout-off space to the public’s receptiveness to independent moviemaking in this country. As you can imagine, I have definite opinions about what the prevailing opinion is. Then I wondered how objective I could possibly be, sitting in an office way up here in Seattle where I talk to almost no one except independent moviemakers every day of the week. Not exactly your basic cross-section of the public. Maybe I can’t see the cinematic forest for the tress, as it were. But no, on second though, the evidence is irrefutable, and one needn’t necessarily be on any particular inside track to see it. There is just no question that independent moviemaking in America is entering a Golden Age of sorts, and that the public, the general moviegoing and TV-watching audiences, are responsible for it. Maybe it’s because more viewers today are moviemakers themselves.

Last month we asked a group of prominent American directors if they thought film school is worth it. While their collective answer was a hearty “probably, in most cases,” what is not debatable is that there is a mushrooming number of people in the country running around calling themselves filmmakers (or moviemakers, as we like to say, lest we be confused with those film-and-only-film-and-don’t-even-mention-video-in my-presence snobs we keep hearing about.) They’re using every format from Hi8 to 35mm; they’re shooting everything from rockumentaries to westerns; they’re getting broke more often than they’re getting rich, but they are out there nonetheless, shooting and cutting like never before. Moviemaking is no longer a mystery. Almost anyone with a camera and a desire, from 7-Eleven clerks to struggling playwrights (just check out this month’s “profiles” section for proof) can make a legitimate shot at becoming the next great independent success story.

Still, there’s more to the story. As a case in point, here in Seattle, not quite the largest city in North America, I’m constantly astonished by the sheer number of people who are, have been, or are about to, shoot a movie. At any one time there are three to five indie features being shot here, on average. And the interest in movies and moviemaking in this city is mind-boggling. Witness the Seattle International Film Festival. It’s one of the largest, most well-attended festivals in North America. Where are these audiences coming from? Could it be that independent films are becoming mainstream? Add to the mix Seattle’s new Rain States Film Festival, made up entirely of independent product, scheduled for February. Also, we’re proud to announce the new weekly television program which we’re co-producing, titled “MovieMaker Magazine Presents”, scheduled to air on KING 5, the local NBC affiliate, beginning in November. The show will feature short films, moviemaker interviews, tech tips, feature clips and reviews.

Granted, Seattle is a city of escape artists, known for its caffeine and microbrew addicts, as well as the disproportionate number of live stage theaters. But audience tastes here can’t be that different from, say, Boston, for instance.

To clinch my thesis, I was recently faxed a copy of a New York Times article published last month which talked about the Independent Film Channel, a new, 24-hour cable service carried by the Bravo Cable Network, owned by Cablevision Systems, a corporation that also owns Madison Square Garden. These are people who know something about what audiences want.

So, okay, I’m a cheerleader. So be it. There’s plenty to cheer about. Because there’s never a better time to write a script, grab a camera and jump on the bandwagon. Better hurry, while the game’s still in the early innings.

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TAGS 1994 35mm bravo cable network cablevision systems hi8 independent film channel independent moviemaking king 5 madison square garden mm notebook moviemaker magazine presents new york times seattle seattle international film festival seattle’s new rain states film festival tim rhys

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