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Larry Meistrich on Film Movement
What does a producer do after finding tremendous success with more than 100 independent films and having served as the head of a top indie studio for more than 10 years? If you're Larry Meistrich, founder of the now-defunct Shooting Gallery and producer of such Oscar-nominated films as Sling Blade and You Can Count on Me, you could invent a whole new kind of distribution company and attempt to change the face of indie film exhibition.
Deciding that there are far too many films that don't get much further than a festival premiere, Meistrich devised Film Movement, a company that merges the exhibition of first-run movies in theaters and on home DVD. Part film club, part indie distribution revolution, for a small monthly fee, Film Movement subscribers are invited to premiere a brand-new movie-either at their local art house theater, or in the comfort of their very own living room.
The idea is catching on: with customers in more than 1,700 cities nationwide, Meistrich has proven that indie film is indeed alive and well. Here, he speaks with MM about what the future holds for his company-and how you can join the movement!
Jennifer Wood (MM): Film Movement has been described in a number of different ways, and with good reason: the company is engaged in various facets of the film industry, from distribution and acquisition to retail sales and promotion. In the simplest terms, how do YOU define exactly what Film Movement does?
Larry Meistrich (LM): Film Movement is the future of distribution. By combining the prestige and awareness of a theatrical release with the accessibility of the DVD subscription service, we are able to satisfy the entire North American audience on a first-run basis-not just those who live near an art-house [theater].
MM: How did the idea for Film Movement originate? What goals did you have in mind when the company was founded?
LM: Film Movement came as a result of doing the Shooting Gallery Film Series. We saw how large and diverse the audience is and how under-served by mainstream Hollywood they are. Our goal is to reach every U.S. household and create a brand that stands for outstanding, high-quality films.
MM: Bringing first-run movies to home DVD, it would seem that the biggest market for Film Movement would be the smaller cities and suburbs across the country where art house and independent movie theaters just don't exist. Have you found this to be the case?
LM: Our customers are everywhere. We have customers from Homer, Alaska to Bradenton, Florida. However, we have been doing really well in the major cities, where there is a great appreciation for film.
MM: As far as your demographics go, how many members do you have at the current time? Where are they concentrated geographically? And how would you describe the typical Film Movement member?
FM: We do not give out our subscriber numbers, but I can tell you that we have members in over 1,700 cities in every state, the Bahamas and the Virgin Islands. Film Movement is launching in Canada in February. Our subscribers tend to mirror population density with strong pockets around college towns and cities in which we have theatrical runs. They are age and gender neutral. Smart, culturally-interested people live everywhere and come from every walk of life.
MM: How would you describe the typical Film Movement film? Are there certain requirements a film must meet in order to be considered as your movie of the month?
LM: All of our films meet the same criteria.
1. Must be accepted to the world's top film festivals
2. Must win awards at festivals
3. Must have the support of our curators
MM: Though still a relatively young company, the public-and media-have really seemed to grab hold of this idea. You've been mentioned in publications ranging from Forbes and Crain's to the New York Times, Esquire and Newsweek. Are you surprised at how quickly the idea has caught on? Has the positive reaction to what you're doing changed your plans for the future?
LM: It's always good to be positively recognized by the media. The attention has not changed our plans, but affirmed them. I am not surprised by how quickly the idea has caught on. The North American public is a lot smarter than most people give them credit for.
MM: In addition to the movie club aspect of Film Movement, you also sponsor a number of screenings and events. Can you talk more about the various other aspects of the company-and how our readers can become involved?
LM: Really, the best way for your readers to become involved is to join! In addition to receiving a new release of an award-winning film each month, we offer additional member benefits such as the ability to e-mail cast and crew, live Q&As with filmmakers, film clubs and free screenings come with membership. We are trying to build a definable community of independent film viewers, not just sell DVDs.
MM: So far, the company seems geared more toward film enthusiasts. Having worked in the business for a long time yourself, do you have any plans to create more opportunities for moviemakers within the company?
LM: We are trying to create opportunities for filmmakers through our shorts program by highlighting new works. We ask leading brands to underwrite the cost of short films to highlight emerging filmmakers. There are no immediate plans to go into feature production.
MM: What are some of the films we can look forward to in the coming months?
Upcoming films for 2004 include Mina Shum's Long Life, Happiness and Prosperity starring Sandra Oh (Canada); Imanol Uribe's Carol's Journey (Spain); Jacques Doillon's Raja (France/Morocco); Vicente Amorim's The Middle of the World (Brazil); and Rolf de Heer's Alexandra's Project (Australia).
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