Letters

Thanks for The Ink

Dear Tim,   

I love your magazine! Tom Allen did a beautiful job
on covering me (Mar. ’94)and the Feature Workshops.

—Rick Schmidt, Port Townsend, WA

Only These Who Haven’t "Made
It,
Please

Dear Tim,

I’d like to praise you for putting out a fine magazine.
As an independent filmmaker’ve enjoyed articles about film schools,
Taso Lagos’s journal and Shea Salyer West Indies. My listing has
allowed me network with people would never have otherwise met. any
publication your magazine cater certain audience. don’t want see
Steven Spielberg, Roman Polanski other Hollywood bigshots even though
they are wellwritten. If read who “made it,’ll Premiere or Entertainment
Weekly. must include such articles, why not interview associated
big movies normally get much ink. The Ron Bass Gan. `94) was inspiration
all aspiring screenwriters. Cinematographers casting directors great
interviews. is example of type many us filmmakers devour.’m sure
non-filmmakers, vast majority readers, also appreciate articles.
When find make movies, love hear anything connected this industry.
look forward issues come.

—Doug Ing Seattle, WA

Party On, Movie Dudes

Dear MovieMaker.

I would like to subscribe to your most righteous
publication. OK. Enclosed is my check for 15 dollars. OK. Excellent.
Good. Thanks.

—Wrapped in Celluloid, Cliff Traiman Merlon,
PA

Making Goog Movies Requires
Focusing

Dear Tim:

Please start my subscription to Movie Maker Magazine.

Just wanted to tell you that the reason I’m subscribing
is because of an issue I picked up at a 911 Media Arts event. Although
I’m a videographer, I was struck by the technical and artistic focus
of your magazine.   I suspect this comes from the
discipline and technical heritage of moviemaking.

I did note your interesting comments on the open screenings
held at 911 and elsewhere, and I agree with you completely. There
is a tendency to believe that aiming a video camera at a performance
of any kind automatically makes it a video art piece.

Art requires some discipline and inner focus, not
just pointing a camera at a bunch of folks doing weird things. There
must be some technical. knowledge behind the presentation. Since
we don’t have to cut and splice film, there is a tendency to get
lazy and not impose any editorial control over what is presented,
and that just doesn’t work.

Anyway, I hope you get my drift, and I look forward
to receiving your magazine.

Sincerely,

—Jim Reardon Seattle, WA