Has the proliferation of films being produced because of the "democratization" of film making process by cheaper technology actually helped indie film makers or has it actually made it more difficult to bring films to market? The low budget producers now have inexpensive tools that yield films with very high production values, but without a lavishly funded professional PR campaign, a lot of good films/shows never gain traction.
Film Festivals aren't the incubators they used to be. They have become a cottage industry. It's very easy to get accepted into the smaller film festivals, but the ones that matter because of the high publicity value (Sundance, Hot Docs, Toronto, Tribeca etc) are overwhelmed with submissions.
Small "art" theaters are being closed because there is not enough money to adequately promote these films and the studios frequently prevent them from competing with the multi-screen venues.
Even the film reviewers are overwhelmed. I've stopped reading the NY Times friday film reviews because there are dozens each week.
The end result: it is now actually harder for quality independent productions to gain traction because they lack a giant publicity machine. Many wonderful films are being completed but they are still pushed aside by the well financed, PR budgeted films.
Instead of aiding unknown but talented indie filmmakers, the democratization has done little more than boost the bottom line of the credit card companies that are used to fund a lot small movies.
Is this a good thing? Was the apprentice, work-your-way up through the ranks approach better after all because it separated the exceptional from the not-so-good early on?
Would Roger Corman succeed if he was just starting out in today's film industry?
Will Netflix, coupled with social media be the answer? Are they the disruptors?
Rant over.
Tony Breuer
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Posted by: tonybreuer@mac.com
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