The exciting thing about the independent film world is that it has grown to become the platform that can give an audience the next wave of great filmmakers, directors, writers and actors – at least, that was the intention before any person could pick up a digital camera, knock out anything on Final Draft and cobble together a cast to shoot nothing into something.
With every man and his dog writing a script, logged onto YouTube and therefore now certified to turn their city into the next Sundance, it seems that several film festivals to come to the Los Angeles area have allowed the integrity of product to be compromised. Yet the public continues to support the "wunderkind" in cinema, while still wishing to get a good flick for the hefty ticket price.
It is not just that the original competition doors for true indie films have been barricaded shut over the last few years to those without the secret passwords, “distribution deal” prior to a world premiere at any of the large independent festivals.
The question remains as to what tenets dictate selection at all levels to these events. One would hope that despite marketing and the necessary evils of doing deals that excellence, innovation and a fresh perspective on story subject would factor somewhere into the decision-making process. And it would seem that less is more when it comes to programming a theatrical range of films for the entire event – less volume of accepted submissions in exchange for a less crammed screening schedule that could reflect and select more quality movies more often, so that “word of mouth” may do its literal work.
Case in point is found within the 2007 New York Film Festival in LA- otherwise known as the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival- the true naming of which, upon discovery, has a distinctly different ring. Amidst publicists, glossy festival catalogues and a cache screening venue, cracking Cannes appears to be quite the easy coup given a red carpet, some write-up spin and the suits in the seats up front.
One project going seaside for competition in France is feature film Agenda, a recognizable tale of marriage and infidelity brought to the fore in a series of predictable and clichéd ideas around money and murder. Produced by Azisa Films, it is surprising to find this project made it into selection given that the core of any film is found in the writing and in this case, both dialogue and structure reveal a painfully amateur, embarrassing foray into the screenwriting genre.
This key element was highlighted further by cringe-worthy direction, oblivious to having successfully captured the worst in film-acting performances. The exception could be found in newcomer, Pamela Joy Walworth, who may just find herself able to escape this tarnish to her resume, given decent lines and skilled direction in another experience.
Producers should know that it is not enough to use the best in Hollywood “sound design” in the hope that what’s not on the page or even in the can will ever form into a real movie worth watching.
And with silent films as historical through line to filmmaking fundamental “show not tell,” the fact remains that when it comes to making movies, only story and true talent are king.
