Mark Borchardt "coven"

[JIM DUNN]

For low/no budget filmmaking inspiration, I reccommend "Rebel Without A Crew" by Robert Rodriquez. I met him at the South by SouthWest film festival here in Austin several years ago and found him to be the real McCoy. Never met Mark Borchardt, but was thoroughly entertained by both "American Movie" and "Coven". Chris Smith (Amer. Mov.) has a new docu, "Home Movie" which I saw at this year's SXSW, and found quite enjoyable. I read Mark Borchardt's ongoing journal/diary online regularly and find it an interesting study in inner conflict/turmoil. I don't feel threatened by Borchardt, nor envious of his brief moments in the limelight, though I'm certainly amused AND inspired by his carryings-on. I haven't tried putting him down publicly yet, is that fun too?

[8th Man]

Well, if we're being honest the only reason we ever even heard of Borchartd is because of the documentary. There are countless guys out there who are far more capable that we'll never know about because they won't get the exposure that "American Movie" provided for Mark.
Although I can't watch it where I am, I hear that "Project Green Light" thing is also a humorous and sometimes depressing look at the at the making of a million dollar feature. A million dollars may seem like a lot to a super8 filmmaker, it is bare bones in the world of features and I'd like to see that whole series at some point.

[plattino]

Ouch, well I have to respond to that as well 8th man. "Project Green Light" was also a premiere at Sundance this year and boy let me tell you the gamble the producers went out to create that piece of **** . I mean there must of been sugar melting off the screen or something. Maybe I'm just cynical but that film was so "traditional Hollywood" in its presentation it made me want to puke during the screening. This film will probably come out in theatres since its the sappiest family tale that was absolutely a "no risk film" for the people who put the contest together in the first place. Its just you kind of get sad seeing this kind of Hollywood cheese seep into the independent film industry and you can't stand it. In addition, just go to Sundance next year and you will see what I mean. It's becoming less risky and too safe its kind of sad really. This screenplay was by no means a step towards independent film, its sickening.

My 2 cents
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[8th Man]

I'm a little outta the loop here. I thought "Project Green Light" was a series on one of the cable networks. Was it re-cut into a feature documentary for Sundance? Or did they show the film the gut actually made?
You may be absolutely right about it, as I've not seen any of it, only what a friend has said about how I should see it.
I'd like to go to Sundance. I'd like to go to Cannes for all that matter. If I go to any, it'll most likely be to Taos since my sister lives there now. Anyone been there before?

[plattino]

I met mark at this years Sundance film festival and celebrated with him at the Slamdance festival as well. Mark is a nice guy who is by no means a rocket scientist but neither are you or I. I actually screened their new movie as well called "Britanny Baby One More Time" and it is ******* halarious. I can respect Mark because hes not some fake as filmmaker and stays true to himself and doesn't do fancy **** for people to criticize. He does what comes natural and is just like any old Joe' off the street who likes to make movies. I don't see anyone else on the forum showing at Sundance. Any questions?
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[chas_ucla]

"Project Greenlight" was a series on HBO showing the behind the scenes making of a script that won the Miramax award. The writer got a million dollar budget and Miramax help to make his sappy film, "Stolen Summer" I think it's called. From what I saw on HBO there is no way I'd want to see this movie!

I saw both "American Movie" and "Coven." The former is a great doc that no filmmaker should miss; I enjoyed the latter as well. Not the greatest film short and he's not the most motivating character (Mark B.) but for what it is it's not bad at all. Good ambience...

[Matt Pacini]

OK, I'm really going to invite some backlash against myself for saying this, but I'm going to toss out my opinions of both the "project Greenlight" and Sundance.

First off, Project Greenlight started quite a while ago, with a website that Ben Aflect and god knows who else behind it, that was essentially a script contest (to get your movie made).
Somthing like I think it was 5,000 scripts were sent in. I found out about it after the cutoff date, which was like well over a year ago, if I remember right.

I'm pretty sure the show started after they picked the guy who won the contest. There was some discussion over on cinematogrphy.com by some pro DP's on the merits, or lack thereof, of the process of making the movie, mostly about the DP's attitude.

Anyway, other than that, I know nothing about it, other than I'm sick of everyone I know (that has nothing to do with filmmaking) saying "why don't you send a script into Project Greenlight?"
Uhhh, maybe because they are already making the freakin movie from a more than one year old contest and it's way too late?. I haven't seen the show, but they must be marketing it as if it were some continuing thing, which it apparently is not.

Here's what I think of Sundance:

Sure, I'd love to get one of my films there someday, strictly for business reasons only (to sell my film(s). OK, I'd love to go to wild filmmaker parties, even though I don't drink or do drugs...

I think it's a real stretch to call it an "Independent Film Festival" these days, considering it's been turned into just another tool by the studios and major stars and production companies to market their films, at the detriment to many, many small films that don't get to screen there, because the "preferred star-studded films" get to take up that screen space.
And this Project Greenlight thing is a perfect example; a film that has been bankrolled by big actors, backed by Miramax (which can't be called an indie anymore, since they're freakin' huge and owned by Disney) gets automatically admitted jsut because of it's star association, not it's quality.
If you think I'm just making this up over sour grapes, read the book by Chris Gore on how to get into film festivals. (Not that he's the only one with this opinion).
He basically states that all the big festivals, you're wasting your money by just sending your film in with the entry fee.
You have to know someone connected with the festival in some way.
In other words, they're pretty much rigged.
I had two people tell me when I was calling around to festivals asking for entry forms, that they had already picked the lineup, even though it was over a month before the deadline. They said this was common practice, that they picked most of their films way before, and seldom from the ones submitted in the normal way. They made me promise not to tell their names, or they would get in trouble.
(One of them was the Newport beach festival in Calif.)
Great news, eh? And Sundance apparently is the king of all of them at this, rarely picking those submitted the usual "entry form & check" method.

Anyway, it was good to know.

I have no problem at all with Sundance being what it is, a 60% big business orgy of film selling, and a 40% indie festival.
I just am sick of the self-congratulatory back slapping that they always do in promoting it as some "alternative" to the mainstream Hollywood marketing machine, the independent spirit, etc..
Oh really? Then why is it that everything we see about Sundance is cameras pointed at big stars?
How many times have you seen coverage of Sundance on TV, where it wasn't interviewing a star?
Please!

Just so nobody says "Matt is slamming sundance (excuse the pun!) because his film was rejected, I didn't even apply to Sundance, for a couple reasons:

1. You had to have a 35mm film print, which I didn't.
2. I don't know anyone associated with putting the festival on.

Matt Pacini

[plattino]

Matt, being first hand wittness to this B.S. at Sundance and watching "Stolen Summer" I have to admit that you are probably right in every way. As much as I would hope to think that Sundance and many other big festivals are not rigged, I do believe that in this industry its all about who's in the film and so forth in the making. Such a schmoozy industry when its in the bare bones if you think about it. Its such a shame really and thats exactly why Slamdance, Lapdance, and every other type of dance out there is putting on anti Sundance festivals in Park City, Utah to give a big middle finger to Robert Redford himself. Its such a discrace to think that he claims Sundance as the alternative to mainstream cinema. His name and "Independent film" should be forbidden together in my opinion. I most definetely think that its mainstream these days, although Sundance's shorts tend to be a bit indy and promising. I will submit my Super 8 film nevertheless, and probably will not take it to heart and think (or hope) that I don't get accepted because of lack of well-known actors. Either way, its probably a waste of $30 I'm sure. Cross them fingas!
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[Matt Pacini]

I think most people's opinion of Sundance, is just more evidence that people form their opinions based on marketing and not reality.
It works for political campaigns, and it works in the movie business.

Everyone thinking Sundance is this independent and alternative source apart from Hollywood, is just ridiculous.
I see the coverage of Sundance on countless TV shows, websites, and it's all big names flashing their smiles to the camera.
It's all just another marketing blitz for people already established in the industry.
I don't see anything independent about that.
If I go to Sundance, if anything, instead of sucking up to all the movie stars, I'll ignore them, because all they are doing there is stealing all the attention from those who have risked everything to try to claw their way into the business.
They scrape up all the money they can to make their film, scrape up money to get to Sundance, then they get there, and all these celebrities hog the spotlight, when they are the ones that need it the least.
I think someone needs to start a festival, where if you are SAG, or have any kind of deal with a major studio, you can't come.
Now THAT would be a change, eh?
The reality is, most festivals are put on just to make money for the people putting it on, and the town that hosts it.
And they know, big stars are what's going to raise all the tourist dollars.
The furthering of Independent Cinema is just the image they use as an excuse to raise money. I don't think most of the people involved in putting it on, really give a rat's asss about it. They just want to hang with stars like everyone else.
Sorry, I'm in a realy cynical mood these days!
Can ya tell?

Matt Pacini

[blackangus1]

"I think someone needs to start a festival, where if you are SAG, or have any kind of deal with a major studio, you can't come.
Now THAT would be a change, eh?"

Yep -- check out "Dances With Films" (www.danceswithfilms.com) -- it's exactly what you're asking for. If you have a name, credentials, a deal, etc -- you can't enter. It's for true nonames.

"The reality is, most festivals are put on just to make money for the people putting it on, and the town that hosts it."

Bingo. Well, that, plus the festival organizers get to play with royalty by being the bigshots that invite all the stars and thus get all the photo ops with 'em... which, in the end, is just another form of currency, I guess...

Another reality of the bigger festivals is that a lot of the films aren't submitted, they're REQUESTED. Once one of my films got accepted into a couple of medium-level festivals (like Tahoe & Nashville), we started getting calls from other festivals asking for it to be included in their schedule (like LAIFF and NYIFF). So even though a festival may have 40 or 60 slots available for films, that doesn't mean those slots will be filled by indie filmmaker submissions who write a check and send in a VHS. Many of them will be filled by requests, or perhaps by studio submissions, whatever the festival director decides will make for the best overall show for the ticketbuying attendees.

For most "indie" filmmakers, their best bet at getting accepted into a festival is to enter a big hometown or homestate festival... you'll get much more consideration because the hometown festival is much more likely to give you a break than an out-of-town festival will, simply because homegrown productions are an easy sell to the local ticketbuying populace. So get in there, do well there, win an award, and you'll have a much better chance at getting in to other festivals or even requested to their festivals.