Update on project, and on indie/d.i.y. theatrical screenings
Selecting films for the screening series for this year is going well. I am looking at 7+ movies at the moment. Let’s see what we end up with - by early March.
I’ll talk a little bit about indie theatrical/D.I.Y. (do it yourself) self-distributed screenings - for indie filmmakers who are new to the idea. Back in the day - before VHS and other home video - if you made a movie and you wanted to show it to people you had to do it at a movie theater or a similar venue. So, from the early days of indie film filmmakers produced their own screenings - indie filmmakers outside of the Hollywood system. Ultimately it is finding a venue to show the movie, promoting the event, and showing the movie/managing the event as it happens. It’s a good, simple way to go to get your movie out to the public and to have a good reason to promote it.
In 2023, where indie movies make their money on VOD, theatrical screenings can be very good for publicity. Also it is the best way to watch a movie. This screening series is a collaborative project/co-productions between the programmer (self), filmmakers, and the theaters. The goals are to: create a new avenue for overlooked filmmakers to show their work, build a lot of promo and publicity, press around screenings, and to get people into indie/art house theaters, have the theaters benefit from the screenings. I think it is possible to achieve all of those goals. We shall see later in the year - will have updates.
Don’t do screenings without doing a ton of promo, publicity, marketing, press work. No point showing movies in an empty theater. Also personally invite people that you know who may like the movies that you show.
After we (myself and filmmakers I am currently in contact with) figure out the details on how these first screenings will work, I’ll most likely open up the project to filmmakers I do not know. They can send in films and I can see if the films may work for future screenings. So, hopefully by this spring the project will be at that point.
The future - as always - looks good for motivated D.I.Y. or DIY indie filmmakers :).