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From the "Biz" Archives:
by Maud Kersnowski The latest edition in a new trend for film goers has opened its doors for business. The Celluloid Social Club, a non-theater gathering place where films are shown, opened this month in Vancouver. Once a month, an evening of underground shorts can be viewed for $5. This month's offerings included co-host Ken Hegan's "William Shatner Lent Me His Hairpiece (An Untrue Story)" and "The Operation" shot in infrared by Jacob Pander and Marne Lucas. Over the last year, a significant number of new venues for screenings of unsigned, independent films have cropped up across the U.S. and Canada, attracting not only filmmakers, but general audiences as well. Unlike the usual one-shot, invitation-only event, films are now shown as part of regularly scheduled entertainment held at least monthly and offered to customers. From Portland to Baltimore, in lofts, micro-brewery pubs, and Internet cafes, audiences are viewing everything from animation-comedy to experimental-erotica. These new age movie houses range in style, from screening rooms in coffee houses to parties with movies playing in the middle of the crowd. Owners and managers of these establishments actively look for new reels to show. But since most establishments are barely breaking even, they cannot, as yet, pay for films. What these screenings can offer filmmakers is exposure to an audience outside of the film world "We see more of John Q public than of filmmakers," said Joel Bachar, director Seattle's two year old screening series, Independent Exposure. Bachar views himself as a curator/ exhibitor/ promoter/ distributor/ artist representative. Soliciting films over the Internet, he quickly developed an extensive collection of underground films from around the world. As a result, he has become an informal clearinghouse for screening groups. With artists' permission, he forwards individual films and entire programs to other screening places across the country. Some films have been screened in a dozen different cities. Both the Art Institute of Chicago and the Knitting Factory in New York have presented screenings Bachar originally programmed for Independent Exposure. He recently received a grant from the King County Arts Commission and has announced he will pay a small honorarium for films in the future. Both The Celluloid Social Club and Independent Exposure welcome submissions. [Independent Exposure takes place the last Thursday of every month at 2304 Second Ave. in Belltown, Washington; 206.977.8281; www.LIGHTLINK.com/offline/SIFVC.html or e-mail inquiries to JOEL@speakeasy.org. The Celluloid Social Club takes place the second Thursday of the month at The Empire, 1237 Richards Street in Vancouver; e-mail inquiries to hegan@mail.direct.ca.] | |
