Using my Star Word

My time of “new” continues this week as I am immersed in a new culture out here in this world of art houses, independent films and filmmakers and the the prodigious amount of film festival people and ideas that surround this place. Sundance film festival is right next door and begins when I leave here. It is almost counterculture to the world I live in and yet is fascinating to meet the people who do live and breathe in it. There is a strong force of people in community here who speak, hear and understand the concept of film and the film industry in a way I may never understand. And I have been in the “industry” for over 35 years. Out here, at this, I am a newbie. So as my Star Word again fits, I am learning. I came here with little expectation of gaining new business, but kept my mind open to listen and learn. I love movies, always have, but had no idea the vastness of them when looking at it from an independent film and filmmaker perspective. I have heard estimates of 14000 – 21000 independent films are made around the world each year. Yet only a fraction are ever presented in a theatre or community viewing venue. Yet this is why filmmakers make them. For others to see, learn, experience, enjoy and love. An explosion of festivals that bring more and more of these films to the big screen is happening. This is new to me and to our
company and to the industry and this niche of the industry too.
So I have opened a door to a new place, to me, for building relationships and community and am finding a fully alive and vibrant community that has been existing for many years, already here. I see some old friends here that have been a part of this community and yet I didn’t know them as this group does. I am making new friends here and beginning new relationships that I hope help me learn more of this counterculture to my life of cinema industry involvement. Having lived, grown and thrived within this world of movies for most of my adult life, it is like finding a whole new world living within it. Reminds me a little of the creatures that live in the locker in Men in Black. Yet, maybe, we are the ones in the locker to them, because they see the 20,000 movies each year in their world and we don’t in ours. Talk about a new perspective. Part of me wants to dive in head first and learn to see what they see and encounter the world vision of film in a way I can’t comprehend right now. Yet I will just start with a toe-dipping and maybe work on wading in to my ankles first.
There is a need for our business here in this part of the industry. But like when we began to reach out to the community owned theatres back in the 1990’s, we will need to work on building trust and relationship first. We must earn their trust and they must see us as a part of their world and not an outsider just seeking a sale. Baby Steps as Dr. Leo Marvin would say. Hey just think, as my baby steps turn into full strides I could have a whole new world of movies to learn to quote from and about.
Ole