Jonathan --

First off, thanks for the kind words in your original post. A film's budget, or its box-office receipts, shouldn't determine the type of DVD release it receives, and I think we've adequately shown that with Benten's first three titles.

At the same time, there's so much on this topic that I want to say, but probably shouldn't.

Let's just say that not everybody in the world of indie and micro-budget cinema sales and distribution are the heroes they're made out to be. The future of distribution, via the Internet or various on-demand services, is still in its infancy yet there are some claiming to have it all sussed out. The quantity over quality model, in the long run, isn't going to do much to help filmmakers gain the exposure they both desire and deserve.

While online distribution certainly has the promise of even greater democratization, how are consumers going to separate the wheat from the chaff if everything is just dumped in a bucket labeled "Indie"? Don't get me wrong -- I'm all for the new distribution models, but right now it's akin to a game of land grab with everybody snatching up claims before a single well has sprung.

Jonathan, my apologies for the inaccurate description of your current position, but the only bio I could find for you when writing that blog post (which was a link round-up, certainly not intended to be a work of investigative journalism) was the one on this page:
http://www.greencine.com/article?action=view&articleID=321

Is there a more up-to-date bio you could refer me to?

Nice follow up post their Jonathan.

Re: Andrew G's "wheat from the chaff" problem; consumers will buy what they want & what they like; as they always have. as an indie film consumer i don't buy a film just because it is indie or not buy a movie because it is not indie (though i am partial to indie movies because i've liked a lot of them in the past, there are a ton of indie/made outside of Hollywood movies that i don't want to see, & there are a lot of H-wood movies that i have seen), i buy what sounds interesting to me.

in art'/entertainment consumption it is all a matter of taste; but before indie filmmakers can get to that point, their movies need to be available in a consumable format (at a theater, on DVD, available for download, etc.) & potential consumers need to know that it exists.

but inspite of the state of flux that the distro field is in, keep working Benten; it could be a good example of indie film fans & industry workers starting their small labels, for other filmmakers who are frustrated w/ their limited distribution options. and in the long run - in 10 years or so - it could actually turn into the "indie version of criterion" type idea you guys have for it. anyway, the stuff that you are putting out now, will be very interesting to see what those movies are like in 10, 20, 30 years; also people & ideas related to those movies.

and really, no one knows exactly what distro avenue will work for every movie. owners of the films have to try different avenues & see what works. at the least, i think indie filmmakers making their movies available for purchase from their websites/mail order is something that should be done/could be done - if for nothing else than documenting in some transferable (to others) format that a certain movie was made at a certain time by a certain person or a group of people.

- Sujewa

If this and the 1st post on the subject by Jonathan Marlow were a Newspaper article, I would have cut it out and framed it on my wall.

Printing it out from the web and framing it isn't quite the same.

Maybe I'll just print it and carry it in my wallet, sadly there's plenty of free space in there!

Just home from a weekend of baby showering... thanks for the detailed response, Jonathan. I won't have time this week to post a detailed reply (I will try, but flying to FL tomorrow for some emergency meetings), but quickly...

First, thanks for the kind words about the festival; second, I appreciate the discussion and third, I really took exception to your comparison of festivals to exposure driven distribution deals as both PIMPING filmmakers. I don't think all of us are the same, but your piece only makes two or three distinctions and all of them are qualitative about the size of the events. I take exception to both of those points in your original piece, as well as the common and increasingly popular idea that the festival circuit is essentially an economically inferior replacement for distribution.

Anyway, I appreciate your detailed reply to my taking exception. I'll take more exception as soon as possible... I joke. Quickly though, to clarify: I never have believed that I am somehow beholden to a journalistic standard-- I in no way claim to be a journalist, but still; 40 film festivals attended annually doesn't mean anything in relation to how much you understand of the economics of putting on an event; Maybe you do, but I don't feel that calling us pimps for not paying filmmakers expresses much understanding. I also do have a vested interest in film festivals being economically viable, because I love what they do, I love attending them and working at them, and I love being a programmer. So, if i am thin skinned, it is probably because I hear these same arguments from all types of people; distributors, foreign sales agents, filmmakers, everyone looking to get paid from a system that isn't built to pay. I have written about it many times, and this idea grows like a virus; It is a clear pet peeve of mine, so yes, I may overreact, and apologies if that felt personal, but it is hard to let these comments go when we're fighting really hard to keep our heads above water and deliver on our mission. I appreciate this piece and thanks for the response (and the opportunity to post a quick reply).

Warmest Regards,
Tom

PS- You're always welcome in Sarasota and at any event we host! :)

Not to turn this into a back-and-forth, but...

dear Tom,

As you return to Sarasota, I write these words roughly three hours away in Miami (for the first of three speaking engagements this month). Many thanks for responding to my response of your response. I'm not going to pick it apart -- except to further clarify my "economics of film festivals" experience by repeating that I've actually worked (as a programmer, like yourself) for various festivals in the past. I am no stranger to ignorance in many fields but in this one I feel fairly secure.

Regarding your invitation to attend the festival, ideally I'll be able to make an appearance at the next edition. I have plenty of time to plan for it! Furthermore, should I actually attend, I promise not to call you a pimp. In fact, I suspect that we'll get along quite well. I'm relatively reasonable in-person, albeit excessively opinionated. I only pretend to be cantankerous in print.

Meanwhile, I regret one element of the above. I wrote, "For every Barry Jenkins there are a dozen Eric Schaeffers." I should've wrote, "For every Wendell B. Harris Jr..." instead. That makes the point much better than referencing Barry for the half-dozenth time. Barry Jenkins will seemingly continue along the filmmaking path for the foreseeable future. It isn't clear if Wendell Harris will ever make another movie.

systematically,
Jonathan