Hollywood has produced its fair share of disaster movies. How about one where the independents destroy the archaic financing, production and distribution methods of Tinseltown? I'm sure Roland Emmerich could throw something together there.
Considering all of this, it's (very, very!) invigorating to step back and see this larger, historical narrative play out. Consider the following two filmmaker interview clips.
(1991: Francis Ford Coppola, from Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse)
(2008: Paul Thomas Anderson, from Variety Q&A at the Arclight for There Will Be Blood)
Anderson shares a story about utilizing the YouTube platform to distribute his own, non-studio theatrical trailer. After the studio's initial rage, they warm to the overwhelming response from the focused, enthused online audience. A filmmaker who came up mainly through the studio system, Anderson digresses on the amazing new opportunities for filmmakers today. He calls platforms like YouTube a "filmmaker's fantasy."
Somebody connect the dots please.
The negative effect of this, is that the lines between a professional and amateur are blurred to the point where we no longer have well crafted films - and audiences settle for calling the mediocre masterful. I find myself spending less and less time at the theater, and more time digging for quality works of the past. Professionalism of craft is seriously degraded.
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