i. have. a crew.

exciting things are happening on the funding front. remember when i shared with you my emerging rule of independent filmmaking? you remember, here, when i suggested that you bypass all formal channels? well, sometimes it works out. just. so . . . this time, through a series of informal convos (i hate that word; it just fell out) with friends who happen to be colleagues. i was contacted to help the Honors Program develop a critical film initiative that would move students beyond mainstream film toward an appreciation of and capacity to produce independent film. well, with a bit of creative prompting on my end and with the help of my friend/colleauge, the one initiative is evolving into 4 different but related strands: 1.) film colloquia, partnering with the Sundance Institute, 2.) a course with content provided by year-round Sundance screenings and events, 3.) a team-taught course (with Scott Carrier, our new Communications faculty member, of NPR fame!), and 4.) FUNDING for my 4-person crew (me, Mike, and 2 Honors interns) to fly to San Francisco to begin filming M Dot Strange as he develops his new film — essentially, funding for my documentary. i had planned to end this post with my conventional, “voilà,”  but i will instead borrow from my niece, who has come up with a take on “… money.” that’s so candy!

the magical university

"paper tore" (william gaddis)

with good news comes bad. it’s kind of a given.

so, we’re a University now! and, um, that’s great for the community, for students, . . . and but so the IT switchover has apparently been such a colossal brain cell-destroying venture, that the new grants site isn’t up yet. big deal. right? not when there are timetables for obediently participating with official protocols and whatnot. so, that the forms are not ready means, for me (possibly, for others) that my request for a grant (to support my film project and offer student interns work in documentary filmmaking) has been stalled because . . . here you go . . . THE ONLINE FORMS SYSTEM ISN’T READY.

GRANTS COORDINATOR

I’m sorry, bonnie . . .

yes, we received your abstract,

but if you could be patient until our online forms are ready . . .

 

ME

(a strained but politely sighing beat)

of course,

but my window of opportunity for filming

is narrow, so i suppose i’ll self-fund,

skip the interns (unless they too can self-fund),

and hope for possible “retroactive” funding (?),

later, when your forms are working.

(a long, pensive beat)

say, maybe you could have someone walk my abstract over –

or, hey, email it to the reviewers?

(a quick beat of awareness)

oh right, that’s crazy talk.

 

 

and the universe says . . .

philip seymour hoffman @ the sundance filmmaker labs

“. . . sure. i can fund your projects!” now, i’m not exactly sure of the form and amount of support, but i just heard from my friend in the Honors Program; they are interested in partnering with Mike and i to create increasingly sophisticated film work (analysis, appreciation, writing about, production, etc.) for the Honors students (in my utopia, it would happen for all, but i’ll take what i can get/serve as i can). i may get an intern or 2 and maybe some funding for the film. we will certainly work to create colloquia — screen a cool sundance or otherwise indie film and host speakers (filmmakers, talent, etc.). start a new media series . . . the options are wide open just now, but i have a lunch meeting w/ my friend from Honors next week. yay.

indie road trip

so naturally, i’d thought about driving to San Francisco to shoot M filming. we’d save $! we’d see sights we’d never seen! it would be an indie adventure! but then gas prices explode and shatter my illlusions, that mental footage of me literally “following my passion” across the great American West. merde.

so today, in addition to working on the opening sequences, i will spend a little time begging for $ requesting funding from people both on my campus and in the community, people who may be inclined/able to offer some assistance. if i can put together a short trailer, i may get a decent response. people like to see something, to know that you are actually making the project happen. when i was making proposition 1984, i spent months emailing the producers of JEM’s “they” (way before it became so popular), and i got little to no response. then, when i had a cut of the film fairly well constructed, i sent the DVD out, and soon i got my response: a 10-year festival licensing deal for only $1600.00!! i was so happy-proud. but then, it didn’t get into the 2 festivals to which i’d submitted it. merde. i did manage to screen the film at a few major, national, academic conferences (CCCC, RSA, NCTE) as well as at a special campus screening. so. and so but, for this film, i plan to get WAY better funding, and i’ll probably either a.) make my own, or b.) have M (my film’s subject) make some music. voilà.

charging inspiration

it could be that i will not be able to wait on the possible funding i’ve requested for my film, i’m like . . . professional. i may need to resort to the indie staple, the personal credit card. obviously, i’d rather not make that move, but my opportunities for filming are approaching, and i still haven’t heard back on the *abstract* for my grant proposal (so much for following protocol).

so, i’m thinking that i need to send out more proposals (argh). but maybe instead, i need to go back to the method i used to make my first documentary, proposition 1984. briefly, this is the method: bypass all formal channels (possible title for my memoir). write to any and every Head of Some Program or Funded Project on our campus and simply ask for whatever pittance they can afford to throw my way (i don’t  need much, maybe $3000.00 – $7000.00). i have a lot of fabulous colleagues, many of whom believe in what i do with mylittlefilms. some of them have more $ than they can imagine spending (imagine). i need also to apply for the Utah Arts grant. and then there’s the goofy online begfest; i had gestured in this direction a few months ago but got no response. maybe i need to be more creative (always the goal, so duh).

did i mention that i am not fond of this aspect of creative life? i’m not, but sometimes the desperation it generates also (re)activates inspiration.

photo backstory: in a NYC department store that will remain nameless, during a 5th Ave. touring break during the CCCC’s 2007 trip. i had to beg the saleslady to let me take this picture after she told me, “no pictures!” (just as they had at Louis Vuitton; they must have imagined i would exit the store and head immediately to my sweatshop to create knockoffs). but so she wasnt’ having it. so i told her that i was creating an “academic photo-essay,” which i was. and it was delightful to see her demeanor shift as she agreed to let me do it, “but … okay, but quickly!”