FilmBuff promotes independent films
By Alex Goodman
Oct. 21, 2009 9:32 p.m.
In September 2007, NBA superstar Tracy McGrady visited Darfurian refugee camps in Chad, resulting in an hour-long documentary, “3 Points,” aimed at inciting philanthropic action. The project required a string of intermediaries to make McGrady’s trip happen and to make sure the American public got the message.
That last part was accomplished largely by FilmBuff, a company that facilitates the dissemination of independent film through its video-on-demand channel and through partnerships with online platforms. Because of that, the documentary is now available on hulu.com.
FilmBuff also made it possible to watch Richard Linklater’s indie classic, “Slacker,” on the same site.
“To be able to make something available to people all over the country at the same time is really exciting,” said Matt Dentler, who oversees programming and marketing at FilmBuff. “There is a network of film fans in a way that there’s never been before, so for people to tell their friend on the other side of the country, “˜I just saw this movie. Here’s the link; you have to see it,’ and for them to be able to do that instantly is hugely rewarding.”
FilmBuff was started in 2007 by Cinetic Media, a company that provides ““ among other things ““ finance, sales and corporate consulting assistance to entertainment industries.
“Cinetic recognized the direction the industry was taking toward digital, and we wanted to help filmmakers be on the forefront of those changes,” said Steven Beckman, who works in FilmBuff’s acquisitions department.
Just as the music industry struggles to find a viable business model in a world of illegal downloads and online streaming services, FilmBuff’s goal is to help filmmakers navigate a whole new culture of visual entertainment, Dentler said.
“The development of new technology has kept people distracted,” Dentler said. “Your traditional independent film audience of yesterday is now consumed by so many more options. It used to be that independent art house films were only competing against other art house films for attention, and now you’re competing against television; now you’re competing against video games.”
The debate has been, since the Internet evolved into its current incarnation, whether access to such a vast collection of content will expand minds or deaden them. Dentler trusts the ability of the public to find quality amid the clutter.
“You have to be a lot smarter,” Dentler said. “You can’t just throw content at consumers and expect them to come see it because they have nothing else to choose from. Mediocre content is going to go away ““ audiences are much more discerning ““ but at the same time, people like us are now in a position to directly target audiences. You have to if you want stuff to survive.”
Beckman, among others, immerses himself in the film world on the lookout for movies worth promoting, and he said he sees an industry that is not just surviving, but often thriving as well.
The abundance of new distribution platforms means that more passion projects are finding their ideal viewers.
“If you want to look at film as a reflection of society right now, we’re championing the small independent filmmaker who spends a really long time getting this great documentary or this great story made and sharing it with people who won’t get to see it in a theater,” said Kendra Anderson, who works in marketing and publicity for FilmBuff. “It’s getting back to the heart of what film is all about. It’s artistic, it’s made by people who are really passionate and it’s meant to connect with an audience.”
Still, it’s easy to see how small-time filmmakers without sizeable resources could watch their work get buried in the torrent of entertainment. The goal of FilmBuff, then, is to make sure the cream of the low-budget crop doesn’t get lost in the noise.
“Independent art in general is vital for American success and American growth, because that’s the history of the arts,” Dentler said. “Every artistic movement in history was born out of independent thought.
“It’s important for people to know that if they have an idea for a piece of art, there’s a way to find an audience for it in some way, shape or form. And that’s what’s important about independent film ““ it’s a way to tell stories from a very creative, personal standpoint, and if that’s gone, we’re all in trouble, just for the sanity of our future.”
