31 Comments
User's avatar
Melissa Silverstein's avatar

It's time to convene an intersectional think tank with a mission of creating a new film ecosystem.

Expand full comment
Ted Hope's avatar

Yes!

Expand full comment
Jon Schiefer's avatar

Sign me up!

Expand full comment
First Features's avatar

We've established the Tank, let's swim together.

Expand full comment
Calypso35 Films's avatar

What are your thoughts on Soderbergh releasing his new 8 part series on Extension765? Personally I think its great. Its that fucku/mywayorthehighway attitude. I appreciate we all don't have SS audience but its definitely "off the farm"

Expand full comment
🎬 Michael's avatar

Ted your words are not a lone voice. You are a catalyst to a brave new world. Never stop being strong, positive in questioning new marketplaces. Our screen sector has been humbled. It’s time for a purposeful peaceful war. All the best in shaping a new world.

Expand full comment
Michèle Stephenson's avatar

Preach Ted. Amen to that. Lets make it happen.

Expand full comment
Michael Olson's avatar

You’re still speaking my thoughts. Thanks again. On a slightly different plane (plain?... both), my beef is with tone and intent of stories being altered to fit a wider audience. Which, I think adds to your point.

Expand full comment
Jeff Feuerzeig's avatar

“Titus Andronicus Forever” or Theme From "The Monitor" written by New Jersey’s own Patrick Stickles, released on the Independent XL Label in the UK in 2010.

The enemy is everywhere

The enemy is everywhere

The enemy is everywhere

The enemy is everywhere

But nobody seems to be worried or care

That the enemy is everywhere

The enemy is everywhere

The enemy is everywhere

The enemy is everywhere

The enemy is everywhere

But nobody seems to be worried or care

That the enemy is everywhere

The enemy is everywhere

The enemy is everywhere

The enemy is everywhere

The enemy is everywhere

But nobody seems to be worried or care

That the enemy is everywhere

The enemy is everywhere

The enemy is everywhere

The enemy is everywhere

The enemy is everywhere

But nobody seems to be worried or care

That the enemy is everywhere

"I am now the most miserable man living

If what I feel were equally distributed to the whole human family

There would not be one cheerful face on Earth"

“Titus Andronicus Forever”

https://youtu.be/Lx0jzcDofLg

Expand full comment
Thunder Levin's avatar

Damn, Ted, I gotta stop reading this first thing in the morning. It's just too depressing.

Yeah! Let's go! Let's build our utopia! Rah! Rah! Right after I slit my wrists...

Expand full comment
Bingo's avatar

Wow! What a scorcher! Must be strike inspired. I recently saw this development in my realm which I believe can be an arrow in your quiver.

https://bitcoinmagazine.com/business/a-case-for-unions-and-bitcoin

I’d ad to this the idea that in an imbalanced power struggle test planting seeds of autonomous power is worth while gardening.

Expand full comment
Johnny Clark's avatar

Great, inspiring post Ted. Question...Are there some indie film production companies that are already working towards building this new ecosystem? Those whose work you admire and you'd recommend us looking at as examples? Even if they're in the very early stages. Maybe you could even write a future post dedicated to those companies. Would love to support those producers and groups who are already on the road to making things better. Thanks for all you do.

Expand full comment
Ted Hope's avatar

I too would love to hear such examples and hope readers share some of their insights!

Expand full comment
First Features's avatar

Yes, we are doing it. Only in the beginning stages. Could use help from the people in this group.

Expand full comment
Calypso35 Films's avatar

What type of help are you looking for?

Expand full comment
First Features's avatar

We are an International Studio Without Borders or Walls and are always looking for talent, above and below the line, to work on our productions. We are always developing new projects that are groundbreaking in more ways than one.

Expand full comment
Karl Shefelman's avatar

I’m feeling’ you, Ted!

Expand full comment
Edwin Campbell's avatar

Thomas Paine rides again!

Expand full comment
Jon Miles's avatar

There is a series on Amazon, via Prime Direct called The Blackwell Ghost - a found footage ghost series. He has made seven. Seven. They are what you'd expect but they have gotten better over time. He clearly does everything himself, shoots, starts, cuts, markets, but he keeps releasing titles. So something is working there. Vimeo and Amazon Prime Direct are both are offering infrastructure solutions for independent filmmakers. This doesn't change budgets for stars, or marketing but it does show there are paths forward that do not require the big machine.

Expand full comment
Ryan Bonder's avatar

I am developing such a beast -- Weev will be a groundbreaking platform leveraging the power of DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations) and fractional ownership (NFTs) to revolutionise creative collaboration and project financing. Our mission is to democratise access to opportunities, enabling a global community to discover and support visionary ideas. Everyone in this ecosystem will be rewarded for their participation. This is the future. The current business model is beyond broken, so I thought... Why not take a kick at the can? I love independent cinema; it has been my life. I'm not going out without kicking some doors down. Aiming for a soft launch in Berlin.

Expand full comment
Benjamin Barnett's avatar

Democratize Creative. This curation is distributed individually, across platforms.

Expand full comment
Benjamin Barnett's avatar

Streaming only works if the filmmaker can monetize on their own terms. Vimeo, Amazon, etc have offered infrastructure for independents for years. One issue is filmmakers not knowing how to "sell" their film online. Lots of reasons for this.

Expand full comment
Nathan Buck's avatar

This is brilliant, Ted. Thank you. There is no one in the independent film space that speaks with more authority than you. I believe that part of building this new eco-system has to be forging direct relationships with independent cinemas & exhibitors. Streaming has been a race to the bottom for independent filmmakers. The game is rigged, and like you said, without data and feedback we are powerless. Plus, the experience itself is single-serving - like an airplane meal. I think we have to offer an experience that is local, communal and exclusive. As with the micro-brewery movement- we don‘t have to conquer the whole country with our films- we can create a self-sustaining local business model that works just fine.

Expand full comment
Max Rissman's avatar

Lead the way, Moses!

Expand full comment