Actually, it was never supposed to remain a virtual movement… we are simply grounded here in cyberspace at The Auteurs. There are plans afoot for groups to spring up all over. The first step in production is the creation of a West Coast community (centered around LA, with a live cinematheque and a physical school)—- this is projected for early Summer. I LOVE the idea of an East Coast school—- then all we need is a Midwest or Southern network and a triangle is set. Roll out for all this begins in early March 09. There are people in Canada already talking to each other, and I have mentioned the idea to filmmakers in London and Paris recently. The “notebooks” (we are not calling them that, to avoid confusion with the critical notebooks already existing here onsite: so for now, it’s a working title… suggestions in my inbox please)… the “notebooks” will actually cover a how-to on setting up grassroots networks and sourcing the necessary resources to do the work. These documents should be ready late February.
So yeah, filmmakers and creatives of Gotham… drop enthusiasm into this thread and/or send me some contact details we will build a list.
Thanks Benham.
Inspiration+Drive+Guerilla Tactics=Garage
hey tobias, i’m benham’s buddy and i share his enthusiasm.
Keep me in the loop, gents – who doesn’t love a like-minded community?
Benham and Tobias:
To echo your sentiments out of my own neck of the woods, Queens to Crooklyn Represent!
I’m really new to Auteurs and I’m not really in the know in terms of exactly what the parameters of joining/participating in Garage is either. Although, as a student in New York who has been studying film for a good while – I share the impulse to support a community of fellow cinephiles/artists with any particular resources and ideas I can offer. Especially such an apparently articulate and constructive group of people like the ones that take part in the Garage.
I go to school at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and I help out with the Pratt Film Society; an organization run by one of my film professors (a wonderful New York based resource as a film maker in his own right). We screen free films as the main feature of the Film Society, as well as occasionally hosting the film makers themselves in short talks about their films, and run a class that’s linked to the series.
The free screenings are open to the public and are shown in the remarkably huge and slick movie theater style auditorium that was only recently built in the architecture building at Pratt. The first screening of the semester is this coming Tuesday at 5:30-ish pm – we’re showing “The Rules of The Game” by Jean Renoir. If you or anyone else wants some more details about this let me know, it really is like getting into a movie theater for free every week. I would also be happy to talk about helping anyone utilize Pratt in general as someone who has access to their facilities and the great faculty. Considering the absurd amount of money I pay for the tuition and the fact that the majority of the Pratt population are self-absorbed and take their institutional advantages and fellow students for granted most of the time, I always strive to exploit what Pratt has to offer in the most constructive way possible.
I am in NYC
GARAGE, to be honest, is one of these ridiculously simple concepts that takes forever to put the machinery into action, because no one has ever done anything like this before. I apologize for all the delay. I’ll write to you all directly.
Benham Jones
East Coast represent. As things get rolling on this project, would people be interested in getting together, screening films, sharing equipment, ideas, experiences etc….? I know the philosophy behind Garage is that of a “virtual” movement, but I’m all for old-fashioned community organizing. Perhaps once everyone completes one or two shorts we could get together to appreciate and comment on each other’s work. I always feel like the support of a community encourages more discipline and productivity within any medium.
Any Gotham residents who can get behind that?