Bill and Turner Ross' 45365 was one of my favorite films at this year's SXSW Film Festival - I wasn't alone, the film won the Grand Jury Prize - and has continued to be one of the films that has stayed with me. At the time, I described it as "a non-narrative, impressionistic, whisper of a film" and in the months since Austin, it has lingered and returned to my psyche on numerous occasions, long after I'd forgotten what got me excited or turned off to numerous so-called high profile docs.
So, I must admit that I didn't quite know how to react when I started getting press releases earlier this week that the folks at SnagFilms had locked up the film for their online Summerfest. Starting tomorrow, you'll be able to watch 45365 on your computer for one week.
As an admirer of 45365 as well as someone who admittedly is confused about what online distribution is really doing for filmmakers (three times this week I've heard someone ask, "Is anybody making any money with it?"), I had questions. Isn't this all too fast? Five months for an award winning film to move to free viewing online? Won't that eliminate other possibilities for the film?
Corresponding with Bill and Turner, I was struck by something else. Often it seems that we - as independent filmmakers - are like farmers who have harvested our crop (often with less of a yield than we anticipated) but we think that if we keep watering or fertilizing the barren land that maybe something else will grow. The push-pull of when to stop struggling to get that rock uphill is something we all think about. Hell, I'm still doing interviews for a film I finished three years ago.
While Bill and Turner have not completely abandoned their field - they will shepherd 45365 through more festival dates, followed by potential limited theatrical and DVD (I think that museums should be getting in touch with them) - they seem to realize that the SnagFilms deal offers something else: a way to reach an audience that they may not get otherwise.
ATWT: First off, can you tell me about the Snagfilm deal - how did it happen and why
was it appealing to you?
Bill and Turner Ross: It happened (Monday). They
reached out to us a while back, but our distributor wasn’t sure whether or not
we could make it work. Apparently
we could. It’s actually been
rather sudden, but we’re certainly honored by it. We’ve used SnagFilms as fans since they started. It’s a great avenue for films that may
not otherwise be readily available.
And to be honest, in regards to our experience, we are still struggling
with how and where this film will be available to a mass audience. We want people to have access to
it. Seems a bit of a gamble to
wait in the wings for something bigger and better when an opportunity like this
presents itself.
ATWT: Part of my inquiring is that I'm so glad that I saw your film on the
big screen in Austin, where the total immersion forced me to adapt to the
film's rhythms and language. Not to be a snob about the theatrical
experience, but certain films, and I'd argue 45365 is one of them, should be
seen in theaters or at festivals. Was there any fear that you'd lose
opportunities for that with this deal?
BTR: Absolutely. And we certainly would
concur that 45365 is a film meant to be projected. We shot it for presentation at that
scale, for that environment.
That said, however, we want folks to see our work. Growing up out of sight line of an
urban environment we learned well that not everyone has access to certain kinds
of artwork. We spent much time and
funds as kids trying to track down certain films that we wanted to see. If the technology is there, why
shouldn’t we embrace it and have our work available to all who want to
experience it? DVD is not looking
real good right now so this makes a lot of sense to us. Fans of the film will still go to the
theater, others will at the least have access to it – be aware of it.
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