Originally Posted by mdifilm: The Film Institute, I think you might not really familiar with the film community in Cleveland.
- Johnny, I was making movies and was the only film-arts
center promoting local film aspirations and offering
filmmaking workshops in Cleveland when you were still in diapers.
Originally Posted by mdifilm: First of all, once you have a PUBLIC showing (like Cedar Lee), the Cleveland International Film Festival or OIFF will not accept your film (because it was shown in Cleveland already, and this is from someone who know them both closely - even though they would not admit it in public, also CIFF invites films, only about 20% slots are scheduled for submitted films), furthermore, CIFF has always have been 'lack' of interest with local films.
- A 20% slot is more than enough for one movie.
Local filmmakers, including, but not limited to Robert Banks, have
had films at the CIFF and the Cleveland Cinematheque.
The fact that they don't accept everyone simply means
that not everyone meets their standards. In the case of
Eric Stuyvesant, it would mean needing a film with decent
sound, and one that was on film, not a glorified home movie.
Because the considerations for previous showings are not a
hard & fast rule, there are always possibilities. A showing at
a packed theater would tend to make them favor a film more
than one which only filled a 370 seat theater 1/3 full,
mostly with friends and relatives, as was the case in Barberton.
And both of these places love to bring in guest speakers who
worked on the film, if it is a real film, as is the policy at the Cleveland Cinematheque.
Originally Posted by mdifilm: Jon Forman doesn't run CIFF.
You might want to consider having real facts before lashing out.
- Jonathon Forman started the Cleveland International Film Festival
in 1976, as an adjunct to promote the films at the Cedar Lee.
It grew so big and successful that he was able to turn it over
to others to run. Non-profit organizations are good for tax breaks.
He benefits, believe me. But, while he may no longer run it directly,
if he wants a film in there, it will be there. Furthermore, a little
talking and asking some questions might have made LVE choose
a different course of action regarding the CIFF.
Originally Posted by mdifilm: Next, Cleveland Cinematheque will NOT show digital made films, and the main guy (John Ewing) who runs it has a very peculiar taste in film, and if your film is digital (meaning, no film prints was made, he will NOT be considering it, no matter HOW GREAT it is). - How do I know this? From Robert Banks, from Bernadette Gillotta (of OIFF) from David Manocchio, from Laura Paglin and directy from mysef's dealing with him. (Note, I've mentioned these names to prove you that my sources are solid, and that these people are people you would've heard of if you in Cleveland, which you are.)
- While I agree that the C.C. is in a category so far out
in left field, that they are not even in the ball park, a showing there
still counts for something, and if Stuyvesant & Wachtel can't get it
shown there or at most places because they don't really have a film,
but rather a digital movie which most theaters can't use,
that's not the fault of the theaters, Hollywood, or the distributors.
Originally Posted by mdifilm: And I think I can fairly state this, there isn't much movies that are picked up by distribution during film festivals in Cleveland and many other festivals in the states. (I'm not talking the big guns ones). Most of them doing a festival to help support the indie filmmakers so they have a venue for their films.
- If they had a real film, they would find some takers.
They haven't got it. That's the bottom line. But
he's going around talking like as if he does.
Originally Posted by mdifilm: It is very apparent that mr. film institute is not very aware of the film happening in Cleveland and do not understand the degree of self-distribution. Personally, if one knows what he can do with touring, he can easily pick up more interest than submitting to film festivals, paying festival fees, waiting a chance to be picked up by distributors.
- Trying to promote a film on tour, like a scraggly band
of post-high school kids, is not going to break into the big-time.
Never has-never will. The wannabees try that, and then complain
that the establishment doesn't understand their music.
The real pros, including avant-garde types, get an agent,
and go with big biz. He'd be better off to buy some bandwidth,
stay home, and try to sell downloads on the internet.
Or, make his own comm'l for cable TV. Maybe he'd get some orders.
Put a package of movies together with other wannabees.
Going around by yourself, is like the guy who had a movie
projector in his truck at the beginning of the last century
and drove from town to town to make a few dollars
showing a film to people who had never seen one.
No different than the man with some miracle medicine in a
covered wagon. But no big future either. The movie guy
figured out that he could make more money by selling
projectors to someone in each town, and then renting
them movies from an office in New York or Hollywood.
And how many bands never make it by traveling around?
It's a losing deal, and moreso, for film showings.
Originally Posted by mdifilm: Also, keep in mind, distributors are looking for films that can generate BIG BUCKS, while thousands of films are 'competiting' to get 'distributed'. Going out self-touring is a way to market, publicize, getting awareness to the film, and also getting more interest for distribution. A few now in DVD distribution had done their share of self-touring. At least I know of: Greg Pak's Robot Stories, Alice Wu's Saving Face, Frank Obe's Children of the Camp (PBS funded film), etc.
- Talk to me in five years and tell me where
he's gotten with self promotion.
The distribution biz is a whole separate biz from filmmaking.
Originally Posted by mdifilm: At least Eric is doing something, he's going out there and to show everyone's his work, and btw, it's good, cause a lot of those folks who went to Cedar Lee told me so, while I have no ties with Eric, they wouldn't lie to me about their taste or view.
- I think you do have some ties to him.
I don't recall what-all it was about, (whether it was help
with the editing, or a showing at your own Cleveland Filmmaking Group),
but perhaps that is why you started this thread for publicity for him.
Originally Posted by mdifilm: What have you done lately?
Johnny Wu
(just a guy who happens to know a lot of people in Cleveland, whom happens to know a bit more of the film scenes in Cleveland, who has films shown in CIFF and OIFF)
- Cleveland,Ohio is a town for those who do
industrial/educational shorts & documentaries,
along with a smattering of comm'ls, when they get an
ad-agency to hire filmmakers from Clevo.
I've made instructional movies, (film & video),
for Cuyahoga Community College, an ad spot for
Cleveland State University, and in that undefined
industrial category, a project for East Ohio Gas Co,
among other things. I also pursue my own interest in
promoting feature-film production, although in a realistic
sense. I have shot my own candid production film on the
set of Deer Hunter including shots with Robert Dinero,
and the now departed John Savage, as well as 16mm footage
from another Hollywood film shot in Cleveland and written by,
produced by, and starring Paul Simon, in which myself and
some students from my film workshops also had a small part
in the feature film. Projects with my students have provided
opportunities for creative endeavors with many shorts, including
a film called The Sleeping Poet, with Cuyahoga County's
famous poet laureate, Daniel Thompson,(now deceased).
And, I was offering filmmaking workshops both abroad, and
through my own company in Cleveland long before the girls
from the OIFF claimed they were the first one's to do it.
Never say you're the first---there is always someone else who
will have done it before you, especially in the world of filmmaking.
Feature-film hopefuls have always been out there, and
will continue to be long after digital video has been surpassed
by some newer process. The basic tried and true values of
good film production remain. You can't try to be creative
by going against the proper techniques, until you know
what the proper techniques are. I don't think the guys
with Custody have yet gotten to that point.
I'm not opposed to a Toronto screening at all. Let me see what I can drum up as far as potential theaters.
So what you are saying is that 1200 people have seen this self-proclaimed work of art, (many apparently distributors, theater owners, etc.), and 50 others run festivals, and no one wants to take on your film because Hollywood just doesn't understand a real genius? Sounds like sour grapes to me. 
The synopsis is that Eric Stuyvesant and Johnny Wu are both liars. 