As reported this weekend in the Record-Eagle, the State Theatre is offering a special summer promotion to help patrons beat the heat. Beginning this year, the first day every summer that temperatures hit 90 degrees, the State will offer free movies for everyone the entire day. Likewise, the first day that temperatures reach 100 degrees, the State will offer free movies all day - along with free pop for everyone who comes in. I don't know about you, but I can't think of anything better on a sweltering summer afternoon than a dark air-conditioned theater with ice cold pop and a great movie.
We'll post an announcement on the marquee and on our website as soon as the National Weather Service confirms a 90 or 100-degree temperature day. So keep your eyes peeled as the thermometer starts rising this summer. If either of these days occurs during the film festival, the first day after the festival will be free instead.
In case you didn't accidentally stumble onto a shoot in Leelanau, see this story in the Record-Eagle or otherwise catch the buzz around town, Michael Cera ("Juno," "Superbad") is in the area this week shooting a new Weinstein flick called "Youth in Revolt." The film is based on the witty C.D. Payne novel of the same name and is set to come out in limited release in December. Co-stars Steve Buscemi and Ray Liotta have also been spotted around town, in addition to numerous other cast and crew members.
Michael Cera
The crew's arrival in TC is a great example of how in just a few short months, Michigan's new film tax incentives have already had a significant impact on Hollywood studios - not to mention, Michigan's economy. Dozens of feature films have either scheduled or begun production since the tax incentives were approved by Gov. Granholm in April. Besides beautiful beaches, lush forests, urban city backdrops, even sand dunes, Michigan offers filmmakers, quite simply, the best bang for their cinematic buck in the country right now.
Though Michigan residents are understandably excited about the new rush of films, and there's a renewed optimism about the direction of our economy, this is in truth a dangerous time for the state. It's not enough for us to now sit back and wait for film productions to flock here, palms out and dollar signs in our eyes. Other states have offered tantalizing film incentives in the past. New Mexico, for example, has a great incentive package. Unfortunately for them, it's one that is now outpaced by Michigan's. They'll have to play catch-up from here on out in order to keep equal footing in attracting new productions to their state. In the same way, someone else could easily come along in the future and offer a better incentive package than Michigan. Whenever you are talking about a multi-billion-dollar-a-year business, there will always be tough competition to claim the biggest piece of the pie. The trick is figuring out how to take your 15 minutes in the spotlight and convert it into a sustainable, long-term industry.
In a word, that means infrastructure. Michigan needs to build infrastructure, and quickly, to be able to support the film productions and TV crews and commercial shoots that are rapidly pouring into the state. Studios, sound stages, production offices, banquet facilities, screening rooms, film labs - these are the essential components that make up a successful film-based economy. Right now, we have a few of these elements in place, scattered here and there throughout the state, but not nearly enough to support the incoming tidal wave of demand. We'll have to act immediately if we want to take full advantage of the economic possibilities offered by the current production rush.
Traverse City is particularly poised to become a major destination for film production - not only because of our natural beauty, and the awareness and connection to the area that already exists in Hollywood because of the film festival, but because we have visionaries and planners in our midst who are thinking three steps ahead to ensure we have the infrastructure to meet filmmakers' demands. Michael Moore had an extensive interview in the Northern Express recently in which he talked about the need to train Michigan residents for careers in film, and to build local facilities that would support film production. He has also taken a personal role in that process by implementing a "Michigan affirmative action" plan, focusing on hiring Michigan residents to work on his next film - even those who aren't experienced in the industry.
Cinema paradiso
Earlier this week, I had an encouraging conversation with a local land developer, Ron Walters, who is planning to build a film studio in Elmwood Township just outside of Traverse City. The 18,000-square foot facility would feature everything from sound stages to production offices to a screening room for dailies. He has the support of some well-connected Hollywood players, including David Kenneth, president of Innovate Entertainment and I.E. Effects. In a story in today's Record-Eagle, Kenneth said: "I see Michigan as a whole as a great opportunity, but Traverse City as…the diamond in the rough. We can make that area so incredibly profitable."
As part of his project, Walters plans to offer a certification program at the studio to train locals how to fulfill positions on a film set. So when he and Kenneth talk about making an area profitable - it's not just for the filmmakers. It's not even for the studios. It's for us. It's for the residents who live and work in this area year-round; who are committed to seeing it remain a vibrant and economically viable community. Best of all, it will be through an industry that's creative, clean and collaborative - no manufacturing plants or assembly lines required.
For film lovers, it's an exciting time to live in Michigan, and especially to live here in Traverse City. Here's hoping we have the wisdom - and the determination - to make the most of the tremendous opportunities we have before us.
As the Record-Eagle reported Thursday, there's been a disturbing trend of Madonna ticket sellers on eBay and other sites who have been less than truthful about their wares. For the record: Tickets to the State Theatre screening of "I Am Because We Are" only guarantee you the following: a) general access admission to the theater, b) the opportunity to see Madonna introduce the film, and c) the screening of the film. They do not include or guarantee any type of meet-and-greet, backstage tour, private Q&A or interaction with Madonna. If you have already purchased tickets from a seller, you will want to verify that the venue listed on the tickets is the State Theatre, since we also sold tickets for an overflow theater that will be simulcasting Madonna's remarks.
We realize that Madonna has a passionate and supportive fan base, and that many fans are willing to pay a high price simply for the opportunity to be in the same theater as her. However, we want to be perfectly clear about what the value of the tickets grants you, because we'd hate for any fan to pay an extravagant sum for tickets and travel all the way to Traverse City, only to discover the experience isn't what they were expecting.
If you have any questions about tickets to Madonna's film/appearance at the festival, please contact tcfilmfest@gmail.com.
Good news, Stones fan - Michael Moore announced this morning that due to popular demand, we'll be holding "Shine a Light" over for one more week. That's seven more opportunities to see Scorsese's brilliant concert flick, featuring Mick and Keith and the rest of the gang in all their swaggering, sweaty glory. Who says you can't always get what you want?
If you are a Rolling Stones fan, don't miss Martin Scorsese's brilliant new Stones doc, "Shine a Light." I went Sunday, and I am telling you - this film needs to be seen in this theater, with this sound system. It will blow your socks off. I don't care how craggy and beaten and road-weary the Stones look - they rock harder than any band half their age. People in the theater were bobbing their heads, drumming their hands on the seats…the music is just unbelievable. Jack White, Buddy Guy and Christina Aguilera (!) all turn in great guest appearances, while Scorsese interjects the masterful concert footage with some hilarious archival clips (a young Mick Jagger estimates to a reporter that the Stones are "set up for at least another year or so," and when Dick Cavett asks Mick if he can see himself still rocking out at 60, Mick replies with knowing conviction: "Yes, easily.")
While the music is the highlight of the show, the icing on the cake for me is Scorsese's masterful closing shot, which is both breathtaking and playful and also completely appropriate for the Stones. "Shine a Light" is playing its last show at 4 p.m. tomorrow - whatever you have to do, go check it out. You won't be disappointed.
MyNorth.com, a great local website that's home to Traverse the Magazine, Northern Home & Cottage, and Destination: Northern Michigan, has a fun video up featuring interviews with the Madonna fans who camped out for festival tickets. Check it out here.
As of 7 p.m. yesterday, both screenings of Madonna's documentary "I Am Because We Are" have sold out for this year's festival. As announced by festival organizers, a second screening had been added to accommodate the overwhelming demand for tickets to Madonna's film. The second screening, which will be held at a yet-to-be-announced venue, will play at the same time as the State Theatre screening and will feature a live simulcast of the State's presentation. That way, those in the simulcast venue will be able to watch Madonna's appearance and remarks along with everyone at the State.
On top of tickets sold at the State box office, another 450 tickets for the two screenings were set aside for Friends of the Festival. I'm amazed to say we received over 2500 postcards from Friends hoping to get tickets, which is incredible. Winning postcards were drawn yesterday, and their owners were notified by e-mail yesterday night.
It's been a crazy ride on the Madonna train these past few weeks…and just think, this is only the beginning of our guest announcements! With that tantalizing thought to tide you over, I'll leave you with some great photos John Russell took of the Madonna action on Front St.
Fans waiting in line for tickets settle in for the long haul
The line stretches down Front St. on Friday
First in line!
After days of waiting, the big moment arrives
Victory!
For the past four years, director Tim Bennett and producer Sally Erickson have labored together over a project of intense personal passion: "What a Way to Go: Life at the End of Empire." The self-distributed documentary is a sometimes humorous, often disturbing look at the historical, social and psychological factors "driving us," as the filmmakers bluntly put it, "toward human extinction."
Indyflix@theState will present a screening of "What a Way to Go" Monday night at the State Theatre, along with a post-screening Q&A with the filmmakers. I caught up with Sally Erickson to discuss the making of the film, how "What a Way to Go" fits in with other environmental docs recently in theaters, and what - if anything - can be done to reverse the planet's rapid decline.
Sally Erickson
Traverse City Film Festival: Tell us a little about what inspired "What a Way to Go" and how the movie came about.
Sally Erickson: Tim (Bennett, the director) had been concerned about the environment and particularly global warming since at least the 1980s. I similiarly had been concerned most of my adult life, but neither of us were really activists. Once our children were grown, however, we had the time and energy to dive into these issues more deeply. When we did, we found there was a much larger cultural problem than these isolated incidents we thought existed. The entire way we were living in relation to the natural world was out of balance. That give rise for us to make a personal statement about how and why things have gone wrong.
TCFF: There have been a number of films lately that have explored the topic of climate change and global warming: "An Inconvenient Truth," "The 11th Hour," "Everything's Cool." Where does "What a Way to Go" fit in with this group, and is your message similar to or different from that of other directors?
SE: I think our movie fits with the others in that it certainly addresses global warming, but there are actually four main areas we focus on: global warming, peak oil, mass extinction and population overshoot. We see these four issues as being systematic of an incredibly deep cultural problem called "empire." Empire is a system of living that requires taking over ever more resources in order to survive. Capitalism is one sophisticated form of empire that's been around for thousands of years.
Empire is not a steady state system; it's built on acquiring more and more. When you live on a finite planet, that's a system that cannot continue. As serious as climate change is, if we don't get to the underlying cultural issues that are causing it, we'll keep repeating fixes that never actually address the problem. For example, carbon trading is ridiculous because it promotes a system that requires continuous growth versus maintaining a steady state and not taking any more resources than can be acquired in one cycle. Unless we look at the deeper cultural problems, we won't be able to solve any of the symptoms. Other movies aren't analyzing these cultural causes. So that's one area where Tim and I feel we have made our contribution.
Tim and Sally working behind the scenes
TCFF: One interesting aspect of the film is the guests you've chosen to interview. You have interviews with noted scientists, some of whom have appeared as talking heads in films like "The 11th Hour," but you also prominently feature members of the creative community, such as author Daniel Quinn. Why did you feel it was important to represent a humanities perspective as well as a scientific perspective in the film?
SE: This is something we actually discuss in the movie. What we've found is that scientists are excellent at defining a given situation, but we ask way too much of them to try and solve a problem that's more cultural than scientific. That's why we brought in our cultural analysts, to try and figure out from their point of view what's going on at the root of these issues.
TCFF: How do you hope people will react to "What a Way to Go?"
SE: The feedback we get from audiences is interesting. Most people don't do anything, which is a little disappointing. However, there's an amazing small percentage of people for whom the film radically changes their lives. The film confirms what they've always suspected is true, which is that the system we're living under is not only unsustainable but bankrupt on every level. So it empowers that small percentage to make radical changes, like quitting their jobs, leaving unsatisfactory living situations and so forth.
Our initial hope for the film was that we'd fuel a fire that would spread across Western culture. But our goals have changed since then: We're helping support people already on the edge of waking up. The sad thing is, I think the masses are going to be in for an incredibly difficult and rude awakening, as gas prices spiral and the weather gets more and more crazy…right now, it doesn't seem like there's any stopping it. But there are individuals who will be leaders for small local communities, and there are good things happening - like local food movements - which are being galvanized. So there's hope.
TCFF: Because America is in such a state of comfort, it's likely many people won't change until they're absolutely forced to. But it's also likely many people would see this film and feel inspired to change, but not know how. What do you suggest for those viewers?
SE: It is important to start with the basics. Ask yourself questions. Where does your water come from? Where does your food come from? How are you going to be warm when energy costs rise and oil becomes increasingly scarce? The Internet is an incredible source of information to answer some of these questions.
While we do believe the answers are all out there in the hands of experts, we're also challenging the old notion of authority and suggesting instead that people step into their own responsibility for their own lives, and listen to their own wisdom. If you have a desire to move to the country, start a neighborhood garden, research alternative energy and get involved in that - go out and do those things. There's work to be done on every front.
People do get overwhelmed, but the good news is that there's that small percentage of people who find relief in the fact that life as we know it is about to come to a screeching halt, because frankly, it wasn't that satisfying to begin with! So that's our encouragement to people watching the film, is to listen to their own inner wisdom and go out and become more powerful and more creative in their own lives.
"What a Way to Go: Life at the End of Empire" will be playing at the State Theatre Monday, June 9 at 7:30 p.m. Director Tim Bennett and producer Sally Erickson will be present for a post-screening Q&A. For ticket information, click here.
A little bad weather never hurt anyone - but it can certainly make for a boring weekend. Kick away the stormy blues by checking out one of these great events down at the State. And if you feel like dancing in the rain, hey - don't miss #3 on our list.Â
1) Take a date, a teenager, your parents or just your old movie-loving self to the warm, funny and completely endearing "Son of Rambow." It's the perfect feel-good British flick to see on a stormy summer weekend - and it's playing several times a day, exclusively at the State Theatre.
2) Bring the kids down Saturday morning to see "My Neighbor Totoro," one of the greatest children's films ever made, by legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki. Tickets are just 25 cents, so you can pack up the whole gang and bring 'em down. Afterward, walk over to the Great Lakes Children Museum (located in the historic Con Foster Museum building at Clinch Park), where your "Totoro" ticket stub gets you half-off admission to the museum's new Jump to Japan exhibit.
Scene from "My Neighbor Totoro"
3) Buy tickets to see Madonna - for only $25! Warning: The line to buy tickets for Madonna's appearance at the film festival this summer, where she will introduce and screen her new documentary "I Am Because We Are," began forming early Thursday morning. The box office doesn't open until 11 a.m. Saturday. Fans have braved rain, winds and even a tornado watch to get this year's hottest festival tickets. The good news? Even if you miss out on the first run of tickets, you'll still get to a) bond with some entertaining and friendly fellow fans while waiting in line, and b) have a shot at another 250 tickets by becoming a Friend of the Festival. For more details, click here.
4) Catch a special TCFF segment on WDTK Radio Detroit Saturday afternoon. OK, technically this one's not actually at the State, but it should be a fun show nonetheless. I'll chat with the folks at Inspire Michigan about the latest festival news, as well as discuss local tourism, Michigan filmmakers and the new Michigan Film Tax Incentives. You can listen live from 12-1 p.m. online here.Â
5) See #18 on AFI's Top 100 American Films of All Times list. Not only is "The General" the best of Buster Keaton's films - Keaton himself called it his favorite - but it is playing on the big screen of the State Theatre, an experience no film lover should miss. As an added bonus, we've lowered the prices of the Sunday Brunch Series to just $6 - so you can use your extra $2 and head over to Cold Stone afterward for an ice cream cone, or next door to Horizon for a strong cup of joe.
Come on down and enjoy the weekend!
Whether it's by studying great movies or listening to veteran directors discuss their craft or going out and making every mistake possible when directing a first film (not the easiest way to learn, but effective), every filmmaker on the planet starts out in some form or another as a student. Because of these universal beginnings, students have always held a special place at the Traverse City Film Festival and State Theatre.
This summer, we're excited to announce two great opportunities for students to interact with and study the craft of film. The first is NMC's generous sponsorship of free movie screenings for students at the State Theatre once a month, beginning with a free screening of "Son of Rambow" at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 19. NMC faculty and staff will introduce the free films, and student ambassadors will assist as ushers. When possible, NMC instructors will also lead post-movie discussions. The screenings will be open to students of any grade level (as appropriate for the movie rating), with seating available on a first-come, first-served basis. The public can also attend the screenings by paying regular admission prices. (To read the official NMC press release on free student screenings, click here.)
Meanwhile, film festival officials announced this week that for the third year in a row, TCFF will host a free Student Filmmaking Workshop for high school and college students during this year's festival. The workshop will take place on Tuesday, July 29 in downtown Traverse City. For all the details, check out this press release below. Students, don't miss out - be sure to take advantage of both of these free (repeat: free) opportunities while supplies last!
Traverse City Film Festival to Hold Third Annual Workshop For Students
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Traverse City, Mich. (June 3, 2008) – The Traverse City Film Festival is gearing up for another summer of entertaining and educating movie lovers, starting with the next generation of filmmakers: high school and college students.
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Festival officials announced today that for the third year in a row, students will have an opportunity to gain valuable insight and tips on the filmmaking business from Oscar-winning director Michael Moore, as well as another yet-to-be-announced guest director. The third annual Student Filmmaking Workshop will be held the morning of Tuesday, July 29 in downtown Traverse City. The workshop is sponsored by the Herrington-Fitch Foundation and is free to students.
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The Student Filmmaking Workshop will give thirty individuals the unique experience of having an intimate discussion with the directors and asking questions in a private, closed-door session. Moore and the guest director will also host a second workshop for Interlochen campers later that same week.
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"A key part of our mission at the festival is to encourage up-and-coming filmmakers, including students," said Moore. "It's rare that those just starting out have an opportunity to learn from more experienced directors, so these workshops are a great way for us to support the students and encourage them in their film careers."
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Students interested in participating in the Student Filmmaking Workshop should e-mail education@traversecityfilmfestival.org by Monday, July 7 with the subject line "TCFF Student Workshop" and include the following information:
-Name
-E-mail Address
-Phone Number
-Age
-Name of School
-Year of Study (ex: Junior)
-1-2 page essay addressing the following topic: "Why I would like to participate in the workshop, what my interest in the film industry is, and what my experience in film is so far."
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Students who attended the previous two TCFF Student Workshops are not eligible for this year's workshop, and only current students or recent high school and college graduates may apply. Participants will be notified of their entry into the workshop by Monday, July 14. Accepted students will be asked to provide a student ID number or picture to verify eligibility.
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The fourth annual Traverse City Film Festival will be held from July 29 to August 3, 2008. For more information, please contact the Traverse City Film Festival office at 231-392-1134 or visit www.traversecityfilmfest.org.
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