Cowboys and Indies
Is the Independent Film Channel the Great White Hope for
unknown and experimental filmmakers, or just decent TV?

Independent feature films are to the nineties what punk music was to the seventies. Like punk, indies are gritty. They show uncensored violence and sexuality. They introduce new talent. They take risks. Best of all, because of the electronics revolution, these days almost anyone can produce an independent film themselves with a video camera from Sears and a home computer.

As the economics of filmmaking has come within reasonable reach, more people than ever are producing their own movies. There are now some eight to nine hundred college film programs in the country, each churning out heirs to the Cohen Brothers and Quentin Tarantino. Although too often the bland, studio-driven "Forest Gumps," are the films that win dozens of pointless Academy Awards®, it's the independents that generate real excitement and critical acclaim. They don't do too badly at the box office either — when they can make it that far.

Sure people still want to see gun-toting terminators and breast implanted pretty women, but lots of people preferred disco music to punk too. The popularity of independently produced films like "Pulp Fiction, My Own Private Idaho," and "Do the Right Thing," has legitimized diversity in a way that spells m-o-o-l-a-h to the Hollywood financiers. And if there's money involved you can bet that TV, the trashy younger sibling of film, is going to be there, buttocks exposed, looking to make a few bucks.

One of the first stations to cash in on the growing popularity of these films is the Independent Film Channel. Celebrating its first anniversary on the air, IFC is the purveyor of a 24-hour-a-day, commercial-free slate of independent films. If you're not one of IFC's 3 million viewers and, in fact, you've never even heard of IFC before now, it's because you can't yet get it from Albuquerque's cable TV provider.

This omission isn't a conspiracy to keep you watching Jackie Collins' mini-series on CBS, but stems from the fact that the local cable provicer, Jones Intercable, is currently physically incapable of adding another channel. What it does mean, is that this month alone on IFC you're missing Pedro Almodovar's "High Heels," Jim Jarmusch's, "Night on Earth," and Roman Polanski's English-language debut, "Repulsion." Those are just a few of over one hundred features, short subjects and animated films listed in October's "Screenings, " calendar. Almost all of them are films you can't see on currently available movie channels or find at your neighborhood Blockbuster store.


BIRTH OF A STATION

According to IFC spokesperson Kim Becker, an independent film is one, "that stays true to a single director's vision and hasn't bowed to the studio's ideas. That's what we think of as 'Independent Vision.'"

Conceived at Bravo — a part of the Rainbow Programming network that also owns American Movie Classics — IFC enlisted the help of indie film heavy-hitters Martin Scorsese, Robert Altman, Ethan and Joel Cohen, Martha Coolidge, Jim Jarmusch, Spike Lee, Tim Robbins, Ed Saxon and Steven Soderbergh to shape the channel's programming vision.

"The Independent Film Channel provides a unique and important opportunity for exposure and distribution of works that are innovative, personal, and in some cases, groundbreaking," says Martin Scorsese in a press kit quotation.

As members of the IFC advisory board, this group has created programs like, Director's Choice, a weekly series of features selected by the board; Reel Perspectives, a showcase for documentary filmmakers; The Masters, classic independents; and In Focus, monthly film festivals from Cassavetes, Fellini and Truffaut among others.

What this channel does very well is cover films and film events that you wouldn't be able to see anywhere else if you lived in a smallish town in, say, Kansas, or um, New Mexico. Some of their exclusive features you might otherwise miss, include Short Cuts, a series of short, experimental films; Cult Classics, movies you can't even find at midnight revival shows; and International Film Festival, showing three different foreign films per week.

IFC also maintains a strong presence at major national film festivals. Their live remotes from these sites give viewers a glimpse into the rarefied and often desperate world of film marketing. Additionally IFC hosts and airs the IFP Gotham awards, and their own rival to the Oscars® show, the Independent Spirit Awards.

The most ambitious outgrowth of IFC's dream is the films they are producing exclusively for their network. This month IFC features a short film by Illeana Douglas, her third for the network, called "Boy Crazy, Girl Crazier." Under production is "The Typewriter, The Rifle and the Camera," a documentary on the life and works of independent filmmaker Sam Fuller. This full-length feature, produced by Tim Robbins and directed by Adam Simon with appearances by Scorsese, Tarantino and Jarmusch premieres next Spring.


INDIE OR NOT, HERE THEY COME

"We are providing a forum to nurture emerging talent," claims Scorsese in another press quote. Yet, with all the established names and big money involved, one has to be a bit skeptical about the very definition of independent film and who IFC, or rival indie station, the Sundance channel, intends to nurture.

Santa Fe filmmaker Stephanie Jones is wary yet "excited about all these new venues opening up in cable. But it won't be until they get tired of seeing everything Quentin Tarantino has done that they will open it up to real independent filmmakers," she says.

"[The word] independent is false advertising, because you still have to have a name, a star or have some politically correct topic to get your film seen. Even though these filmmakers have three million dollars they'll call them independents. "

Jones' found it difficult to find venues — even so-called alternative venues — to screen her feature film, "God Drives a Pontiac," produced under her Justified Films moniker.

"I've submitted my film to everyone who takes independent films. But if your name isn't Scorsese or Spike Lee it's still a hard, hard road. It's politically hip right now to support independents, but when "Pulp Fiction," is considered an independent — come on, give me a break — your low budget filmmaker doesn't have a chance."

IFC has developed several outreach programs for new filmmakers as part of their commitment to smoothing the path for a lucky few. First is IFCheap (Independent Film Channel Helps Emerging Artists Produce). This fund provides "new monies for new filmmakers."

Second is IFC's Independent Film Channel Outstanding Student Film Award. This is a $10,000 prize awarded to a student filmmaker to produce their next film. IFC just gave away $1,000 cash "awards of excellence" to students at the top eight film schools in the country. More important than the cash, these student films receive the invaluable exposure of a network screening.

Last, and most inspiring, is IFC's Short Shorts, a campaign targeted at independent and student filmmakers to produce mini-films to show on the channel.


IT'S NOT WHAT YOU KNOW...

"Boy Crazy, Girl Crazier," is one of these short-short films. Illeana Douglas, as star and director, illustrates the kind of fresh faces that independents at their best can promote. Unfortunately the film is also a glaring example of the bad acting and trite scripting found in many new filmmakers' early outings.

Despite "Boy Crazy, Girl Crazier's," mediocrity, it's still refreshing to see a young woman filmmaker getting any kind of recognition. Unlike our vitriolic Republican congress, IFC claims they have a commitment to affirmative action in filmmaking — to that end giving the available money and exposure to those whom IFC's Kim Becker called, "filmmakers in need." That Ms. Douglas is Mr. Scorsese's significant other probably didn't hinder her chances at securing this coveted short film showcase either.

"I don't want to bitch about this," says Stephanie Jones referring to Douglas' connections, "but come on, give me a break. If I lived in New York or LA and I was hanging out, I'd be running into people who, with their name attached to my project would lend it legitimacy. None of us here in New Mexico are hip and cool enough to be noticed. And nobody," she claims, "wants to take a risk on you until someone else has."

Nepotism notwithstanding, a truly independent vision would have to include a place for female and minority voices. So far, according to this month's guide, IFC's programming seems woefully devoid of lesbian and gay films — a glaring omission in light of the media's current insatiable appetite for gay chic. There is only one female on the advisory committee, and this despite the fact that women, as outsiders, have often had to take the independent route. It would be edifying to see a Jodie Foster or a Susan Seidelman on the board in the future.

Even if a new filmmaker could get their film aired on this channel, the payoff may be more artistic than monetary. The "LA Weekly" recently reported that both IFC and Sundance (part of Showtime, but creatively run by Robert Redford's organization), are low-balling license fees for the independent films they're showing — paying a fraction of what a company would pay for a major studio release.


HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOW

There is an ever growing national interest in independent film. "In every corner of the country we get incredible amounts of mail from people who think of independent film as a way of life. Not just as filmmakers, but film goers," claims IFC's Becker.

For Stephanie Jones the emergence of this network and others is a hopeful sign for the future of independents.

"I love the fact that this channel is there and I would encourage them not to be complete slaves to big names. The film-lover community is becoming so much more sophisticated that I hope they're willing to take some real risks showing someone who nobody knows. In a couple of years when there are ten stations like this, then independent film will have it's day."

To some the Independent Film Channel will sound like movie manna from heaven: commercial free, 24-hours a day, and full of innovative, hard-to-find art films. But today's indie becomes tomorrow's major player. The big Hollywood studios were founded in the early part of this century when independent filmmakers wanted to break with Thomas Edison's east coast syndicates and moved out west. MTV, the creator of all-music programming started out full of promise too, full of interesting videos, and sans commercials. And punk music — well, that energy and innovation was eventually diluted until all we had left was Pat Benetar in bondage-inspired workout clothes, hitting you with her best shot.

Perhaps, as Jones suggests, IFC won't make the definitive difference in the lives of the thousands of filmmakers graduating from college yearly. But in spite of it's flaws, this is still one of the few national outlets available for alternative film.

If you're lucky enough to have a satellite or digital TV you can join the new, cool vanguard who are enjoying IFC right now. But if you're waiting for your cable provider to hook you up, don't hold your breath. Jones Intercable claims that no one has ever called to request IFC. So if you can't live without indie TV, call them at 505-344-0690 and say, "I want my IFC."

FILMMAKERS: The Independent Film Channel programmers are looking for new films. Call 516-364-2222 for information about their open submissions policy.

Appeared in "Weekly Alibi" October 18, 1994 © Suzanne Rush 2001