We say it time and time again: too many films, not enough time. Our DVD queue is in the hundreds and regional film festivals and film screenings keep our calendar filled. The advent of YouTube ,vimeo, Google, and the like, makes homegrown film that much more accessible. So guess what — EVERYONE is making movies. And it’s great!
Three years ago, the folks at the Disposable Film Festival (DFF) began their mission of bringing grassroots filmmaking to audiences as well as giving filmmakers a place to showcase their work. They’re booming now, and why not. Artistic inspiration is all around us, filmmaking included.
Let’s get to the heart of what the Disposable Film Festival is all about — this, from their website:
“In recent years a new kind of film has emerged: The Disposable Film. It has been made possible by new media (webcams, point and shoot digital cameras, cell phones, screen capture software, and one time use digital video cameras) and the rise of online distribution (YouTube, Google, MySpace, etc.). These films are often made quickly, casually, and sometimes even unintentionally. Everyone has become a Disposable Filmmaker: directors of Saturday night cell phone videos, actors under the eyes of security cameras, and narrators before their webcams. Let’s face it – we live in an age of disposable film. Now it’s time to do something creative with it.”
Incredibly well-said, and TRUE.
So, yes. There may be film-lovers out there who balk at this sort of creativity. To be honest, the only real downside we at the LFC can see is that it adds about several million more films to the universe. And we just don’t want to do the math. Er, how many more minutes in our lifetime will we need now?
Our introduction is done. We now invite you to enter the world of the Disposable Film Festival. And if you’re ready to dive into movie-making, now’s your chance. Audiences await!
lowellfilmcollaborativema.org 