It has been a hectic couple of months for independent film distributors and I have been unable to post much here as a result.  Like most of the global economy, independent film distribution has been affected by the ongoing credit crunch.  Internationally, it's been a roller coaster ride for some time.  Great deals with eager buyers develop, then disappear like smoke, only to be followed by even more enticing opportunities. 

Domestically we've seen a nice increase in our dvd rental business.  This is of course a very welcome development and consistent with a tight economy and reduced consumer spending.  The flip side of this trend is a big drop off in our dvd sell-thru business.  We hope to see sell-thru pick up some as holiday spending kicks in.  So support indie distribs and give the gift of film for Christmas!  Dvds are relatively cheap, and if you shop a bit, usually unique.

We've got a great collection of titles releasing from now through January.  Carousel Of Revenge streets in November.  Filmed in Iowa, Carousel reps the kind of regional filmmaking that I am often crowing about here on the site.  The acting is excellent  and reflects the kind of aggressive casting that is now possible for energetic independent producers.  Every main character is played by a credited actor with an ongoing career in film and television.  Story-wise, Carousel boasts the kind of narrative drive all too often missing from independent films.  The film also looks and sounds fantastic.  While far from perfect, Carousel Of Revenge is indicative of the quality of production now achievable by independent filmmakers and I urge interested folks to check it out.  There is an interview with the producer/director on this home page that gets into more detail about the production too. 

Indiefilmchat is delighted to offer the following interview with Producer/Director Gene Teigland discussing the making of his indie mystery, Carousel Of Revenge. You can view the trailer at www.carouselofrevenge.com. Carousel Of Revenge has a very strong narrative drive. Most independent films are much more character studies. Did you intentionally set out to make this kind of film or did it just turn out that way?

It was very intentional. The other writer, James A. Kreitel, and I spent a lot of time making sure that everything happened for a reason. I don’t like it when mysteries or plot twists happen by “accident”, when you say to yourself, “...that was convenient”. Everything we tried to do had to be convincing, plausible and come from true character motivation. It’s designed to be watched more than once. Each time you watch it you’ll see or hear something that clears up the puzzle even more. You get it in the end the first time but it’s this journey of discovery for the characters and the plot that we worked hard to craft.

IFC: Do you have a preference for this type of mystery-thriller plot in the films you enjoy? What are some of your favorite films?

I’ve always loved a great mystery. If you can get me guessing in ways that make sense and plausible then I’ll get hooked pretty easily. The other part of it is the mystery of the character. Trying to figure out why they do what they do. Gattaca with Ethan Hawke and Umu Thurman is by far my favorite film. While on the outside it seems to be a science-fiction film wrapped in a murder mystery, it’s really about the discovery of those two characters.. The way Andrew Niccol crafted that story was amazing. On the other side of that I could watch Waterboy over and over again...

IFC: What is your background and how did you come to decide to make Carousel Of Revenge?

My background is in Video Production (Producing, Directing, Editing). Before this I did a number of documentaries and other creative work. I first read the script that turned into Carousel of Revenge back when I studied a semester of film at LAFSC in Los Angeles. That’s where I met the writer James Kreitel. Originally it was called Scapegoat’s Homecoming. The whole essence of the story centered around this loner, overweight kid who was framed for murder and then what would happened if he was able to return without anybody recognizing him to “solve the mystery”. It was kind of a revenge piece at the time but it turned into so much more over all the rewrites (10 years worth).

IFC: Choosing to set your story at an amusement park is a stroke of genius in that you have so much production value on the screen simply by turning on your camera. How did you get the idea to set your story at Arnolds Park and was it difficult to secure the location?

Credit goes to Kreitel for the setting. He grew up near Arnolds Park and always thought it would be a great place to shoot a movie, an amusement park next to a lake...kind of a Coney Island atmosphere. When I went there the first time I fell in love with the place right away. It’s like you walked onto a movie set. I was driving in Northern Iowa surrounded by corn fields and then suddenly as you come over a hill, there it was a huge lake resort with boats everywhere on the lakes and an amazing recreational area. Kind of like when you drive into Vegas, you're driving in the middle of the desert and then suddenly there’s a city. Here your driving in the middle of all these corn fields and suddenly a huge vacation resort. It was actually very easy to secure the location. At the end of August when the students go back to school they close the park during the week. So we could easily shoot what we needed there. It’s funny everywhere I go across the U.S. I always seem to run into somebody who has been there.

IFC: Uncle Bobby feels part of a long line of creepy mid-western businessman types that stretches back to at least the Coen’s Fargo, and maybe even all the way to Red Rock West. More recent films like The Ice Harvest continue that tradition. What is it about amoral, or at least morally ambiguous mid-western businessmen and American films?

I guess maybe it comes from the idea that the Midwest is seen as this “moral bread basket” of the United States. So in the context of storytelling it’s kind of fun to twist that idea and make a character that is the antithesis of that. Here’s you’ve got this character like Uncle Bobby who is surrounded by characters who possess this “Midwest Nice” thing (which is really a code word for “I’ll act nice to you when your around but when you’re not looking it’s a different ballgame”). So when someone like Bobby comes in with his own rules it really sets up some fun conflict for the film and I think that’s why it’s been so successful in other films like Fargo.

IFC: You used a very creative way to finance Carousel Of Revenge. Would you elaborate on that some?

While we did secure regular investors for the film, to help in marketing the film we set up a website where everyday people could vote on casting, props, story settings, etc. We created this interaction with the audience before they would see the film. It was an interesting challenge to keep the vision intact while still letting go of some control but I actually enjoyed it. It was a chance to get the pulse of what the audience wants to see before you make the film.

To the rabid hordes of newfound Walter Ego fans clamoring for more movie reviews from The Walter, I want to assure you that more are indeed on tap. We've had a little snafu in the editing room but expect to become more regular (sorry Walter) very soon.

Walter himself is chomping at the bit, confronting scary levels of dangerous critical build up in his system. This condition can be very serious for those born to enlighten but Walter is managing to cope. To let off steam he's taken up rhythmic drumming and emotive yodeling. Sometimes late at night, he can be heard howling through the woods of western New Jersey. While the coyotes and bears are not happy, it seems to be helping the Walter.

So for all of you people who enjoy a little humor, manic energy and shameless superficiality in your movie reviews, take heart. Walter Ego will be back soon to tell us what to think. We'll make sure he shaves first.

The ongoing crisis in the American financial markets will have a long term impact on production funding for most established companies.  Those with track records and secure distribution pipelines should be able to continue to access capital neccessary to keep production going but with much less generous terms.  This will cut into the profitabilityof these productions and probably lead to another reduction in production starts.  

 I think the real impact of this crisis will be felt by recently established production and distribution entities, especially those with a disproportionate amount of hedge fund money tied up in them,.  Much of that money was leveraged against the debt that is now bringing down our financial system.  How these newer entities will continue to keep the lights on, let alone produce and distribute medium budgeted films, is a mystery to me at this point. 

This creates a great opportunity for well produced, and frankly, well casted, independent films.  Reduced production means that known actors will continue to work for less.  With less competition from what Hollywood liked to call "independent" productions (remember Michael Clayton starring George Clooney was dubbed independent) a creative, well shot independent film with some kind of recognizable cast should have its best chance at profitability in at least three years.

These are wild times that we're living through.  But in every crisis there is an opportunity.  Americans need the creative energy of independent filmmakers as much as they ever have.  Films that meet this need with integrity and creative energy will be rewarded.