Sundance 2014 is winding down, and after a week of red carpets and world premieres, everyone is heading back home to begin plotting how to make it back to next year's festival. But let's talk a little bit about the types of films that play at Sundance. It's no secret that the people who moderate and judge at Sundance have a particular taste in films, and that the films that do well at the prestigious festival often deal with similar themes. Some might even argue that many of the films that make it to Sundance border on cliché. While I think that's a little bit of a stretch, it certainly leaves room for some well-crafted satire. Prepare for a good laugh, because this spoof trailer for Not Another Sundance Movie will leave you in stitches:
Here's the trailer, which I came across via a post on SlashFilm. It's a satirical look at some of the funnier clichés prevalent in a good many independent films these days, and it was made by an online sketch comedy troupe called Tastes Funny.
While this video makes no secret about the films that it is parodying (Beasts of the Southern Wild and Ain't Them Bodies Saints, just to name a few), it does raise an interesting point about the perceived (and borderline legitimate) "taste" of Sundance. In some way, all festivals have an inherent taste, whether it's stated, as in the case of horror festivals or comedy festivals, or unstated, as in the case of Sundance and many others.
There's certainly something to take away from this video, other than its brutally honest hilarity. Despite the fact that Sundance is viewed as a Super Bowl of sorts (go Broncos) for independent film, and every filmmaker and their mother wants to get into the festival, Sundance, or even the neighboring Slamdance, aren't the perfect venues for every film. Neither are the other major festivals. Unfortunately, these festivals are viewed as the be-all, end-all of filmmaking, when it should be about getting your film in front of people who will appreciate it for what it is.
There is a vast world of festivals out there, all of which are just slightly different from one another, and some of which are a better destination for your film than others. Do the research, and figure out which ones match your film, rather than throwing all of your eggs into the Sundance basket.
What do you guys think about Not Another Sundance Movie? Is it just an internet comedy video, or does it reveal the inherent taste of the Sundance programmers? Let's hear those thoughts down in the comments!
Link: Every Indie Cliché In One Short Trailer: Not Another Sundance Movie -- Tastes Funny
[via SlashFilm]
