TAMPA BAY FILM
Tampa Bay Independent Film Scene
As of 2014, the Tampa
Bay independent film scene is weak, and it is our opinion that it is humored,
and not respected, by the film commissions, the large film festivals,
Hollywood, and the general public. As for the general public, which would
be the target market of local independent filmmakers, why would they pay
$20.00 or more for a flawed independent film when they can go out and
buy great, Hollywood movies for much less? The people of Tampa
Bay don't care about locally made independent films, and indie filmmakers
need their support before they can succeed. If we make innovative,
good films, and promote them correctly, we can inspire the public to support
us!
It is our educated opinion that no filmmaker has made it, and that they
all have failed to put Tampa Bay independent film on the map. It is our
opinion that Tampa Bay independent film is not yet a player in the independent
filmmaking industry. This can change, but it is our opinion
that most of the current participants in the independent film scene will
have to be replaced before progress is finally achieved.
We do not believe that Paul Guzzo, Pete Guzzo, Joe Davison, Terence Nuzum,
Nolan Canova, or anyone else, has done much, if anything, to advance the
cause of independent filmmaking in Tampa Bay. While other filmmakers,
such as Chris Woods, are talented, with some excellent films in their
portfolio of work, there are not enough to make a difference. In the case
of Chris Woods, his latest partnership with John Miller, catering to a
severely limited genre, has resulted in some of the worst films ever made
in the Tampa Bay region. Vomit Soup or Mondo Socko, anyone?
It is our opinion that most of the current players in the indie film scene
compromise and negotiate from a position of weakness, allying themselves
with and catering to others who do not have their best interests, or the
interests of indie filmmaking in Tampa Bay, in mind. It is our opinion
that there are a lot of questionable politics going on, and that there
are no real leaders in the indie film scene.
It is also our opinion that, despite the dysfunctional current
scene, that the Tampa Bay area has all of the resources that it needs
to become a worldwide leader in independent film. We just
need new people and need to band together and work hard to make that happen,
because for the past decade, it seems that everyone is not only on some
ego trip, but do the same mistakes over and over again, expecting a different
result.
This section of Tampa Bay Film is your shortcut to all of the subject categories of the Tampa Bay independent film scene., which further lead to the relevant associated subject sections in our other categories such as reviews, interviews, articles, tutorials, filmography, online film festival channels, film festivals, indie film reviews, and more! You can easily find what you are looking for, and when you do, we will tell you if it's worth it.
Filmmaking - How to make indie films in Tampa Bay, and indie film production resources.
Filmmakers - Reviews of and interviews with the movers and the shakers of the Tampa Bay independent film scene. All of the information on Tampa Bay filmmakers, ranging from (in our opinion) over rated losers like Joe Davison and Terence Nuzum to talented filmmakers like Andy Lalino and Chris Woods, including their film projects, completed films, and plans for the future.
Production Companies - Reviews, articles, features, and the films of local indie film production companies.
Film Schools - Our opinion, and reviews, of Tampa Bay film schools, which are all currently poor value cash-in's, in our opinion, especially the ones marketed through the large film festivals.
Workshops - Indie filmmaking workshops in Tampa Bay, which are hands-on, lower cost alternatives to film schools, and far more practical. Tampa Bay Film, through our Tampa Workshops site, will be offering independent film workshops in the Tampa Bay area FREE OF CHARGE, with collaborative indie filmmaking projects. More informative and superior to other workshops and film schools, this should put the others in their place; Hopefully, out of business.
Underground Film Festivals - A concept by C. A. Passinault, underground film festivals are small, scrappy film festivals without the trappings or the high overhead of larger film festival events. Underground film festivals are usually private events. Tampa Bay Film underground film festivals have the same marketing resources as conventional film festivals, and have equal status and coverage. This means that they are more powerful than the larger film festivals, and far more cost-effective. Our flagship underground film festival, which is a private event series held several times a year, and is invitation only, is the Sunburn Film Festival. Sunburn Film Festival events are small, private viewing parties where entertainment industry professionals and professional talent get together, watch independent films, and evaluate them, doing group reviews. Talk about peer reviewing! These underground film festivals, like other underground film festivals, are covered extensively through video, photography, reviews, and conventional media coverage, just like the large film festivals. Other underground film festivals are even more unique; another Tampa Bay Film underground film festival series is a Halloween Drive-In film festival which is one of the smallest film festivals in the world, as it is a film festival in a car (a larger one is in the works, too)! Obviously, a film festival in a car would be limited to between 2 and 6 participants.
Film Festivals - Film festivals in the Tampa Bay area, even though most of them are not straight-up with independent filmmakers, in our opinion., and do not really support indie film (token screenings on the down-low and humoring local filmmakers does not count as "support", no matter what anyone says. The filmmakers who fall for this are idiots, in our opinion. We are smarter than that). We will put an emphasis on independent film festivals, just like the large film festivals should emphasis local films. It doesn't matter, really, in the end, because our network of film festivals are the only film festivals that local indie filmmakers need.
Events - Unlike film festivals, which seem to be flooding the market, there are very few independent film industry events, and it is no surprise when the film festivals do little to support indie film. There are some networking events, but those do not seem to get anything done, and most are thinly veiled sales pitches for workshops, classes, and film schools. That’s why Tampa Bay Film is going to help with the Tampa Bay Film Conference!
Film Conference - The only type of event its kind, the Tampa Bay Film Conference is an annual gathering of Tampa Bay independent filmmakers, with a focus on the independent film industry and making progress in it. This event will be a catalyst for Tampa Bay to become an innovate and respected leader, worldwide, in independent film.
Film
Community
- As of 2013, there is no independent film community in Tampa Bay, although
people either pretend that there is one, or they delude themselves into
thinking that there is one. A group of no-talent, sell-out amateurs slandering
each other and stabbing each other in the back is not a community. We
have an independent film scene, and a weak one at that. Think that filmmakers
are respected as artists here? Why are the large film festivals focusing
on Hollywood releases and outside celebrities? In our opinion, they humor
local filmmakers, and it is not entirely undeserved. Still, they should
at least be up-front with the filmmakers, and that is not happening.
We are working on establishing the first independent film community in
Tampa Bay, and we are convinced that it will take a new generation of
filmmakers to make that successful.
03/22/13/1300 - 08/05/14/1342 -
TAMPA BAY FILM
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