The avant-garde film scene in this town has really degenerated in the last ten years. I took a break for a while to work on other things, and when I came back I found that the scene I knew and loved had fallen on hard times.
I can't recommend San Francisco as a place to find new and exciting avant-garde motion picture events. The venues Steve mentioned seem to be stuck in the 60's. I have nothing against structuralism, etc. per se, but frankly I see a lack of imagination and an inability to embrace new methods. This is an ill omen. Don't come here expecting a vibrant community. It's stodgy, eccentric, self-absorbed, insular, and profoundly unimaginative. The old guard have no mojo left in them, and the young people are too busy fluffing their Burning Man costumes to do anything revolutionary. Aaron At 8/29/2011, you wrote: >Several exhibition venues in the San Francisco >Bay Area, all of which will be presented >substantial programs of what could be considered >avant-garde/experimental/underground works in >the coming months (presented alphabetically): > >Artists' Television Access (ATA): www.atasite.org >Canyon Cinema: www.canyoncinema.com >Oddball Films: www.oddballfilm.com >Other Cinema (at ATA): www.othercinema.com >San Francisco Cinematheque: www.sfcinematheque.org >There is also a new venue in west Oakland called >"Black Hole" which (I believe) promotes itself >primarily via Facebook. Best just to go there >(Facebook that is, assuming if you are part of >the Facebook hive mind) and search for them. > >And please... >Before anyone says anything... >I am the Artistic Director of Cinematheque. I am >a filmmaker member (and once employee and board >memberbut not currently) of Canyon Cinema. I >am a long-time volunteer with Other Cinema/ATA. >I even worked for Oddball for a short time years ago. >Call this disclosure. >This collation of publicly-accessible >information is posted out of a sense of love for >this local film scene and for this community, >enthusiam for the coming season and as an act of >generosity towards a newcomer. Beyond this I >make no claims to speak for, advocate for, or >argue the merits (or shortcomings) of any of the >above venues (other than Cinematheque). OK? I >also apologize to any venues I may have left >out. No venue was omitted from my list due to >personal (or institutional) ill will; if there >have been any omissions it is only due to my personal ignorance. > >Peace out, >Steve Polta > > >--- On Mon, 8/29/11, carl elsaesser <[email protected]> wrote: > >From: carl elsaesser <[email protected]> >Subject: [Frameworks] Moving to San Francisco >To: [email protected] >Date: Monday, August 29, 2011, 9:51 AM > >Hey, I just moved to San Francisco from Maine >and I wanted to check out the film community >here. I would love any and all advice on >organizing community events, if there are >non-profit organizations set up for experimental >film makers or of funding opportunities for young film-makers. > >even if it is just for coffee I would love to >hear what artists have been up to here, and get >a sense of collaboration possibilities. > >Thanks and too much love, > >-- >cArl Elsaesser >207-607-2610 ><http://www.youtube.com/user/camerac?feature=mhee>http://www.youtube.com/user/camerac?feature=mhee > > > >-----Inline Attachment Follows----- > >_______________________________________________ >FrameWorks mailing list >[email protected] >https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks > >_______________________________________________ >FrameWorks mailing list >[email protected] >https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks ------------------------------------------- Aaron F. Ross Digital Arts Guild _______________________________________________ FrameWorks mailing list [email protected] https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks
