Dear Sasha,
For all those who enter the orbit of this strange institution
there are endless irreconcilable ironies to untangle.
There is considerable mystery in how Howard Guttenplan was able to
preside despotically for forty years
without adherence to any of the precepts set forth in the bylaws,
simultaneously acting single handedly as steward to a cultural milieu
of such importance
that MoMA would proffer eighty five thousand dollars
(a number I believe was low for the staggering trove therein)
to obtain the archives.
Lili White as much as she may vex
(I have no appreciation for gender biased curation whatever the
rationale)
decisively stepped up to lead a tiny group of people in order to
preserve the
Millennium Film Workshop Archives at a moment of almost unimaginable
disorder and chaos.
Were she not to have acted with such forceful authority this treasure
could easily have
been made to disappear by an ensuing political regime determined to
negate Howard's
achievement.
As ironies go, one of the greatest for me to negotiate
has been observing my mentor Ken Jacobs's recent involvement with the
Millennium,
serving as great Oz behind
an obfuscating curtain in successive post-Howard "democratic"
political regimes
each of which eschewed and expunged the monthly open screenings
that were an entry portal of the most democratic kind.
The irony being that it was precisely the open screening format
that gave Ken his start as a maker.
Things blossom in that sort of environment that cannot occur elsewhere.
One Friday on Fourth Street I remember the rare paperback book
specialist and great single frame advance
practitioner Chris Eckhoff a.k.a. Mr. E speaking about the projection
screen, he asked
"What if residue from all the films that have ever been projected on
that screen
are still there in some way?".
Thereafter I treated that particular projection surface
as a secret sacred palimpsest.
When Millennium collapsed and the screen came down,
the ghosts were gone.
The place was useless to us.
Cronyism and concomitant kickbacks do not make a cultural milieu of
consequence.
Singular courage and passion of the intensity you demonstrate does!
As artists it is our mandate to be fearless, to find a way, to make it
happen.
As if it was our last day.
David
On Sep 30, 2015, at 12:16 AM, Sasha Janerus wrote:
Thank you Dr. Walley. Thank you David.
It is worth noting that MFW has kept this document off their
website. Strictly speaking you're right about the "President" thing,
which I'd forgotten about--but it's really a technicality, as the
title doesn't bring any special powers. George was not elected to
this or any other position, but was . As I recall it, after Howard
stepped down, a member-consensus decision was made to keep the
director off the board, and to have the ED be appointed by the
board. All of which makes good sense, especially given everything
that had transpired during the latter phase of the Gutenplan period,
though this emergency measure should have been ratified by a timely
revision of the bylaws. So "President" here is just an honorific--
same term, different meaning--so that the board looks the way boards
are supposed to look.
If only the board had acted the way a board's supposed to act.
One other quibble, David: the verb: "to Gerrymander" implies that
elections are in fact taking place. The mot juste would have been
"to steal."
***
George,
I didn't receive your email as you didn't send one to me. Apparently
the fact that I don't agree with your failure to follow MFW's bylaws
means that I'm not to be counted a "Friend" of Millennium--or is it
simply a friend of yours? My partner, Stephanie Wuertz--who
previously occupied your office--did receive a copy but deleted it,
wanting nothing to do with MFW ever again. Another life you've
touched. The email is, of course, also posted on an orphan page on
your site. How could I have missed that?
Your texts are, needless to say, mendacious in the extreme.
Millennium didn't pack up shop because the MoMA money was late.
Millennium sank because you and PK were incapable of providing
financial information to go with the grant narratives I wrote for
you. When you did finally massage the books into order, I'm pretty
sure it involved making some shit up, in particular Jay Hudson's
undocumented ATM withdrawals.
Your claim to transparency is belied by the fact that nobody knows
what's going on at MFW and next to nobody cares, as well as by a
prior email from you instructing me 1) not to talk about MFW in
public and 2) not to share "confidential financial and other
information without authorization," namely PK's insane budget for
FY2014. I should note that PK had himself informed me that all MFW
documents--minutes, books, etc.--were available to anyone who wanted
to see them. And why not?: it belongs to its members and to the
community, and not to you.
If you'd like to have a discussion about Millennium's future, I'd
encourage you to do so in full view of your constituency, which I'm
sure you'll agree extends beyond present membership and self-
selected "friends". Here are some places to begin:
Could you put text of MFW's present bylaws on your website--
preferably not on an orphaned page.
How many active members does MFW presently have? How many of them do
you consider elligible to vote? How many lapsed members would you
consider eligible to vote upon renewal? According to what criteria?
How much cash does MFW have on hand?
What are its month-to-month expenses?
What were its FY2014 net income and expenditures, exclusive of the
MoMA money?
How much income did MFW receive from workshops and equipment rentals
FY14? How much profit on the same?
Has the board passed any resolutions to compensate Peter Kingsbury?
If so, for how much?
ON WHAT DATE, IN OCTOBER, IS A MEMBERS MEETING TO BE HELD?
Finally, there is the question of "slander." I was careful to frame
certain statements speculatively, and in your last email to me you
enjoined me to "desist from broadcasting via Frameworks opinions and
speculation that are not based on facts." The present opacity of MFW
makes a necessity of speculation. I do, however, know these people.
Lili, for instance, attempted to program herself in a Millennium
show at the New School, with a $200 honorarium for a single film.
Steph and I stepped in, and those with conflicts of interest were
replaced by Jen Reeves and Peter Hutton, among others. Lili promptly
one-upped herself by having her husband build Millennium a website.
MFW was stuck with unauthorized, recurring, exorbitant paypal
payments. The website Mark built was so shitty it had to be replaced
by the current shitty site.
MFW has furnished me with many more interesting anecdotes. And I
should note I have been a model of restraint insofar as I have not
contacted or the NY arts press, regulatory bodies, or your
prospective funders. That stance is subject to revision.
Yours in cinema
Sasha Janerus
PS I have a sneaking suspicion certain phrases in the trash you've
been sending out as "Outreach Coordinator" were derived, consciously
or not, from the grants and other fluff I wrote. It's the sort of
vague, pseudo-descriptive language that is meant to sound inspiring
when the situation is anything but.
On Tue, Sep 29, 2015 at 10:08 PM, David Baker <[email protected]>
wrote:
Dear Mr. Spencer,
Your skill as an Outreach Coordinator is certainly evident.
I mean no disrespect in asking who designated you President of
Millennium Film Workshop?
As I read the bylaws (with which Howard Guttenplan was wrested
from his long time role as Executive Director), it stipulates in
Article I #2,
the President is to be voted on by the membership.
I have no recollection of this election occurring in regards to you
holding this office.
Is it possible I missed this important event?
Perhaps I am in some way mistaken.
It is my understanding that the original bylaws are applicable
until the membership chooses to ratify a new set of bylaws.
Is this not the case?
Attached are the original bylaws as they were sent to me by Jay
Hudson on 9/21/11.
I do not think Sasha Janerus is alone in the perception that this
venerable institution has been gerrymandered by a coterie of
insiders bent on personal
enrichment of one sort or another.
This may in part explain the precipitous decline in Millennium's
membership from last year's 89 to the current 40 active members
(as I count them on this recent list, http://millenniumfilm.org/memberlist/
)
I would very much appreciate a response from you here in this forum.
Herein I also appreciate Jonathan Walley's caring constructive words
as they pertain to this matter.
Thank you,
David Baker
On Sep 27, 2015, at 8:55 PM, George Spencer wrote:
Hi, fellow experimental film enthusiasts-
The great institution of Millennium Film Workshop, which over 49
years has done much to support the development of artists cinema,
has been under financial threat since 2011. Our governing board,
executive director, and volunteer staff have struggled in extremely
difficult circumstances not only to maintain our workshops,
screenings, film journal, and equipment access programs, but to
restructure our governance and operations.
THESE are the questions some of you are asking on FRAMEWORKS, and
here is MFW's reply:
- Is there any foundation to the original allegations posted on
7/10/15?
NO. Millennium’s finance and operations are transparent, with best
practices internal controls. Its board wholly supports and
appreciates the work of its Executive Director, Peter Kingsbury,
who will step down on October 31. Accusations against a public
service non-profit such as Millennium are a disservice to the
experimental cinema community; and slander against individuals is
morally repugnant and a violation of the Frameworks terms of service.
- Is there a more objective account of what’s gone on at Millennium
that we might be able to read and discuss?
A “status update” letter emailed by the board to our Members and
Friends on 7/23/15 provides some perspective on recent
developments. It can be found at: millenniumfilm.org/boardupdate
- Is there anything we could do to improve things? To intervene?
YES, YOU CAN HELP IN MANY WAYS.
1. Become a member or supporting member via our web-site:
millenniumfilm.org/membershipandsupport/
2. Join our email list at millenniumfilm.org to get news and
program announcements.
3. Come to our screenings, currently being held at Spectacle
Theater in Williamsburg Brooklyn. See the schedule at:
spectacletheater.com/millenium-film-workshop-at-spectacle/
4. Subscribe to the Millennium Film Journal at mfj-online.org
5. Attend our Members & Friends Informational Meeting on Wednesday
10/7 at 7:00 pm at Brooklyn Fireproof (119 Ingraham Street,
Brooklyn, NY 11237 -two blocks from Morgan Ave stop on the “L”
subway). Learn about our organizational restructuring and plans
for the future. Contribute ideas and volunteer some time.
6. Finally, and most importantly, “Take a Turn for Millennium”.
Make a short term volunteer commitment (see millenniumfilm.org/
volunteer). Millennium’s restructuring and transformation over the
last few years has been difficult and frustrating work by a very
small number of filmmakers who believe in its promise and
potential. We have made significant progress toward “the new
Millennium”. But to get there we urgently need volunteers to
perform simple but necessary tasks in the next few months to
sustain our screenings, workshops, film journal, and equipment
access programs.
- What’s happening right now?
We are planning workshops, programs, and fundraising in celebration
of Millennium50, our fiftieth year. We are searching for a new
Executive Director. We are working with our lawyers to finish our
new Bylaws, which will improve Millennium’s governance and support,
and enhance member participation. After their approval by members,
we will hold elections for our new expanded governing board. In
preparation for elections, we are defining the diverse knowledge,
skills, and experience we will need on our new board, and our
expectations for candidates. We will ask members and friends for
candidate recommendations, and ask people to serve. Finally, we
are asking people to volunteer, to “Take a Turn for
Millennium” (see millenniumfilm.org/volunteer).
This email list serves parties interested in the cinema art.
Please join, volunteer, or otherwise show your support for
Millennium, an organization that has effectively supported that art
for nearly a half century. Encourage others to become involved.
You will be revitalized by personal interchange with others of like
mind, and your own cinema practice will be supported by becoming
part of our community. MFW continues to be a place where the
passion and expression of hands-on, personal cinema, is studied,
nurtured, and celebrated.
Thanks,
George Spencer,
President, Millennium Film Workshop
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_______________________________________________
FrameWorks mailing list
[email protected]
https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks
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FrameWorks mailing list
[email protected]
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