"That's how it is in my local area. The entire art scene is almost exclusively public-sector tax-funded projects. The projects themselves have very little to do with art and almost everything to do with politics, mostly identity politics..."
The frustrating thing is the clique of entitled accountability-free film board execs was depriving their nation of a viable film industry. There was (and doubtless still is) no other sources of film and TV finance. Their long, sad history of failure ensures nobody else will put any money into filmmaking in that country, and so the film board remains the only game in town so far as local filmmaking talent is concerned.
"...and tend to pull from cliques of university friends."
One terrific local writer I spoke with wasted years of his life fruitlessly trying to interest the film and TV PTB in his country. At a film board meeting, I asked the chairperson why, in such a small country and industry, a guy like that writer was going nowhere despite being so clearly talented.
The response was, "Oh, that guy. Nobody likes him."
Nobody in the chairperson's clique, that is.
Last I heard, the guy eventually gave up on his country and moved to LA, where he became a working writer.
People complain about nepotism and favoritism in Hollywood, but at least the U.S. has a thriving industry.
I mean, that's not far from my situation. I'm based in the county of Staffordshire in the UK. Nobody in my own country is interested in talking to me. The films I make are all in the US, and until very recently, just LA.
"That's how it is in my local area. The entire art scene is almost exclusively public-sector tax-funded projects. The projects themselves have very little to do with art and almost everything to do with politics, mostly identity politics..."
The frustrating thing is the clique of entitled accountability-free film board execs was depriving their nation of a viable film industry. There was (and doubtless still is) no other sources of film and TV finance. Their long, sad history of failure ensures nobody else will put any money into filmmaking in that country, and so the film board remains the only game in town so far as local filmmaking talent is concerned.
"...and tend to pull from cliques of university friends."
One terrific local writer I spoke with wasted years of his life fruitlessly trying to interest the film and TV PTB in his country. At a film board meeting, I asked the chairperson why, in such a small country and industry, a guy like that writer was going nowhere despite being so clearly talented.
The response was, "Oh, that guy. Nobody likes him."
Nobody in the chairperson's clique, that is.
Last I heard, the guy eventually gave up on his country and moved to LA, where he became a working writer.
People complain about nepotism and favoritism in Hollywood, but at least the U.S. has a thriving industry.
I mean, that's not far from my situation. I'm based in the county of Staffordshire in the UK. Nobody in my own country is interested in talking to me. The films I make are all in the US, and until very recently, just LA.
W. = WOMEN
O.= OTHERS
K.= KIDS
E.= EVERYONE
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