Page 13 - The Other Side of the Story

Film Makers

Miko Klubs, up and coming Michigan Film Producer Director spoke to Michigan Movie Magazine about Michigan independent film production and boy did we get an earful!  The views expressed on Page 13, unless expressly stated otherwise, are not necessarily those of Michigan Movie Magazine or any person in relation to whom we may have any liability or responsibility.

While living on the west coast, I heard rumors about the Midwest making the worst horror movies imaginable, but to me it was just a rumor. I truly try not to watch the bad ones. Then I moved back here and it IS TRUE!

I find myself compulsively going on Facebook, (aka Crackbook - yes I’m just as addicted as you are), watching clips and trailers of some of the worst film making that I’ve ever witnessed -- here in Michigan. I can not turn it off, hard as I try. Its like driving really slow by a car wreck looking for all the blood and guts.

These new fangled directors are like a bunch of kids who just got a new camcorder. Is this Michigan - the "New Hollywood?" Did the "New Hollywood," in the form of a meteor, crash in Michigan and spread a virus like the swine flu… without a antidote?

It’s like a bad dream, and all of a sudden I wake up, and there are these zombie like filmmakers walking the streets, without a boom mike!  No preparation, no pre-production meetings, no lighting. Are you catching my drift?????

It seems now everyone in Michigan wants to be a model, an actor or a filmmaker! The same virus has bitten me, but one thing separates me from them - Quality!!! If you visit my set, there will be catering, lighting, grips, PA’s, boom mike operators, hair and make up (including wardrobe), DP’s (director of photographers) storyboards, shot lists and even a few gaffers. I have a full crew on my movies and I even pay the good ones!

Try finding that here in Michigan.  All you will see are no pay, no pay and more no pay signs every where you go. I even reward the ones that are learning - the interns and PAs. I encourage the newcomers to come on set. If you build a good movie, they will come, and they will pick it up, and it will be viewed by millions.

Today, you might not know who I am, but tomorrow you will.  Sure everyone has passion, but you could be blind and still have passion. I may be an obnoxious, cocky, arrogant loudmouth,  but I do have common sense. My common sense suggests to me that if you have a great script, great crew, and a passion to do something that looks amazing on film, someone will notice it. But if you have crap, people will smell it and won’t want to be near it.

A lot of these so called filmmakers in Michigan are going into the kitchen to make an omelet with out any eggs.  If anything goes wrong with a production, there is only one person to blame, the director. I never blame the actors. They just want to act. But I do blame actors that are so hungry to be part of anything, they don’t take care of their image - after all image is everything!

So when you are part of a bad production -  where there is a camera without a boom mike and, you hear echo’s - why put it on Facebook? So people like me can sit and laugh their butts off all day? I think it's sad, even when I’m laughing at you, I am sad (for a minute). I see that you want to be an actor so bad you will be in anything.

Wake up and smell the coffee. Start comparing your crappy production to a DVD you rented and say to yourself, wow I really need to start some form of film making rehab.

Welcome to the new Hollywood. If you want to compete, put all your energy into something with quality. Stop asking your friends to come over and film in your backyard.  Don't assume people aren't watching, they are. Don't give them something to laugh at.

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