WonderRoot’s Local Filmmakers’ Night Gonna Be Startin’ Somethin’

There was a lot of apologizing at WonderRoot’s Generally Local, Mostly Independent Filmmakers’ Night at the Plaza Theatre Thursday.

“There are going to be technical problems,” we were told from the beginning.

And there were. But sitting silent in the dark and holding our breaths as we watched a cursor hover over the play button on the Plaza’s big screen felt amateurish in the way that it does when you’re there, at the beginning of something, possibly something big.

I asked Kristy Breneman, the organizer of WonderRoot’s Generally Local, Mostly Independent Filmmakers’ Night (which, from here on, I have decided to abbreviate as “WonderRoot’s Local Filmmakers’ Night”), to explain her vision for the event:

“I want to encourage all of the amazing filmmakers in Atlanta to keep doing their thing here,” she said, “in Atlanta, and stop leaving for L.A. and New York because we need them.”

Thursday’s turnout suggests Kristy isn’t the only one who wants to encourage Atlanta filmmakers. 186 people showed up to the Plaza, waited in line, and stayed, through films cutting off midway and restarting, through an impromptu “intermission,” and through the Plaza’s projector bulb burning out and making one film look, according to the director, like “it was shot on a Soviet cell phone.”

Of course, Thursday night wasn’t Atlanta’s first attempt to celebrate local film. There have been plenty of festivals—the Atlanta Film Festival, The 48 Hour Film Project, and the Atlanta Underground Film Festival, among others—but nothing as accessible as WonderRoot’s Local Filmmakers’ Night, which requires few specifications and no fees to enter.

Max Fisher, co-producer of “Atlanta’s favorite web series,” Godamsterdam, says WLFN’s inclusive attitude is “the perfect spirit for an event in a city with a fledgling film community.” Whereas festivals typically revolve around a competition, WLFN focuses on bringing filmmakers together and giving them a space to show their work. In fact, WonderRoot will use the proceeds generated by the $6 tickets to fund festival submissions for the films shown.

When I asked Max how we could make Atlanta’s film community stand out among cities like New York and Los Angeles, he responded, “We should establish our own film culture and style. That will be what intrigues people from other cities.”

And indeed, what struck me about the films last night was how uniquely Atlanta they were. Videos for local bands Knaves Grave (I Don’t Wanna Be Yr AARP, by Mike Brune) and Judi Chicago (Fun City, by Parker Davidson) showcased Atlanta’s badass music scene. Cameron Stuart’s April at Work documented a day-in-the-life of working at a dry cleaner’s on Memorial. Meanwhile, The Other Bronte Sister by Jamie Hawkins-Gaar and Episode 3 of Ben Cohen and Max Fisher’s web series, Godamsterdam, served up that bizarre, addictive humor you can only get in a deep south city with an identity crisis.

Godamsterdam Episode III – Freezer Pop Rollerblade Day from Cohenberg Kramerstein on Vimeo.

Finally, XxzCuzX Me, a blitzkrieg animation first illustrated by Ashley Anderson, then set in motion by Aaron Keuter to the highly energetic Crystal Castles song of the same name, showed that Atlanta can play ball in the global design community. I wouldn’t be surprised to find this film on Gizmodo or Cool Hunting.

From animation to comedy, from experimental to narrative, Thursday night’s films all said the same thing: New York, Los Angeles, Austin, Portland—they did it first. We’re going to do it different.

So no need to apologize, WLFN. Just keep showing us more Atlanta films. Because we want to watch.

COMING UP NEXT: Until the next installment of WonderRoot’s Generally Local, Mostly Independent Filmmakers’ Night (date TBA), snap your fingers with the cast and crew of Godamstersdam at the Godam Dance Party Sunday, August 8^th, at 9pm. WonderRoot. $3. Knaves Grave, The Clap, and DJ Tanner will be pleasuring you.

Photo Credit: Allyson Petty