Alexie: There are no stereotypes of anybody, really. The stereotypes wouldn’t exist if they weren’t by some large measure true. That’s one of the jokes I tell, you know? White guys do want to own everything and Indians do have a problem with alcohol. You are a bunch of imperialistic bastards, that’s not a stereotype. And we do have issues with addiction, and unemployment, and time. You know, any group of people is viewed a lot more simplistically when you start talking about large groups. And mass media is in charge of that, again. So it’s not like white guys get off easy with media; it’s just that (Natives) have nobody originating the images.
That’s one of the real problems, that we have no voice of our own in the mass media…There is a lot of magic and beauty about us that isn’t accurately discussed. It has nothing to do with our religions, it’s actually more complicated than that. I don’t think anybody’s religion is all that cute. I think our tolerance of eccentricity, our senses of humor—those are the kinds of cultural aspects that don’t necessarily get covered fully.
In my PEACE PARTY comics, I try to convey things like the Native tolerance of eccentricity and sense of humor. Readers can judge whether I succeed or not.
Alexie: It was simply driven out of my love of movies. But that, more than any artistic endeavor, is completely driven by money and the size of the audience. And we don’t have an audience. Every Indian in the country could go see a movie and it wouldn’t guarantee anything. It would make a box office of $14 million, which is nothing. Paul Blart: Mall Cop made that in four hours on a Saturday afternoon.
Really, there’s no point. Indian people talk to me now about filmmaking, and I tell them you can buy those little HD cameras now for about $190. And you can have Final Cut on your laptop for $400. And those little tapes will cost you $30-$40 a piece. Make your own movie. Put it online. Give up on the whole Hollywood thing. Stay away. If you’re an Indian actor, you’re going to end up in a loincloth, and if you’re an Indian writer or director, you’re going to end up in a metaphorical loincloth.
For more on the subject, see The Best Indian Movies and All About Sherman Alexie.
6 comments:
In regards to this great article featuring Sherman Alexie:
Really, there’s no point. Indian people talk to me now about filmmaking and I tell them you can buy those little HD cameras now for about $190. And you can have Final Cut on your laptop for $400. And those little tapes will cost you $30-$40 a piece.
There is a difference between filmmakers and “movie” makers. (In my opinion.)
The goal of a Narrative Feature Film is to be seen on the big screen, in a theater, in front of an audience, a “shared experience”. A film should be great stories, big pictures, (and hopefully big audiences, big returns) unfortunately that costs money that is so hard to find for an “Indian” film.
Make your own movie. Put it online.
And be viewed just like everyone else and every other YouTube video with little or no chance at conventional distribution, or financial return. I equate this to “Why go to a concert when you can sit at home in the dark and listen to the CD?”
Give up on the whole Hollywood thing. Stay away. If you’re an Indian actor, you’re going to end up in a loincloth, and if you’re an Indian writer or director, you’re going to end up in a metaphorical loincloth.
Don’t tell Adam Beach…
I have nothing but admiration for Mr. Alexie, but if no one tries to “break through” with an “Indian” themed film (which would have to be independently financed at this time) Hollywood will not take notice.
$14 million would be a good haul for a movie that cost $500,000 or $1 million to make.
Can you list any “Indian” movies that have done this?
If I were a filmmaker, I might not go the Hollywood route.
That is because with an “Indian” themed film you CAN’T go the “Hollywood route”
But you DO need to get the financing and distribution. To get that (in the Hollywood system, which is also followed by the mini-majors, and distributors) you need one or more of the following elements in place (the more the better):
1. Script (established “bankable” genre, preferably something with an established following see: Watchmen, or any other comic or best selling novel or Pulitzer play)
2. Director: A list (See Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire)
3. Lead Actor: A list (see the Forbes list or IMDB for scores.)
Hollywood isn’t even an option. Even indy films trying to get distribution get this treatment. A filmmaker with a story about “Indians” has no other choice but to find independent financing and distribution outside the Hollywood system.
Rob, you mentioned Kirk Cameron in another post about this. “A no-name” actor…you do know that “Fireproof” was a Christian-backed film for the Christian market and Kirk is a well-known “born-again” Christian…they couldn’t have picked a better lead actor for their target audience. In fact all the “indy” successes you mentioned in that article have at least one of the elements I mentioned above.
The problem is IF you finally can get financing you need, you also need to secure DISTRIBUTION (even straight to DVD) to recoup the financiers’ money, and hopefully make a profit…otherwise…no more money for future films…this goes back to my comment on why tribes should get into financing films if they want to break stereotypes, have some control over that medium, and give Indians an opportunity to shine in front of, and behind, the camera.
They may even make a profit.
But I wouldn't give up on the idea of entertaining and enlightening people through movies.
Nice thought, Sherman knows what he is talking about but it is so sad to see that American Indian themed scripts or even stories that have Indian leads are next to impossible to find funding for.
When the door is slammed so many times; it’s hard not to give up.
Keep the faith Rob,
Jet
"you do know that “Fireproof” was a Christian-backed film for the Christian market and Kirk is a well-known “born-again” Christian"
And he was aleady well-known (in the Christian film niche anyway) for the "Left Behind" movies.
Thanks for your thoughts, Jet. A few responses:
I believe a few YouTube videos have proved popular enough to earn their makers a deal with a publisher or studio. And filmmakers can use short films to increase awareness of their full-length efforts.
Adam Beach still wears a metaphorical loincloth more often than he wants to, I'm afraid.
Alexie's "$14 million" reference was presumably to Smoke Signals. Its domestic gross was about $7 million but its total gross (with foreign and DVD sales) may be $14 million.
If you include "bankable" scripts as one route to success, every movie idea is a potential winner. You just need a writer who can turn a "niche" story into a mainstream romantic comedy or action/adventure thriller. A writer like me, perhaps. ;-)
As I wrote in a previous posting, I agree that tribes should make movies.
Wes Studi and Adam Beach are as well known in the Native market as Kirk Cameron is in the Christian market. If that's all it takes, why aren't tribes making movies with them now?
"I wouldn't give up on the idea of entertaining and enlightening people through movies" was my thought, not Alexie's, of course. I guess I'm more of a Native cinema supporter than he is.
I'm glad Alexie said what he did about Hollywood films; I've said this before I believe its a total waste to concern ourselves with who is being cast in Hollywood movies, when there isn't going to be anything "Native" or "authentic" about them anyways. Better to focus on making our own movies, if we are concerned with "authenticity" and a true "Native perspective".
I feel bad for Adam Beach and the other actors whose names are repeatedly recycled in these blog postings. I really think that you should try to get him for an interview on here, Rob. It just seems like these expectations are put on him becuase he's Native as far as what kind of work he should be doing, and I think its really unfair to subject him to that type of scrutiny. For one, we don't even know what his personal goals or where he's coming from. Perhaps his primary interest is in making money to support his family (or even just himself) and not necessarily in being "The Great Red Hope" for all Indian people everywhere. He's just an actor. I don't see that he asked to be the poster child for all Natives or all Native actors everywhere, and its certainly not his fault that more Native actors aren't cast in Hollywood. I can absolutely understand someone taking work where they can get it, and I can't fault him for doing so. I think you've drug Beach's name through some dirt a few times, and you probably owe him some positive publicity, in some karmic sense.
Re "I've said this before I believe its a total waste to concern ourselves with who is being cast in Hollywood movies": I've said before that 1) Hollywood casting is influencing people today while the idea of Natives making mainstream movies is still a distant dream. We need to address the problem now, not hope for a solution in 10-20 years.
And 2) that addressing two or more issues simultaneously is easy. It's called multitasking. Try it sometime. <g>
For my response to your comments on Adam Beach, Kalisetsi, see Dragging Beach Through the Dirt?
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