One of the things that was a disappointment about Monday's showing was the audience behavior during some of the weaker films. Going into a local filmmaker's showcase, you have to expect some flicks that wouldn't make it into a more competitive festival, and this past showing was no exception. Of course, being a local filmmaker's showcase, you have to expect that many of the people involved in each film are going to be in attendance. With that in mind, even if something is really bad you should try to stifle your impulse to sneer out of politeness if nothing else. Well, that didn't happen this time around. There were some folks behind us in the theatre who were openly mocking some of the films. What's worse is that these people turned out to be filmmakers themselves. Maybe I'm overreacting, but it strikes me as particularly arrogant to sit and criticize a piece of work when your own work may or may not be any better.
So...a polite suggestion to other filmmakers: when you're in your living room, gripe away. When you're in a theatre with others, keep your MST3K urges to yourself.
Posted by Jason at June 23, 2005 01:08 PM