State of the Movie: A 7YR Manifesto
Tuesday, September 18, 2012 at 1:00AM In 2006, when the video store documentary "Seven Year Rental" was conceived, we gave it everything we had to tell our story well.
At that time there seemed to be no other projects tackling the current state of the video store, despite being subject matter close to the hearts of many aspiring, independent filmmakers. I watched and waited, completely expecting to find someone who had brought this concept to maturation already, but I couldn't find anything with a significant presence. Maybe the lack of attention to the topic should have been a red flag, but for me it provided all the more reason to do it. This was the only project I wanted to tackle. I was beyond invested in this, and throughout our beginning there were two things I feared the most: that the project would never reach completion, and that someone would complete it sooner, and better. We followed the events at our store for a year, carefully constructing what we thought we could achieve with what we wanted it to be. It was occurring in real time and there were no do-overs. Three years into it we not only had a movie that surpassed our initial expectations, but also one that showed a clear identity. We were a small, personal film with a small, singular store at its focus. The larger themes of the state of the industry were there, but they were told from our level and our perspective. In the time that's passed since the film's initial completion, our goals have always been aimed at making it available for viewing. We pursued the film festival circuit with a few encouraging successes. But we struggled to find the appetite for this subject in the format we'd chosen. And I began to wonder if maybe there wasn't a significant audience devoted to video store culture after all. But we've been found online on more than one occasion by passionate video store enthusiasts, craving a subject that seemed elusive to film. So along the way I've asked for patience from everyone who's expressed interest in seeing our movie who hasn't had an opportunity yet. But it's reached a tipping point, and we have no place left to go with this but to the finish line, only now we are doing so on the heels of others sharing a similar vision. There are four films in particular that have recently arrived on the scene, with an energy and a presence our film has yet to achieve. These films are: We're all "video" documentaries, but each film really seems to be coming from a different perspective. "Rewind This!" is the definitive look at home video. "Adjust Your Tracking" is the collector's film; by the fanatics, for the fanatics. "The Great American Video Store Documentary" is a macro view of the video store industry. "Videosyncracy" profiles in short form three Los Angeles area video stores. And alongside them, "Seven Year Rental" presents an intimate telling of one store's experience over the course of a year. To be clear, I by no means want to typecast any of the above mentioned films. I only mean to point out that while all of our films are looking at the video subculture, and likely share some themes, at the heart of each seems to be a very unique vision. I love video stores. And while I don't know any of these filmmakers personally, they are kindred spirits. I have supported their fundraising campaigns when possible, and have enjoyed, or anxiously await, my chance to see their films. I have no doubt that one - if not all of these - will find an audience that extends beyond the immediate circle of video enthusiasts. So at this point, the enthusiast side of me is excited by each and every one of these new takes on the subject. But the overly invested filmmaker side still can't help but retain those two initial fears. These look to be very strong and ambitious films that are exploring similar ground, but I'm confident "Seven Year Rental" has a place among them, with a very different presence. It has been over six years since we began "Seven Year Rental", but my commitment to completing this project and putting it out into the world persists. If you've kept an eye on us over the years, I can't tell you how much your loyalty and patience makes a difference. While a defined time-frame still does not exist, progress updates will be more forthcoming. I hope you'll join us for our final approach. If you have any suggestions or contacts that could help bring this project to you - either on DVD, VHS, or through an independent screening, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at SevenYearRental@gmail.com, or through our Facebook page. Hearing from you is always appreciated. And please spread the word. Connect with us - all of us - on Facebook. There is much to look forward to from all of these projects in the near future. I hope you'll find "Seven Year Rental" to be worthy company among those celebrating "the original way of renting movies". David Neureuther 7YR producer & director former video store clerk www.Facebook.com/SevenYearRental www.SevenYearRental.com September '12
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