Sept. 27--There isn't an audience for a documentary about firefighters, filmmakers Tom Putnam and Brenna Sanchez were told over and over.
"We spent a year pitching it to every broadcaster, every film financier, anybody who you'd take a documentary to, many of whom we'd made projects with in the past, and they all said no," recalls Putnam of "Burn," the compelling documentary about Detroit firefighters that premieres here Friday and Saturday at the Fillmore Detroit.
Instead of giving up, Putnam and Sanchez gave themselves the green light. They wound up funding the entire film through charitable donations and are still raising money at their website for its release and distribution.
It's a grassroots process that is becoming more popular as filmmakers strive to connect with audiences in new, often Web-fueled ways.
Having a documentary optioned by a studio for wide release is always a long shot, and even alternatives like public television have limited resources for supporting filmmakers. That's why artists are turning to social media and crowd-sourcing websites to raise their own distribution money. There's a lot of work involved, but there's also a big payoff in terms of artistic freedom and the opportunity to use profits in different ways.
"We got to make the exact kind of movie we wanted to make and a movie where the profits don't go back to some studio," says Putman. "They go to help the very people we've been filming."
He's referring to the fact that a portion of any profits from "Burn" will go to the Leary Firefighters Foundation (founded by "Rescue Me" star and "Burn" executive producer Denis Leary) to buy equipment for Detroit firefighters, who struggle daily with frequent arson outbreaks, the sprawl of abandoned homes and buildings and financial problems in the economically struggling city.
Already, the Momentous Insurance Brokerage partnered with Fireman's Fund Insurance Co. to donate $25,000 to the Detroit Fire Department. The gear from that gift started showing up this month, Sanchez says.
Putnam and Sanchez made "Burn" by embedding themselves with Detroit firefighters to show a year in their lives. They delved into the realities of the job, from its many physical dangers to the personal toll it takes on those who spend their lives protecting others.
It quickly became apparent that, contrary to the reaction of entertainment industry insiders, there was an audience for "Burn." Before filming started, a trailer for the project was posted on the Web and went viral with help from firefighters across the U.S.
The reaction to the completed movie has been decidedly positive. At a recent Seattle screening, a packed theater gave it a minute-plus standing ovation. And at the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival this year, "Burn" had its world premiere and won the audience award, a solid reflection of its potential to reach not just firefighters, but people who love good cinema.
"Burn" raised more than $119,000 during a Kickstarter drive last year to complete the movie and cover post-production costs. It continues to seek donations through its own website, www.DetroitFireFilm.org, to release the movie across the country. In addition, about 20 fund-raising screenings are scheduled, including the Detroit events. The filmmakers aren't taking a salary, and their wages, like the amount of firefighting gear obtained, will be tied to the film's success.
The movie is set to open theatrically in New York and Los Angeles later this year and move forward from there. At the "Burn" website, there's a message link that lets visitors tell the filmmakers that they want to have a screening in their city.
"We're really letting the audience determine how this thing goes," says Sanchez. "The more money we raise, the more cities we'll take it to."
The story of "Burn" is a specific one, but it speaks to the shifting landscape of documentary filmmaking. Just this year, "Searching for Sugar Man," the story of Detroit musician Rodriguez, was distributed to theaters by Sony Pictures Classics, while "Detropia," a look at the city's economic plight by Oscar nominees Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, opted for independent distribution partly because it wanted to reach theaters before the presidential election. All three have won acclaim on the festival circuit.
"It's a very interesting time," says Ryan Harrington, director of documentary programming for the Tribeca Film Festival. "I do think (self-distributing) is happening more often now, because options for distribution outside of Los Angeles and New York are very limited. Hundreds of films debut at festivals each year and only a few get picked up."
Harrington thinks DIY distribution will increase. "Hopefully, we'll have the traditional distributor out there. But with Kickstarter and Indiegogo, these crowd-sourcing platforms where people can donate to a film's release, it's going to be a new option for filmmakers, if they're willing to put the time and effort into it. It's a way to rally support around your film and build an audience."
Other Detroit filmmakers are exploring new options. Philip Lauri, whose "After the Factory" documentary examines the economic challenges and transition of Detroit and Lodz, Poland, is looking at a model that would use Web-viewing fees to funnel proceeds to projects in those cities.
Audiences at screenings here and in Europe have the same question, Lauri says. "What else can we do? What do you need?" He is using the proceeds from a Royal Oak screening of "After the Factory" to help build a remote-controlled race car track next to the Georgia Street Community Garden, which would be a place where kids could earn car time by working with the Georgia Street Community Collective.
The model for independent distribution is still evolving, but ultimately, it's about caring enough to keep going, no matter what, say Putnam and Sanchez.
"If you see a story you're passionate about and you feel it's important for people to know, be persistent," says Putnam. "Don't take no for an answer."
Contact Julie Hinds: 313-222-6427 or [email protected]
More Details: Win tickets to see Detroit firefighting documentary 'Burn'
The Free Press is giving away tickets to both screenings of "Burn" this weekend.
The film's local premiere at 7 p.m. Friday will be presented by the Free Press and will include a Q-and-A session with "Burn" filmmakers Tom Putnam and Brenna Sanchez as well as Detroit firefighters from the movie. Free Press editorial page editor Stephen Henderson will host.
We've got a pair of tickets to Friday's showing, and two pairs for the Saturday event. To enter for a chance to win, head to www.freep.com/burncontest and fill out the form. Entries must be received by noon today, and the winners will be notified shortly thereafter.
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