Blog

At ATA on Friday, August 17.

What and/or Who is “The Cinema Culture”?

The Cinema Culture is a programming group, I started it out of a college dorm around 2007. We want to give movies an outlet outside of a film festival. We put on our own annual events. We do booking for movies, suggest festivals for movies and work with festivals on special programs and marketing. We just want to show cool movies everywhere.

You are based in Chicago. How would you describe the experimental film and video scene there?

Everyone does their own thing. Nelson Carvajal is a great part of the scene here with all that he does. Yonder Vittles of Everything is Terrible has been doing some great vaudeville style video events recently. There’s also 3 Minute Movies which encourages people to make 3 minute pieces on one theme. People are making more things small and big and more film festivals that appreciate experimental work are going on. Its just going to keep growing.

How did you select the films for this program?

Watch This is a program I wanted to put together for some time now. The program is just an eclectic mix of awesomeness. Everyone brings something fresh to the program, the motion picture artist featured are Alice Cohen, Nelson Carvajal, Anansi Knowbody, Lewis Vaughn, Lindsay Denniberg, Jason Ogawa, and myself. Everybody in the show are at similar levels with their bodies of work respectively. This show is saying watch this from us now and stay tuned for what we have coming soon.

This is one of the last stops on your US tour. Has the show been received differently in various parts of the country?

New York at Spectacle Theater was love, it was a great show. Chicago was good, it was the first time almost everybody apart of the show was in the same room together. It was a good feeling. On our to way to Kansas City me and Lewis Vaughn were in a bus accident. Its a real heavy thing to still do the show. Im just happy he and I are alive.

2 of your works are featured in the program. What motivated you to make these video experiments?

FaceOdd, I made with my partner Gina Lira. Its a minimal experiment that focuses on faces and moods it was inspired by make up styles. El Quatro, I made cause I like numbers. The movie is about how the number 4 evolves and what it represents. The projects were previewed at Film is Dead, a video art show curated by Nelson earlier this year.

Watch This! is a “program celebrating the work of visual experimentalists”. Why should the work of visual experimentalists be celebrated? And why now?

If we don’t celebrate what we do nobody will. We can’t rely on the approval of a festival for people to see what we make. Its an important time in cinema to be making things and allowing people to see them.

Learn more

Each month, we are featuring interviews with the volunteer staff that make ATA possible, recognizing their work at ATA and their contribution to our vibrant artistic community.

Here is the interview with Cory Wees who runs OpenScreening.

CORY WEES

When and why did you start volunteering at ATA?

I live in the Mission and have been taking film classes forever at City College. There were always shows I wanted to see at ATA, but for some reason I always felt like it was a club I didn’t belong to. I decided the best remedy for that was to join the club.

What, if any, other organizations have you been involved with as a volunteer?

I have volunteered in the past for radio stations, mostly in Boise, Idaho. Looks like I may start up with Mutiny Radio in San Francisco soon. There the volunteers actually pay monthly dues to keep the station on the air.

You are currently running the OpenScreening. Can you tell us what OpenScreening is all about?

OpenScreening is essentially an open mic night for filmmakers. Though we definitely encourage filmmakers to submit their short films at least a week in advance, there are almost always a few that show up the night of with a dvd in their hands. One never knows what to expect at Open Screening. We get some very cool experimental films, well-produced narrative shorts and some interesting documentaries. Mail occasionally comes in from far off places as well. It all gets thrown in the mix. Usually things are on the provocative side to the point where we’ve had arguments and heckling among filmmakers of differing points of view. It’s nice to see people who are passionate about what they do. That said, we encourage people to do their own promotion and bring an audience as well.

What have you learned so far?

There is always something shown that makes me go, “Why didn’t I think of that?” Sometimes the simplest films are the most effective. A huge budget and state of the art equipment are not prerequisites to making compelling films.

What makes ATA a great place to volunteer?

It’s amazing that ATA has existed as long as it has and continues to thrive on Valencia street in the midst of the most pronounced gentrification in the city. ATA is the bastard stepchild flipping the bird to corporate consumer culture. Of course, this would not continue if it weren’t for the dedication and hard work of a core of diverse people who are committed to keeping underground film and art alive. I’m proud to be a part of that and encourage others to join in the struggle.

What is the craziest or coolest thing you have seen at ATA?

ATA is a different place every time you walk into it. I’ve seen so many great programs. Not just films, but lectures, bands, DJs and performance art. Craig Baldwin’s Other Cinema series is a huge inspiration too. There is a history going back to the early 80’s rooted in defiance and punk rock, but it’s certainly not limited to that. There are signs of brilliance and progressive thinking at every twist and turn.

Volunteer with ATA!

ATA is looking for volunteers to help with our Gallery and our Screenings. Volunteers run screenings, organize events, curate shows, and get stuff done. Volunteers can come to any ATA show for free. We need people who are creative and reliable.

Email volunteer@atasite.org and become a part of something good.