Movies and the man in charge

The newly hired executive director of the newly established Birmingham-Jefferson Film Office spoke Monday night at the Sidewalk Salon. Mark Stricklin was candid about his role, the film community and the future.

At stake are the millions of dollars movie and TV productions can shovel into a city economy. But the competition is fierce, with several hundred city and regional film commissions vying for Hollywood’s attention.

Stricklin took lots of time to lower expectations, an unneccessary exercise since most of the couple dozen attendees at Rojo were well-acquainted with the many previous setbacks (Bert Miller’s sketchy aborted attempt at a city film commission, anyone?). Stricklin has worked in the similar positions for the Alabama Film Office and the cities of Buffalo, N.Y., and Wilmington, N.C. (which made millions from “Dawson’s Creek” during his tenure).

He said he didn’t want film hopefuls looking to pal around with the stars, but that he wanted to put actors and crew members to work. At the same time, he said he didn’t want to promise jobs or serve as an employment agency. He stressed the importance of face-to-face meetings over cold calls and online brochures, though he talked at length about the website planned for the local film office.

Stricklin said he plans on hiring an assistant soon, and vowed that if citizens are unhappy with the job he does, send him packing. Points for being a straight shooter, demerits for his 1,500-word soundbites. (At least one audience member noted his drawn-out answers that didn’t seem to say much.)

Let’s hope that his pitch to producers and filmmakers is a little more upbeat. And to the point.

He said he was already talking with producers about 10 to 20 potential projects, but declined to set specific targets, adding that it was unlikely that Birmingham would ever land a $20 million major feature.

Stricklin said it’s more realistic that the city could become an indie film capital in terms of production, estimating $6.5 million to $7 million per shoot. He credited Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival with establishing a foothold in attracting independent film shoots and said that becoming an indie capital could happen “almost immediately.”

Filmmaking can bring easy money to the city. But it’s not quite that easy to land.

• Sidewalk Salon
• Birmingham-Jefferson Film Office names new director
• Competing scripts for film group need rewrites

• • •

Does Birmingham need to attract filmmakers? Or are other priorities more pressing?

Comments, please.

Posted: Thursday, November 10, 2005, 3:01 pm, in B'ham, Commerce, Culture.
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