The folks at 3rd Ward’s monthly Moviehouse series were kind enough to invite me to screen “Uncertain Industry: The Decline of Manufacturing in New York City” last Sunday.
“Uncertain Industry” screened in the opening slot before the headliner, Red Blue Road Trip. About 50 people showed up for the event. Even though we launched “Uncertain Industry” here on thirteen.org a few weeks ago with some positive press — it was written up by Gothamist and Brownstoner, among other great blogs — I was nervous about showing it before a live audience.
Fortunately, the audience seemed receptive to the film. They laughed in the right places, made concerned grunts during heavier moments, and offered great feedback afterward.
One thing I hadn’t considered was the vastly different viewing experience that comes with projecting onto a huge wall versus watching the video in a small Flash video player on a Web site. My camera man and co-editor Tom Vigliotta (pictured below, with mic), noticed it too. The size of the projection and the duration of the film when cut into one piece (it’s actually three separate segments on the Uncertain Industry site) changed how I would’ve edited the film had I intended it to screen like a traditional movie. I probably would’ve slowed down the edits, eased up on the music, and cut a lot more of the fat. I also realized the piece needs more humor. There’s really only one laugh-out-loud moment, except for the funny grin Barnett Brickner flashes when he says his factory will probably be converted to lofts one day — a grin that sort of torpedoes the emotional resonance of the moment. Barnett wasn’t grinning out of delight; it’s just a nervous tick. In any case, I may never have noticed how problematic these little details can be had I not screened the film for an audience of strangers.
Following the screening, the audience was invited to ask us questions. One woman asked whether it was awkward venturing into failing factories considering I appear to be the very demographic — young, urban, professional (consciously not using the acronym) — fueling demand for the rapid residential development that is driving manufacturers out of New York City.
Great question, but during the shoots, the issue never came up. The factory owners welcomed Tom and I into their businesses, gave us tours, explained their production processes, and then answered our questions about the states of their businesses rather candidly. The factory employees were another story, though I suspect many of them objected to our presence mostly because they did not appreciate us shoving a camera in their faces while they were busy working. Even so, we met many workers who were totally willing to speak to us.
All in all a solid debut for thirteen.org online original video. Stay tuned for our next project in which producer Tom Vigliotta takes a camera inside historic buildings and restricted access areas most New Yorkers can’t enter. At least not without trespassing.
Photos courtesy Lam Thuy Vo.
