Synopsis
An incredible tool was developed in Toronto in the 1960's. Marshall McLuhan's lens into the nature of our relationship with media and technology was compared to Einstein's E = mc². Now more than ever that lens is needed.
Many of us were inspired by the idea of the "independent" part of the film business. Where original stories could be born and then find a path to a big audience. The purpose of the independence was to encourage the originality.
But what if the originality is getting zapped out of existence by the mediums in our hands and homes?
The medium is the message, and the roar of the algorithm is drowning out the voices of our great storytellers.
Originality is to cinema as nutrients are to food. The most virulently addictive stuff tends to be low in both. Imagine taking the ingredients you lovingly grew in your garden and putting them on sensor-reheat in your microwave. All those good intentions don’t stand a chance in there.
What kind of new medium would carry a message more compatible with the delicious and nutritious kinds of stories we’re actually in short supply of? How can we move toward a future where these technologies enrich our stories rather than weaponize them?
Join this discussion with leading independent filmmakers and Andrew McLuhan. We will explore how to build true independence in today's industry, and unveil a new platform designed to empower the thousands of people whose labour makes the movies we love.