Josh at Cultivated Stupidity comments on the news [via IMDb] from the Director's Guild of America that they may change the specifications for qualifying for the "A Film By" credit at the start of movies. Shortly, a first time director will not get the distinction of labeling their master opus as "A Film By", this will only be available to directors with at least three credits to their name. At film schools everywhere coming from the pits of editing rooms, you can hear those howls of anguish.
Once, Cinecultist received a bit of a smack down on this very issue, from our undergraduate documentary teacher, Lynn Hershman-Leeson, director of Conceiving Ada ,an odd little indie starring Tilda Swinton. CC made a little docu for this course, a searing feminist look at body image or something along those lines, and added the triumphant title on the front credits. When screening it for the class during workshop, it was one of the first things Lynn pointed out to CC, that this project was only A Video not actually A Film. Ah, the embarrassment, the ignomy! Shortly after, CC decided criticism was really the place to contribute our talents, and perhaps a dressing down of this manner to all first time directors may be in order. If only to keep the self-important dreck that spools out on our screens just that much less self-important.
Posted by karen at February 12, 2004 8:25 AM