Filmmaking is Community
Dustin Whitehead’s reflections on the beginnings of Local Cinema Studios
This time four years ago, I had just finished shooting my first feature film. Since childhood, I had dreamed of what it would be like to play the lead role in a movie, and somehow, that had just happened. The film was called Bruiser and I had co-produced, co-written, and played the title character. With a tiny production budget and extremely limited resources, it was very much an indie film. In the style of the mumblecore movement of the early 2000’s we built the story around the people, places and things that we had readily available.
Students from Western Carolina University made up most of our production team, the gear was loaned to us by the university, we cast local actors, and all of our locations, vehicles, and props were donated by the generous community around us. The experience, though magical in many ways, was nowhere near the one in my childhood fantasies. Although nothing in life ever feels just how you predict it will. The project was special and still is, on some level, imperfect. Like any art, the project is not free from criticism and I, like any filmmaker, can always articulate what I could do to improve my previous work.
“An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all.”
We were extremely ambitious with Bruiser. There was a car chase, a western style shootout, and multiple fight scenes. On top of that, many of the roles were complicated and required nuanced performances from the cast. The car chase was cut in post along with some other scenes that I was originally excited about. But the movie works and it has been extremely well received. And more importantly, making it inspired a conversation around mentorship forward filmmaking that has led to the company that we have today.
While in the post-production phase of Bruiser, we organized our first ever company development retreat. At a small pizza place in the mountains of North Carolina, I sat with friends and collaborators, Joshua Russell, Mark Goldberg, and my father Allan Whitehead to discuss the future of what we were calling Local Cinema Studios. We passed a napkin around taking turns adding to the mission statement of the company. I wish I still had that napkin.
“Advancing independent filmmaking by
providing resources and guidance
bridging the gap from academia to industry
and cultivating innovative original work
in local communities ”
So, here we are. Four years after that dinner conversation. We have four feature films “in the can” and another film funded and scheduled to shoot next summer. We have non-profit status, an active website and blog, and a fast-growing network of subscribers and collaborators. We have built an amazing leadership team featuring the great minds and hearts of Amanda Grupp (Strategy), Olivia Waldrop (Education), and Sadie Whitehead (Partnerships). We have launched careers for young filmmakers like Myles Isreal and Luke Lowder. We have featured name talent such as Lea Delaria and John Carroll Lynch. We have attended film festivals around the world, won awards, received multiple grants, and been featured in newspapers and on filmmaking review sites. Hundreds of people have been part of the journey of Local Cinema Studios. And with each project and every call for crew, BTS video, or audition, we are getting better at what we do. We have focused our attention on process over product and holistic team centered filmmaking. We care deeply that those who work with LCS, move forward in their careers with a new outlook on what is possible. We have changed peoples lives.
The past two years have been especially productive for us. Our partnership with The University of South Carolina (where I now teach) and The South Carolina Film Commission have led to an initiative called “Get on Set''. Through funding and support from these two state organizations, we have been able to grow the crew size on our yearly feature film projects, providing opportunities for industry professionals both locally and from out of state. This has reinforced the South Carolina crew base while also introducing artists from film hubs such as LA, Atlanta, New York, and Chicago, to the diverse landscape of the southeast. We have expanded the learning opportunities on set in the summer and throughout the year for students and recent college graduates. Most importantly we have been able to fine tune our unique feature film model, creating an environment that is both supportive and inspiring to everyone involved.
Our summer projects shoot over six weeks with a few days at the beginning for orientation and team building and a few days at the end to process and debrief about the experience. Our goal shoot days are ten hours and two days off each week. What we lack in budget, we make up for by taking our time. During orientation and throughout production, we provide intensive training on structure, process, technology, safety, consent practice, and efficiency on set while also creating space to explore yoga, meditation, and group sports. We circle share what is on our hearts. It is important to us that everyone’s voice is heard. Over the past few years, many professionals have shared that they get as much out of the workshops as the students.
“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team. Always keep an open mind and a compassionate heart”
In the Michael Jordan centered documentary series, “The Last Dance”, there is a moment where Phil Jackson and his Chicago Bulls team are standing barefoot in the center of the court stretching and meditating. They won the national championship six times. That is not a coincidence. Bringing mindfulness work to a team has lasting effects on moral and efficiency. I have seen it firsthand on our productions.
“You are not a robot, not a machine, not simply a student, or an employee, or an athlete, or a performer. You are not only what you’re good at, and you’re not only what you’re bad at. You are a person, and people need other people.”
The film & TV industry is ever changing, and the growing pains are confusing at times. The WGA and SAG/AFTRA strikes are examples of that. As we look into the future of streaming, AI technology, and filmmaking as we know it, I am not sure what to expect. But I do know that people will always need other people. Building community will always be at the heart of what we do at Local Cinema Studios. On a practical level, our plan is to scale responsibly over the next few years. We are building a growth model and seeking funding to fulfill it. The hope is to bring on full time staff to organize writing and development retreats and other events throughout the year while also continuing to facilitate our Get on Set Initiative every summer. We are always looking for partners and collaborators and are excited to see what comes our way. In fact, we are currently taking submissions for next year’s Get on Set Initiative.
On a personal note, I am just happy to be here. This has been an amazing ride that has outperformed my childhood ambitions. What we are doing is extremely unique and I am grateful to be a part of this Local Cinema Studios community of dreamers.
Thank you for being part of it as well.
In Community,
Dustin
