As strikes drag on, Wilmington's independent filmmakers see opportunities

Last month, with strikes by the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild bringing film and television production to a standstill nationwide — including, of course, in Wilmington — the actor Mark Ruffalo took to Twitter to offer a possible solution.

"How about we all jump into indies?" asked Ruffalo, who's known for starring in the big-budget "Avengers" movies and for championing various progressive causes. "Content creators create a film & TV-making system alongside the studio & streaming networks? So there is actual competition."

For Wilmington filmmaker Kristi Ray, who with Erika Arlee is a co-founder of independent production company Honey Head Films, Ruffalo's comments struck a chord.

"I am all about that," Ray said, speaking by phone from Burlington, where she was working on a commercial. "That's 100 percent where I'm coming from."

Ray and Arlee formed Honey Head back in 2016 after another film industry downturn, when much of the production in North Carolina shifted to Georgia. Years before the current strikes — in which writers and actors are seeking better pay, among other demands — Ray and Arlee's goal was to create an independent production company to "help keep Wilmington on the map as a film city" during the inevitable ebb and flow of big-budget productions.

Last year, Honey Head shot its first feature film, "A Song for Imogene," about a woman trying to escape a toxic and possibly dangerous relationship, and it's getting attention nationwide. Written and directed by Arlee and starring Ray in the lead role, "A Song for Imogene" premiered in June at the Bentonville Film Festival in Arkansas, which is produced by the actress Geena Davis. On Aug. 11, it screened at the Rhode Island International Film Festival, which qualifies "Imogene" for Academy Award consideration.

It's in a half-dozen more festivals before the end of the year, including Wilmington on Nov. 15 when "A Song for Imogene" will open the Cucalorus Film Festival in Wilmington. (Festival passes are now on sale, with a $100 discount until Aug. 27.)

Still, Ray said, she's well aware that there are few clear paths to an audience for independent films outside of the studio system and streaming services.

"They own distribution," Ray said. "Where are we going to show these movies? It needs to sell to prove that you can make a return for your investors."

Some Wilmington filmmakers have had success getting their movies on Tubi, a free, ad-driven streaming service. Nakia Hamilton has made more than a dozen features, many of which stream on Tubi, including recent comedy "Let Go and Let God," which stars Clifton Powell of "Ray" and "Next Friday."

And several Wilmington actors, including Tyler Gene, appear in North Carolina indie horror film "The Wendigo," which hit Tubi Aug. 4.

"It gets our name out there," Gene said.

If the strike goes on so long that content gets scarce, Ray said, that could make their film more valuable.

And while it might seem like a no-brainer that the strikes could open a door for independent filmmakers to ramp up production, it's not quite that simple.

Ray said that until a couple of weeks ago Honey Head was set to produce an independently funded, non-SAG TV pilot, but the investors "pulled out during the strike," Ray said. "As first-time investors, it was a scary environment for them." Filming the pilot here, Ray said, "would've been a great morale boost, especially for our (film) crews."

Dan Brawley is the executive director of Wilmington's Cucalorus Film Festival, which has championed independent film for three decades and returns for its 29th year Nov. 15-19. He mentions that actor and director Greta Gerwig, whose "Barbie" movie recently became the highest-grossing film ever by a female director, came to Cucalorus in 2007 with her microbudget mumblecore film "Hannah Takes the Stairs." Her story shows that "there's a pathway from independent film to the top of the industry."

Brawley said he's heard some independent filmmakers express awkwardness about shooting projects while unions who most of them support are on strike. One one hand, "It's a great time right now to crew up because a lot of people are not working," Brawley said. On the other, "There's a sense that, that doesn't represent solidarity."

(Speaking of solidarity, the SAG-AFTRA union representing striking actors is having a rally 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12, at the corner of Third and Princess streets in downtown Wilmington.) 

If the strike goes on for a while, independent films might see an increase in attention, Brawley said, but the strikes aren't quite the boon for indies that some might think.

"As isolated as independent filmmakers are, their ecosystem is really connected to the larger industry," he said. "When you have big-budget productions in North Carolina or wherever, it builds the resource base for everyone."

Wilmington filmmaker Jon Landau, whose indie horror film "The Devil's Stomping Ground" premiered at Cucalorus last year and is now available via video on demand, said he doesn't want to "downplay the horrible impact the strike is having. It's terrible for all the crew people who depend on it."

Still, Landau said, the strike is unmistakably an opportunity for independent filmmakers. SAG has allowed some of its actors, including well-known performers like Anne Hathaway and Dakota Fanning, to sign what are known as "interim agreements" with filmmakers outside the studio system.

"I know there are filmmakers in North Carolina pursuing interim agreements," Landau said.

While the strategy of the studios and streaming giants like Netflix appears to be waiting the strikes out, "They might accidentally cause a new era of independent financing of movies," Landau said.

"SAG has made it obvious, that's why they're giving these waivers," Ray said. "They want to stick it to the man."

Wilmington actor and filmmaker Parrish Stikeleather said he has requested SAG waivers for a small-budget film he plans on shooting. Out of respect for striking actors, though, he said he's stopped fundraising for the movie until the waivers are approved.

Kirk Englebright, founder and CEO of Wilmington's independent Dark Horse Studios, said he's "getting lot of interest and a lot of calls from independent filmmakers," some of whom are working to get interim agreements with actors, though nothing has come of it so far.

Englebright just announced an expansion that will double Dark Horse's capacity, essentially making a big bet that film will come back to Wilmington in a big way.

"I think we'll see a similar result from what happened with COVID," Englebright said, when pent-up demand led to an explosion of streaming "that kept us slammed. The world was out of stage space. This strike is lasting longer than COVID did. There's a lot of content out there just waiting."

Of course, creating a new financing and distribution model for independent films is a pretty heavy lift. The most likely scenario is that the strikes are eventually settled and "film will come back and not have too many long-term impacts in Wilmington," Landau said. "But right now it's a very fluid situation."

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: WGA, SAG strikes could help Wilmington independent filmmakers