MOVIATE Brings Independent Cinema To Harrisburg

MOVIATE Brings Independent Cinema To Harrisburg

by Mitchell L. Hillman, Jr.

Independent Cinema? Avant-Garde Film? In Harrisburg? Thanks to Caleb Smith and Bryan Baker, founders of MOVIATE, the answer to that is a resounding yes. One night each month, experimental film comes alive in Harrisburg while the dance studio at the Metro Arts Center is temporarily converted into a projection room.

"The mission of MOVIATE is to bring independent cinema to Central Pennsylvania," Smith said. "We want people to come out and see unusual films."

The name MOVIATE itself is a play on the word "motivate," Baker said. "We want to motivate people toward supporting independent cinema. It is also a play on the name of a company that manufactures 8mm and 16mm cameras, ‘Moviola.’" It is also a word that you won’t find in the dictionary, they checked. "We thought it was appropriate that it wasn’t really a word because there isn’t really an independent cinema scene in Harrisburg," Baker said.

MOVIATE came to fruition in April with their first screening at the Metro Arts Center. The project came about as a reaction to the cinematic vacuum created by the lack of independent film screening in the local area.

"We started this group because most of the local theaters don’t stock these kinds of films," Smith said.

"The independent films they do stock are often more mainstream, critically acclaimed or carry an Oscarâ nomination," Baker said. "Or if they do stock them, they only run for a week."

"There are so many great films made every year," Smith remarked enthusiastically. "And a lot of them are never seen in this area. We hope we can change that."

Even though the lack of an artistic film venue in this area encouraged Smith and Baker to start the group, it was the work of Gary Adlestein and the Berks Filmmakers that inspired the concept.

"Gary was doing something in Reading that had never been done before," Smith said. "Harrisburg didn’t have anything like this so we thought."…

Berks Filmmakers was founded in 1975 by, among others Adlestein, a faculty member of Albright College, Jerry Tartaglia, a former student at Albright, and filmmakers Jerry and Ida Orr. Berks Filmmakers is considered "One of America’s oldest ongoing experimental film/video venues" and is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. Since its inception, they have presented in-person shows from nearly 200 filmmakers and currently present about six programs a month between September and May at Albright. Over 200 people have produced films through Berks Filmmakers workshops and many of its associates have gone on to successful careers in filmmaking or related fields.

Berks’ Filmmakers provided groundwork of incorporating screenings with filmmaking workshops, courses and in-person film show appearances by independent filmmakers. In their first fundraising letter, they stated a philosophy of "encouraging the film art form in a region which is relatively distant from a major urban environment…" and that "local creative talent, which is so often overlooked, will be afforded the opportunity to blossom and grow."

That is what MOVIATE now hopes to achieve in the Harrisburg area and Smith, a graduate of Albright College, admits that they never could have done it without Adlestein’s encouragement and help.

"Gary helped us set up everything," Smith said. "He was our mentor. He told us where we could find films, the projection equipment and even how to get in touch with filmmakers for in-person screenings." Appropriately, MOVIATE’s first screening was some of Gary Adlestein’s film work shot in 16mm, Super-8 and video, and an appearance by the filmmaker himself.

With the basis of Berks Filmmakers as their inspiration, the MOVIATE duo has many plans in mind for both the film group and the Harrisburg area.

"We want to provide a foundation that will make it possible for independent cinema to thrive in central Pennsylvania," Smith said echoing the philosophy of Berks Filmmakers. "Eventually we will have a space and we’ll have workshops, film support groups, equipment that people can use, visiting filmmakers, screenings and open screening nights."

"It may take us many years to do this," Baker admits. "Right now, our biggest problem is funding. Everything except for donations of equipment, has come out of our pockets."

"This is what we have to do if we want independent cinema in this area," Smith said. "We’ve go to increase support, fill up the screenings—we’ve got to prove there is a genuine interest and need for something like this in Harrisburg before we can acquire any kind of funding or grants."

Both screenings that MOVIATE has presented thus far have attracted small groups interested in film’s cutting edge. Their second screening was held on Mother’s Day and featured four films related to motherhood. The films included were Mother’s Day, James Broughton’s 1948 classic of the American avant-garde; Mom, a portrait of filmmaker George Kuchar’s mother; the "male horror film" Mother’s Day by Jerry Orr and You, Mother by Karen Holmes, a feminist view on pregnancy and childbirth.

MOVIATE’s screenings concentrate more on film integrity, rather than mass appeal or big names. The films are presented with the open mind in mind.

"I might show films that I don’t personally like or that I might hate," Smith said. "Or a film I love might be hated by the audience, and that’s fine. The point is in exposing yourself to the cinematic experience and taking a chance."

"Besides," Baker adds. "Even if you hate a screening one month, you can come back next month and it will be completely different." "This is about truly independent cinema," Baker said. "If you can rent a film in this area, there is no reason for us to show it."

For the near future, MOVIATE has several ideas for cinema events at the Metro Arts Center including a screening on June 8 of two films: Divine Waters, a documentary on legendary "camp" filmmaker John Waters and The Diane Linkletter Story, Waters’ very first film.

"We would really like to have bands play original music, like a soundtrack or score to silent films," Smith said. That way the screening is itself a unique event, a happening that can’t be duplicated."

MOVIATE has received a full spectrum of reactions. From ubiquitous naysayers who give the typical "Oh, that will never work in this area," to the encouraging "That’s cool, what a great idea." Both commentaries fuel MOVIATE’s determination to bring independent cinema to Central PA.

"We’re starting in a really grass roots way," Smith commented. "We’re very grateful to Metro Arts. Right now we just need people to come out, support it and tell their friends."

MOVIATE shows films the second Sunday of each month, 8:00 p.m. at the Metro Arts Center, 123 Forster Street in Harrisburg. $3 donations are requested to cover equipment and film expenses.