Julie Gray talks about the evolving lay of the land (re dev/prod/distr/exhibition) primarily as pertains to writers in her most recent Just Effing Entertain Me blog post here.

May Kevin Smith blaze a whole lot of trails for others to follow.

While I wish I could raise the revolutionary flag for Smith and his film, I know exactly what's behind this...

Kevin Smith does everything to advance the personal interests of... Kevin Smith. I think at this stage of the game, he could care less about the "state of indie film" or the state of ANY film. He is king of his own empire and, of course, more power to the man but... to think he's got any agenda other than his own fueling this move, you're kidding yourself. In fact, ultimately, I fear he's HURTING the actual EXISTING independent distributors by denying them a piece of the action with this film which will, undoubtedly, make some coin based on the Smith name alone.

(oh and I don't mean to make this sound bitter or sour grapes or anything... I actually like guy. Hell, I'm probably the only supporter of "Jersey Girl" and "Zack & Miri Make a Porno" that I know! Lovely little films....)

Smith made Batman pee in his pants. That's just wrong (coverage here and here).

it would be nice if there was the option for a production to have decent venues to show their film, the same way a band touring the country can play shows.

maybe that's what festivals are all about.

I can see this maybe (big maybe) working for Kevin Smith, who's got an extremely large legion of established fans that probably number in the millions (he's got what, 1.5 million followers on Twitter alone). Or if Brad Pitt suddenly decided to go be a super-indie director and take a micro-budget film around in the back of his van.

Saying that this will work for un-established independent writers/directors who don't have the luxury of already having made millions/directed 8 movies/being a brand? Nope.

I really want to see this work.

It used to work. Hell, it's how Roger Corman and also New Line got started.

It's going to take something radical like this to break up the homogenization of Hollywood films. Really, it's what GRINDHOUSE should have done as well.