We may have been a tad of a Debbie Downer in our previous installment of The Many Faces of Lansing Theater, what with the pining for eras gone by and the decline of the old timey theater. Fear not! Optimism and hope shall be restored in this, our final stop on the awesome ride that is Lansing theater.
That optimism and hope comes in the form of some very cool projects around our fair region, spearheaded by those with a passion for film, innovation, and fostering a sense of community. Join us as we explore a handful of these projects that are leading the way into the future of theater.
East Lansing Film Festival
The
East Lansing Film Festival was born in 1997, made of the grit and determination of the force that is Susan Woods, and molded into the premiere event it is today with the help of a dedicated community and collaboration.
"Cinema is like jazz," Woods offers. "It's the original American art form; an art form that has unfortunately been commercialized to the lowest denomination. And because it's been commercialized, independent films have been limited to big cities that have the population to support them."
Passionate about providing independent film to the area, Woods partnered with the
City of East Lansing and
Michigan State University to organize a festival. The inaugural year saw the likes of Michael Moore, the head of Twentieth Century Fox, and Sophie B. Hawkins. The festival has evolved over the years to include screenings of movies at both the original Wells Hall and now at Hannah Community Center.
Most recently, ELFF has branched out into the East Lansing Film Society and partnered with
Celebration/Studio C! to offer independent film year-round. Members and non-members alike enjoy the convenience of what's developed into a wonderful working relationship between the two organizations.
Woods encourages people to experience the power of the independent film: "These are original, heart felt films. They can make you feel something you don’t normally. Independent film stimulates, it confounds and fascinates."
Capital City Film Festival
Built on the belief that media should be accessible to everyone, founders of the
Capital City Film Festival sought to fill yet another film niche up for grabs in our area. Rather than sticking solely to film elements, CCFF tapped into the non-traditional. "We don't see Lansing as a traditional town. It's a little more diverse, a little rock and roll, and given the success of the East Lansing Film Festival, we bet on the region being able to support it," says Festival Coordinator, Payal Ravani.
Support it the community did. The festival just wrapped its third year this past weekend, and experienced record attendance. Festivalgoers could choose from over 70 films and 16 bands, not to mention the assortment of parties and discussions. The Fortnight Film Contest, for student and amateur filmmakers, drew in 30 participating teams.
CCFF encourages people to get out and explore different parts of the city. Film and music venues around town included
The Loft,
The Lansing Center, the
Michigan Historical Museum, the
Lansing Public Media Center,
LCC's Dart Auditorium, and Old Town's
Temple Building. "We love taking spaces that are raw," Ravani explains. "It's fun to highlight these spaces and show people the potential they have in the arts and culture community."
Ticket prices are purposefully kept low to help keep the festival accessible. Ravani says they've found people are hungry for these kinds of cultural, community experiences. "You let go and join in the experience with those around you; we don't get to do that too much any more with all of the distractions of daily life. We're hoping we can help people experience film and their community in a different way than they're used to for a long time to come."
Turner Street Outdoor Theater
Looking for a way to bridge the gap between the daytime shopping traffic and the twilight bar scene, the
Old Town Commercial Association set out to find ways to make the destination into a 24-hour neighborhood.
After many spitball sessions and an evolutionary collaboration between several public and private organizations, including the Lansing Public Media Center and
Such Video,
Turner Street Outdoor Theater debuted in Cesar Chavez Plaza in July of 2011, with the 80s baby classic, The Goonies.
Former OTCA Executive Director, Brittney Hoszkiw, recalls the excitement of the first year: "We were so thrilled with the turn out for our first screening. It was completely different from the folks we usually see in Old Town. So many people walked over from the surrounding neighborhoods to take in the unique experience of an outdoor cult classic."
The cult classic offerings honor the kitsch of the Old Town neighborhood, and the no-strings-attached free admission stirs up different levels of nostalgia for moviegoers. Hoszkiw says, "It's a free date night, or a way to get your kids outdoors to experience something new to them, but beloved to you. We loved hearing stories from people of why they chose to come down."
Studio C!
Far from the cozy camping chairs set up in a parking lot,
Studio C! is redefining comfort in Okemos. Owned by Celebration! Cinema, this innovative theater opened its doors in December of last year, to rave reviews by moviegoers.
"We were looking for a site to try our ideas," explains Steve VanWagoner, Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations at Celebration! Cinema. "We wanted to try some premier seating, reserved seating and an entirely new food and beverage model."
That site was a former AMC theater that has been transformed into the only theatre in the region that is committed to alternative content and independent film, has an adult atmosphere featuring a full bar and fresh-prepared foods.
The Celebration! crew has been incredibly supportive of the Lansing community, with the East Lansing Film Society relationship noted above as a prime example. VanWagoner explains why this involvement is important to the company: "It begins with our staff. They want to work for an employer that believes in doing more than running the theatre. They enjoy knowing their neighborhood is a better place because we work so hard at having a great facility, great business perspective and a fun place for entertainment."
We said in our previous stop in the exploration of Lansing theater that what was missing from the modern theater experience was a sense of community and intimacy. Perhaps it's not missing after all, for in these alternative and passionate places, we find that quiet sense of feeling part of something bigger than oneself.
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Veronica Gracia-Wing is the innovation editor for Capital Gains.
Photos ©
Dave Trumpie
Dave Trumpie is the managing photographer for Capital Gains. He is a freelance photographer and owner of
Trumpie Photography.