Ron Berry is a new friend here in Austin. He is the artistic director of Fusebox (@fuseboxfestival). He doesn’t go anywhere without a smile, kind words and an impeccable eye for really intriguing artists. He tends to gravitate toward performance that incorporates music, video, spoken word, visual art, or whatever else the artists can get their hands on. I would say that some of the material bends toward odd, but I think that is just my New York-Broadway snobbery rearing its ugly head. The works are contemporary, current, modern.

Above all, Ron is a consummate listener. He always wants to hear what others have to say, and then rather than responding in words, he responds in his own work and in programming. But I respond in words, and this is my response to a panel discussion on Friday where arts writers continued the lament for their overworked, status-quo writing that has plagued film writing over the past months, years. It’s truly frustrating to hear people say that only arts writers are qualified to write about art. I’m paraphrasing the discussion since the same argument is being made for film critics, and again, there was no acknowledgment of the fact that plenty of people, like me, are out in the world responding to the things we see and other people are reading, watching, and talking with us. I have no pedigree other than having had mentorship in the field, the drive to produce even if I’m not being paid and no one was reading, and opportunities to watch lots and lots of movies.

If I had spoken up at the panel, I would have said that this is only thing I’ve ever felt really successful in doing. Writing about film is the one thing I can recall ever having other people acknowledge as something I do above average. The work I’ve done in this space has led to other opporunities, for which I’m incredibly grateful. It was disconcerting to hear the arts editor at The Austin Chronicle wonder if anyone reads his writing. I receive continual feedback that people are reading my writing–from simple recognition when I introduce myself, to comments left for me here, to emails from friends and strangers responding to something I’ve written. I’d suggest to any writer who feels unsure if folks are reading their work to shake it up. Throw out the verbal bomb and see what kind of impact you have. If people aren’t responding, it might not be that they aren’t reading, but rather that what you are saying isn’t engaging them.

The majority of art is put out into public space for the public to experience. Whether or not they have any background in critisicm, or the tradition of the art form or even the ever-subjective good taste, the art or performance is there for them to experience and judge for themselves. Their reaction to it, my reaction to it, might not be the same as yours and it might be less “informed” but that doesn’t matter. All that matters is the experience and how that experience is interpretted by the viewer. We can stroke one anothers’ backs all day long with how good something is, i.e. critical acclaim, but if the audience doesn’t respond now or sometime in the future, then how can we claim it to be important? Art asks questions, dares us to respond. The best art pushes boundaries and asks us to examine our reactions. An inability to engage others is failure in art and in writing about it.

Whether you realize it or not, this blog is actually the story of my life through the movies I watch. I only write about movies that touch me in some personal way and when I write about them, I often share at least part of the personal story informing my reaction and what specifically I’m connecting with in the film. Joeseph Campbell talked about the importance of story, myth, in revealing to us the world in which we live and the complicated human relationships and interactions we have. A story holds up a mirror to you and you look into that mirror and either recognize something or not. The best stories reveal truths that reverberate far and wide, but we all know that it can also happen that a special story simply doesn’t get the exposure it deserves. That is where I come in. I needn’t worry about capsule reviews for films showing at the multiplex. Others have that covered.

Every publication and writer should have their own voice. Rather than crying about whether or not people are reading or worrying about my own self-importance, my goal is to respond honestly to the work, to cover as much as I’m able in the time I have, and to raise up good works whenever I can.  I can walk into a discussion with any credentialed, knowledgeable, educated, well-paid critic, programmer, distributor and know that my opinion is just as valid as theirs, though my grammer might not be exactly right but I don’t care about that. Of course, that’s just my opinion

The Austin Chronicle: To Be Conversant by Hannah Kenah

Fusebox Festival