A ditty I wrote for another blog
Mumblecore Film Movement:
Mumblecore is an extremely low budget (often times
$3,000 or less) indie film movement started by the “twentysomething”
generation. The films generally star other Mumblecore directors and
film makers who are not trained actors and don’t get paid. The
plotlines are often centered on interpersonal relationships. Many times
these films use communication technology, like cell phones, YouTube and
Myspace, in their plotlines.
The movies gain almost all of their awareness through word of mouth.
They don’t have the feel of traditional movies; they are more like a
dialogue between the filmmakers and the audience. The filmmakers are
known as “Slackevettes,” the movies are called “Bedhead Cinema,” and
the group of filmmakers is called the “neo-slacker generation” and
“Generation D.I.Y.”
Alicia Van Couvering, in filmmakermagazine.com, wrote, “Above all, mumblecore films are about trying to communicate.”
“Quite City” trailer:
“Hannah Takes the Stairs” trailer:
Mumblecore movies offer an interesting perspective into movie making and redefine movie content. Hollywood movies use many of the same plotlines over and over again, making it easy for viewers to follow. Mumblecore movies tell stories in ways that connect the viewer’s personal life experiences with the film's message, making it easy to follow. The stories are about real life and what people go through in intimate relationships. Some of the characters that are dating on screen are played by people who are dating off screen, making the connections between the characters more believable and emblematic to true life. If you are into indie films you might like Mumblecore films, they are über-indie.
Mumblecore movies exemplify the little nuances in life that we tend to look over at first, just to dwell on later. From a planner’s standpoint, this could be very helpful in understanding the nuances in the “twentysomething” generation, especially the post college crowd; these mundane emotional connections are very important to this generation. Further understanding the nuances, portrayed in these films, could generate insights that could connect this age demographic with the brand identity of a product.
Mumblecore films encompass many of the things we have been blogging about such as cgc, the meganiche, and ignite. The films are very creative and use improv acting; the main characters in the films are the films' biggest fans and are part of a niche group that is heavily involved in each other’s work. This new genre of films could be utilized to connect with this niche market, on a strong emotional level. If advertisers could connect with Mumblecore films they could gain the attention of twentysomethings, in a way that has never been done before. YouTube and Hewlett Packard have been running a film contest that is closely related to Mumblecore. It is called Project Direct.
Do you think Mumblecore films are a viable way to connect with twentysomethings? What do you think it will take for Mumblecore movies to become mainstream? How can an account planner utilize this trend? Are there any other trends that you think relate to the Mumblecore trend?
