Killer of Jade

So we saw this amazing film tonight in one of my film classes. It was called Killer of Sheep.

Its a MFA thesis film that was finally released in 2007 even though it was made in 1977.

Rather than tell you I'll let my thank you letter to my professor explain why this movie is so great:

"Dear Andrew,

I know this may be a cornball email of me to write but...
I just want to let you know how much one of the comments you made at the end of class really meant to me. When you were talking about how Killer of Sheep was fighting the Hollywood model of moving making... Everyone in the class was trying to find the answer to how the film would find its audience were it made today, and C.O was going on about how the sound flaws in it would make people not want to see it... Well I've been having a sort of internal conflict of morals lately, like allowing myself to become really jaded by the insecure competitive nature of my class.
Its always been in my mind that I shouldn't make movies to impress others or to gain notoriety. However, lately I've been so swept up in my f2 and doc that I'd forgotten that promise I'd made to myself. Its easy to forget that when everyone is still stuck in grade school trying to better their work for the purpose of receiving praise rather than artistic satisfaction.
So thank you for reminding me that there is more than one way/reason to make a film.

Sorry to cheese up your inbox,
Whitnae "



Here's to hoping we all remember that we shouldn't create art to impress other people. It shouldn't matter whether ten or ten million people see you film. Every eye that needs to see your film will, if you work hard on it and put a piece of yourself into it.

Break the Hollywood model of self worth by creating art for yourself, not for recognition or for your wallet.