With many movie theatres closed and Hollywood blockbusters postponed, 2020 has been a year of struggle for filmmakers and frustration for movie lovers. As someone who fits both descriptions, I’ve been avidly watching the industry cope with COVID and seen some projects fail because of the crisis.
The good news is that not many major films seem to have been cancelled. Instead they’ve been postponed, giving us a break from the slew of sequels that were making box office gold before the pandemic. For example, Fast and the Furious is gearing up for its ninth retooling and Tom Cruise is filming his seventh impossible mission. Fast 9 is now due for release in May 2021, while we’ll have to wait until November next year for the new M:I film. With the major players postponed, there’s room for minor, more original one-off movies to get screened.
They can be found on the big screen if you know where to look. Although Regal has been shuttered up for months now, AMC’s main theatres are open with a limited capacity of 40% or less; patrons have to reserve seats and keep their masks on, unless they’re eating popcorn or other snacks.
It would take a great movie to encourage casual moviegoers to go through this process. Sadly, the Thanksgiving leftovers did not leave me hungry for more – the highest profile were The Croods: A New Age and a new Liam Neeson thriller, Honest Thief. But I’m happy that any theatres are open at all. A Hollywood megahit would certainly help to keep them open.
While some blockbusters like The Batman are on hold, and others are spending $10s of millions of dollars on COVID safety, movies and TV shows are still being made across the country, albeit slowly with occasional breaks in production (The Batman had to stop filming when star Robert Pattinson tested positive for COVID). In Atlanta Georgia, Tyler Perry reopened his studio in the summer, ensuring that actors and crew were as isolated as possible. Over in Alabama, the supernatural thriller Dark Entities was made and will be released next year. Here in Florida, where the focus is usually on commercial projects, local companies such as Bote continue to commission ads.
It’s in the independent sector, where crews work insane hours for low pay, that originality and hope really lie. Despite work restrictions, government lockdowns and a time of aching desperation, whether they’re on set or not the local filmmakers I know remain positive that they can get through this shake-up year and continue to entertain and inspire people with their material. The last three feature films I’ve worked on have all been independent, produced in the latter half of 2020.
Florida filmmakers understand that especially in the darkest times, we need uplifting, thoughtful material to help us make sense of the world and put life in perspective. The Indies are coming to rescue – look out for them in a reduced-capacity theatre near you soon.
