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VIDEO: Justin Lin on "Power of Story" panel at Sundance
Joins Campion, Linklater, White to assess the impact of new technology
Posted on January 22nd 2013 in Announcement
Alumnus Justin Lin '95 has long been a stalwart exponent of the "indie attitude" he says he acquired at TFT, which is evident even in such highly commercial projects such as the four films he's directed in the phenomenally successful "Fast and Furious" franchise.
“The key is having a point of view, which is very much the UCLA approach to working on these things, " Lin said, during an interview with us about the fifth film in the series, "Fast & Furious." "You could say UCLA filmmakers try to bring an indie attitude even to studio pictures. We always try to find some kind of subjectivity or point or view."
Lin elaborated upon this view in his sometime salty remarks during the Sunday panel discussion "Power of Story: Independence Unleashed" at the Sundance Film Festival.
Lin joined moderator Jess Cagle, of "Entertainment Weekly," and fellow directors Jane Campion, Richard Linklater and Mike White in embracing the new possibilities opened to filmmakers by the explosion of online storytelling and the renaissance of broadcast and cable TV shows aimed at adults.
"“It does feel like great quality is going to TV and online… because the studios make tentpoles and not adult dramas,” [said] “Fast Five” director Justin Lin, who also co-created the YOMYOMF YouTube channel.
Part of the move online and to TV, all the filmmakers agreed, was because of how hard it is for indies to find an audience nowadays, even if they do get traditional distribution. “The work you have to do to for independent films. I don’t even know if it matters if people don’t see it,” said Campion to the packed Egyptian Theater on Main Street. “You have an audience, you don’t have to do the hustle like you do on independent films,” noted Linklater of cable TV and online platforms. Linklater had a six-part travel series Up To Speed debut on Hulu last year. “It’s a nice offset to more traditional movies and TV,” he added.
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