I just received this very important appeal. Coming as it does on the heels of 20th Century Fox's closing of its longtime research library (news I broke on July 1st), I despair for the way that Hollywood doesn't seem to give a damn beyond lip service about preserving its movie history. But for the American Film Institute to not make a No. 1 priority this work on its catalog of every film ever made is not just unthinkable but also unfathomable. Every AFI donor should be up in arms over this (update at bottom):
To: Nikki Finke/Deadline Hollywood Daily
Our names are Cathy Root and Vicki Botnick, and until 25 Jul 2008, we were Associate Editor and Copy Editor, respectively, of the AFI Catalog. The Catalog was started in 1968 as a preservation project to record every American film ever made. It was a particularly beloved project for film researchers, and much praised by industry insiders such as Kenneth Turan, who called it "nothing less than an authoritative Oxford English Dictionary of American film."
Today, the Catalog has been eviscerated. After years of promising funding and fund-raising, while systematically cutting staff and budgets and thwarting our attempts to raise money, the AFI laid off nearly all of the staff, leaving only two full-time cataloguers and the Executive Editor.
The entries, beginning in the 1880s, had reached 1973, by any measure an odd year to end the project’s sweeping scope. With the skeletal staff, there is little hope of completing the 1970s in any timely fashion. Although the AFI has promised to try to raise funds, and has obtained a $150,000 grant from the Ahmanson Foundation and a $50,000 grant from the Norris Foundation, to our knowledge, there has been no outreach to the prominent members of the film industry.
We know that the AFI, like all institutions right now, is suffering financial hardships. But the way in which this important, lauded project has been gutted, the way in which it has been handled and the disingenuous manner in which it has been framed, is galling to those of us who have given most of our professional lives to this worthy project.
Here is an excerpt of how the new AFI president, Bob Gazzale, represented his actions:
"I see this as a temporary challenge – another hurdle at a time when government support for the arts is in decline. Know that the AFI Catalog, and in fact, building a more aggressive means for its completion, remains a priority of the institute… our goal is not to just finish 1974. It is to finish the Catalog."
We’re concerned that the AFI Development Department has not initiated a campaign to raise money for the Catalog. A public appeal for funds to reverse the staff cutbacks needs to be made immediately if the Catalog is to continue. It takes approximately eight months to train a new cataloger, and consequently, retaining the old staff would be optimal.
We are appealing to you to publicize the financial crisis at the Catalog, hoping that if public is aware of the situation and truly values the Catalog, someone will come forward to save the project. If not, it is unlikely the Catalog will exist beyond Jul 2009.
Thanks so much for your attention.
UPDATE: An AFI insider emails me that "it is true – and regrettable – that the Catalog has been cut back. The sole reason is that funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities supporting the Catalog has been eliminated this year. But even under the pressure of government cutbacks, AFI has not stopped work on the Catalog. The AFI remains committed to the project and, in fact, AFI worked hard to find several foundations that stepped up and increased their support for the program. I can tell you that the current leadership of the AFI -- led specifically by its new president, Bob Gazzale -- is as committed to AFI’s longstanding mission to protect America’s film history as any group of people on the national arts scene today." ...Sorry, but I'll only believe that when I see the finished catalog.
What a shock to hear that AFI does not really care about its stated mission. I don’t know what the new CEO makes, but Jean Firstenberg was pulling half a million annually, so it seems as if the money should be there…
Comment by AFI graduate — August 14, 2008 @ 4:08 pm
Ask IMDB for some $.
Comment by tf — August 14, 2008 @ 4:17 pm
Amazing, as this was an incredible service. Hell, I would work for free on this if I could!
Comment by Ivan — August 14, 2008 @ 4:41 pm
You mean my $2500+ membership dues wasn’t helping?
I’m due up for renewal at the end of the year, I can put the donation toward another worthy cause: me. I can use it to live on, it’s been a lean year.
Comment by Hmmmmm...? — August 14, 2008 @ 4:51 pm
Dear Hollywood,
What’s it going to take to wake you people up?
First the Library of Congress back in the 90s, shuttering and moving their classic film restoration and storage facility from Dayton, Ohio.
Then the latest studio closing, with Fox nailing the doors shut on it’s research library.
Now the AFI wants to show how self-destructive the film community can be by gutting this operation.
The amount of money to keep this going is chump change by Hollywood standards.
A pity, but,like the song says, “…you won’t know what you got, til it’s gone.”
What’s next?
Comment by Tom Segerson — August 14, 2008 @ 5:08 pm
Where has all the money gone from the network license fees for those AFI Life Achievement Award shows that George Stevens, Jr. has been producing all these years? Where’s the tithing that the major film companies were supposed to commit to when the AFI was chartered? Did Charlton Heston leave them anything in his Will? Jez, they’re as bad as the Museum of Television and Radio — oops, sorry, the Paley Center for Stroking Contributors.
Comment by Santayana — August 14, 2008 @ 6:29 pm
Hey, if it’s so important why don’t you guys work on it for free? Or you can like get a paying job and then work on this AFI thing in your spare time (like a hobby). That way everybody wins…
Comment by Chris — August 14, 2008 @ 6:30 pm
You think this is bad, you should see the condition of Fox’s film vault…
Comment by helenofpeel — August 14, 2008 @ 7:08 pm
No, Nikki, the staff are being let go to make it financially infeasible to start the project up again. The AFI will be able to say “We could never assemble such a group again, so, regrettably, we must abandon the project.”
Big business does this all the time. Burn the bridge and they’ll never be able to force you to go home.
Comment by anotherWGAmember — August 14, 2008 @ 8:22 pm
As an ex-AFI employee, I can tell you that at least when I worked there, the facility was one of the worst-managed film schools anywhere–definitely in SoCal, maybe even the world (that being said, I had very little to do with the catalog operations).
Most of the employees during my tenure were brought in and not given specific instructions as to what to do; many were stuck doing things they weren’t hired to do and were left taking the fall for inept administrators who spent most of the time futzing around. It was a hellish environment, both figuratively and literally– at least when I was there, we didn’t have air-conditioning in our crammed-into-two-to-a-cubicle “offices.” In Los Feliz. In July and August.
It’s a shame about the catalog– the people who worked there were all very sweet. But for the rest of AFI, it was a joke. Jean Firstenberg spent more on the lavish gift baskets she sent out to Hollywood big-wigs (including my subsequent boss, a writer-director who threw his in the trash) with the various “Best Of” surveys that made up their award shows than she ever did on the ramshackle facilities or struggling educational programs.
Comment by Fielding Mellish — August 14, 2008 @ 8:47 pm
So, John Kerry’s daughter is an alum. Get her stepmother to write a check. Hell, get Hollywood to write some checks. While losing the government funding is too bad, Hollywood is notoriously bad at supporting film history projects.
Why? Because movies aren’t better than ever.
Comment by Rachel — August 14, 2008 @ 9:38 pm
Welcome to living in a country that is in decline. Things won’t be getting any better… ever. We’ve had our day in the sun. Now it’s China’s turn.
That being said, what idiot can, in their right mind, really care about this project? With IMDb available, not just to catalog films in a US-centric manner, but in a worldwide manner… and do it efficiently while making money doing it. This AFI project is now officially redundant. Let it die.
Comment by Captain Howdy — August 14, 2008 @ 11:05 pm
Point taken Captain Howdy but I see scant info on IMDB about documentaries, shorts, promotional & instructional films etc etc.
But then again, features films are apparently all that exist for some people…
Comment by Larry Dutch — August 15, 2008 @ 1:54 am
“First the Library of Congress back in the 90s, shuttering and moving their classic film restoration and storage facility from Dayton, Ohio.”
You’re way off base here, Tom Segerson. The Library of Congress has moved their film preservation and storage facility to an amazing new complex in suburban Maryland, largely funded by David Packard. It will be online soon, and it is state of the art and beyond.
Comment by mizoguchi — August 15, 2008 @ 7:54 am
I agree with Fielding Mellish. Although I never worked at AFI, I haven known highly competent people that did and they quit after what they said was one of the worst work experiences they had ever had. I was however, responsible for managing a strategic partnership with them in the early/mid 90’s, and was stunned then at not only the mismanagement and utter incompetence of the higher ups, but that they couldn’t care less about the legacy or reputation. They never followed through on their part; I graciously gave them a year to use our company’s good name and high tech equipment to develop a program. Every visit I made to “check in” and see what progress, help, assistance, programs I could implement to help them use the equipment was met with “oh we’ll get to it” and a pompous, “we know what we are doing”. Eventually when I needed to explain why NOTHING was happening to justify the million dollar loan of equipment with NOTHING to show for it, I was met with “if you dare “threaten” to take this equipment away we will tell your CEO and you will be fired, we are AFI and are you aware of OUR reputation and how this would make YOU look?” Well, I gave it another 6 months, got the support of my colleagues, boss, and his boss and after a total of 18 months where I could no long justify the lack of use, I arranged to pick it up. (By that time the equipment was behind a generation and was not considered “state of the art”). Anyway, when it was picked up some of the equipment had been vandalized or was missing. There was not an explanation other than a “you’ll be sorry instead of a well can we start again with new equipment, etc. There was just a great big FU on their part. Now granted I chalked it up to the person I was dealing with at the time and not the whole institution, but when other colleagues went there to work it was deja vu’. So sad that this gem has been so poorly treated for so long. Only through the grace of some well intentioned benefactors and blind supporters do they exist. IMO they have been resting on their laurels for way to long. I am always surprised to see that they are still there, I have only sympathy for those keepers of the program, but for them being downsized may have been a blessing in disguise. I wish someone would take them over so that they can become the revered “crown jewel” they once were oh too many moons ago…
Comment by sad to hear it — August 15, 2008 @ 8:10 am
For the AFI to moan about taxpayer funding being cut off is a bit of a joke when the industry generates billions of dollars in revenues and pays such enormous salaries out to “talent”.
The film industry is already taxpayer subsidized enough.
Comment by DH — August 15, 2008 @ 8:17 am
Am I misunderstanding this or are the AFI’s project and IMDb two different things? Is the AFI simply recording these works in a file somewhere, where people can read about them and know that, once upon a time, someone made this movie? Or are they actually preserving these films in a manner for future generations to enjoy and actually appreciate the history of movies and film in this country?
Either way, I agree that it’s a very important goal to preserve as much of this as possible, because so much of our history has become disposable, and unimportant. And when the very organizations that were created to protect that history have given up on it, where does that leave us? It is very important for us to remember our pasts, and all of the things that shaped our society today. And in that instance, it is imperative that we preserve our entire history, so that when this society lies in ruins, which is where it is headed, future generations can look back and learn from our mistakes.
Captain Howdy - I have learned to put very little faith (read: absolutely none) in IMDb, as they are notoriously unreliable and intransigent. They quite frequently post inaccurate information as fact, and are often slow or hesitant to change it when it is pointed out to them. They are a convenient online movie resource, but any information they give should be taken with a large grain of salt.
Comment by Justafan — August 15, 2008 @ 8:57 am
When the NEA grant for the Catalog didn’t come to pass back in March, the catalog folks went to Gazzale and asked what this meant - were they out of a job? They were told not to worry, that the Institute would find ways to keep the Catalog alive. Then last month most of them were unceremoniously dumped. And worse yet, upon hearing of their layoff, THEY WERE THEN TOLD TO BE OFF THE CAMPUS WITHIN THE HOUR - people who’d worked at AFI for 15 and 20 years or more, treated like criminals…that’s the mind set at AFI - That’s what they consider leadership.
I was at AFI for many years - the catalog folks were a quiet group, but they toiled away and it was always exciting to hear at staff meetings that another “year” was in the bag, and there were great parties celebrating each decade’s completion, and the information they collected was nothing short of amazing. They’ve been reduced from a vibrant staff of nearly 20 back in the day to almost nothing now…and this from an Institute that claims to care about preserving film heritage.
When Firstenberg left and Gazzale was announced as her successor, there was a HUGE cheer amongst the staff, because we all thought that finally we’d have some vision, warmth and real leadership to look forward to.
Ha.
There is so much potential and so many dedicated and talented people working there, and all their good work is continually thwarted by incompetent leadership.
Glad I’m out - that place is poison.
Comment by Belvera0709 — August 15, 2008 @ 11:06 am
“First the Library of Congress back in the 90s, shuttering and moving their classic film restoration and storage facility from Dayton, Ohio.”
You’re way off base here, Tom Segerson. The Library of Congress has moved their film preservation and storage facility to an amazing new complex in suburban Maryland, largely funded by David Packard. It will be online soon, and it is state of the art and beyond.
Dear ‘Mizoguchi’
Thanks for the update. I appreciate being corrected on this situation. It only took 15 years, but at least something was done to preserve these works.
First, I had a good laugh. Was the ‘way off base’ intentional? Some history, unknown to most of the film world.
In the early ‘90s, the Greater Dayton Film Commission (GDFC) presented a proposal to the Library of Congress, the Department of Defense, State of Ohio, Montgomery county and the cities of Dayton and Kettering, Ohio concerning the reuse of a military base that was going to be decommissioned by the Air Force.
We proposed reusing Gentile Air Force base as a National Film Museum.
After spending almost four years of my life making proposals, flying to Washington,DC and LA to try and get support for the National Film Museum the government gave the city of Kettering the Gentile base. They bulldozed it.
I won’t take up space here about how this site would have made a great film preservation, restoration and museum facility.
We were told then that the films would be moved to an underground storage facility with no plans to make them available to the general public.
That’s how it stood in 1999. An experience like this would anger anyone. I had spent countless hours, vacation time and way too much of my own money on trying to get someone to listen to the idea of America having a National Film Museum.
When a career opportunity came along that allowed me to take a job in Europe, I resigned as film commissioner and left Ohio.
Now you tell me that all was not in vain.
Do you know how this made my day… hell, my year!
I damn near had tears in my eyes.
Here’s the link:
http://www.loc.gov/avconservation/packard/mission.html
After all, we’re all here because we love the cinema.
Let’s try to work together to keep the cameras and projectors rolling.
Then properly preserve it for future generations.
Comment by Tom Segerson — August 15, 2008 @ 11:54 am
Another former employee here. I can tell you that the finger should be pointed squarely at Jean Firstenberg and her lack of fundraising initiative. It’s no secret at AFI that she finds asking for money distasteful and therefore there has been a significant budget deficit across the board for an embarrassingly long time. All the staff cuts are awful however, the new guy inherited a giant mess there as well. Firstenberg also seemed to have a policy of “if I like you, you can stay here forever whether you are competent or not…but pity anyone who gets on my bad side”. It was just horrible, shameful mismanagement at least in the latter part of her reign. Perhaps new leadership can turn things around but there is a very steep hill to climb.
Comment by Lycheetree — August 15, 2008 @ 12:08 pm
I worked at AFI for several years. I met people there that are my best friends today. It has always been difficult to watch how the staff is treated there while the higher ups are taking in large salaries and having vacations to other countries paid for out of the budget. I have always had a suspicion (since working closely with the financial department) that the books are cooked. AFI will never be the film institute it was intended to be. As it phases out it’s staff and programs, it will become obsolete. An institution that cares so little for good people who work for non-profit wages, is destined to fold.
Comment by FormerStaff — August 15, 2008 @ 12:44 pm
Too bad Trump can’t step up and save something like this (the way he’s now saving Ed McMahon’s butt). Once again, the rich help their own and leave the rest of us struggling and fighting over the table scraps!
Comment by sammyglick — August 15, 2008 @ 3:59 pm
Well played, FormerStaff and LycheeTree…you might be interested to know that the Catalog was only one area of layoffs - today 10 more people were let go, including the Head Librarian (an absolute crime), the Communications Director, the Creative Services Director (that one’s fine by me), two of their 4 projectionists (and this is a film school…), the wodnerful creative team behind the highly successful K-12 Education initiative (that Jean was only too happy to drag Clay Aiken to DC to support), two people supporting Development (while that Director stays incompetently employed), and a key scheduling person in the Conservatory…
A 10-15% salary cut from the 8-10 folks who lead this place would have easily eradicated the need for this butcher-fest…instead they do away with the folks who actually work.
Again, poison…
Comment by Belvera0709 — August 15, 2008 @ 6:36 pm
The IMDB is a useful tool, but it is riddled with errors. As a contributor, I have found it almost impossible to get errors in the database fixed. The purpose of the IMDB is to sell DVDs and publicize new movies. It is just a nice benefit that the information in it is mostly true.
Comment by Bruce — August 16, 2008 @ 10:04 am
Belvera is right on all counts. AFI is about protecting its overpaid executive class, including the incompetent Development director — who can’t even open a PowerPoint without his assistant’s help — and who does such a great job of “development” that AFI continually operates at a deficit. I think they applied for 1 or 2 grants last year, but botched both of those. (The grant writer quit before the lay-offs, having been thwarted by organizational incompetence for years. )
Meanwhile, just before the layoffs, spiffy new executive parking spaces were unveiled. How nice! The CEO has been notably scarce during the bloodletting. Dirty work has been handled by new COO hatchet-lady (formerly of Warner Home Ent.), who apparently believes in cutting meaningful programs and getting rid of the underpaid worker bees while assuring fat “non-profit” salaries and other privileges for the chronically underperforming executives, so they can keep up appearances in glamorous Hollywood circles where AFI still thinks its some sort of player (chock that delusion up to Jean Firstenberg’s idiotic “leadership.”) BTW, AFI still finds the $$ in its cooked books to pay Firstenberg and keep her in a West-side office for “consulting.”
Regarding the Catalog (staff cut to 1), DC film preservation office (axed) and K-12 Screen Education (axed) — which represent the mission that many people mistakenly still identify with AFI — don’t buy the excuse that they are victims of govt funding cuts. Yes, the lack of govt funding for the arts is tragic, blah blah blah. That’s the reality in the USA and has been for quite a while. Many organizations have learned to live with it and get what they can. AFI could have done so much more, in light of the reality, to keep all those great programs alive. Suggestions: Cut executive salaries by 20% and hire a real development director who networks with people and orgs who still care about “advancing and preserving the art of the moving image” (instead of with movie stars). And start rewarding and promoting and listening to good lower-level employees who do the bulk of the work around AFI, instead of laying them off.
Given this week’s events and what they say about the direction of new leadership at AFI, I’ll bet there’s no “AFI” in 5 years. Next, they’ll be asking for big money from rich board members, use it to keep paying for the executive suite, but fail to deliver a sustainable business model, and ultimately lose the good faith of those investors. In the end, they’ll simply cash out on the real estate to pay for their deficit spending and golden parachutes, spin off the Conservatory to a Burbank storefront…& that’s all she wrote.
Comment by Affy — August 16, 2008 @ 2:04 pm
FYI, for those who are confused: The AFI Catalog is NOT the same as IMDB, not even related. It is definitive and incredibly detailed, the mother of all film databases. Naturally, producing it requires a long-term commitment to research and verification. Unfortunately, due to AFI management’s warped priorites and unreliable support, a necessarily slow process is taking FOREVER and now it looks like it will NEVER be finished.
AFI hasn’t cared about its stated mission ever since government money dried up and Jean Firstenburg decided it was uncouth to ask her Hollywood pals to donate a fraction of their profits to support a national center for preservation, research, archives and so forth. She changed the original AFI statement of purpose from “advancing and preserving the art” to “celebrating excellence” — facilitating Hollywood circle-jerks, playing dress-up with the stars and whoring out AFI’s good name.
When I worked there I was shocked. Their archive (going back to 1967) was a disaster; there was no staff supporting or organizing it. ONE diligent librarian did as much as humanly possible (and she just got fired). AFI Catalog research was always underfunded, always limping along with barely enough. Pat Hanson, the head of the Catalog effort, is top-notch, and has persevered through it all, and continues even now. She deserves better.
Stop giving money to AFI. There are plenty of other organizations that can use your money.
Comment by Jay — August 17, 2008 @ 1:10 am
Overheard at a party this weekend:
“Gazzale was hired in order to put the horse down.”
Considering the good workers that were let go, Affy may be right, and that 5-year prediction may be true. I’ll bet its quicker than that.
Shoddy, shoddy human beings, to do this to loyal workers, and to an Institute that held such promise.
As many times as I heard Jean and other leaders talk with such pride about 1967 and President Johnson and the fucking Whie House Rose Garden and signing AFI into being and what an incredible gift was created - did they even listen to what they’re saying?
Comment by Belvera0709 — August 17, 2008 @ 6:57 pm
People want to point to Firstenberg as the culprit in all that is wrong with AFI, and I’ll go along with that to a great extent, but know too that the Institute is governed by a Board kept in the dark about most of the Institute’s real issues, and for the most part they don’t really want to hear bad news anyway. And why would they, when they get to have weekend-long board meetings at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas (to this day I get angry when I remember Firstenberg cooing in a meeting about how her penthouse suite at the hotel had an elevator in it), so why would they want to have to actually make tough decisions? Top of this heap is the Chairman himself, Howard Stringer.
The late Leonard Schrader, beloved writer and teacher, once told me a story about Stringer. Leonard was for several years the head of the Screenwriting program at AFI. Once when attending a Board meeting in LA, he and the first Conservatory Dean (not that boob who’s there now) tried to bring up the need for Conservatory scholarships, but were silenced by Jean and basically not allowed to speak at the meeting at all. So when it ended, the two of them scrambled out of the hotel and caught up with Sir Stringer as he was walking to his car. They tried to express to him this scholarship need, and Stringer turned to them and said “Well, you can’t expect to own a Cadillac if you can’t afford the payments.”
Nice.
The majority of Fellows at AFI are rich white guys…go figure.
So much potential, so little vision.
Comment by All-Foul-Inside — August 17, 2008 @ 7:39 pm
I am a recently terminated AFI employee. Although I am not bitter, I would like to share some observations.
In fiscal terms, these recent ‘lay-offs’ make no practical sense at all. Most positions will demand immediate re-hire for conservatory operations to continue at even last year’s capacity, let alone an all-time acceptance high for this academic year.
Next, most, if not all employees that were ‘let go’ recently had some degree of dispute, or contention with their Supervisor or AFI management in general… bye bye
And finally the worst, most disheartening note of all… the environment of fear. Right from the top, good ole’-bob himself. Consistently lies, and cajoles to get that last smidgeon of effort from whomever, before the axe falls, so he can save a whopping $33,000 a year?!… a tenth of his annual tide?!
Enron meets (not so) not-for-profit! lol!
All lastaff should leave AFI… leave bob, bruce, and nancy alone with no AC, heat or anyone to blame but themselves, stinking of greed and avarice.
Comment by glad2bgone — August 18, 2008 @ 2:27 am
AFI just nneds to get through the film festival in November - replete with many questionable changes in venues and losses in sponsorships — and then the shindig is over. Ge west young cineastes to IFP and LAFF.
Comment by Matt Hader — August 18, 2008 @ 2:45 pm
It seems that there is one fine word to write here…GREED. It goes deep…gross….
Comment by Sugar — August 18, 2008 @ 3:03 pm
All Foul, excellent point about the Board. They believed everything she told them and she was never held accountable for anything anyway. After the year that there was a freeze put on increases because the deficit was so bad and the board raised an “emergency” $400,000 to stem the tide, something should have been done. I don’t understand why they have been silent all these years.
I have to disagree with the folks who are jumping to the librarian’s defense. Have any of you seen how some (all) of the film history that AFI has been entrusted with is treated? It’s like a hobo camp in there. Agreed, the way it all was handled was appalling but many of the cuts were absolutely needed. But I don’t understand how it is that the head of development still has a job.
Comment by Lycheetree — August 18, 2008 @ 5:26 pm
Affy got it right. Somewhere along the way from the noble well-funded days of 1970s to the present situation, AFI execs who survived realized they had a good thing going, making $200K+ salaries with very little accountability to Jean or the board. (Jean was always more interested in busting balls for arbitrary issues that she happened to fixate on, not the generally sad state of the institute, falling to pieces (literally) around her) So, the main focus of the ‘leaders’ has been scratching each others’ backs, making excuses, working the smoke and mirrors and (above all) protecting their salaries and perqs.
The people laid off last week were’nt so special, but they were all responsible, productive employees who did their jobs as well as or better than could be expected in the conditions provided by AFI. AFI got what it paid for. While among those who survived black friday, who remain, including directors of Development, Internet Ops, IT, and Conservatory, are some of the least productive slackers at AFI. What’s an impartial observer to think? It doesn’t look good.
Most disappointing is that Nancy Harris (COO), who downsized with a smile, like such a corporate pro, allowed herself to be completely snowed by the AFI executive establishment; so her big reform amounts to business as usual at AFI: sacrifice the workers for the lazy bums at the top. It’s how American business works nowadays, right? And you can’t hardly call AFI a non-profit any more. (May I suggest ‘prostitute’ ?)
btw, AFI hasn’t published an annual report for years, but you can go to:
http://www.guidestar.org/
to find some of the dirt which must legally be kept public.
Finally, shame on Gazalle for the climate of deception and fear he created in the months before black friday. I hope distrust haunts him for a long while. Other commentters here have described the frustrations of working at AFi, but one factor that made the place tolerable was a family vibe. Now that’s history. Yes indeed, it’s time to put the old horse down, but the folks in the gilded carriage are going to keep beating that poor lame beast until she can’t take another step, then try to sell the carcass as prime rib.
Comment by Grif — August 19, 2008 @ 1:04 pm
I would give anything to have the powers that be subpoena Bruce. I think the IRS and former big money supporters would be fascinated by the “creative accounting”. With all of this going down, it would be nice to just have everything out in the open, clean it up, and see if the shine could be restored to the AFI name. I know I will miss having it there (or the illusion it really was). Plus, as the programs are cut and the status dwindles, I feel that carrying a degree from AFI will no longer be the force that it once was for the graduates.
Comment by FormerStaff — August 19, 2008 @ 1:22 pm
A quick check of AFI’s 2005/6 financial records reflect that Mr. Gazzale, as Director, AFI Productions earned $160,497 as employee compensation for writing and producing the AFI productions. What concerns me is that he also charged AFI $181,359 in writing and producing fees as Eighty Days Productions from his home address in Sherman oaks, for a cush total of $341,856. Isn’t that what we were paying him to do?! wow, I just wonder what last couple of years’ reports would glean?
Comment by scamndagain — August 19, 2008 @ 3:59 pm
(Full disclosure: I was asked to leave AFI one week short of graduation in 2003. In an anonymous email to the Vice Dean Sheila Sullivan, cc’d to all students and staff, I said “how you ever got this far is a mystery to each and every one of us that hate you.” Such candor, and in retrospect immaturity, wasn’t much appreciated and I was sent packing.)
I have never been a part of a more corrupt institution in my life. The place is utterly rotten to the core. That the lights continue to function is remarkable. Five years later I can still vividly recall a long list of inadequacies and shortcomings.
An utterly contemptuous, disrespectful and thoroughly awful group of people. I am sorry for the closure of the film catalog, but it comes as no surprise. The whole institute needs to be shuttered, the staff fired and the organization as a whole reconsidered.
Sad, but true.
Comment by Jawal Nga — August 20, 2008 @ 1:49 am
Seriously, people… who the fuck cares about AFI?
Yes, it is a corrupt place… yes, there are about $30,000 worth of original George Hurrell prints hanging out in the most unsuitable place, collecting dust and rat pellets….yes, they have just upped and given their photo opportunities to Getty Images, thereby selling one of their best assets down a swampy river ( watch this one bite them in the ass in years to come.) Yes, yes, yes to all of this.
Their new CEO is like a bull in a china shop at the moment, thrashing about trying to figure out his way, destroying all sorts of potential in the process.Bless his cotton socks… but hey- It’s not your problem anymore former employees!
Do you honestly miss that stinky building and the septic bathrooms?
What about the rats that festered in the Warner building? Lack of parking spots or trees that dripped sap on your new Toyotas?
How about answering to some mediocre loser supervisor, whose only job was to send bitchy, multiple cc’d emails, just to give the illusion that he or she actually *did* something other than mentally masturbate all day long. Do you really miss all of that? If Bobby G. wants to run his ship that way, I say let him. He did many of us a favor in letting us go.
My suggestion to all of the former employees is to give thanks. You are free. You have a notable name on your resume… so quit yer bellyachin’ and go find something better. You can and you will… I did.
Comment by unknown — August 20, 2008 @ 2:36 pm
The word around here is that the bloodletting is over, so I guess that I have weathered this storm, but I really must say that this place will never be the same. Let’s face it, some people had to go, and I don’t mean to get personal, but what they did to Shannon and Kim was absolutely unconscionable! They were a couple, and AFI knew that…they were also some of the most professional, helpful and enthusiastic people that I have ever known. At least we all know they will each do well out there.
It’s ironic how I have been so fearful over the past few weeks for my own livelihood, how bad I wanted to keep my job here, and how scared I was at the idea of loosing it. Now, to be perfectly honest, I don’t even want to be here at all anymore. Yes I will continue my duties, and draw my paycheck, but not with any of the same sense of pride or confidence that I did just one month ago.
You will all know who I am soon, as I plan on leaving AFI within the month.
Comment by gonsoon — August 21, 2008 @ 7:49 pm
there are a few people who still care…
Bob Gazzale was hired to lead AFI into a new era. Unfortunately Bob has also hired Nancy Harris, an outsider and a commonplace corporate restructurer. By virtue of being an outsider she has value in bringing fresh eyes to a situation. This however is also her greatest weakness; she does not have an intimate understanding of the staff, non-profit film, film festivals and film schools. She can only make swift judgments based on first impressions and the perceptions of those she’s surrounded with. The festival may the next to fall based on her restructuring and the questionable leadership.
The natural question that follows is who is she surrounded by? Is she at the lunch truck with the rest of us? My impression is that she’s hanging out with management.
Anyone who has spent time working at AFI will know that management is filled with departmental politicians whose main preoccupation isn’t the advancement of their departments but the preservation of their high salaries and status. These politicians have survived off the strength & talents of their workers. Without the honest hard work of these employees the departments would surely fall apart because their leaders are “far too busy” doing…well to tell you truth I really don’t know what they do other then hold meetings to learn about what’s going on while their far too busy to be bothered.
My point is that management, who is out of touch with the nuts and bolts of their departments, are the one’s shaping Nancy’s perceptions and thus the strategies she will employ in restructuring AFI. At the top of their list is self preservation. Meanwhile all the hardworking employees become numbers in a number game. (see “Metropolis,” 1927). So it comes as no surprise that some of the good & hard working employees are getting fired along with the lazy & uninspired.
Let us put our immediate emotions aside and ask ourselves the main question at hand; is playing the corporate re-structuring number game really going to bring AFI to prominence beyond it’s current state? The answer is no. I say this with a clear conviction because of what has happened to the film industry over the last several decades. With the corporate takeover of Hollywood during the 70s and 80s the men and women bred from movie sets, who fought their way up the studio ladder, were removed from power and replaced with the commonplace corporate executive whose only concern is how many widgets they sell, whether c, pet rocks, or movies. This shift in leadership has led to a direct decline in the quality of films being made because the smartest choice on paper doesn’t make for the greatest artistic success; what I call the human factor. So while Nancy and Bob play games on paper to make AFI look more profitable and cost effective they are essentially securing it’s mediocre future. It’s not that the paper games can’t work, it just that in order to fully harness talents of AFI you must know the people that breathe life into it everyday.
Why must we look upon the 70s as a bygone era? AFI is an institution that nurtured the careers of David Lynch and Terrence Malick so why should it be reduced to an awards show and lists that neglect world cinema?
Dare I say what we needed in a new leader with radical ideas and radical decisions based on an intimate knowledge of what makes AFI great and what makes AFI weak. Someone who is willing to be a martyr if need be, willing to throw it all away just for a shot at shaping the artistic future of American cinema and American culture and AFI.
Comment by stillatAFI — August 21, 2008 @ 10:26 pm
The Dean of the Conservatory changes the curriculum like a baby changes diapers. No wonder the Fellows are confused about what courses they need to graduate. The Dean and the Executive Vice-Dean need to take a refresher course on Graduate school policies.
Comment by Chris — August 24, 2008 @ 10:43 pm
I’m glad I graduated and am finished with AFI. Some of the classes were ridiculous. The Advanced Art & Craft of Producing-Narrative Entertainment, with Robert Cort, was a joke! What kind of pertinent information am I going to learn from a guy who executive produced, “Kazaam”?
Another waste of time was Barry Sabath’s, World Approaches to Film class. We had to watch films with subtitles in an overcrowded theatre (TASR), and then listen to a boring lecturer. Many of us had to watch the screen standing up. Some of the prints were in bad condition. I don’t who picked the name for the class because the films didn’t represent the world. I never saw any films from Mexico, South America, Africa, Australia or Canada. They might as well change the name to European and Asian Approaches to film.
Wake up a smell the coffee, AFI. With all of the budget cuts in various departments, Gazale should have enough money for some better Faculty, bigger classrooms and theatres.
Comment by Manuel — August 25, 2008 @ 9:03 pm
I’m a fellow at AFI; while I have to say I agree with many of the comments posted on this board the last one in regards to Barry Sabath’s world cinema class was way off the mark. Many of us felt the class was a sanctuary away from a lot of the bureaucratic bull$hit taking place at the conservatory. The venue wasn’t the best, but it’s recently been moved to a larger theater with much better projection. The only reason some students had to stand was because students from previous years still attend the screenings because they have such affection for the class, the instructor and the cinema. And the idea that someone expected the class to cover the whole spectrum of world cinema in two semesters means this person was coming in with ridiculous expectations of AFI in general. The course never meandered and was always focused on what’s best for the fellows . The prints were usually flawless and Sabath always worked the administration to assure that we would only watch prints and not DVDs. And “Manuel” must have missed many of the classes because we watched films from Africa, Central American and South America. The only time I thought the class wasn’t interesting was when people like “Manuel” commented on the films and ruined our discussion. I honestly couldn’t have made it through two years at AFI without Sabath’s mentorship or his class.
For whatever some of the disgruntled former employees say, the Conservatory has always been about building a community of filmmakers to create films and the strongest thing about it is the fact that you get to work with people that you wouldn’t have had a chance to without it. Even before I attended I knew you shouldn’t be expecting the best facilities or the best management, you’d have to give just as much as the conservatory gave to you. In the two years before I came to AFI I shot 1 film, I shot 6 projects during my time there and got to work with people who are as committed to the process as I am. The major complaint I have about AFI are the faculty members and students who don’t care enough about AFI to put their heart into it. They sulk around campus avoiding contact with fellows and treat them like children.
Comment by afidirector — August 26, 2008 @ 1:13 pm
I disagree with Manuel. The conservatory is one of the stronger parts of the AFI system. For my money, the aforementioned World Cinema class was one of the best courses I took during my tenure. Sabath was a fantastic teacher trying to expose us to cinema outside of the “Kazaam” realm. And while I never took Bob Cort’s producing class, as it was outside of my discipline, he is also the man responsible for successes like “Runaway Bride” and “Save the Last Dance”. Hard to believe one could learn nothing from him.
Is the conservatory flawed? Definitely. Are there a couple of raging douchebags in the chain of command? Of course. But on the whole is their heart in the right place? Absolutely.
Time shouldn’t be spent attacking the conservatory. On the whole they are doing the best they can with the resources given. But I do believe that is one of their problems, they just aren’t given the proper resources — much like the catalog.
Previous commentators are correct. Regardless of who is at fault, for the varying problems, something is amiss when it comes to AFI finances and development. As long as employees are worried about maintaining their livelihood (whether they’re making $30,000 or $300,000), decisions are not going to be made with an artistic intention of preserving and exalting film.
And isn’t that is what the American Film Institute SHOULD be about?
Comment by RR — August 26, 2008 @ 2:51 pm
Look, after 20+ years of leadership from the Iron Lady of AFI, the place got bloated. I know all of the people that were let go. It’s a real shame the catalog staff got shit canned. But that program isn’t dead, as soon as they find money, it’ll be back…it might just be a bit. It’s a shame Caroline got axed, good people, put her heart and soul into it. Screen Education, another shame. Mitch and Frank are about as dedicated to that Mission as anyone could be. And it was a GREAT program, it was making a difference, it was training the next generation of filmmakers!
But look, there was some bloating that happened too. Patty Johnson, I mean come on people. Did anyone here every actually have to work with her? It was painful. Further, she didn’t give a shit about the Mission. It was a job with a good title she could tell her friends and family. Allison Deknatol. Nice person, but come on. These two are the best a world renowned School can get?
And then there was Shannon and Kim. Shannon knew his stuff, but he acted like he was the only one in town that knew it. Someone shoulda reminded him that he was in LA…no shortage of projectionists in that town. I woulda cut his childish, pain in the ass loose years ago. Kim new everything Shannon did, yeah right.
The next phase has to be Devo…John Campbell…hell I’d rather work with a crew of Patty Johnsons! If the real reason for letting these folks go was budgetary…then that means they got no money in the budget, which makes me wonder why the fuck Campbell has been doing up in his office?
And I’ll give you another one. Amy G. She’s the one doing the Marketing for the Institute? You gotta be kidding me. I’m sorry, but sending out DVD’s of the 100 Best…to local TV stations in Boise is not Marketing. What a joke. She wouldn’t know marketing if it bit her in the ass.
Who else did I miss? Oh yeah, Eric. Well, whatever. He could have used an attitude adjustment, but that’s managements fault, not his.
And then there is that buffoon as Dean. Everyone loved to hate on Ole Sam Grogg when he was around - Sam was easily the best Dean that school ever had - hell, he’s probably one of the best Dean’s in the country!
Speaking of the Conservatory…I like the red headed step child, another good guy. But totally gutless. Can someone tell me what graduate level admin experience this joker has? He got nice on the job training at the Fellows expense. I mean I’m sure his MA from AFI has really contributed…actually, it didn’t. He’s just another Hollywood failure that has to find something else to do when he realized he’s failed. Speaking of gutless failures, how long do they keep Chris around for? Are they actually going to wait for a sexual harassment lawsuit. That horny little bastard will finger bang any film making slut that comes his way. Total liability. Hilarious he’s still there.
All in all, it’s for the best. Some good people got let go, but perhaps the phoenix can rise from the ashes. I’m not sure Bob has the professional expertise to bring morale and trust back…and whoever this hired hand is surely doesn’t, but I’ll be cheering for him and his next lame 100 Most idea…
See ya at the Movies, bitches!
Comment by FormerAFI'er — August 26, 2008 @ 6:22 pm
But please FormerAFI’er…don’t bottle it all up inside.
That kind of repression is bad for your health.
It’s good to vent your emotions…even after the fact…but wouldn’t it have made a better AFI, wouldn’t it (my god) make a better world, if we were capable of being honest ‘in the moment’ with co-workers when we feel like they’re not following the mission of the organization?
Which seems to be what you’re criticizing Shannon for?
It’s easy to see the failures of others it’s hard to look at where we could have been more pro-active in helping them out.
tiny rant time:
It seems like everyone’s so fucking desperate in this town to ‘make it’ that (per your pheonix metaphor) we choose to let our ethics burn, so as not to upset whatever we ‘imagine’ the status quo to be, only to choke on the fruits of our ’success’
Which…have…you guessed it…already turned to ash.
That said, Firstenberg would have fired anyone who stepped out of whatever her arbitrary line was for that day. She might have her other merits, but because she was more concerned with looks than realities, she steered her ship into the jeopardy it’s in today.
Before of course passing on her command, and stepping into the life raft with half the supplies.
Maybe she’d have been a better leader if more people had had the courage to tell her the ship was headed for the rocks.
Even if it means your job…
It’s always a choice.
Comment by Sredni Vashtar — August 27, 2008 @ 10:20 am
It has been years since I have worked at AFI and I can say that many of the employees there are great hard working people and a few that I consider my friends. Many of the employees I worked with did their jobs as best as they could, under difficult circumstances, and often went beyond their normal job descriptions.
Of coarse there were many poor employees who worked for the institute, some of who were fired and some that were not (I have read these comments and can’t believe that some people have named and criticized these people in such a public forum) but that is not unlike most jobs. I feel bad for those that lost their jobs, especially those people who have worked for years and given so much for so little. It is a tragedy that the infrastructure of the Catalog department has been compromised. I also think that some of the employees who were let go were considered problematic if only because they spoke up and tried to challenge how things were run. Let’s face it, most of our institutions are corrupted, AFI is certainly no exception.
I do want to believe Bob when he states “I see this as a temporary challenge – another hurdle at a time when government support for the arts is in decline. Know that the AFI Catalog, and in fact, building a more aggressive means for its completion, remains a priority of the institute… our goal is not to just finish 1974. It is to finish the Catalog”.
While I never worked with Bob directly to me he seemed like a good person. I can only hope that my simple assessment of Mr. Gazzale is accurate. Jean Firstenberg is an elitist who was barely concerned about the Fellows attending the Conservatory or the employees doing their job. What Bob has inherited is a totally mess I can only hope he can salvage AFI’s reputation.
The major problem for AFI from my vantage has been lack of funding. Whether this lack of money has been the result of a corrupt finance department (I have heard rumors) or because of lack of government grants for art related institutions or a lack of interest in the film community I cannot say but believe it is a combination of those aspects as well as others.
All AFI has is a name. People who have not had direct experience with the place have preconceived notions about its importance and grandeur. AFI has been feeding off those preconceived ideas for over a decade but its purpose and direction have gone astray. Perhaps this is the beginning of the process of steering the boat away from the cliffs it is hurdling to. Let us not forget what happened to the British Film Institute.
Through out the years there has been a gradual decline in the programs and services that AFI offers while the tuition for the conservatory soars to more then what most people make in a year working at AFI. A former AFI cataloguer once told me, who left years before this final hatchet job, that “AFI is a trade school for rich kids”. That description has always seemed the most accurate. I once thought about attending AFI and went to their Open House years ago, after working there I realized what a joke that idea was. I have talked to many of the fellows and I have listened to their praise and complaints. The common denominator amongst them is that attending AFI gave them the opportunity to meet people in the industry or with like-minded ideas. A $70,000 (low ball figure for tuition alone) social club where filmmaking is the trade of but networking is the real name of the game.
AFI was a leader in Film Preservation and education once. Where is the AFI that gave us “Visions of Light” and “Hollywood Mavericks”? That gave us Lynch, Schrader, Malick, Zwick, Aronofsky, and a whole host of amazing cinematographers and other artists? Besides a great film festival and increased screenings of films through Arclight it is hard to see what value American Film Institute has any more. How can it become a relevant again? Perhaps it can’t but I will keep my finger crossed that it will.
By the way there is a large amount of invaluable material from donors like Martin Scorsese and Robert Aldrich that are rotting away in dusty, poorly ventilated, un-climate controlled nether regions on the AFI campus. Items like Scorsese’s hand drawn storyboards for “Taxi Driver” and a “King of Comedy” script with Marty’s notes written on the pages. Let’s hope that someone has got a clue about how to properly maintain these collections.
Comment by Condor — August 27, 2008 @ 11:45 pm
To: FormerAFI’er
Maybe some of the people that you mentioned didn’t have a pair of “knee pads” under their desks, to appease the scum of upper management. Maybe they didn’t feel like bending over and taking the bullshit and nonsense that these simpletons required.
Patti and Alison had leadership qualities and experience. Some people can’t, and are not meant to lead. For example… the AFI softball team, with their remarkable record.
AFI will always be flawed and criticized. Especially when they hire dwarfs to clean house.
The morale here is at an all time low. No air conditioning in the offices doesn’t help either.
I hope we talk about these blogs at the staff meeting next week.
Comment by RussellB. — August 28, 2008 @ 4:13 pm
I left this comment last week, but for some reason it never showed up…
Just for the record, since AFI has conspicuously made no announcements about it:
AFI has permanently closed its film preservation office, attached to the Library of Congress MBRS Division in Washington, DC, without warning, explanation or negotiation, and fired the professional staff.
The staff was down to 2 or 3 at most, since AFI has not done any hands-on film preservation work for many years (AFI chose to back-burner its preservation mandate long ago, the minute funding became somewhat challenging, despite their once having had a 12-person development staff under Jean Firstenberg’s party-with-the-stars regime.) Nevertheless, the remaining DC staff was well-respected in the preservation community and did important work as a conduit for many private collections and one-of-a-kind prints to reach appropriate film archives for preservation.
The “AFI” name has retained a strong association with “film preservation” in spite of the organization (essentially) abandoning that mission in the 90’s. At least they were smart enough to keep the DC office, since it was often the first place people called when they found a box of old film cans in Uncle Charlie’s garage after he died. The DC office was a valuable resource preciscely because, at one time in the past, AFI did a great job promoting public awareness of film preservation.
I also notice that the AFI web site has removed any trace of film preservation (they used to have a useful, if slightly outdated, set of info pages on the subject). It’s clear AFI wants nothing at all to do with the business of film preservation, even to the point of erasing it, 1984-style, from their history.
So, everyone do AFI a favor and spread the word: AFI does not “preserve and advance” anything except their own ass. If you give money to AFI thinking you’re helping to preserve films, GIVE YOUR MONEY TO ANOTHER ORGANIZATION. If you think AFI can help you with a film preservation issue or question, DON”T BOTHER ASKING AFI. AFI has withdrawn completely from the good cause of film preservation. Since work on the Catalog is apparently also being discontinued, I can’t really tell you what-the-f**k AFI does of any real importance for American film. (The Convservatory is just another overpriced film school for rich dummies who don’t realize that you don’t have to spend $80K for the privilege of shooting some lame student videos.)
Question/complaints? I suggest you contact:
bgazzale@afi.com
nharris@afi.com
…and ask them to tell you all about AFI’s great new mission and what they do for American film.
-wylie
Comment by wylie — August 29, 2008 @ 8:33 am
It’s a shame AFI is abandoning the last of its preservation efforts, but this has been coming for years. AFI used to do a lot of work with preserving physical films, but it was an expensive endeavor. Saving nitrate film was around $.25 per frame. AFI discontinued that in the late ’90s/early ’00s. But it was eliminated quietly and with the hope that no one would notice. The efforts on the catalog continued and served as AFI’s new idea of what preservation was…forget about saving old films, but at least catalog them so the fact they at one time existed would be preserved. When AFI announced its new mission years back, preservation was absent from the mission statement all together. AFI had a history and reputation of preserving film and is one of the reasons people donate money. However, you can only ride so long on the past before people start to realize that it is no longer the case. And AFI has just squashed any hopes of continuing any presence in preservation. The Catalog as it stands has only gotten as far as the early 1970s so any further ’slow down’ seems like a paltry effort.
Comment by donnelly — September 2, 2008 @ 9:03 am
Here’s the truth about those AFI movie lists
http://tinyurl.com/6ebqdo
Comment by Buck Barnum — September 2, 2008 @ 9:45 am
The Development and Special Events Departments need a major overhaul. The new names should be; The Underdevelopment dept. and the Specially Challenged dept.
They should get rid of the dimwitted directors in both departments and those portly sisters.
Comment by MissAFI — September 2, 2008 @ 9:39 pm
This comment section has grown increasingly vile with each passing day. Obviously there are bad feelings with the people who have had to leave AFI. And there are definitely problems within the structure of the company…there’s no denying that. A lot needs to be done to make the place just plain function before it even attempts to get back to the stature it attempts to deserve.
That being said, comments like those by Former AFIer and Miss AFI don’t help as they’re not really constructive in their criticism. Instead, these people prefer to air their personal problems with certain people in a public forum, hiding behind a fake name. Those people should grow a pair and confront the people they have problems with, rather than hide behind the comment space of a blog.
Comment by YouKnowWhoThisIs — September 3, 2008 @ 9:27 am
Well…my original intention was to stay out of this particular fray, even after DC felt the need to bring my name into it, and talk his passive-aggressive ‘anonymous’ trash. But I’m sorry…after that negative and personally disparaging entry about the sisters that we all love, and who kick-ass…I must now voice.
Is it that they have a nicer office than you had…and that is somehow their fault? Perhaps it’s the fact that they were able to keep their positions at AFI and you weren’t, and that is what eats you alive. Who knows? Unlike most on this blog though, those sisters would be honest and respectful if they were in your shoes…and if you actually worked at AFI recently, you would know that to be true.
So you lost your comfortable post at AFI, and you feel slighted…please put yourself in the shoes of those still there (non-execs.), whose duties have most likely doubled, with no increase in compensation…and an even less-clear reporting structure. Not to mention that shady, so not-by-the-book trapdoor that forever lurks, awaiting them in Warner 212.
Many of you want to bash JPF, BG, NH and the rest of the Senior Management Team. Why? Should the SMT have to second-guess everything they hear from middle management? We all know that BG, and especially NH were handed an entirely inaccurate assessment of all our departments, our efforts and our histories at AFI. Should BG and NH have dug a little deeper and come to their own more realistic conclusions? Yes…at least I think so, but that takes time, effort and commitment. Oh well.
I am personally glad that I am no longer at AFI, because through all the house cleaning, firings and restructuring, most of the incompetent, problematic and downright detractive players are still present…and we all know who they are don’t we?
So stop the bickering and name-calling…that only invalidates the truth that we are all trying to air-out here. Oh, and what is that truth? That this academic year’s Fellows are not going to get their money’s worth (have they ever recently)? Or is it that many of the AFI executives are overpaid and ineffectual (shock)? Or is it even the fact that the AFI ‘mission’ has literally become an omission? …pick your truth, or not.
Most of you know why I was really let go…and it had little to do with dollars, or for that matter, even sense. The fact that I rallied for a safe, fair and legal work environment for myself, and my coworkers cost me my livelihood. Now if AFI was a Studio, I might be able to bend my thoughts around that, but given the fact that AFI is a Federally Mandated institution that enjoys a host of tax shelters and deferments, I find it somewhat hard to palate…I mean this is 2008 right?
2008…exactly. A time where the pillage and misrepresentation on the part of politicians, corporations and special interests is not only tolerated, but yet, somehow applauded.
Whatever…that’s my take. But please, everyone, don’t stain this valid thread with cheap shots and personal attacks from your safe little web-anonymity. If you have something to offer, stand-up, say it, claim it and move forward. Peace, and good luck to you all.
…and you all know who I am! lol
Comment by shannon — September 4, 2008 @ 12:00 am
Come on folks, let’s keep the personal attacks and meaningless rejoinders outta here. We all know who was competent and who wasn’t vis a vis the lay-offs. What’s the point of airing THAT dirty laundry here?
I’d hate to see this so-far-fairly-insightful compendium of grievances about AFI’s treatment of programs and staff and the “mission of omission” degenerate into immature teenager-style bickering by ex-employees: “Yes you did” / “OMG,no I didn’t” / etc. ad nauseum. Put a lid on it, or the blog admin is gonna close this forum down, which would be a shame.
There have been many legit, valuable comments here about the sad state of AFI and whether the org has any relevance or potential left, or is fundamentally corrupt, in its relationship to both the public and the corp world which they hit up for $$. (I’m ignoring Conservatory and AFI Fest because (I think) they’re self-sustaining chunks.) I hope the COO is aware of this comment thread; she can learn a lot more here than she did from her lame-o interview-the-staff routine.
On a different note:
Check out AFI’s Board of Directors online — it’s a mighty respectable bunch of power-brokers (Howard Stringer? Todd Wagner?). Do these folks know that, over the years, AFI has leveraged its (increasingly threadbare) reputation to float one ambitious project after another, fishing for corp sponsorship…and then when they get an infusion of $$, burn through it to keep their execs in clover and pay the bills, instead of using it strategically to build a long-term non-profit biz model? I guess it’s obvious they haven’t spent anything on infrastructure — how did that happen? And along the way, they might also have spread some wealth to make the org less top-heavy and bring up a new gen of leaders, instead of becoming an ossified, do-nothing exec enclave enabled by a revolving door of underpaid assistants and managers. (If that’s what NH is belatedly trying to do, she’s off to a bad start.)
Another question is: what has Sir Stringer ever done for AFI except donate Sony equipment to the Conservatory? In addition to dropping in for commencement once a year, maybe he should provide some guidance and leadership to a troubled org.
The recent bloodletting wouldn’t have been necessary if JPF had done her job or the board had been paying attention for (at least) the last 10 years. Bob G was handed a real mess, kinda like what Obama is gonna inherit from Shrub. I think BG and AFI are in deepest doo-doo.
Comment by Affy — September 6, 2008 @ 10:32 am
A.F.I…….AMERICAN FAILURE INSTITUTE.
JPF, PLEASE COME BACK!
Comment by JamesR. — September 11, 2008 @ 8:18 pm
JamesR you can’t possibly be serious. Did you ever actually work under jpf?
Comment by Lycheetree — September 15, 2008 @ 10:57 am
Robert Cort was a great teacher. Attending his classes and listening to him was a privilege.
Comment by Anonymous — September 16, 2008 @ 11:17 am
AFi’s 10 Top 10 show that aired on AMC was another disappointment and letdown. That seems to be the resume of AFI’s productions.
Comment by NHarris — September 28, 2008 @ 7:02 pm
I’m not in the film industry. But after reading about what the AFI has become I will never take any of their various “top 100″ lists seriously again. Do people in the film industry understand that the AFI is mis-handling pieces of film histrory?
And what’s this about not having air-conditioning in California in the year 2008?
Comment by Dan — October 18, 2008 @ 12:31 pm