PRIMER is a perfect example of what you can do with a little bit of money, a good idea, and plenty of prep time. For those not in the know, PRIMER is the hot new indie that has already developed a significant buzz and loyal cult following akin to The Blair Witch Project, El Mariachi, Memento, Pi, et al.
The difference is: this one’s smarter than all of them combined. It is the brainchild of former engineer turned filmmaker Shane Carruth from Texas, and is about two engineers who accidentally create a time machine in their garage.
Shane’s story is already the stuff of legend in the indie world: unhappy engineer quits job, teaches himself filmmaking, and makes a $7000 film that wins Sundance, gets distribution and secures a 2 million budget for his next film. PRIMER has become, for Shane, a near perfect calling card for the cerebral, art house sci-fi director.
Many a filmmaker is, at once, jealous and inspired by Carruth’s savvy, as evidenced by a lengthy visit to the film’s site (primermovie.com). There, film geeks are slugging it out–hotly debating whether the film is crap or genius, a testament to the film’s ability to—God forbid—make you think. They all agree on one thing, however—it takes at least two viewings to begin to understand it.
Instead of another “I loved it! I hated it” review that you can find links to on your own via the film’s lively “forum” section, I am going to focus on what makes the film such an incredible achievement for a first time filmmaker, what Shane does correctly behind the scenes and where this film historically fits into the indie equation. That is, what it means for the filmmaker in all of us.
After El Mariachi (1992), many expected to see copycats of the winning formula: (super) 16mm films significantly prepped and storyboarded to a “T”–then shot in 1 or 2 takes, shipped to fests and distribs, and seen worldwide by an endearing public hungry for something different. But it never happened. Where were they—the geniuses that would save American filmmaking and start a new Renaissance? Enter Shane—a guy outside of filmmaking. An engineer.
But what did he do right? Attached are the secrets to his success, a sort of “primer” for the industry…
1. After he finished the film, he went to L.A. for a few weeks, just picked up the phone books and started calling. The difference: he kept calling. He contacted 100 people a day for a week–agents, managers, and reps in LA. Why? Because he was once told that “it’s important to have one of those.” His indomitable spirit proves that, once again, you make your own breaks when you believe in something.
2, That helped in meeting people at Sundance.
3. At Sundance, when the bidding war began and he wasn’t happy with giving up so many rights, he walked away. Not out of arrogance, out of respect for the film and the actors and crew. This showed he meant business.
4. He held strong and secured a deal he was happy with, but it was a long month after the dream makers in Park City had packed their bags and headed back to their warmer climes. (That month must’ve felt like years.)
5. Technically and creatively, he practiced “a hundred times” before he photographed—mostly using just one or two takes.
6. He embraced techno babble in the film, which, arguably, gives the film an air of believability. He didn’t dumb-down the dialogue for a broader market.
7. He scored his own film. The tone is reminiscent of THX-1138—using sounds as music.
8. He uses the jump cut effectively. And except for one nighttime interior car scene, his lighting works. El Mariachi, however, hardly used lights, which makes Primer quite the achievement.
9. He didn’t dumb-down the editing. It’s super tight. Scenes are missing purposefully. It’s masterful editing for a rookie.
10. He uses real people effectively, not actors. In interviews, he says he saw 100 actors but that they were all “acting.” Not “being”–the crucial missing element in most acting.
11. He spent one full year writing the script.
PRIMER, admittedly, is not for everyone. Many raised on Hollywood fare from their local Cineplex will dismiss it as “too difficult” or “choppy storytelling.” But Shane swears everything is in there and I believe it for this one reason: its ingenuity is that the film is told in the cut, not in the camera move—something missing from today’s storytellers.
It is economical in shot selection and pacing and keeps your riveted to the screen. It is also economical in budget. He says he would’ve loved to have had 3 grand more—how 3G would’ve made such a difference. You just gotta root for a guy who says that, and now has 2M to play with for his next one. Oh, how suddenly things change…
PRIMER is not without its faults. The eyelines were off sometimes. A few medium shots were slightly too tight. Some shots could’ve been more uninflected. Too many dolley shots for an already-heady movie. A big problem: it can leave you yearning for more on the morality of it all and less on the specifics.
It sometimes feels like a film for engineers, by an engineer. But to pick apart such a solid film is petty. Remember, because he didn’t have any money, each shot was only given 1 or 2 takes and this is a complex film here, with complex dialogue. This alone is a testament that the film works wonders. And it’s all done by a first time filmmaker. Is it worth 154 minutes of your life? (77 minutes times 2 viewings.)
You better believe it.
3.5 out of 4 stars
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