The New Millennials take Hollywood

You've heard of the millennials haven't you? They are the new gen-x. The new breed that has been weened on computers, iPods, Twitter, iPhone apps, you name it. Well Arin Crumley is what I'd call a millennial poster boy. No offense Arin. But this is the guy that Faye Dunaway calls her digital guru, and with damed good reason.

I saw Arin last year at the Film Independent Directors' series forum, where he talked about his film, Four Eyed Monsters (already ancient history - it's been out since 2005). This is an awesome film, if for no other reason than the way in which it was made. Arin (with some wedding video experience) decided to document his online courtship with artist Susan Buice (an awesome individual in her own right). He arranged to meet her for the first time after an online encounter (this was before Facebook - the Middle Ages). But being the filmmaker maniac that he is, he stalked her with his video camera instead and eventually sent her the videos (I can related to that), which evolved into a non-speaking art media only communicative relationship - it gets fucking nuts at this point. You have to see the film.

Anyway, the film is about how he made the film, while it's also about their relationship, which - OK no spoilers - it's just too good. The thing is if you're a filmmaker you have to see this film. You have too.

It gets better. Arin and Susan collaborated to self distribute the film through the use of MySpace and YouTube where they posted clips of behind the scenes stuff, including their relationship, and all the in-fighting typical in beginner film crews. But the amazing thing is that they succeeded in distributing it, even to theaters, and even getting two nominations at the Independent Spirit Awards, all of this on their own using mainly the internet and social networking. Ergo, digital guru.

Cut to the chase, four years later, Arin has teamed up with web developer Kieran Masterton to create a full out web initiative to allow any filmmaker to basically do what Arin and Susan did with Four Eyed Monsters, and a lot more.

If you think of yourself as any kind of 21st century artist, you can not not check this shit out.