The internet as a communication medium between creator and audience has some pretty incredible potential, but instead it sucks.

As all of my small audience knows (unless there’s some contingent I don’t know about, in which case, hi) I wrote and produced a film called Suspension, we also did the website if you like it. It is a very low budget sci-fi thriller shot on Hi-Def in Kansas. I’ve been working on it since the end of 2004. A long time for one project by any human measure. The film has been making it’s way around festivals, and doing just fine. It’s out on DVD here in the states, and may make it’s way Down Under, and beyond at some point. If Allah wills it. Anyway, part of having a film, or any mass produced creative work, out in the market now is the many internet reviews and comments said project will receive.

I try to steer clear of these things, being someone who is already painfully self defeating when left to my own devices. Never-the-less I have been unable to avoid checking out Suspension’s IMDB page discussions and our Netflix reviews.

Why do I do this? An honest interest combined with a strong dose of that ever present self defeat I suppose. Among some of the choice comments are things like ‘How in the world does a movie like this get made?’ and ‘Worst movie ever.’ Now I know that Suspension has problems, I cringe at them every time I watch it. But those seem to be fairly extreme reactions.

And therein lies the problem. The internet with its unique blend of anonymity, mob rule and intellectual lawlessness defeats its’ own promise. I love hearing what people have to say about the movie. Even if it is negative, I generally find it helpful and useful for whatever is next. However what do I do with the worst movie? How do I justify how this film got made? I can’t. All that the internet has created is a shitfest for creators to go swim in. I am overly aware that any attempt to engage in these discussions would result in a time-sucking, enraging flame war. And I would come across even more like an ever suffering momma’s boy artiste then I do in this post.

So what to do? Do what everyone does with all criticism, take it with a grain of salt and move on. It seems a shame tho. I liked responding to someone who was curious about the basic facts of time stopping, and hopefully they’ll like that I responded. I’d love to find out what didn’t work for the people who have hated the movie so far, so that we won’t make the same mistakes again.

Probably the only way to offset this is to participate more. To try and review things positively, even when I don’t entirely love the product. Or attempt to discuss my issues with a film online as well as in person. Somehow that seems destined to fail. Or is that more self defeat?

But whatever, this is worst post ever. Seriously what a turd. And it’s racist. And there are really major plot holes.