Smith pays $20 for legal rights to his very own Red State film

Hollywood is all about commercialism. Risky, creative works from directors with distinctive perspectives cannot purchase a green light from big-time distributors. That is why noted independent movie-director Smith of "Clerks" and "Dogma" fame is bucking the system and releasing his next movie himself, says the Hollywood Reporter. After the first public screening of "Red State," an intense thriller based upon controversial Pastor Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church, Smith held a mock auction in which he purchased his very own film’s distribution legal rights for a token $20. At that price he did not even have to take out a payday advance.

The 'Red State' journey strategies

The protests from the Westboro Baptist Church is the main concern that Smith has when it comes to allowing "Red State" to get in the hands of an advertising machine. That is why he instead has decided to travel the U.S. in all of 2011 in order to show his film to "any smart exhibitor" who’s willing to let the movie show there starting March 5. The Associated Press reports that before the Oct 19 theatrical release, Smith plans on making up some of the $4 million budget the film had. He hopes to replace the normal pre-release movie sector with this on the highway exhibition.

“What we need to prove is that anyone can release a movie,” Smith told the debut audience at the Eccles Theater in Logan, Utah. "Indie film isn’t dead, it just grew up. We sell our movies ourselves."

The Hollywood machine is the issue

Kevin Smith wants to tell stories. He describes himself as a "fat…stoner" though. Hollywood has been one of those things the "Red State" director has never liked. That is why he has been trying to keep the movie out of the hands of the machine. The Eccles audience spoke with Smith who said that creativity is killed with commercialism even though it may bring in money.

The way for 'Red State' to get protested

Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church, an institution known for its extreme anti-gay agenda, have taken offense at Kevin Smith’s portrayal of Pastor Abin Cooper and his fundamentalist church in "Red State.". Smith has admitted that Phelps was indeed his "muse" when he wrote Cooper’s character, although the actions of Cooper’s church – carrying out the murders of homosexual individuals, instead of simply protesting with offensive signs – is more extreme than what the Westboro Baptist Church has done.

Articles cited

Green Field Reporter

greenfieldreporter.com/view/story/05f6e79698074e70b6c44e9a810a5019/US–Film-Sundance-Kevin_Smith/

Hollywood Reporter

hollywoodreporter.com/blogs/risky-business/sundance-red-states-kevin-smith-74829

‘Red State’ teaser trailer

youtube.com/watch?v=6I0caLF2Q2c