Earlier today "Short of the Week" posted about Vimeo's plan to start charging to view certain films.  I posted back that they needed to come to Film Annex - no charge, great films and filmmakers make money to make more films.  Many people posted their thoughts - most against being charged to watch a film.  And one person said - "We need to find some new method if artists are to ever leave their day jobs to make a living."

And then NPR posted this article about the magicians, and puppeteers, and acrobats being run out of their neighborhoods to make way for skyscrapers: http://www.npr.org/blogs/pictureshow/2012/11/14/165061392/the-ultimate-disappearing-act-of-indias-magicians

Many of these performers live in slums.  And many artists I know are barely making a living, scraping together what they can to pay overdue bills.  Or, as in my case, working two "full time jobs" - the one that pays your bills right now, and the one you do at night when you get home - writing, production, editing - that you hope will pay your bills one day. I'm grateful to have a home like Film Annex to post my films and raise funds  - and hope that will only grow.  But the two posts got me thinking about how we "value" art.  Paintings auction for millions, Hollywood movies make millions. But the average filmmaker hardly gets by.  Does the average doctor hardly get by?  No. But many people want to be entertained, as they need to go to a doctor.  We don't all need to be millionaires, but to make a living is not too much to ask.  I think Film Annex has recognized this and is trying to help.  There's no lack of audience. Demand is met.  It's a tough business, like becoming a doctor, and not everyone will "make it."  But there are many consistent filmmakers out there with audiences and fans of their work, year after year, making a non-paying career out of it.  It seems kind of disproportionate at times. Particularly, when movie houses and film festivals are making money off of indie films.  I wish there was a Film Annex for the performers in India.  I want to see what they're doing. 

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.