Re: [Harp-L] Pocketful of Soul movie

[<fssharp@xxxxxxxxx>]

Mick Zacklan's prescient post regarding general interest in a harp
documentary should give us all a reality check on what the "Pocketful of
Soul" producers have been fighting to get this film out for viewing.  Yeah,
we all want to see it . all 2000 harp-lers of us.  If we all bring a friend
and a half, that makes 5000 of us (I'm starting to sound like Smo Joe in
this post).  How many million (or hundreds of thousands) people does it take
to make a commercial release viable on a wide scale.  Todd is smart in
trying to get a few "pockets" (pun intended) up to critical mass, but I fear
if we don't all live in the same city it ain't gonna happen.  I'd also like
to think we would outdraw a ukulele flick, but seriously the live Ukulele
Blow Out shows here probably do as well as Harp Attacks so I am not so sure.
Maybe we can combine forces hand have Madcat host a Uke/Harp double feature
to put us over the top.

 

Thanks Mick for posting this.  Very educational.  And thanks to the PFOS
producers for following their hearts and ears in making the film, even if it
doesn't get released.  We of the harp community really appreciate the effort
and expense.  It will be seen somewhere, somehow, by some of us, and we will
cherish it.

 

Fred S

===================

From: Mick Zaklan <mzaklan@xxxxxxxxx>

Subject: [Harp-L] Pocketful of Soul movie

 

   I just tried to get the film picker from the the Siskel Film Center in

Chicago interested.  Here's what I got in reply:

 

"Thank you for your e-mail. I appreciate your enthusiasm for the harmonica

and for this documentary, but we have no immediate plans to show it. We

have actually tried endeavors along these lines before, most notably with

the documentary THE MIGHTY UKE, for which we had an Old Town School

instructor playing a set after the film, filmmakers in person, and an

all-audience jam session. Unfortunately, the turnout for this, and for many

other music films with seemingly grassroots appeal has been quite

underwhelming. I wish it were not so, as these films are always

enlightening and fun."

 

I'd like to think the harmonica would get a better turnout than a ukelele

film, but who knows.  Flicks at the Siskel Center are $11, I suspect a lot

of people would rather buy the DVD.