Director David Lowery has done it all, from low-budget indies (like the upcoming “A Ghost Story“) to big-budget, major studio movies (like last summer’s sorely underappreciated “Pete’s Dragon“). The filmmaker follows his muse wherever it takes him and is more than happy to collaborate with whoever wants to support his vision. However, he’s yet to step into the waters of the streaming service world, but should they come knocking, Lowery has no hesitation about opening that door.
Speaking at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, the subject of Netflix inevitably came up, and while Lowery backed the big screen experience as the ideal, he realizes that times are changing, and like it or not, the company is also supporting projects that traditional outlets simply aren’t making.
“[Netflix] are setting aside the theatrical experience more than I’d be comfortable with, but I’d rather them do that and not make the movies. I fully support and endorse them and I’d be delighted to collaborate with them,” he sad. “I know that most people will ultimately see my films on a screening service of some sort… so I should set aside my own ego to a certain extent to have my own work projected on a giant screen.”
“They do a service to the industry by producing movies that would otherwise not be able to find financing. If you look at these movies that cost $2-10 million, no one else is paying for them. It’s a great thing to have an outlet like that,” Lowery added.
It’s certainly a fact that anybody engaging in the Netflix debate can’t dispute. No matter the cost, Netflix is taking risks. Would any regular studio have given Bong Joon-Ho $50 million to make a wild, weird parable about meat consumption? Unlikely. And yet, Netflix did, and it’s one of the best movies of the year so far.
Thoughts? Sound off in the comments section below. Lowery’s “A Ghost Story” opens on July 7th. [Screen Daily]
