By Matt Godfrey – Star News
“It’s a totally different experience to watch a movie in a theater than it is watching a DVD at home,” explained Doug Sakmann, co-founder of the local production company Backseat Conceptions.
It was a similar notion that sparked the interest of Sakmann and fellow Backseat Conceptions founders Zafer Ulkucu and Nick Esposito to get involved with making movies in the first place.
And with time, that sentiment gestated to a point at which the three needed to help Philadelphia realize what they already knew.
Since their love affair with what they call the “projected arts” began, and more accurately since they teamed up to form Backseat Conceptions in the summer of 2002, the trio has done much for the film scene in Philadelphia.
First came the company, then came the Backseat Film Festival, which just wrapped up its seventh installment; then came last year’s announcement of plans for the 941 Theater, at 941 N. Front St., along with the formation of the nonprofit Philadelphia Friends of the Projected Arts.
The 941 Theater, whose grand opening coincided with this year’s festival, was conceived as a showcase for independent movies that might otherwise never be seen in Philadelphia.
“When we opened the theater, we wanted to do as many screenings as possible,” Sakmann said.
Some legwork was needed. The trio had to raise the funds to outfit the theater with a screen and a projector.
In the year that they spent raising that money, however, the theater has nearly exploded as a destination point for bands, parties, craft shows and the occasional zombie dance party.
As they raised funds, the three were able to set up PFPA, which aims to not only advocate for film, but also for the displaying of film throughout the city.
With the proper equipment and the PFPA ready to get going, the theater and its programmers are looking to get back to their initial goal.
And that’s exactly what they are doing with one screening already on the books and a slew of others being announced regularly.
This Sunday at the 941 Theater, a full slate of movies, including Joe Kramer’s 20th Century Boy at 6 p.m., Jonathan Olshefski’s The Scrapper at 7:30 p.m., and Isaac Williams’s The Mind at 8 p.m., will be offered.
Philadelphia filmmakers made all three movies, and the showings will be local premieres.
“Being able to show here is very exciting because the opportunity to do that has dwindled immensely,” said Williams.
The opportunity that the theater provides to raise the profile of indie filmmakers is not lost on Williams either.
“I feel like there are dozens of people making movies in Philly that never would have known of each other unless randomly working together somewhere,” he added.
Through the 941 Theater, and more so the PFPA, the Philadelphia film community is finding potential new avenues for growth.
“Something like this is a godsend for people to get their movies out,” added Kramer. “How many films with ‘real’ actors don’t get shown in theaters?”
This Sunday’s slate includes a documentary about a local man who roams the streets at night in search of valuable curbside trash (The Scrapper), a sci-fi drama about a man who mistakenly thinks he’s living in the Roaring ’20s (20th Century Boy) and a horror movie about the resurrection of a long-dead sorcerer (The Mind).
The three very different stories all have one very similar trait: they are all completely independent in their productions and are made by people driven by a passion to tell these stories.
And now, they can share that story instead of having it sit on a shelf somewhere collecting dust.
“Having your movie play in a movie theater gives you better credibility,” explained Sakmann. “Now, a theatrical release is considered promotions for DVD sales (in mainstream film).”
“As we’re figuring out how to get these movies made and shown, our mission is to give the filmmakers a theatrical experience,” Ulkucu said of the PFPA.
In addition to the 941’s Sunday slate, the theater will have its first weeklong run, starting tonight with the romantic comedy Baby On Board, starring Heather Graham, Jerry O’Connell and Lara Flynn Boyle.
The feature, directed by Philly native Brian Herzlinger, tells the story of a married couple dealing with an unexpected pregnancy while both of their careers are just starting to take off.
They have also announced screenings for two upcoming Saturdays, May 30 and June 6.
Saturday, May 30, will be the Philly premiere of Animation Block Party, a sort of “best of” batch of movies from New York City’s “premiere animation festival.”
June 6 will also feature a premiere of Black Devil Doll, an NC-17 rated exploitation film touted as “Chucky from Child’s Play meets Dolemite,” according to the official release.
“You can’t download the experience of going to see a movie on a big screen, in a dark room, with no pause button,” added Ulkucu.
Seeing film in Northern Liberties
The 941 Theater is located at 941 N. Front Street in Northern Liberties. From more information about show times and the screening schedule, visit www.941theater.com.
