Is he mormon or not????

I may be a Johnny-come-lately to this discussion, but I only just learned about all of this. As a member of the church and an ultra-low-budget independent filmmaker, I knew who Dutcher was and had an interest in his career. I live outside Utah, and I’ve only seen one of his films (”States of Grace”), although I’ve read reviews of his others.

There are several facets to this story. I’ll try to touch on each.

First is Richard’s departure from the church. I was genuinely saddened to read his announcement. A side of me actually wanted to crank off a lengthy email to him. But who am I kidding…he’s a big boy, and he doesn’t know me from Adam. Still, if I knew him personally, I would have been on the phone to him in a heartbeat. I wish him well and hope that he will one day reconsider.

The impact of this on LDS cinema, and the state of that niche market is another facet. I’ve really not sampled much of LDS cinema, although, I was aware Dutcher was considered one of its brightest stars. I suspect there’s more than a little truth to some of Dutcher’s criticisms about the general quality of the genre/niche based on what I’ve read elsewhere, however, I disagree with his apparent disappointment in Keith Merrill’s work. I know where he’s coming from, but he’s missing the big picture, and he’s somewhat comparing apples to oranges. Merrill’s films accomplished their purposes very well. Still, I can appreciate Dutcher’s frustration with quality control in the genre and his desire to see the bar raised.

I read an interview with him once where he seemed to blame others for essentially killing off the market for his own films. I’m not sure that was entirely fair of him. Dutcher, as much or more than any other ‘LDS cinema’ filmmaker, had a name that audiences knew and a reputation that exceeded what most came to expect from the genre. I bought his “States of Grace” DVD purely on his reputation, not on the reputation of the genre. I believe that ultimately your fortunes rise or sink based on the quality of your work. When you start blaming people outside your production for your lack of success, it’s time to step back, take a deep breath, and open your mind to your own shortcomings.

I have enormous respect for anyone who can marshal the sort of resources Dutcher did and create films of the quality of “States of Grace.” And I appreciate the limitations of low-budget filmmaking, both in terms of human and non-human resources. That said, I can understand why SOG wasn’t more successful. I definitely think Dutcher is a talented filmmaker, but I can see areas for improvement in SOG’s script. It would be interesting to sit down with Dutcher and have a constructive-criticism session. He isn’t leaving cinema altogether, so we’ll be able to track his progress down the road. As Keith Merrill wondered, I do hope Dutcher doesn’t compromise his values in his future work. Merrill had a good point about the value of “G-rated truths.” You don’t have to sell your soul to make a hit–or to move your audience.

The final facet to this saga is Keith Merrill’s reaction. Merrill will be the first to admit he spoke out of anger (actually, he did–both in his original letter and his subsequent retraction). I understand why he took offense. I don’t hold it against him. We’re all human. I thought his apology was sincere, and what more can you do in that situation than that? Despite the tongue lashing, Merrill does make some valid points of his own. He’s a very talented filmmaker in his own right, and I still have enormous respect for the man and his work.

Some final thoughts–I guess this development means Dutcher won’t be the ‘promised one’ who makes the definitive Joseph Smith film after all. I had high hopes back when he announced he was going to make the film, and it sounded like he had the funding, although I guess Larry Miller decided to pull out. I do believe that film will be made one day when the right person comes along.

While I don’t aspire to make films that would fall into the ‘LDS cinema’ category, I do hope those who devote themselves to this niche will strive to improve their craft and push the quality of their work to ever-higher levels. Dutcher may not have also been as tactful as he could have been, but he isn’t entirely off the mark in some of his remarks. Even though Dutcher has left the stage, there is still enormous potential in the genre, just as he used to believe. The audience is ready and willing to lay down their hard-earned money for a quality film experience. It’s up to filmmakers to provide it. “If you build it, they will come.”

That’s actually what annoys me about the movies. I equate the pushing with someone trying to tell me how to feel, and that’s irritating.

I like his reference to Oliver Cowdery. I hope he reconsiders his feelings towards the church.