Oak Road MultiMedia completed it's 8th indepedent film in 2007.  The feature, "PostPartum" is a thriller written by Indiana author, Cheryl Shaver, and adapted for the movie.  The film premiered on March 10, 2007 at the IndianaActors.com Film Festival, where it was voted BEST PICTURE out of 25 other short and feature films.  We are very proud to have won this honor.

"PostPartum" is entered in other competitions and festivals and news will be posted as it becomes available.  One of the reasons for staying active in indie films is to keep track of current technology and all the talented people in Indiana microcinema.  There are many talented actors in the northern Indiana corridor and I am pleased to be able to be creative in this field.

We were invited to the B-Movie Celebration in Franklin, IN in August of 2007  for a screening and roundtable discussion of the making of "PostPartum".  The discussion was a great opportunity as it was attended by Rogue Cinema's Brian Morton and Director John Huff of CYXORK7, who gave glowing reviews on the film!

For 2008, Oak Road is writing and producing their 4th feature length film, "GOSS ACRES".  This film is in concert with SFNative Productions, another northern Indiana film company focused on writing and completeing films for festival exhibition and screening.

Microcinema/low budget films are a current movement around the world.  True microcinema is not "Hollywood" and makes no claims as such.  The big budget/studio film business is an economic powerhouse fueling their projects with lots of investment and capital, not available to the low budget film maker.  Therefore, their template for success will not work for microcinema.

Microcinema producers make films on low budgets, limited resources and a creative vision.  Completed projects are entered in film festivals and search for an audience.  Oak Road has completed every project it has started since 1998 and list such under the TITLES tab on this site.  Oak Road also never publically solicits for "investors".  Since low budget films have no market or the organized distribution of the professional moveimakers, there will never be a return on investment...it doesn't exist.  No theatre will run a microcinema feature multiple days and weeks in hundreds of theatres,as they will their contracted films - they need to draw an audience to make money, and low budget films cannot lure the public.  Therefore, film festivals who welcome independent filmmakers and microcinema films shine in the low budget world.  Anyone who invests in low budget films does so in the knowledge that the money will not be returned...or there has been a barter for other services as payback.  Some low budget filmmakers will even call your investment a "donation"....which them exempts them from any payback or ROI. They claim they have no interest in any monetary gain (therefore, donate to their cause) but are not legally set up as businesses, nor are they set up as charities. They are also quick to claim their prowess and abilities with the tools of the trade and state of the art equipment (filming with Hi definition cameras (HD) is the popular bait these days to impress the public), all of which cost money.  So..where does the money come from and how do you justify any monies that would be generated?  Think about it.

Some low budget filmmakers will make claim of "shopping" their films to Hollywood, being broadcast on cable channels, submitting to a festival "circuit" or having actors and crew work on deferrment (the "when the ship comes in" method).  Hold these people to their claims - ask for dates, times, places, etc..  And, ask to get a copy of their work.  Most importantly, NEVER give anyone money without something in writing.   Also keep in mind that trailers or teasers of proposed films are easy to make...don't invest in a film just because the filmmaker can provide an edited minute long "glimpse".  Do your homework!  See if a filmmaker has had festival acceptance outside their state.  It's common for local filmmakers, especially those associated with educational and university exposure ,to get preferential treatment at a local level.  Those not in regional favor will be not be accepted...strictly poltically motivated.  If a filmmaker has been screened in legitimate festivals in other states, that is a great sign that they have appealed to a larger cross-section of people and found success beyond a cultural fence.  Check out their success stories. In fact, many filmmakers will NOT enter local festivals just for that reason - they want an objective view of their work, which they will not get if they just get accepted because they are associated with a given entity that will accept their work by virtue of who they know.  Some people are happy being the local hero...it's easier that way to feel good about what you do.  But others choose the hard road and put their work up against not only other filmmakers, but large venues which pits them against some of the best...the newest standard(s).

Look at it this way.....some atheletes will never go beyond their high school basketball days, relishing in those accomplishments and the success they received at that level.  Where a few will seek the bigger challenges and stack their abilities against a larger market, where they get a wider point of reference and learn from bigger, better players.  They are more interested in excelling by fire..not settling for the regional success.  It's a matter of levels of dedication, drive and perserverance. There is no wrong or right...just levels of commitment and confidence in their skills.  For instance, a good player will not stack up against a great player..the great player has more talent and skill and will go further, should he or she choose.  Competition truly motivates them..not turn them off because they are stacked against another great player.

Microcinema is it's own entity, involving thousands of people who create and volunteer to make short and feature films, much the same as community theatre.  It is it's own art form, seperate from the established production movie houses, and making better and better films as the years go by ,and witnessing high quality video, slowly, becoming the new visual standard as celluloid film slowly fades into the twilight.