Monday, March 31, 2008

AFI Dallas movie review and filmmaker interviews: Stop the Presses

By John P. Meyer

Now, I don't want you to read any metaphorical significance into this (like Hell I don't), but when I sat down to talk with Manny Mendoza and Mark Birnbaum about their study of the trials and tribulations of contemporary print journalism, Stop the Presses, we ended up taking over a sound studio at AFI's Victory Park HQ from a traditional media crew. ('Course, they were broadcast journalists - not print - but the symbolism still applies.)

It's not like I was getting pushy - I'd simply asked the AFI crew whether I could turn down the peppy music in the lounge area where we were planning to do the interview. But it turns out they weren't supposed to turn the music down, because it was provided by one of their sponsors. (Sigh.)

So, as an alternative solution, they offered to put us in the broadcast booth where - we were assured - there was nothing currently going on.

But when we walked in on the waiting sharp-dressed producer lady and her camera guy, there was a bit of confusion until they discovered that we were not, in fact, their next interview but were instead a group of interlopers intent on dislodging them from their cushy insulated digs. (You'll note I didn't say "soundproof" - as you'll discover during the audio program, you can clearly hear their hubbub from outside as they hovered around quite noisily, waiting for us to finish exploiting their facility.)

The story behind Stop the Presses is almost as fascinating as the documentary itself: Manny Mendoza worked for The Paper here in Dallas for a number of years and was offered a buyout a few years back, which he took. Then he met up with Mark, who was interested in making a film about the very thing that happened to Manny, but from a global perspective. Match made in purgatory.

Their film is replete with interviews with what I would conservatively estimate to be a slew of insiders and experts in the journalism world - both those still working in it and those who've either received the boot (cushioned or hard-shell variety) or gone on to other pursuits. We're talkin' guys and gals like Ben Bradlee (Wash. Post), Dave Barry (humor columnist and all-around funny guy) and Laura Miller - who, though she's recently been Big D's mayor - worked for many years as an investigative journalist here in Dallas (and before that, in Miami).

To spice up their sobering statistics on the precipitous declines in revenue and circulation at newspapers across the country, they intersperse clips from classic newspaper-oriented Hollywood films, with guys like Humphrey Bogart holding forth on the courage and integrity of newshounds. And then there's the former reporter who, after being ejected from his paper's staff, finds himself bartending and part-time managing a local high-class topless club, where the employees refer to him as "writer in residence."

Some historical material is provided, going back to the first-ever newspaper published in America: "Public Occurrences." This publication lasted for one entire issue back in 1690 (that's before Ed Asner was Lou Grant, just to put things in context). Seems their forthrightness earned the wrath of colonial authorities, who feared they would attract the critical attention of their British overlords. And then there's the true story of Samuel Adams, whose talent as a brewer is demonstrated to far outshine his skills as a reporter of the facts.

Also covered in the film are the newspaper reading habits and comfortable routines established around that quiet time when it's just you, a newsprint rag, a cup of coffee and a comfortable stool.

Manny Mendoza and Mark Birnbaum

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(The Simpsons clip that Manny and Mark discuss during the interview is the one where Nelson - attending a panel discussion on the media - cuts loose with one of his "HA ha!" outbursts when a print journalist is introduced. "Your medium is dying," he taunts.)

SO THAT'S IT: "The mission of journalism is to inform the public on what's going on." - Ben Bradlee, Washington Post

SOUNDS UNFAMILIAR: "We had too many years of easy money." - Dave Barry

EXCEPT FOR ED BARK: "Rebel children don't last long at the DMN." - Laura Miller

Related stories

• Ed Bark — you can’t keep a good TV critic down (April 4, 2008)
• Pegasus News Week in View: Dallas tells AFI, “That’s a wrap!” (April 3, 2008)

See more stories in:

• The Media > Print Media
• Arts > Movies / Film > Film Festivals > AFI Dallas

Comments

Mike Orren Staff

I swiped John's screener copy and watched it on a long plane flight today.

I really liked the film-- Early on I was afraid that it was going to devolve into just a whining session from over-entitled journos who don't understand that making money is part of the game, even while you're changing the world.

But as it went on, it balanced out. It was a really well-edited set of interviews that gave a an excellent overview of the state of affairs in newspapering today.

I would have liked to have seen a little more challenge to the notion that only the newspaper model can produce deep journalism, and there were a couple commentators that made my hair stand on end: "Anyone can cover a city council meeting. Who's going to cover the Important International News?!" (my paraphrase).

I'd recommend this film for anyone who wants to understand what's happened to the newspaper business and anyone who's had to listen to people like me rail on about it in recent years.

My main quibble, and a self-serving one at that, is that there wasn't a look at the new breed of pure-plays like Pegasus News, Crosscut, MinnPost, etc-- all of whom boast newspaper refugees trying to forge a new business model. (We did get a brief view as we were mentioned in a Michael Davis blog post shown on the screen.)

The Dallas Morning News' lack of participation was deafening. Lots of access from the WaPo, Philly, NYT and many other papers, but no love from the hometowners.

To circle back to the film itself, having tried to synthesize the views and voices of many of these folks in our business plan writing, my hat's off to these fellas for the editing job they did. The narrative is coherent and fairly seamless, and the movie clips are used to great effect. Nicely done.

3 months, 1 week ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

John Meyer Staff

And now comes this NYT piece homing in on the "endangered species" of print film critics. David Ansen, we hardly knew ye!

And if Samuel Barber is right, what else are these poor schlubs gonna do? Looks like they're just plain out to pasture. Because I know WE aren't hiring any film critics.

Right, chief? Right? Are you there?

3 months, 1 week ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Mike Orren Staff

Here's a good analogy for where this film (and the state of the biz) leaves us:

3 months, 1 week ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )