From Filmmaker David Modigliani:
Where did the idea for Crawford come from? I was duped. I didn’t know George W. Bush wasn’t from Crawford, Texas. When I found out that he’d moved to Crawford in 1999, a couple of months before announcing his candidacy for President, I realized how well his “small town values” political stagecraft had worked. I considered myself an educated citizen, but I could have sworn he was actually from Crawford. I had bought the folksy narrative without thinking twice.
I’m based in Austin, Texas, two hours from Crawford, so I had to pay a visit. I wanted to see this town he’d made into a symbol. And I wanted to make a film indicting him for it.
As it turns out, I found something much more compelling: the people of Crawford, Texas itself. I can’t wait for all of you to meet these characters, to see the ways in which their lives change profoundly over the years. The kind of stuff you can’t write or even imagine. The spontaneity, hilarity and authenticity of feeling that comes only from following real people for a long time.
Thankfully, Crawford is not a film about George W. Bush — who wants another one of those? It’s about a tiny town thrust into big-time politics. It’s a look at the Bush era through the eyes of the people who’ve had a front row seat. It’s about a town that goes from 15 minutes of fame to ground zero for 20,000 protesters, becoming a microcosm for national conflict in the process.
If you’re looking for a political polemic or a filmmaker injecting himself into the story of a film, Crawford is not for you. If you’re looking for a narrator’s calm voice telling you what to think, Crawford is not for you. If you’re looking for a pedagogical exercise, Crawford is not for you. If you’re looking for a good story — a gritty, funny story, told by great characters — start watching and see what you find.
But first, let me say this: as a first-time filmmaker, I’m proud and I’m excited to premiere Crawford on Hulu. Over the last year, I’ve seen how the traditional models of film distribution are breaking down, how theatrical releases are failing, great films are going unwatched and distributors are closing their doors. And yet, simultaneously, I’ve seen that the audience for independent film is at an all-time high. There’s a buffer between quality content and an audience that’s hungry for it. Hulu’s excitement about Crawford and their choice to make it their first premiere will help us cut through the morass out there and connect all of you to a film I think you’ll love. These are exciting times.
Crawford will be able to play in Hulu’s high quality player on Facebook pages, fly over email and embed into blogs and websites. A lot of people are philosophizing about the future of film distribution; we’re doing it right here, right now.
This release is a true experiment and we’re excited to have all of you as partners and collaborators. After three years of filmmaking I can finally say: this is yours, now. Take it and run with it!
David Modigliani
Producer/Director of Crawford
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Dear Sirs and ladies. I am based in a place called Delhi which is beyond Alaska and outside continental United States and hence been denied access to this premier on Hulu. What is Hulu? Is it like a pay-per-view version of You tube? Something with more high brow or/and legitimate content. Or is Hulu on a different kind of internet from what rest of the world sees? What is the point of putting things on the net when not everyone on the net will be given access to it? Alas I may never know.
But what I do know, is that an EXCLUSIVE WORLD PREMIER cannot be something where rest of the world is deliberately shut out. Call it exclusive American premier if you will or better still borrow from Crawford’s infamous son’s polemics deployed to justify a range of illegal actions at home and abroad. EXclusive Free World Premier or Exclusive Civilized World Premier. Know what I mean?
Amazons on Mars? How can you even consider such tripe?
Outside of maybe a dozen oldies, and very oldies, I see goofy comedies and low mentality junk that insults the potential viewer if they have any IQ at all.
It is a sad commentary of your taste and immaturity, not to mention intelligence. Who wants to see excerpts of Borne when you cannot see the movie?
You have pages of crap and not a single page of tastefully made and acclaimed entertainment unless it is almost black and white.
All that money and all those people and this is the best you can do…. UGH
The premieres of films this past month on YouTube and Hulu are important landmarks in independent film. I checked out Crawford tonight, and was glad I did. Hulu’s a great platform to watch and monetize feature films. I’m excited to see what comes next.