What’s This Film About? Funny You Should Ask…..
We’ve been at this thing for about 7 months now, which, in documentary filmmaking years, is actually about a three days. Throughout the seven months of production, we’ve pretty much been focused on the end result, and have stayed pretty focused on what we want this film to say at the end of the day. We’re not trying to solve world peace with this film, and we certainly aren’t trying to encapsulate every band that’s ever set foot in Athens and called it home. That would be nothing more than a film that never ends. But what we do want to do is be honest, and accurate with what we’ve found in our conversations with people.
They say (and by “they” I mean people much more knowledgeable than I) that at any given moment, there are about 500 bands within the Athens/Clarke County, GA community. So for that reason, i will be the first to make the statement that the Athens Music Project will NOT be a completely comprehensive story of music in the Classic City. What it will be however, is a snapshot of this town, and how it’s people and resident enthusiastically wrap their arms around the strum of a guitar, the pounding of a kick drum, and sometimes, a musician like Vic Chesnutt, who for all intents and purposes, defies classification. More than once, speaking with those who knew him well, they have been left speechless when trying to describe what he was and what he sounded like.
My first experience in Athens was actually about 7 years ago, not long after I moved to Georgia, having heard things about this town that really had nothing to do with the University of Georgia, but everything to do with some downright bitchin’ music. My first trip was of course, to come to see a show at The Georgia Theater. Old Crow Medicine Show, who were in the midst of a southeast tour, were completely skipping Atlanta where I live, and honestly, i didn’t understand why. ”Athens but not Atlanta?” I thought. And after making the trek, I still didn’t get it. But over the course of a few years, i made more and more trips to Athens to see bands who had every intention of completely ignoring Atlanta, and making their money in Athens, where the beer was cheaper and the town would put up a great crowd. After seeing a number of shows here, and getting a good glimpse of how the music here is cultivated, I began to understand. Over the course of the last 7 or 8 months, we’ve spoken to dozens of musicians, producers, writers, promoters, club owners, and all of them seem to have a similar sentiment about this town. Athens doesn’t try to be anything musically. It doesn’t have to, because it already is. Now, we just have to figure out a way to make a movie with that as the backbone of the picture. Nahh…..this won’t be hard at all.
Drew
Producer
