WEBBTIDE 2001-2002 @ SHORELINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Volume 37 No.10 Oct. 19 - Nov. 01, 2001 [ ARCHIVE ] [ FEEDBACK ] [ HELP ]
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Warren Report asks audiences

.
      Warren Etheredge loves films with a passion that surpasses simple appreciation of an amusing diversion. He believes that films are an opportunity to understand a little more about ourselves and our world. In fact, Etheredge says that people too often passively observe a movie without paying attention to the content, and this must change.
      Well, just who the heck is this guy, and what's the big deal about sponging in a flick without engaging in deep thought?
      Warren Etheredge is the owner and operator of a website called TheWarrenReport, a forum in which screenwriting is the focus. A casual browse around the site reveals an earnest desire to explore thematic issues, honestly critique screenplays and engage in vigorous discourse about an aspect of a medium most Americans blithely take for granted.
      Films have captivated Etheredge's imagination nearly his entire life. A native of New York City, he began writing at an early age, publishing several books about football trivia and even ghost-writing the "Encyclopedia Galactica," a fact book about the old television show "Battlestar Galactica." He laughs, saying that he was "as geeky as one could possibly get."
      Etheredge found writing satisfying but socially isolating. "While I was growing up," he says, "I loved movies. I watched films on TV. As soon as VCRs came out, I was on top of that."
      The film world so captivated Etheredge that while still very young, he kept a log of every movie he viewed. "By the time I graduated from high school, I had seen 2,000 films." He ruefully reports that the log has been lost along the way. "I'm kicking myself now," he adds, grinning. During his senior year in high school, Etheredge became so intrigued by theater that he wrote and produced a play. "I fell in love with theater for a while," he says. He went on to write and/or direct more than 40 off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway shows.
      The financial rewards of theater being substantially less than film and television, Etheredge began writing for a variety of cable channels including VH-1, MTV and Comedy Central. He soon realized that monetary compensation was not enough to satisfy him. "I learned that theater didn't pay but I loved it. Television paid really well but I hated it," he says. So what next?
      Once again, Etheredge began thinking about film. When a friend suggested moving to Seattle in 1997, this die-hard New Yorker surprised himself by his willingness to try new environs. While working in a chocolate factory, the best job he could land at the time, he was drawn to the Screenwriters Salon at the Alibi Room.
      The salon brings writers and audience members together for screenplay readings followed by an open forum to ask questions and offer constructive criticism. After reading about it for several weeks, Etheredge's curiosity demanded a visit.
      At his second salon gathering, Fate redirected Etheredge's life from chocolate production to film. During a postreading comment session, he was dismayed at the lack of negative commentary. Trying to balance constructive criticism and tact, he offered a straightforward critique that rendered the room speechless. "The writers probably hated me," he says with a wry smile.
      Etheredge's unwillingness to trade honest opinion for touchy-feely warmth paid off. Stewart Stern was in the audience that night. Stern, presently a screenwriting instructor at the University of Washington, wrote the James Dean classic "Rebel Without a Cause."
      Stern later telephoned the salon's director, and referring to Etheredge said, "I don't know who that guy was, but he was right on target about everything." Etheredge says that "From that point on, I gained some sort of credibility which I hadn't had before." And thus an avid film lover was reborn.
      Shortly after Stern's comments, Etheredge landed a grant-writing job at Cinema Seattle, the firm that runs the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF). He gradually took on more responsibilities including screening and judging short films, deciding what would be shown. During his tenure as membership coordinator, Etheredge boosted the festival's membership by at least three-fold.
      In the spring of 2000, Etheredge left SIFF to become curator of the One Reel Film Festival at Bumbershoot. Originally established as a short-film festival, One Reel had gradually changed its program by premiering Hollywood features and offering live music.
      Etheredge decided that "It's a short-film festival. I'm showing all short films," he firmly states. Asked if he considers himself a purist, he offers a sheepish grin and says, "I am definitely a purist." He proudly adds that One Reel is "the nation's best-attended celebration of short films."
      Etheredge's credits are not limited to writing and directing. He currently appears in three feature films. Upon hearing "The Briar Bitch Project" mentioned, he playfully grimaces. Some people knew of him through his work at Cinema Seattle and asked him to star in a "Briar Witch" parody.
      His lead role in "Briar Bitch" cast him as "... a character named Warren who was a smarmy, New York Jew," he chortles. "Oop. That's a stretch." Asked if it was an enjoyable experience, he replies, "I found it a lot of fun." He disclaims writing credit for the film, although he did some adlibbing.
      "Polterchrist" adds another acting credit to Etheredge's resumŽ. In this film he also plays "... a smarmy, New York Jew who tells off Christ at a book-signing." Yet another vehicle is "Engagement Party," wherein Etheredge again portrays a Jewish New Yorker, this time as a stand-up comic.
      His film roles do not appear to have overinflated his ego. In fact, he finds the concept of himself as an actor rather amusing. "I'm a performer," he says, "not an actor. So if it's something where I'm essentially playing myself, I'm all for it."
      It is abundantly clear that despite any celebrity resulting from his work in these films, writing and analyzing others' work is Etheredge's joie de vivre.
TheWarrenReport
      Etheredge's website, thewarrenreport.com, is a haven for those who love the written word as used in film. There are several components, one of which is Distinguishing Features. One film is screened each month, with an emphasis on showing work by writers and/or directors from the Northwest.
      Following the screening, audience members have an opportunity to ask questions of writers, producers, directors and/or actors. Through this process, Etheredge hopes to enlighten movie-goers and filmmakers alike. Rather than a love-fest, he insists on a meaningful dialogue in which he is an astoundingly energetic moderator.
      Another WarrenReport offering is Shooting Scripts. Actors read the screenplay, and the audience has an opportunity to focus on the words without the distraction of visuals. The writers then have a chance to receive immediate feedback from the audience.
      Etheredge says that this exchange, along with postscreening discussions in Distinguishing Features, is geared toward "... the education and empowerment of the audience." For him, it is not enough to simply stare at a movie screen for two hours without questioning what happens.
      Film Rap is yet another part of TheWarrenReport, one which he says is by far his favorite. Film Rap discussions delve into broader life issues reflected in screenplays such as racism, factual accuracy and current national mood, among many others.
      Etheredge refers to a recent in-depth discussion after a screening of "Black Hawk Down." Bryan Suits of KIRO 710 radio was on hand to answer audience questions. Suits served in the Gulf War and also witnessed the horrors of mass graves in Bosnia, which he helped exhume and record. He knows many of the individuals who were involved in the real-life events on which the film is based.
      "It was an amazing evening," says Etheredge. "Some people say, 'I love my work so much, I'd do it for free,' and Film Rap I actually do for free." TheWarrenReport is both Etheredge's passion and his business. While Film Rap is currently free as he builds an audience, both Distinguishing Features and Shooting Scripts are paid events. As if this is not enough immersion in film-speak, he also teaches several classes geared toward making better film scripts through nurturing aspiring writers.
      While he criticizes films, Etheredge adamantly denies that he is a critic. Rather, he calls himself "a film provocateur," adding, "I don't care what I think. I just care that everybody who's watching the movie is actually forming an opinion. That's all I want."
      When asked if discourse about film content is the most important thing to him, Etheredge enthusiastically states, "The discussion is far more important. TheWarrenReport is all about the audience, more so than the movies." Whether a film is a dandy or a dud, he believes that it is a waste of time to see any movie without analyzing it.
      Etheredge describes the desired effect of his efforts: "If people learn more about film and what makes better films, at least in their own mind, they'll be more apt to demand that from Hollywood."
      Asked if he is trying to change Hollywood film content, he responds with a rhetorical question, wistfully pondering, "Wouldn't it be lovely if that happened?" Etheredge acknowledges that demand remains high for shallow escapist content, and so he offers TheWarrenReport's mission statement to explain his approach to film viewing: "Question what you see. Consider what you don't. Draw your own conclusions."
      Warren Etheredge may not transform the Hollywood machine, but he is an undeniable force and will undoubtedly wield a powerful influence on thousands of scripts that may eventually come to life, thus promoting further discussion and a provocative cycle of thought.
      For more information on TheWarrenReport, visit www.thewarrenreport.com.

.

by Cindy Valleley

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Warren Report asks audiences
.	Warren Etheredge loves films with a passion that surpasses simple appreciation of an amusing diversion. He believes that films are an opportunity to understand a little more about ourselves and our world. In fact, Etheredge says that people too often passively observe a movie without paying attention to the content, and this must change. Well, just who the heck is this guy, and what's the big deal about sponging in a flick without engaging in deep thought? Warren Etheredge is the owner and operator of a website called TheWarrenReport, a forum in which screenwriting is the focus. A casual browse around the site reveals an earnest desire to explore thematic issues, honestly critique screenplays and engage in vigorous discourse about an aspect of a medium most Americans blithely take for granted. Films have captivated Etheredge's imagination nearly his entire life. A native of New York City, he began writing at an early age, publishing several books about football trivia and even ghost-writing the "Encyclopedia Galactica," a fact book about the old television show "Battlestar Galactica." He laughs, saying that he was "as geeky as one could possibly get." Etheredge found writing satisfying but socially isolating. "While I was growing up," he says, "I loved movies. I watched films on TV. As soon as VCRs came out, I was on top of that." The film world so captivated Etheredge that while still very young, he kept a log of every movie he viewed. "By the time I graduated from high school, I had seen 2,000 films." He ruefully reports that the log has been lost along the way. "I'm kicking myself now," he adds, grinning. During his senior year in high school, Etheredge became so intrigued by theater that he wrote and produced a play. "I fell in love with theater for a while," he says. He went on to write and/or direct more than 40 off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway shows. The financial rewards of theater being substantially less than film and television, Etheredge began writing for a variety of cable channels including VH-1, MTV and Comedy Central. He soon realized that monetary compensation was not enough to satisfy him. "I learned that theater didn't pay but I loved it. Television paid really well but I hated it," he says. So what next? Once again, Etheredge began thinking about film. When a friend suggested moving to Seattle in 1997, this die-hard New Yorker surprised himself by his willingness to try new environs. While working in a chocolate factory, the best job he could land at the time, he was drawn to the Screenwriters Salon at the Alibi Room. The salon brings writers and audience members together for screenplay readings followed by an open forum to ask questions and offer constructive criticism. After reading about it for several weeks, Etheredge's curiosity demanded a visit. At his second salon gathering, Fate redirected Etheredge's life from chocolate production to film. During a postreading comment session, he was dismayed at the lack of negative commentary. Trying to balance constructive criticism and tact, he offered a straightforward critique that rendered the room speechless. "The writers probably hated me," he says with a wry smile. Etheredge's unwillingness to trade honest opinion for touchy-feely warmth paid off. Stewart Stern was in the audience that night. Stern, presently a screenwriting instructor at the University of Washington, wrote the James Dean classic "Rebel Without a Cause." Stern later telephoned the salon's director, and referring to Etheredge said, "I don't know who that guy was, but he was right on target about everything." Etheredge says that "From that point on, I gained some sort of credibility which I hadn't had before." And thus an avid film lover was reborn. Shortly after Stern's comments, Etheredge landed a grant-writing job at Cinema Seattle, the firm that runs the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF). He gradually took on more responsibilities including screening and judging short films, deciding what would be shown. During his tenure as membership coordinator, Etheredge boosted the festival's membership by at least three-fold. In the spring of 2000, Etheredge left SIFF to become curator of the One Reel Film Festival at Bumbershoot. Originally established as a short-film festival, One Reel had gradually changed its program by premiering Hollywood features and offering live music. Etheredge decided that "It's a short-film festival. I'm showing all short films," he firmly states. Asked if he considers himself a purist, he offers a sheepish grin and says, "I am definitely a purist." He proudly adds that One Reel is "the nation's best-attended celebration of short films." Etheredge's credits are not limited to writing and directing. He currently appears in three feature films. Upon hearing "The Briar Bitch Project" mentioned, he playfully grimaces. Some people knew of him through his work at Cinema Seattle and asked him to star in a "Briar Witch" parody. His lead role in "Briar Bitch" cast him as "... a character named Warren who was a smarmy, New York Jew," he chortles. "Oop. That's a stretch." Asked if it was an enjoyable experience, he replies, "I found it a lot of fun." He disclaims writing credit for the film, although he did some adlibbing. "Polterchrist" adds another acting credit to Etheredge's resumŽ. In this film he also plays "... a smarmy, New York Jew who tells off Christ at a book-signing." Yet another vehicle is "Engagement Party," wherein Etheredge again portrays a Jewish New Yorker, this time as a stand-up comic. His film roles do not appear to have overinflated his ego. In fact, he finds the concept of himself as an actor rather amusing. "I'm a performer," he says, "not an actor. So if it's something where I'm essentially playing myself, I'm all for it." It is abundantly clear that despite any celebrity resulting from his work in these films, writing and analyzing others' work is Etheredge's joie de vivre. TheWarrenReport Etheredge's website, thewarrenreport.com, is a haven for those who love the written word as used in film. There are several components, one of which is Distinguishing Features. One film is screened each month, with an emphasis on showing work by writers and/or directors from the Northwest. Following the screening, audience members have an opportunity to ask questions of writers, producers, directors and/or actors. Through this process, Etheredge hopes to enlighten movie-goers and filmmakers alike. Rather than a love-fest, he insists on a meaningful dialogue in which he is an astoundingly energetic moderator. Another WarrenReport offering is Shooting Scripts. Actors read the screenplay, and the audience has an opportunity to focus on the words without the distraction of visuals. The writers then have a chance to receive immediate feedback from the audience. Etheredge says that this exchange, along with postscreening discussions in Distinguishing Features, is geared toward "... the education and empowerment of the audience." For him, it is not enough to simply stare at a movie screen for two hours without questioning what happens. Film Rap is yet another part of TheWarrenReport, one which he says is by far his favorite. Film Rap discussions delve into broader life issues reflected in screenplays such as racism, factual accuracy and current national mood, among many others. Etheredge refers to a recent in-depth discussion after a screening of "Black Hawk Down." Bryan Suits of KIRO 710 radio was on hand to answer audience questions. Suits served in the Gulf War and also witnessed the horrors of mass graves in Bosnia, which he helped exhume and record. He knows many of the individuals who were involved in the real-life events on which the film is based. "It was an amazing evening," says Etheredge. "Some people say, 'I love my work so much, I'd do it for free,' and Film Rap I actually do for free." TheWarrenReport is both Etheredge's passion and his business. While Film Rap is currently free as he builds an audience, both Distinguishing Features and Shooting Scripts are paid events. As if this is not enough immersion in film-speak, he also teaches several classes geared toward making better film scripts through nurturing aspiring writers. While he criticizes films, Etheredge adamantly denies that he is a critic. Rather, he calls himself "a film provocateur," adding, "I don't care what I think. I just care that everybody who's watching the movie is actually forming an opinion. That's all I want." When asked if discourse about film content is the most important thing to him, Etheredge enthusiastically states, "The discussion is far more important. TheWarrenReport is all about the audience, more so than the movies." Whether a film is a dandy or a dud, he believes that it is a waste of time to see any movie without analyzing it. Etheredge describes the desired effect of his efforts: "If people learn more about film and what makes better films, at least in their own mind, they'll be more apt to demand that from Hollywood." Asked if he is trying to change Hollywood film content, he responds with a rhetorical question, wistfully pondering, "Wouldn't it be lovely if that happened?" Etheredge acknowledges that demand remains high for shallow escapist content, and so he offers TheWarrenReport's mission statement to explain his approach to film viewing: "Question what you see. Consider what you don't. Draw your own conclusions." Warren Etheredge may not transform the Hollywood machine, but he is an undeniable force and will undoubtedly wield a powerful influence on thousands of scripts that may eventually come to life, thus promoting further discussion and a provocative cycle of thought. For more information on TheWarrenReport, visit www.thewarrenreport.com.	.
by Cindy Valleley