Indiana University Cinema: The New Model (Well House Books)

217 Pages·2021·322.218 MB·English

by  Brittany D. Friesner, Jon Vickers

$25.00
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INDIANA UNIVERSITY
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A CINEMA

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Brittany D. Friesner V
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is the founding associate
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director for Indiana University
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Cinema. She began her
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career at the Arts Council T
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of Indianapolis and has held

leadership roles in several arts C In its first ten years, a small Midwestern cinema
and educational non-profit I has attracted some of the most intriguing and
organizations, including N THE NEW MODEL groundbreaking filmmakers from around the world,
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Sundance Film Festival, screened the best in arthouse and repertory films, and
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Pacific Science Center, and Jacobs School of Music. Friesner presented innovative and unique cinematic experiences.
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holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in

arts administration, both from Indiana University. T Indiana University Cinema: The New Model tells the story
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Photo courtesy of Tall and Small Photography, LLC of how the cinema on the campus of Indiana University
E Bloomington grew into a vibrant, diverse, and thoughtfully

N curated cinematheque. Detailing its creation of a
E transformative cinematic experience throughout its inaugural
Jon Vickers is the W
decade, the IU Cinema has arguably become one of the best
founding director of Indiana
“Why is a place like IU Cinema important to the campus and community? How could it be otherwise? What better place for the M venues for watching movies in the country.
University Cinema. Armed
community to exchange thoughts and opinions, to learn and enjoy? There are students who will come to the IU Cinema because
with a civil engineering O
they want film in some form to be their life’s work. Indeed, it is a big dream, and big dreams need to be supported and nurtured. . . . Featuring 17 exclusive interviews with filmmakers and actors
degree, a love of cinema, and D
To everyone at IU Cinema, thank you for building this together. To everybody at IU, thank you for helping them.” as well as an afterword from Jonathan Banks (Breaking Bad
entrepreneurial spirit, he has E
—Jonathan Banks, Primetime Emmy Award Nominated Actor, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul L and Better Call Saul), Indiana University Cinema is a lavishly
led the successful launch of
illustrated book that is sure to please everyone from the
three venues and programs
casual moviegoer to the most passionate cinephile.
over twenty-five years— “This book will take you through the amazing journey from a university president’s goal to the opening and launch B
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Vickers Theatre (Three Oaks, of a new program to the strategic planning, innovative programming, quality branding, and professional execution IT
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Michigan), Browning Cinema (University of Notre Dame), that have made it the highly respected and successful venue and program it is today—the Indiana University Cinema. A
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and Indiana University Cinema. Each of these programs have It has been an honor to be passionately involved with the Cinema and watch it grow more impressive each and every year.” Y
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screened thousands of films, engaged filmmakers, and enhanced —Jane Jorgensen, founder of the Jorgensen Guest Filmmaker Series at IU Cinema . F
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the cultural and social fabric of their surrounding communities. IE
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Photo courtesy of IU Studios N
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iupress.org IC
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Front Cover: Filmmaker Walter Salles introducing a sneak preview ISBN 9780253058089 E
of his film On the Road (2012) to a sold-out audience at IU Cinema 52500 > RS
in November 2012. Photo courtesy of Chris Meyers/IU Studios
Back Cover: IU Cinema after the completion of construction in
November 2010, prior to its dedication and opening. BRITTANY D. FRIESNER JON VICKERS
and
Photo courtesy of Aaron Bernstein/IU Studios 9 780253 058089
INDIANA UNIVERSITY
CINEMA
THE NEW MODEL
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INDIANA UNIVERSITY
CINEMA
THE NEW MODEL
BRITTANY D. FRIESNER JON VICKERS
and
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This book is a publication of
Indiana University Press
Office of Scholarly Publishing
Herman B Wells Library 350
1320 East 10th Street
Bloomington, Indiana 47405 USA
iupress.org
© 2021 by the Trustees of Indiana University
All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced or
utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying and recording,
or by any information storage and retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publisher.
The paper used in this publication meets the
minimum requirements of the American National
Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence
of Paper for Printed Library Materials,
ANSI Z39.48-1992.
Manufactured in Canada
Cataloging information is available from the
Library of Congress.
ISBN 978-0-253-05808-9 (hardback)
ISBN 978-0-253-05809-6 (ebook)
First printing 2021
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THE NEW MODEL v
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vi INDIANA UNIVERSITY CINEMA
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CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ix
FOREWORD xi
01 SETTING THE STAGE 02
02 UNVEILING A NEW MODEL 24
03 TRANSFORMATIVE CINEMA IN ACTION 60
04 CONTINUING A LEGACY 190
AFTERWORD 203
THE NEW MODEL vii
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
It is our pleasure to acknowledge those responsible for the overwhelming success IU Cinema has enjoyed in its first decade. Our achievements
to date are the product of many individual contributions of time, financial gifts, hard work, and intellectual and creative thought. This includes
our talented and dedicated full-time, part-time, student, and volunteer staff; our academic, student, and community partners; and generous
donors, alumni, students, audience members, and industry colleagues. Many of these good people—perhaps yourself included—are mentioned
inside these covers. If we missed you, please know it does not mean you were not on our minds when writing these chapters. Along with support
from individuals, it is important to note the unparalleled commitment to the arts and humanities by Indiana University’s administration and faculty.
The leadership of President Michael A. McRobbie, Provost and Executive Vice President Lauren Robel, Deputy Chief of Staff and Bicentennial
Director Kelly Kish, and former Provost and Executive Vice President Karen Hanson was critical to the inception and development of IU Cinema
in its first decade. Of course, we all built on the long-standing traditions and priorities of University leadership who preceded us, especially
IU’s beloved eleventh president, Herman B Wells.
This book would not exist without the dedication, drive, organization, and editing of our Publications Editor Michaela Owens; incredible
layout and design by our Design and Marketing Manager Kyle Calvert, with guidance from Jennifer Witzke of IU Press; the expertise
and wisdom of Gary Dunham and Stephen Williams at IU Press; and the generosity of IU Cinema champions Jane and Jay Jorgensen.
We are deeply grateful to all IU Cinema staff for their contributions, including Carla Cowden, Elena Grassia, Seth Mutchler, and
Jessica Davis Tagg; we are indebted to Alyssa Brooks and Payton Frawley for their work in transcribing many of the filmmaker interviews
inside. Special thanks to Photograph Curator Bradley Cook with the University Archives for directing us to great historical images and
University Historian James Capshew for always having the backstory. Although each figure in this publication has a caption and
acknowledgments, this book would not have its aesthetic beauty without contributions from the talented photographers of IU Studios
over the years, coupled with the brilliant design of IU Cinema promotional materials from Kyle Calvert, volunteer Jennifer Vickers,
and many other contributors. Thank you all!
BRITTANY D. FRIESNER JON VICKERS
Countless engaged and passionate individuals have helped make When Brittany first suggested this book, it seemed like a novel
IU Cinema a reality and contributed to its first decade of amazing idea, albeit bold after only ten years. This book would not exist
and transformative programming. I am deeply grateful to Indiana without her foresight and confidence. Now that it has taken shape,
University—my alma mater twice over—for its vision in establishing I reflect on the last decade with an enormous amount of pride for
IU Cinema, and I am immensely thankful for all the coworkers, what we have collectively built. I am humbled and honored to be
colleagues, collaborators, and artists I have been fortunate to work part of IU Cinema’s history and thank Indiana University for this
with over the years—you have been integral in helping make the magic opportunity, which I never took for granted. I also need to thank
of this place possible. Moreover, I feel a profound sense of gratitude to Jennifer, Max, Frankie, and Ava for uprooting and making the
my loved ones who have supported me and my work—you help make move to Bloomington to continue the journey of this accidental
the challenging days less difficult and the good days even greater. career in community building disguised as film exhibition.
And a very special thank you goes to Francis “Frankie” Josephine For the love of film!
Friesner, who has inspired more than one good programming idea.
ix
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