Clapboard Jungle isn’t necessarily a must-watch for aspiring filmmakers but does provide valuable insight about what’s needed to survive the industry. Director Justin McConnell documents his experiences over several years during the 2010s; a time when COVID-19 and the streaming boom hadn’t yet affected the logistics of producing a feature film. Incidentally, Clapboard Jungle feels slightly dated yet the main takeaways are indeed evergreen.
McConnell comes across as a blue-collar, business-savvy filmmaker in Clapboard Jungle. He briefly explains how the 2012 death of collaborator Kevin Hutchinson led to a significant weight gain, and then focuses primarily on the numerous obstacles that he’s faced over the years. Various interviewees complement McConnell’s commentaries about the challenges of financing and marketing a feature-length film, which results in some poignant revelations about assembling a “proof of concept,” along with some head-scratching takes about film criticism.
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Clapboard Jungle’s many talking heads parallel the day-to-day drama of Film Twitter, and it’s wildly entertaining. Director Frank Henenlotter (Basket Case) discusses the varying reactions to his 1990 film Frankenhooker, and wonders about which film critics are “right.” This particular sequence stands out because it connects to a major problem in modern film culture: the need to label films as “awesome” or “shit” — “good” or “bad.” In Clapboard Jungle, McConnell’s expansive industry commentaries suggest that he understands and appreciates the critic’s role: to provide context, analysis and a well-informed take about the movie being reviewed. It’s not about being “right” or “wrong” — it’s about processing information and knowing how to communicate an opinion. The same concept applies to filmmakers when collaborating with others on a project, or while navigating the business side of the industry.
In Clapboard Jungle, filmmaker Graham Skipper (Sequence Break) suggests that critics should try to remember how much passion goes into making a film, and try to find something positive to note in their reviews. Per the documentary’s central thesis, though, having a mere passion for movies isn’t enough to survive in the industry. Having a passion for filmmaking doesn’t mean that critics should be swayed by that information. Passion should be a given. A director’s passion for movies doesn’t automatically translate to a quality product. Having passion for movies, or possessing a strong knowledge of film theory/history, doesn’t make a filmmaker immune to criticism. Some agenda-driven critics do indeed get nasty, and some inexperienced writers struggle to find their voice, but most professional critics understand how to properly do their job. Critics are passionate about movies, but nobody’s going to slap them on the back for watching movies on a yearly basis and repeatedly writing about them. Passion should be a given. When analyzing McConnell’s multi-year commentaries in Clapboard Jungle, he seems to be continuously asking himself, “How do I use all this passion and industry knowledge to make a better film?
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Clapboard Jungle could not only benefit up-and-coming filmmakers, but also young writers who are serious about pursuing a career in film criticism. Passion isn’t enough. You need to understand the business side of it all, and how to separate yourself from others who aren’t fully prepared for the grind. Clapboard Jungle is fundamentally about filmmaking, but it’s also about industry professionalism. In both filmmaking and film criticism, a pitch won’t be accepted if you don’t know how to market a product and don’t know how to read a room. Clapboard Jungle may not fully reflect the current state of filmmaking, but it can be used as a professional how-to guide for directors and writers who value feedback and are genuinely curious about how constructive criticism can be applied to future projects.
Q.V. Hough (@QVHough) is Vague Visages’ founding editor.
Categories: 2020s, 2021 Film Reviews, 2021 Horror Reviews, Documentary, Featured, Film Reviews, Genre (Update in Progress), Horror
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