- by Phyllis Fine,
HOLLYWOOD: On the first full day of Turner Classic Movies' seventh annual Classic Film Festival, I was already living the event's theme, "Moving Pictures," as in films that touch you emotionally. I had just seen "The Passion of Joan of Arc," where the saint burns to a crisp in excruciating close-up.
"I need a drink to recover from my last movie," I told the college-aged festival crew member checking me into my next choice. She commiserated, because she had previously seen the film, a 1928 silent classic.
That moment of well-informed sympathy was an excellent example of the fan camaraderie the network aims to foster with the festival, which ran April 28-May 1.
"We see ourselves as a great learning lab on growing fan engagement," said Jennifer Dorian, the company's general manager.
The network continued that process by launching TCM Backlot, its first official fan club, at the festival. For an annual fee of $87, subscribers will receive perks like exclusive content - including behind-the-scenes and archival videos - and the chance to influence programming through online votes.
One woman was excited about voting for more current movies, so stars would be available for in-person events and on-air commentary. Another attendee didn't see fan input as a positive, preferring that films continue to be curated exclusively by the experts in TCM's own programming department.
That expertise will play a big part in TCM's other new product, FilmStruck, a separate subscription streaming video-on-demand service set to preview in the fall. The SVOD's programming philosophy will be similar to TCM's: "very thematic," said Charles Tabesh, the network's senior vice president of programming. "We'll provide a reason and a context to be there."
Only the content will vary: About 5% of current TCM programming is foreign language or art/independent films. That number will increase to 80% or over for FilmStruck, according to Tabesh.
He spoke at the festival's opening "Meet TCM" session, where attendees got the chance to query network execs. One of the first questions: "How is Mr. Osborne?"