Sean Dunne

Dearest Vimeo, My name is Sean Dunne. I am a vimeo plus member and a filmmaker. I make documentaries that I post solely on vimeo. Some of my films have achieved great success due to the online exposure I've gotten. My first film, The Archive, was posted on Vimeo in August 2008 and subsequently went to Sundance, Silverdocs, was aired on PBS, shortlisted for best doc at the Vimeo awards and was even nominated for an Emmy. My next film, The Bowler, achieved similar success having played to audiences all over the world and at countless film festivals. Once again those films (and all my work thus far) were made exclusively for vimeo and posted on the site the day they were finished. Any attention they received after that can be attributed to the exposure they received from vimeo...this is why I love vimeo. This summer I made a film called American Juggalo. I posted it on vimeo with very low expectations. Somehow despite it's length and subject matter it went viral and found an audience. I couldn't be more thrilled with the reaction that the film has gotten. So some friends start sending me the submission for the vimeo awards saying I should send it in. It's not usually my thing, but I figure why not? If vimeo somehow chooses to recognize it then maybe it could help us get the much needed funding for my next project. So I submit it, then I realize that the documentary category has a restriction on the length of its submissions. What? Why? Huh? Ummm, okay. This is why I'm writing. As someone who has spread the good word and sung the praises of vimeo for the last 3+ years I was dumbfounded when I read these rules and I figured I would take this opportunity to let you know why this upsets me (beyond the obvious reason that my film doesn't qualify) and ask you a few questions, most rhetorical...because I'm an asshole. Is it really necessary to have length restrictions for these awards? What do you gain by eliminating projects that are longer than that? Is this a good message to be sending to your users? And can you really, with a clear conscience, bestow the title of Best in category without acknowledging that a good portion of the films on your site didn't even qualify? This points to a larger problem that I see in the changing landscape of filmmaking, the tail wagging the dog. As the torchbearers of quality online video, are you really trying to say to the filmmaking community that in order to have their work recognized it needs to be a certain length? That a film that clocks in over 20 minutes is somehow less worthy of the massive exposure that the vimeo awards brings your project? Is that really the message you're trying to send here? As a filmmaker who has been to virtually every festival out there and spoken to countless directors I can tell you that the effect of this is simple and scary, artists start tailoring their work to fit into the confines of these festivals and awards...the tail wagging the dog. Up and coming filmmakers who haven't been as lucky as myself unknowingly start making films that are a certain length or a certain subject matter because they crave the exposure that comes along with being selected by these bullshit festivals. And now Vimeo can add their name to the list of people who are part of the problem. If you ask me I think it was pretty ballsy to make an uncensored film about Juggalos that is 23 minutes long and expect people to watch, but they have. Close to 900,000 people so far. That film is exactly what I set out to make, the exact length it needs to be to get the point across. But what is the message vimeo is trying to send me? That had I made some edits, tweaks, omissions and fucked around with it and made it shorter it would be worth considering. FUCK. THAT. You call yourselves a filmmaking community but I must admit that after seeing the rules on your little "contest" I now feel you're doing the exact opposite. You're doing the filmmaking community, especially those like myself who make films exclusively for vimeo, a huge disservice. My suggestion, don't have a festival or awards ceremony at all. Act as a true community and resource for filmmakers and don't go alienating those who see vimeo as an alternative to the industry bullshit for their films by recognizing only a handful of films and videos. Isn't art supposed to be subjective? Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't vimeo supposed to be above this? You’re supposed to be a resource, not a tastemaker. At least that’s what I thought. I know the simple answer to all these questions and complaints is if you don't like it then just don't submit. Well, if I hadn't already submitted before reading these bogus rules then I would absolutely not have submitted. But now that you have my $5 submission fee do me a favor and watch and consider the first 20 minutes of American Juggalo for the documentary category but don't bother with the remaining 3 minutes and 22 seconds they are completely unnecessary to the film. I mean who could ever make something decent that's a little longer than 20 minutes? By having these awards in the first place you are taking on a HUGE responsibility. Maybe you don’t realize that fact. But by pointing out the “best” in any given category amongst the hundreds of thousands of videos on your site you’re telling the public that this is truly the best of the best without fully explaining that this is the best of those films that were under 20 minutes…oh and chosen from only those who submitted. People buy into this shit, if you’re going to do this you should at least do it right. That is all. Have fun with your little awards thing. -Sean Dunne