Hello my friends! Today's story is so good! It's another one written by Julie Sarasqueta and introduces you to a new local nonprofit, The Idaho Film Society. I'm so excited to see what this organization does in Boise. You can listen to me read this story on today's podcast episode. Enjoy!

Meet the Idaho Film Society

By Julie Sarasqueta

If you’ve passed the old Greyhound Bus Station on Bannock lately, you’ve probably noticed the colorful murals that now grace the sides of this mid-century stalwart. And, if you’ve looked closely, you might have also seen black-and-white marquee lettering above the entrance that reads “Idaho Film Society.”

The sign may be simple. But the ambition inside — well, it’s massive. If founder Aidan Brezonick has his way, the Idaho Film Society will pull off something no other organization has been able to do: create a homegrown film industry.

Right now, this old bus terminal is poised to offer what Brezonick wanted when he was a fledgling filmmaker growing up in Eagle — the space to play, explore, make mistakes, find mentors, be entertained and inspired. Brezonick had to leave the state to find what he needed, and when he returned he was surprised to discover Idaho still treading the filmmaking waters.

“I’ve learned through Eric Gilbert (of Treefort) and other really talented board members that Boise responds best to building a place out through grassroots means,” he says.

Building a film industry from the ground up

Movie cameras have never avoided the Gem State entirely. Even in the earliest days of film, Idaho’s spectacular landscapes played a supporting role. Pioneering filmmaker Nell Shipman set up a production company in Priest Lake in the early 1920s and shot several films here. Hollywood has used Idaho as a backdrop for big-budget movies like “Breakfast of Champions,” “Dante’s Peak,” “Bronco Billy,” and “Pale Rider.”

But nothing has matched a little movie shot in Preston. You know it, of course: “Napoleon Dynamite.” The quirky cult film earned a massive following when it debuted in 2004 and spawned interest in building out Idaho’s film capabilities. Later that decade, the Legislature voted to offer tax incentives that have since expired. By the 2010s, tax support for filming was much harder to find in the Statehouse. At the moment, Idaho does not offer any tax incentives for companies that want to film here. Aside from stalwarts like the Sun Valley Film Festival, Filmfort at Treefort Music Fest, and i48 film competition and festival, Idaho’s film presence is incredibly limited. The Idaho Department of Commerce’s film pitch is limited to a single page on its website.

But is an Idaho film industry such a crazy idea? In the 1970s, shooting a hit TV series or big-budget movie in Georgia seemed almost unthinkable. But thanks to a film commission created by Jimmy Carter and tax incentives pushed forward by governors who followed him, Atlanta and its environs have become an industry focal point. Big hits like “The Walking Dead,” “Stranger Things,” “Baby Driver,” and “Ford vs. Ferrari” — among many, many others — have been filmed there. The film industry rakes in billions of dollars for the state.

Instead of relying on Idaho to take action, Brezonick is betting on Boise’s tradition of creating change from the ground up. What Idaho creates could be closer to the scene in Austin, Texas.

“My biggest road map, or north star, in how we do this correctly has been working with the Austin Film Society,” he says. “Boise is kind of at the same juncture Austin was in the late ’80s. It’s a university town, it’s got a youthful art scene, and that attracts the tech scene. And then people start moving in because it’s also a nice outdoor extracurricular place.”

Brezonick has received plenty of assistance and feedback from his colleagues in Austin, who have been willing to jump on calls and offer advice.

“I think Boise and Austin have this kind of similarity that kind of cuts through the pretension — which this industry has a lot of — and you can actually reach people and talk to them and they want to help you,” he says.

That has certainly been the case with the IFS. Their first major fundraiser was a 40th anniversary screening of the iconic “A Christmas Story” at the Egyptian Theater, with the film’s star, Peter Billingsley, participating. After switching from acting to producing, Billingsley created a production company with actor Vince Vaughn. He now lives in Eagle with his family and sits on IFS’s board of directors.

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A new life for an old space

The owner of the old bus terminal has given the film society license to use the space for three years. It’s a huge coup for a fledgling nonprofit — a massive footprint in a rapidly developing section of Downtown Boise.

“It gives us a little bit of room to test the waters and see what the best way to build the industry is like,” Brezonick says. “What’s the best way to build the industry that’s good for Boise and the rest of the state, and not just build something and be open and try to make money as quickly as possible so we can just afford rent? I mean, we pinch ourselves every day. It’s pretty cool.”

The plans for the IFS are pretty cool, too. And ambitious. On a recent morning, Brezonick walked through the space and pointed out the features and amenities that will be coming soon. A community work space where people can set up their offices and collaborate. A big soundstage. A resource library where filmmakers can check out cameras and gear — a huge time and savings cost, Brezonick points out, because now filmmakers usually have to drive to Salt Lake City or Portland to get what they need. Private workspaces and a screening room. And, of course, a theater.

There’s a very energetic, DIY feel to the space. The soundstage is packed with old theater seats. A bank of pay phones still lines the area that is now the space’s lounge/bar. The theater is pitch black because volunteers plastered coat after coat of paint on the walls. Most of the doors in the interior of the building are actually curtains. One of Brezonick’s friends, a storyboard artist, created mockups for each room that are posted throughout the building.

The theater will soft launch this month to IFS members, and later to the public. At first, screenings will be free as a team of film curators behind the scenes finds their groove. Eventually, IFS will regularly show second-run movies for about $5 in a space that will hold 80 people.

A place for all filmmakers (even the youngest)

Hopefully, Brezonick says, IFS will be a space where filmmakers and film production professionals can trade ideas. He’s very excited about the mentorship possibilities, too. Brezonick knew from a young age that he wanted to participate in film, and his first job was as a camera operator at KTVB. But getting beyond that early learning experience was tougher.

“I would send emails out into the void and no one would ever get back to me,” he says.

He wants Idaho kids to understand the difference between working independently and working for a studio — and to see that there are possibilities for them within the industry, no matter where they live. Brezonick hopes local advertising agencies and other businesses that regularly use filmmaking services will find resources and professionals through IFS, too.

The Idaho Film Society should have plenty of opportunities to connect with up-and-coming filmmakers. Boise State University’s Department of Theatre, Film and Creative Writing offers a Film and Television Arts program that has proven super popular — perhaps not surprising, given that digital natives have grown up documenting their lives in unprecedented ways.

“We’re just kind of outlining as many routes as possible for kids and then giving them the confidence to just make the things that they know and tell the stories that are personal to them, because that’s the most interesting thing,” Brezonick says. “Just making film lovers, and then potential filmmakers, aware of all the different routes to a career in this industry. You don’t have to go to L.A. or New York, we could build something here.”

The Idaho Film Society is inviting the public to be part of the effort. An IFS membership is $12 a month or $120 a year (discounts are available for students) and includes benefits such as free movies on Mondays, members-only events, and first crack at special event screenings and workshops.

The IFS is also looking for gear to build out their rental services; if you have a high-quality camera or other equipment, you can email the organization at info@idahofilm.org to see if it’s the right fit. The IFS is a registered 501(c)3, so membership and donations are tax deductible.

Volunteer opportunities are in the works, too. “We get hit up a lot about volunteers, which is great,” Brezonick says. “We love that and we want as many people to volunteer with us as they do for Treefort. Because our goal is to eventually be on that same tier as Treefort, but on the film side.”

Brezonick admits there are still a million things to do. He’s a “51 percent optimist but a realist, also.”

“I really do think Boise is at a point where if we build this, then it's sustainable,” he says. “There's enough talent pool now. People say that they’d love to work here … the next logical step is to just have the jobs start being here.”

Thanks for reading!

With love from Boise,

Marissa

This story was written by Julie Sarasqueta, a writer and tarot reader who lives in Boise.

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