1

Note: To skip the philosophy behind Cineapolis and go straight to the position
descriptions, turn to page 7.

CineapLiS
Cinema is one of the last remaining communal activities.
Somewhere in the world right

It is all encompassingthe

now a small number of people are

Seventh

Art

that

combines

sitting seats apart from each other

architecture,

looking up at the same screen. Their

dance, music, and poetry. It is

recent past may have been filled

versatile, as demonstrated by the

with joy, sorrow, or ordinariness, but

sheer variety of cinema made in the

here they are, audience to the same

past hundred years. Cinema can take

work of art, and if the movie is

us anywhere, focus our attention on

strong enough, they will all leave the

anything, and redefine reality for us,

theater with their spirits and minds

at least for the span of its running

replenished, ready to face whatever

time.

sculpture,

painting,

struggles lie ahead as they go about

the business of life.
Cinema

is

church

without

superstition; live comedy that can

willingly

displease;

theater

with

more penetration and permanence.

It is democratic and universal. A
projector and a set of speakers can
be found in most slums and all cities
are expected to have at least one
grand screen.

Coypel's Fury of Achilles (1737)

Even

the

staunchest

opponent of fascism felt a small

admiration

after

watching

Leni

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Riefenstahls Triumph of the Will.

communicate information far more

Sleazy mobsters started wearing

effectively than any rival method

sharp

because it engages so much of the

suits

and

philosophically
watching
Young

the

speaking
day

Coppolas

men

try

after

Godfather.

to

speak

like

receivers

mind.

Psychological

phenomena like neural coupling

only

strengthen

the

case

that

Clooney, move like Gosling, and

storytelling is the dominant way for

carry an expression like Bogart.

us to transfer our knowledge and

Films are modern-day epics, and a

opinions to one another.

Western child today wants to be

Tony Stark as much as one raised in
Ancient

Athens

wanted

to

be

Achilles.

Storytelling

is

ancient

but

cinema is not. Were only about a

hundred

years

into

this

great

experiment and, I think, we are on

the cusp of something wonderful.
The Master, Birdman, Tree of Life,
Mud, Foxcatcher, Beasts of the
Southern Wild, all these veritable
masterpieces were made in the past
five years, and here are you and I,
Malicks Tree of Life (2011)

Stories

are

young and capable, who have a

a

defining

characteristic of our species. Our

thoughts are essentially connections
of causes and effects, and stories
excel at elucidating the connection
between the two. Storytelling has
been empirically demonstrated to

chance to help build this grand

structure already under construction.
Cinemas relative newness is an
advantage to those who want to
shape an art form for centuries to
come.

Advantages of Cinema Over Other Mediums

Cinema is the best at engaging all our senses,
because it synthesizes the other arts,
and is played in a setting specifically geared to immerse.
Cinema is excellent at reaching a large number of people.
because, again, theaters are made for large numbers,
and films are surprisingly popular,
both in the developed world,
and the crucial, populous developing world.
Filmmaking is now accessible,
because

all

necessary

production

equipment

is

now

affordable,
or can be acquired through financing if one has reasonably
healthy credit.
Filmmaking is flexible.
It has as much breadth as any artistic field,
and can have as much depth if created by the right people.
Filmmaking is by its very nature meritocratic.
because people will always want to pay to see a great story,
and because its accessibility makes it hard to monopolize.

Filmmaking is an effort-rewarding field,

because so much of it is learned through practice that one is
bound to get better if they are honest with themselves.
and because audiences grow exponentially.

Why not strive to cure cancer instead?

It is a legitimate question and

Consider this: prisoners have

we should never ignore legitimate

starved themselves to death to

questions.

demands

protest their captivity. To those

tremendous energywhy not apply

prisoners, dignity was worth more

that energy to medicine, physics,

than food. The image of a man

technology or the like?

standing with his head held high was

Cinema

more valuable than that of a well-fed

Stanley Kubrick and Orson

slave. This image is so vivid that it

Welles could have dedicated their

takes on the characteristics of a

creativity and intellect to any other

narrative: the characters of the rebel

field and been useful to mankind.

and the master, the plot that one

They most likely chose filmmaking

demands

because of a combination of their

demands obedience, the climax in

artistic

their

which the rebel must demonstrate

their

the conviction of her beliefs so that

inclinations,

circumstances
recognition

of

in

life,

and

storytelling

as

liberty

and

the

other

the master will be forced to a fight.

fundamental human need.

A matured perspective of the
world recognizes humanitys various
requirements. Food is important, but
certain things trump even food
supply.

Who

would

sell

their

freedom of speech for the wealth of

the average Singaporean? Medicinal
research is unquestionably essential,
but so is beauty and narrative.
A Bengali Freedom Fighter Carrying Another
(1971)

The

strongest

motives

arise

from

self-

perception, which is determined above all by

the stories we put ourselves in.
It

is

that

all

our own interests. When a person

in

the

puts himself into the narrative of a

entirety of history are driven by a

thiefor, as he would describe it, an

belief in some powerful narrative.

enlightened non-conformist under

The martyr facing death in the

financial stressthey adjust their

Roman arena found strength in the

behavior per their story. If that same

Epic of Christ. Bengali freedom

person

fighters hiding in the jungle perhaps

impoverished

drew courage from the Saga of

against materialistic society, then

themselves as they saw itrugged

their story would not permit them to

jungle-warriors on a task to free

steal, because the narrative does not

their cities from enemy occupiers. To

flow in that directionhis character

even

would be too incoherent and the

substantial

my

belief

human

acts

kind-hearted

plantation

heiress the idea of freedom for her

familys

slaves

was

saw

themselves
Socratic

as

an

protestor

moral of the story would be lost.

nonsensical,

because there was no room in the

Cinema doesnt tell us how to

narrative for it. Likewise, criminals

act, but at its best creates narratives

are generally convinced that they

to put ourselves in. Take Office

were doing the right thing, per their

Space, which I have turned to for

story. I am just a person, doing

solace

what I need to survive. That is a

depressed in a corporate setting. I

beautiful story, and has been at the

am the three workers, I am the quiet

core

rebel, I am the intelligent, funny,

of

some

of

the

worst

perversions people are capable of.

find

myself

frustrated hostage of my financial

needs.

say,

whenever

Examine

yourself,

and

We are, as game theorists

witness the stories that have molded

often

you.

illogical

but

seldom

irrational, because we look out for

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Liberated and compelled

From a distance, we must

appear to be an intelligent species in
a rather empty universe, obsessed

suddenly to stand up and turn his neck

round and look towards the light...
the glare distresses him

with our infighting and immediate

needs. We are ugly when we are in a
crowd but cant stand to be alone.
Cinema

provides

through

which

us

to

medium

maintain

our

beautiful individuality while learning

from the experiences of others.
(That is, after all, the job of the
actor: to truly live through an
experience

on

behalf

of

the

audience.)
It

is

through

these

case-

studies of human experience that

cinema makes us feel united with all
of humanity, with the actress playing
her role, with the wrinkled old man a
few seats down watching the same
screen. And when you leave this
dark sanctuary back out onto the
cold sidewalk and into the drone of
uncaring traffic and the penetrating
boredom of everyday life, you feel
disoriented and curiously uplifted. It
is how Plato describes leaving the
proverbial Cave:

but the distress is a sideeffect

of

thorough

spiritual

replenishment. We now wonder why

that streetlight must be so bright, or
why humans must be so cruel to one
another, or why the father in the
story couldnt have simply loved his
child without bringing so much
anger into all of it.
The ambition of all art is to
remind us that there is beauty in our
world and that there are things
worth living and striving for. Stories
lead us to hope, to feel, to provide
context for our own lives and not
feel terribly alone. Curing cancer is
important.

So

is

solving

the

economic inequalities of the Third

World.

And

so

is

shaping

the

narratives that drive our society. In a

world of seven billion, there are
enough brilliant minds for every
important field.

Cineapolis is the concept of a vibrant

cinematic community based in the Twin Cities
that makes and screens its films here.
It is built on a network of
resident

filmmakers,

designers,

They generally cast native

actors,

collaborate

with

local

performers, distributors, businesses

businesses on location usage and

and audience members.

sponsorship,

arrange

screenings

with independent theaters in the city

The model has been applied
elsewhere.

Essentially,

filmmakers

and build an audience base in their

area. Cineapolis aims to achieve

with local roots develop smaller-

much

sized crews consisting of likeminded

counterparts in Austin and Atlanta.

natives

who

are

usually

same

pattern

as

its

more

artistically talented than technically

proficient.

the

Zucchis Virgil Reading the Aeneid to the

Emperor Augustus (1767)

The distinctive feature of Cineapolis is its minimalist, ultra-efficient

five-person crew. It is this crew that will make some of the greatest gems of
independent cinema. It consists of a Director, a Composer, a Stylist, an
Art Director, and a Strategist.

The Director
Directing

The

Cinematography

Director

lives

Casting

Editing

and

question from any crewmember or

breathes cinema. They see reality as

cast member must be responded to

a collection of camera angles and

right away, and umms and uhs

well-timed cuts. Conversation is a

are to be avoided completely. In a

high art, because it is screenwriting

Cineapolis

in real time. If the Director is lacking

instructions are absolute, so they

in either discipline or vision, then the

must be clear and direct.

film,

the

Directors

project is as good as dead. They

must be on top of everything at all

Though the direction itself is

times, which is usually not possible

not shared, the Director must be

for humans, but the Director is a

intelligent enough to understand the

different creature altogether.

collaborative

nature

of

cinema

overall. They shall follow the military

A

trait

in

particularthis

maxim of

cannot be overemphasizedis that

the Director must be decisive. Much

In planning, many

of polite society revolves around not

in execution, one,

being authoritative but the Director

must be comfortable commanding.

meaning the Director should take

The

is

advice from everyone, thoroughly

incompatible with lax directing. Any

and sincerely, before production

Cineapolis

format

9
begins; then they must arrive on set

arent

with the confidence and vision of a

Director isnt ultimately to blame

true commandant.

the Director should know better. To

reach

The Director should strive to

emulate

Fincher

and

right,

the

this

proficiency,

level
the

Cineapolis

of

Art

technical

Director

must

know

surround themselves with as much

everyones job on set better than

literature and instruction as possible,

they do.

and make it a point to learn from all

If the audio gear goes

awry, the Director should have good

experiences on set.

ideas on how to fix it. If the lights

The Composer
Music composition

Audio Recording

Casting assistance

The Composer walks into a

lead actor. This is necessary for

room and immediately feels its

fulfilling their on-set duty effectively

acoustics. They have a tough time

and they will achieve this thorough,

casually listening to music because

semi-memorized understanding by

they cant help but criticize it. They

being on book all casting sessions

write musicthough they are rarely,

and rehearsals.

if ever, satisfied with their own

creation. They feel sound, whereas
the rest of us only hear it. The
Composer is a maestro in front of an
orchestra, able to pick out the one
trumpet playing off-key.
To begin, the Composer must
have as well an understanding of the
screenplay as the Director or the

Beethoven at Heilegenstadt

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On set, the Composer has the

In post-production, the Composer

technical responsibility of capturing

creates any and all music requested

sound. This begins with a thorough

by the Director, along with creating

understanding

proposals of their own.

of

the

particular

recording device and the shotgun

microphone. They must be agile,

Ideally, the Director will give

aware, and have a spatial mind,

the

knowing

and

suggestions, indicating the general

everything is at any given time. They

mood they want and recommending

must constantly assess how the

specific

space is reacting with the sound and

Composer would create to their

ensure that their gear is working

hearts content, finally allowing the

properly.

Director to listen from a selection

where

everyone

Composer

only

instruments.

surface

Then

the

and choose what to put into the film.

The Stylist
Costume Design

The

Stylist

Make-up Artistry

is

first

Hair Styling

Script supervision

and

artistry, but if there is something to

foremost a student of the human

be done, the Stylist is the one to do

face. They know its intricacies and

it. It is not uncommon for the Stylist

how it responds to light and color.

to step in in between takes of a

The Stylist can bring out the beauty

scene

in the ugly, and the ugly in the

adjustment

beautiful. The Stylist is a fine artist

appearance.

through and through.

The Stylist must be skilled
with a brush. Cineapolis projects
tend to go light on hair and makeup

and

make
to

a
an

minute
actors

The Stylist designs costumes,

which is unique to Cineapolis. It is
part of an overarching philosophy
that wishes to see one artist in

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control of all related aspects of the

On set, the Stylist is also responsible

production.

Stylist

for continuity and script supervision,

commands the actors appearance, it

acting as a sort of whip to ensure

is only natural that they design their

the Director is not losing discipline.

Since

the

costumes as well.

OKeeffes Black Place II (1944)

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The Art Director

Set Design

Lightist

Propsmaster

The Art Director is a master of

shadow and light, much like the

Location Scout

accordance with the wishes of the

Director.

Stylist, but they are more students

of architecture and sculpture than
anatomy or dance. They walk into a
room

and

immediately

gain

an

understanding of its layout, type and

quantity of lighting fixtures, and the
shadows they cast.
The Art Director responds
well to depth, and appreciates an

Architect Louis Kahn (c. 1971)

accent light on a wall where there

really is no functional need for one.
They prefer the actor stay still, so
they sink into the scenery rather
than dominate it (though they will
not always have their way.)
In pre-production, they gather
the

locations,

though

they

can

delegate certain needs to any other

willing crewmember. Once a location
is

chosen,

they

are

chiefly

responsibly for what goes into it, in

Thus,

they

become

responsible for the list of items that

are in a shot, and ensuring that there
is

object-placement

continuity

between shooting days. As experts

in

light,

they

are

tasked

with

maintaining the lighting on set, and

adjusting them as per the instruction
from the Director.

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The Strategist
Scheduling

Set Management

Second Camera

(Food/Transport/Equipment)

Location Management

Publicist

The Strategist is a veritable

end of the night. They keep track of

general. By far the most disciplined

any expenses involved in the movie.

and intentional of the members

They

involved. From the beginning, they

appropriate. Naturally, they must be

are thinking of ways to frame the

excellent at geometry and abstract

project for publicity and eventual

thinking. As if all this wasnt enough,

screening.

they man Second Camera whenever

arrange

food

when

the Director has need for it.

They work with the Director
and ensure that everyone and all

Think this is asking too much?

equipment has a way to get to set

You are right. There are only a

and a way to get home afterwards.

handful with the level of discipline

and organizational talent needed to

They

ensure

that

all

equipment is accounted for at the

be the Strategist for a Cineapolis

crew.

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (c. 1930)

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The Ambition of cineapolis

At some point in the future, a
person will be sent off into space,

Cineapolitan wants to have made

that film.

destine to spend a large part of their

That is what is described by

natural lives away from Earth. When

the word ambition. It transcends the

they

lonely,

desire to be better than ones

experiencing all those difficulties

competitors. It is aspiration elevated

that go along with being human,

to the level of the divine.

feel

tremendously

they will watch a film, and the

Cineapolis Matured
When will we know we have made

weeks

away

it? On what day can we finally sit

production.

from

entering

back and allow ourselves to say that

we did a good job? It will be the day
when all these statements are fact:

Fourth, at least two fully manned

Cineapolis squads are active and
ready to film.

First, all Cineapolis members

crew and cast alikeare making a
livable income from cinema alone.
Second, at least one Cineapolis

Fifth, Cineapolis owns all its own

production equipment.
When these five conditions are

film is playing at a Twin Cities

wholly

theater, and this has been true for

Cineapolis

every day in the past month.

andfingers crossedperpetuity.

Third, at least one Cineapolis film

is in production or less than two

met,

then

has

we

reached

can

say

maturity

At the core of it all is audience.

Audience

is

what

will

sustain

15
Cineapolis and guide its creative

something honest and human, and

progress.

she leaves the theater and through

the rest of the night and for a few

The zenith of all of Cineapolis

days or weeks or maybe even years

efforts will be when a regular

afterwards, she can return to this

Minneapolitan or St. Paulite comes

experience at the movie theater and

home from a tiring day at work,

find solace.

unwinds, then feels the need for

some human replenishment. So she
walks or take the short drive to her
nearest theater, pay for a cheap
ticket to the latest Cineapolis piece.

This

is

an

end

worth

She hasnt heard of this particular

struggling for, it is an ambition

film before but its a Cineapolis film,

worthy of our sincerest efforts, and I

and Cineapolis has always given her

for one am willing to sacrifice much

something

to get there. If you are of the same

worth

watching.

She

takes a seat and there we show her

conviction,

a story, something really powerful,

together.

then

we

must

work

Sincerely,
Aswar Rahman
April 2015

CineapLiS