In the Spring of 2009, Ian Link and Dylan Brock decided to play an open mic night in Louisville, Kentucky on their way to Nashville, where they had a show the following day. Stopping at Bearno's Pizza on a Wednesday, they found a creative world unto itself. Here were unique and interesting performers of different ages and with different talents all making music, sometimes together, sometimes apart, but always entertaining. There was something pure in the amateurs and something riveting in the professionals. The evening was such a blast that it occurred to them that a fun and meaningful film could be made about that night and countless others across America.
After Dylan and Ian had the idea, they contacted Lee and the three began to raise funds. Having already collaborated on earlier video projects, the three made a natural team. But until they were accepted on Kickstarter, they had only managed to raise $500 from personal contributors. This website offers a viable way for them to produce the film.
The plan is simple: rent a car, gather our film equipment, grab the guitars and go. The first leg of the journey begins in Ian's base of Detroit. They will then press west through Chicago and Omaha to Seattle, covering music scenes that have meant a great deal to the wanderers and many others. From there the route turns south through Portland and San Fransisco, then moves across the storied south - Austin, New Orleans, and Nashville. Dylan, Ian and Lee will go where great music has been made and listen to what people are making there now. By emphasizing destinations whose artists have influenced Dylan and Ian, the film explores more than the landscape of America or even the landscape of American music; it explores the hearts of the artists themselves.
Dylan and Ian will use what charm they have on stage and off to make new friends and open up revealing dialogues. There will be late-night parties, one-off collaborations, potential reunions, and dirty jokes. Open Mic USA will give the perspectives of two very different artists encountering many others at these democratic showcases. We hope that through these two points of view all will perceive past music and present musicians with depth and relief that is almost three dimensional with your help this film will pop off this page and into life.
The money asked for would help make the shoot possible. Covering everything from gas and van rental to tapes and camera rental, what is sought are the basic needs for getting the needed footage. It would also cover less important but also needed extras like food. Starving artists know how to go without that. Dylan, Lee, Ian and the crew plan to camp whenever possible, sleep in rest areas if need be, and go to any other lengths necessary to tell this personal story of musical geography. If any of this sounds like the makings of a film you would like to see, please consider supporting them and Open Mic USA.
