Director Says Maryland Deathfest Documentary Is ‘Grind Verite’
David Hall, director of the Maryland Deathfest 7 feature-length documentary, has coined a new cinematic phrase and created a new genre: 'grind verite.'
"At first, I didn't know what kind of film I wanted to make about MDF," Hall told Noisecreep. "I just knew that the lineup for MDF 7 was incredible and something really special was happening every year at the fest. It was after watching the documentary 'Woodstock' that my business partner Dave Cardoso and I decided this MDF film had to be shot and presented as 'realistically' as possible." That meant no narration, no voice-overs and none of the traditional hallmarks of rock docs.
Hall wanted to capture the fest in all its pure, raw, unfettered, unfiltered glory. "I told the camera operators to just go out there and film what they felt and not to worry about traditional camera set ups and 'rules,'" Hall recollected. "I said to get inspired and take beautiful pictures and blur the line between subjectivity and objectivity through their art and craft. I've since dubbed this style of filmmaking grind verite."
Grind verite? If you're not a film buff, we'll break it down for you. "It's combining the awareness and real approach of 'cinema verite' and the DIY, street-smart guerrilla ethos of grindcore," Hall said. In layman's terms? It's real as f---. "The end result is a very stylized, passionate and personal film," Hall said. "Watching it is the next best thing to being there. The film is really about Maryland Deathfest 7." Hall and Cardoso will make a sequel, which will cover more of the fest's history, later this year.
The current film will premiere at this year's MDF, which is held in Baltimore from May 28-30, and will be available for purchase via mail order or as a digital download. Hall's Handshake Inc. production company is going to have an outdoor screening tent at MDF, where they will show the film several times over the course of the fest. Hall's other films -- 'Axis of Eden,' which is based on the Today Is the Day album, and 'Disgorge, Mexico,' which is based on the F--- the Facts album and a Jucifer film that is currently in post-production -- will be available for sale. Hall also hopes to show a rough cut of the Brutal Truth film he is working on as well.