Luckily my sister was present at the NYC Food Film Festival and captured these pictures that will hopefully help me remember what I actually said to Mayor Bloomberg…

Anat and Mayor Michael Bloomberg

Anat with Sam and Rhonda

Anat with George Motz

Anat with Sam

Sam offering Mayor Bloomberg a Dogfish Head beer

Under the tent on a scorching summer night

On stage after the screening

It was a magical experience that we will never forget. It was a full-scale theatrical production (on the same stage as Yo-Yo Ma, Los Lobos an Arlo Guthrie perform) with tons of high tech electronics including 5 HD cameras and satellite trucks. For me, it was the culmination of a 3-year journey to make a feature film depicting not only the U.S. beer industry but also the American entrepreneurial spirit.

The journey to get the film seen has been fraught with challenges. They say that “it’s all in the timing” and for independent films, these are the worst of times. Not only is there a glut of finished films (including some with big name stars) sitting on the shelf but also the traditional distribution model has all but disappeared. And the media world has been transformed due to the influence of bloggers and social media. What this means is that the fight to get noticed for an indie film goes beyond distribution (and Beer Wars is a success story in that realm) to finding new ways to reach an audience. Fewer film critics, fewer newspapers and magazines mean less opportunity for mainstream reviews. Shrinking ad sales mean there’s no chance that a network would risk offending a major advertiser. You get the point.

So yes, it’s been a rough ride. But for all the downs, there have been many ups. I’ve met some amazing people on this roller coaster ride. And I’m grateful for the kindness of complete strangers I’ve met at screenings, bars, and festivals and through Twitter and Facebook. I wanted to start a conversation. I wanted to get people to think about the choices they make. And I love hearing that indeed the film appears to have made a difference. Small perhaps (because most Americans have no awareness of the film) but it’s a start.

I’m hoping that the conversation will continue and that it will involve brewers, distributors, retailers and regulators who will strive to create a more level playing field for beer consumers.

So I raise a (virtual) beer to everyone who has joined me on this amazing journey.

Thank you!

So much to be grateful for. Especially the supporters who believed in the film from the start (before they even saw it) and stood by it despite the naysayers. A big thanks to (in no particular order):

• Dogfish Head — especially Sam and Mariah Calagione.
• Stone Brewing — especially Greg Koch who is the epitome of walking the talk.
• Brewers Association — especially Charlie Papazian for believing in the big picture.
• Beer Advocate — especially Todd Alstrom who not only promoted the film but invited me to be a part of the American Craft Beer Festival.
• Yelp — for taking a chance on this indie movie and engaging the Yelp community through its super enthusiastic community managers.
• Reason Foundation/Reason TV –- especially Jon Graff for all the exposure.
• Maureen Ogle -– for her support and smarts.
• Jay Brooks — for telling it like it is.
• Shaun O’Sullivan and Brock Wagner –- for helping to promote the film despite the fact that their brewery isn’t in it. They embody the collaborative spirit of craft brewers. I wish more would follow suit.
• On a personal note, thank you to my number one supporter and social media guru, my sister — Ayelet Baron.

And a heartfelt thank you to all the bloggers, journalists, Facebook fans and Twitter followers who helped promote the film. I couldn’t have done it without you.

The journey continues. I’m glad to have you on my side.

Happy Turkey Day!

From today’s USA Today “Pop Candy”:

Best movie I watched: The last couple weeks have been a wonderful blur because of my vacation, but I thought Inglourious Basterds was just fantastic. I also saw Beer Wars, the documentary about independent breweries. I’ve always been pretty picky about what I drink, but this film really makes you think about the industry.

You know that (annoying) FBI warning you get whenever you put in a DVD. The one that says that the DVD is "for home use only?" Well, it’s there for a reason. You see, even in this age of free content, intellectual property has value. Especially when you’re dealing with an independent filmmaker.

I made a movie. I invested my time (3 years) and money, took out loans to make a film about a topic I believed in. And I wanted it to look good, sound great and have entertainment value. So I paid professionals to get it right.  I hired a top level cinematographer, editor, composer, graphics designer, animators and others.  I hope the quality is reflected in the film. But I did all of this believing that at some point, I would make my money back because people would put value to what I created. And pay for it.

So while I would love to just give away my movie, please understand that it’s not possible. I don’t have a big distributor or studio behind me. So if you want to screen the film at your bar, homebrew club or to your class, please get in touch with me. I always try to work things out. After all, it’s a catch 22. While I need to make my money back, I also want to expose the film to as many people as possible. And please, don’t force me to become "The Enforcer." It takes the fun away from being "The Filmmaker."

Having spent some time in Hollywood, rest assured that unlike film, TV is a business. So if you want to create and get a show on the air, you need to prove that there’s an audience for it. Craft beer, while showing impressive growth is still tiny in numbers. Stats vary widely but I’ve seen estimates that there are between 6-8 million craft beer drinkers in America and an additional 750,000 homebrewers. Somewhat impressive numbers but how do you convince a TV network that a large percentage of them will actually tune in? You need viewers to get advertisers. And if the topic is craft beer, it’s doubtful that BudMillerCoors will want to be sponsors.

So what’s the solution? Will there be a craft beer show on TV? When? I say yes. But the when depends on you. I know of what I speak. I made an independent film, invested my own money (and took out loans to finish it) and have not been fully supported by this craft beer community. Why? Well, there’s a certain amount of “it’s not about me” and some disagreement over content. There’s also the feeling that the film should be free. (Again, I self funded it and spent 3 years to make it, why would I just give it away?) But unless this community begins to support filmmakers, beer publications (and therefore beer writers), there won’t be too many professionals following in our footsteps.

If you want to create or watch TV show about craft beer then help support existing entities so that the numbers can start adding up.

And yes, people are watching to see how Beer Wars “performs.” It is an indicator. Just like sales of beer publications. It’s not just about beer sales but it’s also about the media that covers them. The TV networks want to know that if they buy it, they will come.

So please, buy a copy of the Beer Wars DVD (and ask everyone you know to do the same). Subscribe to publications like All About Beer and/or BeerAdvocate and continue to support your local, independent brewery. Put your money where your mouth is.

Thank you!

Wow. This guy is certainly passionate. And some of his comments were echoed by people I met at screenings and panels over the past few weeks.

One thing is certain. There is no singular craft beer enthusiast. And perceptions vary widely.

There are many who believe that craft beer should stay small and local. Some believe that craft beer should not be made by corporations. But on one of the panels, all 5 brewers admitted that their breweries/brewpubs were all… corporations. Seems like those people feel less connected once “their” discovery brand gets “too big” and move on to the next small brand. But that’s a contradiction. All breweries are businesses (that’s why some homebrewers see going “pro” as the next step) and therefore want to get bigger. Bigger means making more beer to satisfy consumer demand. And just because they get bigger doesn’t mean they’re sacrificing quality or their soul. I think Sam Calagione addresses this issue eloquently in the film when he contemplates expansion. And by the way, Boston Beer (maker of Sam Adams) is less than 1% of the US beer market so size is relative.

I believe that consumers should drink what they like. Period. Regardless of the size of the brewery. It’s all about personal choice. I have nothing against BudMillerCoors. Even craft brewers admit that there’s nothing better on a really hot summer day. I think that choice is personal. Buy products from companies whose quality appeals to you. And if you care, whose ethics match yours.

More from the panels/audience Q&A to come.