Media Malpractice: One year later

In a bit of poetic justice, the wrongly crucified Palin has benefited greatly from the right’s understandable and nearly primal instinct to intuitively gravitate to whichever conservative the news media attacks the most. She has become a master at riding this wind at her back to defy all predictions of her inevitable political irrelevance to become by far the most powerful and exciting force in Republican politics.

While my view of her politically is far more nuanced than perceived by the public and the media, it is by the most satisfying result of the last year that Palin has not only survived but personally prospered through all of this (for the record, she “endorsed” the film and I am still occasionally in touch with her, but, for many reasons, I have no official role in anything she does).

While, by just about any measure, Palin’s life and career are seemingly much better off (due to multiple factors having nothing to with me or the film) than they were a year ago, the same can not be said for me.

One of the many things I have learned over this past year is that it is not currently possible (at least for this filmmaker) to make a legitimate career creating conservative documentaries. Obviously the number one reason is Hollywood’s overt and overwhelming liberal bias, but what might surprise you to know is that had the right-wing media and elites supported this film anywhere near like they should have, then it would have easily been a grand slam home run instead of just a head-first double.

At the risk of being accused of sour grapes, while there have a few conservative media members who have exceedingly helpful over the past year (thanks, Rush), the vast majority have been silent and some, including a few I foolishly thought were personal friends, have ended up being downright hostile to this cause.

Why was this case? Like most mysteries there are likely multiple explanations. Many did not see giving oxygen to this project as in their self interest to do so. Some didn’t because they don’t like Palin, or me personally. Some probably felt that I or the film threatened their own territory. Some simply don’t give a damn about the cause and see what they do as nothing more than a business. Others, facilitating a maddening vicious cycle, seemed to not believe that it is was possible for a conservative film to make a real impact and therefore was not worth their time. And finally, some were just not paid off properly, as they seem to expect in a “pay for play” environment that smacks of Chicago politics.

As for the investor class, while a few good souls (not of great wealth) did devote small amounts to the film, no one resembling a “white knight” came forward to take the documentary to the next level. This lack of establishment support made many liberal attackers accusing me of being part of the Republican machine and Palin’s 2012 Presidential campaign, particularly amusing (the reality is that I found many members of the conservative elite to be openly hostile to Palin and anything remotely related to her, even as they publicly praise and take advantage of her).

While there is a growing support group of conservatives here in Hollywood, those in that faction who I stupidly hired for the non-production elements of this film actually ended up being literally far more damaging to the film than anyone at MSNBC ever could have been (at least when Keith Olbermann would name me a “worst person,” it resulted in a few DVD sales). Their incompetence and corruption greatly stunted the film’s potential while also facilitating most of the gray in my formerly brown hair.

The bottom line is that it is very difficult for me to conceive of ever again taking the kind of giant personal and financial risk it took to make this film. The conservative movement (the elites, not the rank and file who are thirsting for this sort of content and who have been very supportive) is just not currently capable of fully sustaining efforts like this. I am positive I did the best I could have under incredibly difficult circumstances and I know no one could have done it better, and yet, despite the unique gift of “Palin Power,” I succeeded only if one grades on a generous scale.