F.A.Q.
Q. I've made a film, and I'd like to have you guys host it here, how do I go about doing that?
A. First, there are two requirements: 1) The film has to be at least 30 minutes long, and self-contained (i.e. not a installment of a series or show), and 2) You must be the content creator and have full rights to the film. If this is the case, drop us a line at pfm@crimethinc.com.
Q. I hate Flash and their video player. Is there any way I can watch the video using HTML5 video?
A. You are in luck! We use the Vimeo embed player to show our movies and their player includes support for HTML5 video in all of the major web browsers. It is a little tricky to activate though. First, go to any video on the Vimeo site (like this one). To the bottom right of the video frame, you will see the text “Switch to HTML5 player”, click on it and it will set a cookie in your browser so that you are always served HTML5 video from Vimeo. Once you have done that, when you load any of the movies on our site, it will automatically load the non-Flash version. For those using devices without Flash, the HTML5 video will load by default.
Q. I had to stop watching a video and I was more than an hour into it. Is there any way to skip to a certain part of the film to resume watching?
A. Indeed there is. Sadly, with the Flash player you must wait until the video loads in order to skip ahead, but with the HTML5 video player you can skip to any part without having to wait for the entire video to load. You can learn how to switch to the HTML5 video player above, in the second question of this FAQ.
Q. Do the filmmakers get paid for having their films here? Why should I bother donating to them or otherwise supporting them?
A. No, none of the filmmakers receive any funds for having their films shown on this site, but all have given their blessing. This site exists in response to the inevitable and irrepressible pirating of the films on the internet. We figured that if pirating was inescapable, at the very least we could provide a site to host the films surrounded by other relevant content, with far better presentation, and with the highest possible quality of video, made directly from the original film files. Unfortunately there are people who think that “everything should be free” regardless of the cost accrued by the people making these things, a sure-fire way to help ensure that less original content is created as time goes on. Unlike mainstream media where piracy erodes a small bit of profit, piracy in independent media cuts directly into the ability for the content creators to break even. Producing a film is a very costly endeavor and if you appreciate their efforts, and would like to help them recoup their costs and support future work, please click the links below the film and contribute to the filmmakers.
The Chicago Conspiracy
This documentary addresses the legacy of the military dictatorship in Chile by sharing the story of combatant youth who were killed by the Pinochet regime as a backdrop to the history of the military dictatorship and current social conflict in the area. The larger story is wrapped around three shorter pieces, which explore the student movement, the history of neighborhoods that became centers of armed resistance against the dictatorship, and the indigenous Mapuche conflict. The filmmakers, militant film collective Subversive Action Films, question their relationship to the documentary, taking a position as combatants. [94 min.]
Breaking the Spell
An hour-long look at the 1999 Seattle WTO protests and the anarchists who traveled there to set a new precedent for militant confrontation, this documentary picks up where Pickaxe left off. Filmed in the thick of the action, including footage that aired nationally on 60 Minutes, it captures a moment when world history was up for grabs. Includes new commentary track by filmmakers Tim Lewis, Tim Ream & Sir Chuck A. Rock. [63 min.]
pickAxe
An eclectic mix of activists take a stand to protect an old growth forest from logging at Warner Creek in the Willamette National Forest of Oregon, blockading the logging road and repelling the State Police. Over months a community builds around the illegal blockade as it develops into the Cascadia Free State and similar actions spread across the region. Years after its release, Pickaxe has become a classic document of the potential for grassroots direct action to achieve victory against the forces of both government and big business. Lovingly crafted by the participants themselves, the film expertly presents every moment, from confrontation to celebration. [94 min.]
The Miami Model
Against the prescribed template of paramilitary oppression, information warfare, and profit above all values, activists converge in Miami to demonstrate grassroots resistance, creative action, and international solidarity—a clash between competing visions of globalization, soon to be known as the Miami Model. Indymedia activists shot hundreds of hours documenting the 2003 FTAA protests in Miami and shaped it into a documentary that cuts through the mass media blackout to reveal the brutal repression and assault on civil liberties that took place, as well as the inspiring alternatives to capitalist globalization that were also in full effect in Miami. [91 min.]