OxfordPress.com

John Putch may be engrossed in post-production for his latest comedy flick, "Route 30" and directing new episodes of NBC sitcom "Scrubs," but he is excited to be heading to Oxford for next week's Oxford International Film Festival.

"People who really want to see a movie, who seek them out, go to film festivals," he said, speaking to the atmosphere of film festivals like OIFF. He described film festivals as a place for fans and filmmakers alike to share their passion for flicks more unique and substantive than the typical Hollywood fare.

"I think film festivals are where you actually see real movies because you're not going to see them in the K-Marts and Wal-Marts of the pre-packaged television and movie world and that's why festivals are great," said Putch, whose mother, Jean Stapleton, starred in the '70s sitcom "All in the Family."

Putch worries that people are getting used to seeing the same stories with the same endings featuring the same actors time and again.

"They don't let you think, they don't provoke argument or discussion," he said, adding "Film festivals, I hope, never turn into that because then we're doomed — you can't find what you want to see of substance anywhere."

Putch was at the first Oxford International Film Festival last year, his comedy "Mojave Phone Booth" taking home the "Audience Award" for fan favorite.

"I saw people doing what they love and making us laugh; getting their friends together and making movies that entertain, and that's 'it' to me," Putch said, describing OIFF last year. "Oxford has really nice people," he said, adding that festival founder JC Schroeder "is really cool, and he's a filmmaker himself" that puts filmmakers "in touch with the community."

And establishing a sense of community is something Putch thinks is important for making unique movies. "I think the last place I want to make a movie is Hollywood," he said. "I want to be transported into a story without being taken out of the story by who's in it," he said, emphasizing the benefit of making films outside of the usual Hollywood trappings.

This year, Putch's comedy, "Bachelorman" will be screened to celebrate the release of the movie on DVD. "Bachelorman" has been showing at film festivals for a few years now, but Putch said it's a good example of how festivals can help filmmakers circumvent the need for big distributors.

"Festivals are vital for independents — for filmmakers who don't get a distributor — because now they're going to be selling their DVDs right off their own Web site or right through iTunes and I think that's great," he said, adding that festivals provide free marketing and free advertising.

"Bachelorman" will be showing Saturday, April 12, at 7 p.m. in the Oxford Arts Center and Sunday, April 13, at 3 p.m. at the Marcum Conference Center. For tickets or information, visit www.oxfordfilms.com. For information on John Putch, visit www.putchfilms.com.

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