Watch Fog City Mavericks

Fog City Mavericks is a documentary film from 2007 that celebrates the thriving film community of San Francisco. The film is directed by Gary Leva and features interviews with some of the most important filmmakers of the city, including Carroll Ballard, Brad Bird, and Ronald Colby. The film traces the history of filmmaking in and around San Francisco, from the early days of silent cinema to the Bay Area's emergence as a hub of experimental and independent film in the 1950s and 60s. Along the way, we hear from a diverse array of filmmakers, including directors, writers, and cinematographers, who have helped define the city's film culture.

Carroll Ballard, who directed the classic family films The Black Stallion and Never Cry Wolf, is one of the key figures featured in the film. Ballard talks about his early days working as a cinematographer in San Francisco, where he honed his skills shooting commercials and documentary films. Later, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue work in feature films, but he always retained a deep affection for San Francisco and its creative community.

Brad Bird, who would go on to direct Pixar's The Incredibles and Ratatouille, got his start at the California Institute of the Arts in the 1970s. As a student, he was deeply influenced by the work of experimental filmmaker Norman McLaren, whose films he first saw in a San Francisco theater. Bird talks about the freedom and experimentation that characterized the Bay Area film scene at the time, and how it shaped his own approach to filmmaking.

Ronald Colby, a cinematographer and filmmaker known for his work on documentaries and concert films, is another important voice in the film. Colby talks about his early collaborations with rock musicians, including the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane, and his experiences shooting some of the most iconic moments of the 1960s counterculture.

Throughout the film, we hear from a wide range of other filmmakers, including documentarians like Les Blank and George Lucas, experimental filmmakers like Bruce Baillie and Chick Strand, and commercial directors like Joe Pytka and Ridley Scott. The film also explores the impact of the Bay Area's technology industry on filmmaking, with interviews with pioneers like John Whitney Jr., who pioneered computer-generated animation in the 1960s, and Marc Davis, who designed some of the most iconic attractions at Disneyland.

Fog City Mavericks is a celebration of creativity and independence in filmmaking, and of the unique cultural landscape of San Francisco. The film captures the essence of a community that has always been willing to take risks and break new ground, whether in the art of cinema or the technology of computer graphics. Through interviews, archival footage, and a rich visual style, the film paints a portrait of a city that has always been ahead of its time, and continues to be a vital force in the world of film.