How to Grow A Band was directed by Mark Meatto and produced by Michael Bohlmann and Mark Meatto and edited by Purcell Carson and Mark Meatto. Daniel Algrant and Bert Keely were executive producers. The film premiered at the 2011 Nashville Film Festival.
Development
Development of the film began in the summer of 2007 when producer Michael Bohlmann and director Mark Meatto approached the band members while they were recording their debut album Punch and preparing for their first tour as Punch Brothers. Bohlmann had grown up in Southern California with Punch Brothers fiddle player Gabe Witcher.[1]
Production
Principal photography began in October 2007[2] in New York City. The filmmakers followed the band during their first tour as Punch Brothers starting in the United Kingdom including performances at Celtic Connections in Glasgow, Scotland and Bush Hall in London, England. The film follows the band as their tour continues in United States.
Following a successful Kickstarter campaign, the film was released in 2014 on DVD and Blu-Ray in a 2-disc deluxe edition that includes the 90 minute film plus a second disc featuring 3 hours of previously unreleased footage and bonus material.
Reception
How To Grow A Band received a majority of positive reviews from critics. Joe Leydon of Variety called the film "most fascinating as it tactfully charts the sort of artistic and philosophical differences that can eventually undermine any group endeavor, even among seemingly like-minded collaborators."[4] Nicolas Rapold of the New York Times notes "Meatto’s framing tends to catch the musicians’ give-and-take, merging and dueling notes onstage, especially at a Manhattan concert that is the film’s highlight."[5] Joan Radell of Paste Magazine called the film "masterful filmmaking"[6] and named the film one of the 10 Best Music Documentaries of 2012[7]New York Magazine named the film a "Critic's Pick" noting that "the music is both challenging and heavenly".[8] Dustin Ogdin wrote for No Depression "HTGAB is not just a film of concert footage or a "behind the scenes" clip collection"; it is a portrait of the creative process.".[9] Some other reviews of the film were less favorable. Slant Magazine writer Joseph Jon Lanthier noted that "One can’t speak of Mark Meatto’s documentary profile, How to Grow a Band, without starting squarely with Thile, because the movie is unsurprisingly devoted to peddling the up-and-comer as something daring, something new.".[10]Marshall Fine of Hollywood & Fine said "'How to Grow a Band' misses its chance to enlighten, choosing instead to promote.[11]
References
^"How to Grow A Band"(PDF). Southern Inspired Magazine. April 2012. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2016-01-16. Retrieved 2016-07-31.
^"How to Grow A Band"(PDF). Southern Inspired Magazine. April 2012. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2016-01-16. Retrieved 2016-07-31.
