BUFFALO, N.Y. — Some of the best stories start out one way and then they take a whole different turn.
Mason Engel may have originally hit the road as an author trying to sell a book, but he came back a filmmaker invested in trying to save small businesses. So, he decided to hit the road again on a quest to answer that question and ended up on a harrowing adventure complete with a pandemic plot twist.
"The whole plan was in place," said Engel, "but of course, many plans were ruined last March. But it also strengthened my resolve to take the trip and to make the film because I knew that BINC would need those funds more than ever, more bookstores would be coming on hard times more booksellers would have bills they can't pay. So it became all the more important for us to figure out how to take the trip finish and then release the film and raise money for them."
Proceeds from Engel's film "The Bookstour" will benefit BINC or the Book Industry Charitable Foundation: an organization that helps Indie booksellers in times of need.
Featured in the film is Buffalo's own Jonathan Welch of the beloved Talking Leaves.
"We got to hear about the literary history of Buffalo," said Engel. "I wasn't aware that it was somewhat of a poetry Mecca at a certain time. And from there, from that foundation, it seems like from talking with Jonathan, that's where the roots for Talking Leaves were planted. And they were meshed in that community from the beginning. That ability to not just keep a pulse on the community, but to be part of it, I think is an independent bookstores biggest asset."
The film is available for pre-order now on TheBookstourFilm.com where you'll also find a bunch of extras. This is just the beginning for Engel who says he's planning on turning his experiences into a book and hopefully more comprehensive docuseries.
"We have so many shoulds in our lives. And with the film, I wanted to give people what I wanted to show booksellers in a way that the viewer, the potential reader, wouldn't feel obligated to go to the store," said Engel. "They'd be like, wow, this is a place I want to patronize. This is where I want to spend my money."
Engel's sharing more on Instagram, you can follow him at @BookstoreDaily. He's also planning to release his full interviews in podcast form, including his conversation with Jonathan Welch.