sundance impressions
So it was cool to jet off at the last second and catch some films and rub elbows in Park City. I didn’t see as much as I would have liked, but I did feel like I was able to chat with a good amount of people. I was surprised at how many people I ran into from the Bay Area … and I know there were a ton more hanging around.
One of the best parts of the trip was seeing Cory MacAbee’s new series Stingray Sam. His team always pulls together quite the show. And the craft with which they do their job is always worthy of admiration. Pulling off a stylized cowboy space musical is already a significant task … but to do it with style, humor and a message takes talent. I look forward to sharing it when it comes out.
Cory at Stingray Sam Q&A
Mark, Ryan and I had a good time talking cinema with old and new friends. Probably more so as Sundance was a veritable ghost town … with most who could travel at the inauguration (as Ozi would say “Go-Bama!”) and the rest stuck at home suffering the economy. So there was no pushing through crowds (although most films were still sold out) and just a smattering of party boys and girls.
The word from the PCFMF was our film did well and the festival staff felt they the film really informed them to what was going on. Unfortunately none of us were there to usher it or field any questions from the audience. But at the least we were heard.
Mark and Jason on Main St.
I was happy to be able to go as a number of friends had films there this year. Running into them and supporting their experiences gave a good insight to the festival. I’m understanding more and more (and this is more true as the landscape evolves) that while film festivals are not the critical point for a film, they are important things to participate in and can help push a film along. It’s a combination of the invitation to participate and the potential collaboration with fellow filmmakers that is a real value. The chance to poke our heads out of the cave and see those who do what we do so that we might do it on a grander scale. And at least when I broke my Sundance cherry, she was (relatively) gentle.
