Fierce Friend Available to Rent on Distrify!

One of the first films we ever made is now available for rent on the new online distribution platform Distrify! Check it out!

Help an Indie Film Get Distributed!

Hi Friends! We are mid-fundraising campaign on our new film The Diary of Preston Plummer. We actually have a major studio wanting to distribute our film but we have to raise about $13k in finishing funds that we have to spend this month. I would be so grateful if you could spread the word about this fundraiser. A little goes such a long way! $10 by 700 people would get us there (we already have $600 raised)! You would be supporting the arts and a bunch of scrappy filmmakers who are working to keep independent film alive! Thanks everyone! http://www.indiegogo.com/The-Diary-of-Preston-Plummer-1?a=6178

For more information on the film, please check out our Web site here: www.thediaryofprestonplummer.com.   

If you are in the Miami area, we'd love for you to come to our World Premiere. It will be held on March 5th at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts at 7p. Red carpet will be at 6:30p. There will be a tribute to Robert Loggia to kick off the event. The screening of the film will follow the tribute. 

Here is a link to purchase the tickets to the Miami premiere: http://miami.festivalgenius.com/2012/films/thediaryofprestonplummer_seanackerman_miami2012

Thanks everyone!

Getting Distributed: The Diary of Preston Plummer

We are super excited about the future for our new film The Diary of Preston Plummer. Our World Premiere will be held at the Miami International Film Festival on March 5th. The festival is planning a red carpet event to begin at 6:30p. At 7p, we will hold a tribute to our star Robert Loggia by showing some clips from his past films and bring him on stage for a few words. The film will then start right after.

The Miami film festival and its staff have been incredible. They have a wonderful publicity group and really work hard for your film. We have had mentions in The Hollywood Reporter and IndieWire already.

The Diary of Preston Plummer has also been picked up by Warner Bros. for digital distribution and VOD. We are aiming for an April launch date so we can begin promoting the film to the world shortly after its world premiere. Demand It! in your city by clicking the icon at the top of this blog!

At the same time, we are planning a 10-city theatrical! This is going to be a challenge because we want it to be day and date with our VOD. I am finding that theaters really do not like this. But I think for smaller indie films, it will actually help drive the theatrical as it will mean more publicity for the title.

PerezHilton posted an exclusive clip from the film and we are inching toward 20,000 hits in 48 hours. That's awesome! Check out the clip here.

Along with all this great activity comes a lot of high costs! We have to deliver the film to Warner Bros. with closed captioning in various aspect ratios and already quality controlled. This will cost us over $10k and this is $10k we don't have - yikes! So we have started an IndieGoGo campaign for the film here.

I'd love any support you may provide. If you like my blog, I would love it if you would support this little film - any amount helps! Cheers!

11th Annual Film Independent Directors Close-Up Series

Film Independent announced the guest speakers and program for the 11^th annual Film Independent Directors Close-Up series, taking place every Wednesday from February 8 – March 7, 2012 at The Landmark – West Los Angeles. 

Directors Jonathan Levine, (50/50), Mike Mills (Beginners), Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter), Writers Will Reiser (50/50), Phil Johnston (Cedar Rapids), Sound Designer Will Files (Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Tree of Life, Take Shelter) and Composer David Wingo (Take Shelter) will be this year’s series panelists, with more to be announced. Actor Harry Lennix (Man of Steel, Ray), writer/director Robin Swicord (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and HitFix Editor-in-Chief Gregory Ellwood will be moderators.

Over the course of five consecutive weeks, filmmakers and film lovers will hear first-hand from prolific directors whose originality, ingenuity, and talent have set them apart as leaders in their craft. Each night will delve into specific aspects of directing—sound, writing, cinematography, casting and eliciting compelling performances from actors. The 2012 Film Independent Directors Close-Up sponsors include Skywalker Sound, The Landmark Theatres, the Directors Guild of America, SAGIndie/Screen Actors Guild and HitFix (HitFix.com).

“The Film Independent Directors Close-Up provides a rare opportunity for cinephiles, and filmmakers alike, to hear candid stories from esteemed directors about the joys, trials and tribulations of making a film. This series really pulls back the curtain on the collaborative process in an intimate setting, and allows our audience to ask those burning questions they have about independent filmmaking,” said Director of Education Maria Bozzi.

This year’s panels will cover the following topics:

February 8 – Sound Advice: Moving Beyond the Picture

February 15 – The Storytellers: Writers and Directors

February 22 – The Independent Spirit: A Directors Roundtable

February 29 – The Actors: Getting Great Performances

March 7 – The Creative Team: Executing the Vision

Past panelists include Lisa Cholodenko, Bill Condon, Guillermo del Toro, David Fincher, Ruben Fleischer, Marc Forster, Rodrigo García, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Susannah Grant, Paul Haggis, Catherine Hardwicke, Nicole Holofcener, Tamara Jenkins, Spike Jonze, Miranda July, Richard Kelly, Neil LaBute, Kasi Lemmons, Justin Lin, Tom McCarthy, Alexander Payne, Jason Reitman, Eli Roth, Walter Salles, Julian Schnabel, Kevin Smith, Mike White and many more. 

All panels will take place at The Landmark - West Los Angeles (10850 West Pico Boulevard at Westwood Boulevard) on Wednesday evenings from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. For more information on the schedule, panel descriptions and participants, and to buy passes, please visit www.filmindependent.org or call 310-432-1222.

Sundance 2012: Wrap Up

I'm alive! I think. Every time I go to Sundance, I get sick. All of the travel, talking, running around, moving in/out of the cold and heat, parties, and movies all add up to disaster on your body. And I was determined to not get sick this year! But I did. I came home with a horrible viral bronchitis. My doctor (who practices integrative medicine between Eastern and Western remedies) gave me six kinds of meds to take! I feel much better now but it has been a rough few days. 

Now that I'm feeling better, I want to share the awards that were given out at Sundance 2012 this weekend: 

The Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented by Charles Ferguson to:

The House I Live In / U.S.A. (Director: Eugene Jarecki) — For over 40 years, the War on Drugs has accounted for 45 million arrests, made America the world's largest jailer and damaged poor communities at home and abroad. Yet, drugs are cheaper, purer and more available today than ever. Where did we go wrong and what is the path toward healing?

The Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented by Justin Lin to:

Beasts of the Southern Wild / U.S.A. (Director: Benh Zeitlin, Screenwriters: Benh Zeitlin, Lucy Alibar) — Waters gonna rise up, wild animals gonna rerun from the grave, and everything south of the levee is goin’ under, in this tale of a six year old named Hushpuppy, who lives with her daddy at the edge of the world. Cast: Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry.

The World Cinema Jury Prize: Documentary was presented by Nick Fraser to:

The Law in These Parts / Israel (Director: Ra'anan Alexandrowicz) — Israel's 43-year military legal system in the Occupied Palestinian Territories unfolds through provocative interviews with the system’s architects and historical footage showing the enactment of these laws upon the Palestinian population.

The World Cinema Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented by Julia Ormond to:

Violeta Went to Heaven (Violeta se Fue a Los Cielos) / Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Spain (Director: Andrés Wood, Screenwriters: Eliseo Altunaga, Rodrigo Bazaes, Guillermo Calderón, Andrés Wood) — A portrait of famed Chilean singer and folklorist Violeta Parra filled with her musical work, her memories, her loves and her hopes. Cast: Francisca Gavilán, Thomas Durand, Luis Machín, Gabriela Aguilera, Roberto Farías.

The Audience Award: U.S. Documentary, Presented by Acura, was presented by Mike Birbiglia to:

The Invisible War / U.S.A. (Director: Kirby Dick) — An investigative and powerfully emotional examination of the epidemic of rape of soldiers within the U.S. military, the institutions that cover up its existence and the profound personal and social consequences that arise from it.

The Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic, Presented by Acura, was presented by Mike Birbiglia to:

The Surrogate / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Ben Lewin) — Mark O'Brien, a 36-year-old poet and journalist in an iron lung, decides he no longer wishes to be a virgin. With the help of his therapist and the guidance of his priest, he contacts a professional sex surrogate to take him on a journey to manhood. Cast: John Hawkes, Helen Hunt, William H. Macy.

The World Cinema Audience Award: Documentary was presented by Edward James Olmos to:

SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN / Sweden, United Kingdom (Director: Malik Bendjelloul) — Rodriguez was the greatest ‘70s US rock icon who never was. Hailed as the greatest recording artist of his generation he disappeared into oblivion – rising again from the ashes in a completely different context many miles away.

The World Cinema Audience Award: Dramatic was presented by Edward James Olmos to:

Valley of Saints / India, U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Musa Syeed) — Gulzar plans to run away from the war and poverty surrounding his village in Kashmir with his best friend, but a beautiful young woman researching the dying lake leads him to contemplate a different future Cast: Gulzar Ahmad Bhat, Mohammed Afzal Sofi, Neelofar Hamid.

The Best of NEXT <=> Audience Award, Presented by Adobe Systems Incorporated, was presented by Tim Heidecker to:

Sleepwalk With Me / U.S.A. (Director: Mike Birbiglia, Screenwriters: Mike Birbiglia, Ira Glass, Joe Birbiglia, Seth Barrish) — Reluctant to confront his fears of love, honesty, and growing up, a budding standup comedian has both a hilarious and intense struggle with sleepwalking. Cast: Mike Birbiglia, Lauren Ambrose, Carol Kane, James Rebhorn, Cristin Milioti.

The U.S. Directing Award: Documentary was presented by Fenton Bailey to:

The Queen of Versailles / U.S.A. (Director: Lauren Greenfield) — Jackie and David were triumphantly constructing the biggest house in America – a sprawling, 90,000-square-foot palace inspired by Versailles – when their timeshare empire falters due to the economic crisis. Their story reveals the innate virtues and flaws of the American Dream.

The U.S. Directing Award: Dramatic was presented by Lynn Shelton to:

Middle Of Nowhere / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Ava DuVernay) — When her husband is incarcerated, an African-American woman struggles to maintain her marriage and her identity. Cast: Emayatzy Corinealdi, David Oyelowo, Omari Hardwick, Lorraine Touissaint, Edwina Findley.

The World Cinema Directing Award: Documentary was presented by Jean-Marie Teno to:

5 Broken Cameras / Palestine, Israel, France (Directors: Emad Burnat, Guy Davidi) — A Palestinian journalist chronicles his village’s resistance to a separation barrier being erected on their land and in the process captures his young son’s lens on the world.

The World Cinema Directing Award: Dramatic was presented by Alexei Popogrebsky to:

Teddy Bear / Denmark (Director: Mads Matthiesen, Screenwriters: Mads Matthiesen, Martin Pieter Zandvliet) — Dennis, a painfully shy 38-year-old bodybuilder who lives with his mother, sets off to Thailand in search of love. Cast: Kim Kold, Elsebeth Steentoft, Lamaiporn Sangmanee Hougaard, David Winters, Allan Mogensen.

The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award was presented by Anthony Mackie to:

Safety Not Guaranteed / U.S.A. (Director: Colin Trevorrow, Screenwriter: Derek Connolly) — A trio of magazine employees investigate a classified ad seeking a partner for time travel. One employee develops feelings for the paranoid but compelling loner and seeks to discover what he’s really up to.Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Mark Duplass, Jake Johnson, Karan Soni.

The World Cinema Screenwriting Award was presented by Richard Pena to:

Young & Wild / Chile (Director: Marialy Rivas, Screenwriters: Marialy Rivas, Camila Gutiérrez, Pedro Peirano, Sebastián Sepúlveda) — 17-year-old Daniela, raised in the bosom of a strict Evangelical family and recently unmasked as a fornicator by her shocked parents, struggles to find her own path to spiritual harmony. Cast: Alicia Rodríguez, Aline Kuppenheim, María Gracia Omegna, Felipe Pinto.

The U.S. Documentary Editing Award was presented by Kim Roberts to:

DETROPIA / U.S.A. (Directors: Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady) — The woes of Detroit are emblematic of the collapse of the U.S. manufacturing base. This is the dramatic story of a city and its people who refuse to leave the building, even as the flames are rising.

The World Cinema Documentary Editing Award was presented by Clara Kim to:

Indie Game: The Movie / Canada (Directors: Lisanne Pajot, James Swirsky) — Follow the dramatic journeys of indie game developers as they create games and release those works, and themselves, to the world.

The Excellence in Cinematography Award: U.S. Documentary was presented by Tia Lessin to:

Chasing Ice / U.S.A. (Director: Jeff Orlowski) — Science, spectacle and human passion mix in this stunningly cinematic portrait as National Geographic photographer James Balog captures time-lapse photography of glaciers over several years providing tangible visual evidence of climate change.

The Excellence in Cinematography Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented by Amy Vincent to:

Beasts of the Southern Wild / U.S.A. (Director: Benh Zeitlin, Screenwriters: Benh Zeitlin, Lucy Alibar) — Waters gonna rise up, wild animals gonna rerun from the grave, and everything south of the levee is goin’ under, in this tale of a six year old named Hushpuppy, who lives with her daddy at the edge of the world. Cast: Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry.

The World Cinema Cinematography Award: Documentary was presented by Jean-Marie Teno to:

Putin's Kiss / Denmark (Director: Lise Birk Pedersen) — 19-year-old Marsha is a model spokesperson in a strongly nationalistic Russian youth movement that aims to protect the country from its enemies. When she starts recognizing the organization’s flaws, she must take a stand for or against it.

The World Cinema Cinematography Award: Dramatic was presented by Alexei Popogrebsky to:

My Brother the Devil / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Sally El Hosaini) — A pair of British Arab brothers trying to get by in gangland London learn the extraordinary courage it takes to be yourself. Cast: James Floyd, Saïd Taghmaoui, Fady Elsayed.

A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Prize for an Agent of Change was presented by Heather Croall to:

Love Free or Die / U.S.A. (Director: Macky Alston) — One man whose two defining passions are in conflict: An openly gay bishop refuses to leave the Church or the man he loves.

A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Prize for Spirit of Defiance was presented by Heather Croall to:

Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry / U.S.A., China (Director: Alison Klayman) — Renowned Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei has garnered international attention as much for his ambitious artwork as his political provocations and increasingly public clashes with the Chinese government.

A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Prize for Excellence in Independent Film Producing was presented by Cliff Martinez to:

Andrea Sperling and Jonathan Schwartz for Smashed and Nobody Walks

• Smashed / U.S.A. (Director: James Ponsoldt, Screenwriters: Susan Burke, James Ponsoldt) — Kate and Charlie are a young married couple whose bond is built on a mutual love of music, laughter and... drinking. When Kate decides to get sober, her new lifestyle brings troubling issues to the surface and calls into question her relationship with Charlie. Cast: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Aaron Paul, Octavia Spencer, Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally.
• Nobody Walks / U.S.A. (Director: Ry Russo-Young, Screenwriters: Lena Dunham, Ry Russo-Young) — Martine, a young artist from New York, is invited into the home of a hip, liberal LA family for a week. Her presence unravels the family’s carefully maintained status quo, and a mess of sexual and emotional entanglements ensues. Cast: John Krasinski, Olivia Thirlby, Rosemarie DeWitt, India Ennenga, Justin Kirk.

A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Prize for Ensemble Acting was presented by Cliff Martinez to:

The Surrogate / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Ben Lewin) — Mark O'Brien, a 36-year-old poet and journalist in an iron lung, decides he no longer wishes to be a virgin. With the help of his therapist and the guidance of his priest, he contacts a professional sex surrogate to take him on a journey to manhood. Cast: John Hawkes, Helen Hunt, William H. Macy.

A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Prize for Artistic Vision was presented by Clara Kim to:

Can / Turkey (Director and screenwriter: Rasit Celikezer) — A young married couple live happily in Istanbul, but their decision to illegally procure a child threatens their future together. Cast: Selen Uçer, Serdar Orçin, Berkan Demirbag, Erkan Avci.

A World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Prize for its Celebration of the Artistic Spirit was presented by Richard Pena to:

SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN / Sweden, United Kingdom (Director: Malik Bendjelloul) — Rodriguez was the greatest ‘70s US rock icon who never was. Hailed as the greatest recording artist of his generation he disappeared into oblivion – rising again from the ashes in a completely different context many miles away.

The inaugural Short Film Audience Award, Presented by Yahoo!, based on online voting for nine short films that premiered at the Festival and are currently featured on Yahoo! Screen, was presented to:

The Debutante Hunters (Director: Maria White) — In the Lowcountry of South Carolina a group of true Southern belles reveal their more rugged side, providing a glimpse into what drives them to hunt in the wild.

The following awards were presented at separate ceremonies at the Festival:

The Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking was awarded to: FISHING WITHOUT NETS / U.S.A. (Director: Cutter Hodierne, Screenwriters: Cutter Hodierne, John Hibey). The Jury Prize in Short Film, U.S. Fiction was presented to: The Black Balloon / U.S.A. (Directors: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie). The Jury Prize in Short Film, International Fiction was presented to: The Return (Kthimi) / Kosovo (Director: Blerta Zeqiri, Screenwriter: Shefqet Gjocaj). The Jury Prize in Short Film, Non-Fiction was presented to: The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom / U.S.A. (Director: Lucy Walker). The Jury Prize in Animated Short Film was presented to: A Morning Stroll / United Kingdom (Director: Grant Orchard). A Special Jury Award for Comedic Storytelling was presented to: The Arm/ U.S.A. (Directors and screenwriters: Brie Larson, Sarah Ramos, Jessie Ennis). A Special Jury Award for Animation Direction was presented to: Robots of Brixton / United Kingdom (Director: Kibwe Tavares).

The winning directors and projects of the Sundance Institute | Mahindra Global Filmmaking Award, in recognition and support of emerging independent filmmakers from around the world, are: Etienne Kallos / Vrystaat (Free State) (South Africa); Ariel Kleiman / Partisan (Australia); Dominga Sotomayor / Tarde Para Morir Joven (Late To Die Young) (Chile); and Shonali Bose / Margarita. With a Straw (India).

The Sundance/NHK International Filmmaker Award, honoring and supporting emerging filmmakers, was presented to Jens Assur, director of the upcoming film Close Far Away.

The inaugural Hilton Worldwide LightStay Sustainability Award for a completed feature film was presented to The Island President, directed by Jon Shenk. The in-process feature film award was presented to Solar Mamas, directed by Jehane Noujaim and Mona Eldaief. Each project received $25,000.

The inaugural Sundance Institute Indian Paintbrush Producer’s Award and $10,000 grant was presented to Dan Janvey and Josh Penn for Beasts of the Southern Wild.

The Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prizes, presented to outstanding feature films focusing on science or technology as a theme, or depicting a scientist, engineer, or mathematician as a major character, were presented to Robot & Frank, directed by Jake Schreier and written by Christopher Ford, andValley of Saints, directed and written by Musa Syeed. The two films will split the $20,000 cash award by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

The 2012 Sundance Film Festival Jurors were: U.S. Documentary Competition: Fenton Bailey, Heather Croall, Charles Ferguson, Tia Lessin, Kim Roberts; U.S. Dramatic Competition: Justin Lin, Anthony Mackie, Cliff Martinez, Lynn Shelton, Amy Vincent; World Cinema Documentary Competition: Nick Fraser, Clara Kim, Jean-Marie Teno; World Cinema Dramatic Competition: Julia Ormond, Richard Pena, Alexei Popogrebsky; Alfred P. Sloan Award: Tracy Day, Helen Fisher, Dr. Robert J. Full, Gwyn Lurie, Alex Rivera; Short Film Competition: Mike Judge, Dee Rees, Shane Smith.

The 2012 Sundance Film Festival presented 117 feature-length films, representing 30 countries by 45 first-time filmmakers, including 24 in competition. These films were selected from 4,042 feature-length film submissions composed of 2,059 U.S. and 1,983 international feature-length films. 91 films at the Festival were world premieres. The Short Film Program was comprised of 64 short films selected from a record 7,675 submissions.

Sundance 2012: A Whirlwind!

I thought I would have time to be relaxed and blog to my heart's content but it has been wonderfully frenetic with networking and panels and films.

Sundance is a producer's dream. Someone said one party at Sundance is like 100 lunches in Hollywood. It's so true. In one party, I meet so many people with whom I'd like to work or consult or just get to know. I actually find it hard to watch many movies because there are so many awesome networking opportunities.

On a sad note, indie veteran Bingham Ray, who recently took over the San Francisco Film Festival, suffered two strokes and I heard Tracey Morgan collapsed at a gala here. Sundance is really tough on your body. The high altitude and frigid weather is hard to navigate - then add in the free drinks and food at all the parties and often no time for a real meal and you have a physical trauma waiting to happen. I went to the HBO party last night and after being on my feet all day, I too found myself sitting down toward the end just to summon more energy.

Well, we're off to a breakfast with Focus Forward and then hopefully on to some movies! Another busy day at Sundance.

The Road to Sundance: v/h/s, directed by multiple directors

Answers from Radio Silence, a group that directed one of the segments.  Here is their bio.

Radio Silence is Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett, Justin Martinez & Chad Villella.  Formerly known as Chad, Matt & Rob, their previous works include the popular series of "Interactive Adventure" movies: The Treasure Hunt, The Birthday Party & The Teleporter.  Their segment "10/31/98" for the horror anthology movie, V/H/S marks their feature film debut.  After a slew of viral videos that have been seen by over 55 million viewers worldwide, the group is currently working on a full-length feature venture as well as developing several concepts for television.


Tell us about your film. What inspired you to make it?

• The movie is called V/H/S and it’s part of the Park City at Midnight screening series. There are 6 segments in the movie (the other directors are Ti West, Glenn McQuaid, Adam Wingard, Joe Swanberg and David Bruckner), ours is called “10/31/98.” We wanted to make something fun and hopefully provide a fresh take on the found footage style. The idea for our segment was something we’d be toying with for awhile and when we got involved with “V/H/S,” it seemed like the perfect place to finally make it.
  

How long did it take you to make your film?

• Our segment of V/H/S (“10/31/98”) took 4 days to shoot and just over a month for us to edit, mix sound, and complete visual FX.
  

How did you finance your film?

• The good folks of The Collective and Bloody Disgusting Selects approached us to be involved with the project. They put a lot of time and energy into getting such a cool and interesting group of filmmakers involved in something with such a unique and experimental style of storytelling.
  

What was the most challenging part of the filmmaking process and how did you overcome it?

• The most challenging part of making our segment of the movie was choosing a story and writing it in a way that allowed us to be incredibly loyal to the rules of the found footage style without making something that felt extraneously long or too reliant on the gimmick of the ever-present camera. The limitations of this style really challenged us to write something action packed but specific enough to play out in what appears to be several long continuous takes. We were essentially editing the film during the shooting process -- blocking and staging the action in a way that really allowed us the creative freedom to build out the scariness of the world without ever making it feel like it wasn’t completely real. The location we chose to shoot in was essential to this -- we were all legitimately afraid to be in the house we used for our 3 principal nights of shooting -- and this location not only dictated our story from beat to beat, but really influenced all of the performances in a very real way.
  

Tell us about your experience getting into Sundance. Are there any pointers for filmmakers for getting accepted?

• The only advice we’d give is to represent your own voice and story as strongly as you can. It’s really clear to us when we’re watching a film if the filmmakers enjoyed the process of creating it and that’s only possible if you tell a story that you believe in
  

If you had to make the film all over again, would you do anything different?

• This is a hard one to answer since every movie is such a unique combination of the variables and the problems we needed to solve to make this project in the short amount of time we had influenced us in a very specific way. But given a similar set of limitations, we’d probably make a very similar movie. Basically, you do the most you can with what you’ve got and you hope for the best.

Sundance 2012 Experience - Arrival

I'm sitting in the T-Mobile Lift Stella Artois Cafe and having lunch on Stella Artois, which, of course, includes a mug of Stella. As my brother would say, "Very nice." And it is.

After a very long morning commute from LA, it's a wonderful respite to arrive at the Stella Artois cafe. I had a killer morning flight at 6:15a. This meant I had to be up at 3:15a. Ugh! Not sure how I'm even awake right now. The Sundance energy helps.

As soon as I landed in Park City, after a lovely shuttle ride, I dropped my bag at our house rental and headed to the Sundance Headquarters to pick up my press credentials. This is the first year I've attended as press so it's a New World to me.

At the HQ, they lost my credentials and I had to resubmit an application and have a photo taken. So much for having my nice photo on my credentials. Everyone gets to look at my hat head for the next 4 days.

With some food in my belly, I'm ready to tackle the films. Between the press and public screenings, there's a lot to plan. Of course, I was so swamped by the work on my own films prior to leaving that I didn't have a chance to pre-plan properly. So I'm the one in the corner with her head in her film guide, frantically figuring out my plan of attack.

More soon...