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SUNDANCE BLOG
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Each Day Jane Clark will write from the Sundance Film Festival detailing her experiences
Sundance Blog Day Nine
Day Nine.
I’m really tired.
Another late night.
Turns out the Wednesday night party wasn’t the last party. The last party was last night at the Queer Lounge – The Homo’s who can’t go Home Party. Sponsored by Absolut. You can imagine why I’m exhausted.
The Queer Lounge has come along way. When they started, which was probably 5 or so years ago, they used to be in a weird little mall to one block off main street in what looked like a converted store. It was dark and kind of dreary. But every year it has grown more popular and this year it’s on Main Street, in a three-story building. Downstairs is the VIP area. Second floor is a lounge for chatting and the third floor is for panels during the day and all out parties at night. I sat in on a great panel mid-week about making socially conscious movies. Though skewed to LGBT filmmaking, to their credit, the speakers also dealt with advocacy in all areas. Advocacy is becoming the name of the game in the indie film world, it seems. Despite the growing presence of the Queer lounge, though, I’m not sure if there has been more awareness in LGBT films themselves.
Saw a mediocre movie last night, “The Year of Getting to Know Us.” The film starred Jimmy Fallon, Sharon Stone, Lucy Lui and Tom Arnold. It’s about a guy from a dysfunctional family (Fallon). His girlfriend (Lui) is leaving for a three-year stint as a lawyer overseas. She’d stay if he asked, but he can’t bring himself to do it, because he’s scared of emotional commitment. Stone and Arnold play Jimmy’s parents who are divorced and live in Florida.
Jimmy goes back home when his father has a stroke in the middle of his “best golf game ever.” He has “locked in” syndrome and may or may not be aware of anything. There was real opportunity for Fallon’s character to evolve or learning something about himself while dealing with his comatose father. It wasn’t taken, which is too bad, because he turns on a dime at the end of the movie and you’re just like, “What?!!”
Sharon Stone does a good job as a spaced out wife, trying not to let her asshole husband’s disconnect hurt her. Arnold is fine too. In fact everyone is good - Fallon pulls off a dramatic role and Lucy Lui, I have to say is, as always, just adorable. That’s not a slight. She can act too, but there’s just no ignoring the fact that she’s really pretty and petite.
In the end the script was weak. I think all the films I didn’t like had that problem and it just bears out what you always hear in interviews with actors, directors, producers – It starts with the script. This script told you rather than showing you, the jokes fell flat for the most part, it had very low stakes so you never really felt anything for the characters at the end of it, and on a technical side there were shots that were just wrong. They jumped the line, shot from unjustified angles, and made some very poor editing choices as well.
When I see films like this, I think, “What the hell?” How does someone who (it appears) doesn’t understand much about filmmaking, line up a bunch of name actors and get a script like this made?” AND THEN, once made, how does a film like this get into Sundance. It’s frustrating. The director was really verbose too. He gave a big speech during his “introduction.” (Usually people keep their opening words brief, and just let the movie speak for itself.) Then he had to introduce EVERYONE, from the cast to the craft service person. Then he thanked about 20 people, like this was his Oscar speech. In fact if it had been his Oscar speech he’d have been serenaded off the stage, long before he finally stopped talking.
The Q and A was entertaining, though. Fallon was funny and seemed sweet. Tom Arnold was amusing, partly because he was kind of humorous, mostly because (and I don’t want to get sued for libel so I will just say) he “appeared” to have had a few cocktails, prior to coming on the stage. Sharon Stone was eloquent, seemed like a genuinely thoughtful person and she looked really good as well. Perhaps a bit too thin, and in some ways hard to recognize because of all the (it seems) plastic surgery she has undergone. But she dressed great.
Thanks for sticking with me. Three more blog days to go. I don’t know what this one will bring, though I’m hoping a nap fits in there somewhere. Cheers.
Sundance Blog Day Eight - community's the thing
It was supposed to be an easy early night. Dinner was at 412 Bistro, a little French joint - decent food, overpriced, but what isn't in this town during Sundance? Then to meet friends at the Turning Leaf Lounge, a giant stores, converted into a wine bar, at the bottom of main street. It's open ot the public so we normally won't go there early in the festival cause because the lines for free wine are ridiculous and there's no place to sit. But at this point in the festival, as I explained yesterday, those problems begin to disappear.
The group was a bunch of friends that I've gotten to know over five years at the Woods Hole Film festival. It's one of the best things about a festival - big or small. the people you meet that you stay in contact with. You see each other at other festivals on the circuit and it becomes a support system throughout the year. There's never been a question I couldn't have answered, by putting it out in an email to my filmmaker friends. Well, no, actually one question didn't seem to have an answer - in Final Cut Pro, how do you make a shaky steadicam shot steady? There's suppose to be a filter or something in the new Studio 6 that can help, but I couldn't figure it out. It's too late now, but I'm still curious, so if anyone knows please shoot me an email.
Anyway, after that we ended up at the Producer's Guild of America party at the Stella Artois "Cutting Room" tent. We weren't going to stay long, but the party got to rockin', the DJ was outrageously good, and we met a group of fun eclectic people. One girl, Stacy, is a jewelry designer and local in Park city who lives in one of the last existing Miner's shacks. We're going over today to see it.
The party was a launch for their PGA producer's lab screening series and was thrown in honor of this year's Award Winners. I'm not sure how the contest or "lab' works, but you producers out there should check into it.
Deb and Fitz were there with their doc, "showgirls, which is about a club in Provincetown that has open mike night where people who feel the need to stretch their wings come in, potentially in full drag, to warble a bit. But as Deb siad, it's not just about the show of it. It's about the performers' humanity, which can make for a colorful and touching film. I wish them lots of luck. Hopefully, I'll see them at the Ptown film Fest this summer with my film and we can have another beer together at another great festival.
We got home about midnight and then got into the hot tub for a few minutes. by then my bad knee and my fractured toe were throbbing from the dancing so it was a great way to cap things off. By the time I got out of the tub I was a giant, hot, sweating glob of jello.
Earlier in the day I went to the Massachusetts Film Office party held in honor of local filmmakers and those who had films at Slamdance or Sundance. Surprisingly, there were quite a few. One guy, Nathan Silver, had been studying in Paris, but shot his short "Anecdote," in his hometown of Boston. He was with his dad, who was the producer of the Slamdance short. I love the fact that his Dad was an active participant and they were hanging together.
A few people had shorts at Slamdance, mostly docs, and one directing duo, Peter Galison and Robb Moss, had a feature doc in Competition at Sundance called "Secrecy," about the "classification universe" of the government.
The party was also thrown to encourage local filmmakers to keep their productions in Boston. Since the tax incentives were put in place, shooting in the state has soared. There are three major motion picurres going into production in the Spring, and they have absorbed most of the crew available in town. As film continues to be a constant, though, and more people realize there are jobs to be had, the crew depth should expand to accommodate more shows, so the little films won't get squeezed out. The film office is working to make sure that expansion happens.
For those of you who don't know, the Massachusetts tax incentive is, in the most basic terms, a 25% return on any money spent on production in the state, in the form of refundable and resellable tax credits. That's a nice chunk of change to put back into production or give to your financiers as an early return on their investment.
I only managed to get to one film yesterday, a Premiere called "Sleepwalkes." which is what I felt like watching it. I walked out, and I wasn't the first, believe me. It wasn't that it was terrible. The production values were decent, the acting good. Charlize Theron in a small role has a wonderfully fine scene in which she continues to show that she is a true talent in the industry. Unfortunately, the same scene became a distraction, because the director never cut away from her through this long speech where she's telling her brother, played by Nick Stahl, that she treated him like shit and she's sorry. You never see the brother reacting. All you see is his arm. After a while, I began to internally will the film to cut to him or to a two shot or something. And I think it was a poor choice in retrospect as well., because Nick's character is the adult emotional anchor thourgh the next hour. In otherwords, It's more his film than hers, so we should see it through his perspective and not hers. And the guy is talented so I can't imagine the director had to cut around bad acting. I eventually walked out though for two reasons. One, the script was clunky and had forced scenarios that were unjustifiably introduced to drive the stpory, and two, I am tired of seeing films about people beaten down by life, who continually make stupid choices. Those people might exist, but I don't feel like watching them. It's frustrating and truthfully, in this case, boring.
Hopefully, today I can catch a few more films and find another gem or two and then, since there are no more parties, I should be able to get have an early night for a change. Famous last words...
Sundance Blog Day Seven
My last story for my husband files this morning and things should begin to slow down. If you are in the business and want to come to meet people and pitch your wares, do it on the first weekend. That is when the parties are in full throttle, the more “significant” films had their first screening and the place is overrun with producers, the mini-majors, acquisitions people, film festival program directors, et al. Monday is always the first drop off of people and the start of the exodus. By Wed. it’s still going, but really weakened and by Thurs most everyone leaves except the people who work here, the people who had films here, and a few of the press. At that point it is, conversely, a great time to see movies (easier to get tickets, easier to wait list), and a fantastic time to ski. The slopes here are empty through the festival because the town is filled with film-goers.
I spent all afternoon writing a story and edited it with my husband in the evening. On top of that Heath Ledger died (it is so sad and tragic) and my husband had to monitor that story. So we had to cancel our evening plans. That’s par for the course, though. Most people are here to work, so schedules are mercurial. Ah, well. There’s always next year for anything missed. And anyway, we’re all here for the films ultimately. Aren’t we? While we’re on the subject, I saw two good ones yesterday.
“The Assassination of a High School President,” is directed by Brett Simon in his feature debut and set in the dangerous world of prep schools. They like to say that is starring Mischa Barton, and they use her picture as the still for the program, but she had a relatively small role. Personally, I think she’s getting a little too old to play high school. An unknown kid, Reece Thompson, plays the lead, a dorky sophomore on the school paper who is given an assignment to profile the class president, a not-so-bright, but wealthy handsome and athletic guy, who refers to himself in the third person. In the process semi-nerd uncovers voter fraud, cooked books, infidelity and an illegal drug ring, gets laid, has his heart broken, and exacts revenge.
Bruce Willis plays the principal, an ex-army guy, who still references everything against his experience in “the storm.” He is funny and really enjoyable to watch, chewing the scenery with relish. As well, there’s another older actor, Josh Pais, who plays the Spanish teacher and is hilarious.
I want to digress a moment here. When you place older actors with all of their life and acting experience in a film with newcomers it really illustrates what those years of living bring to the craft. Bruce and Josh were effortless, perfectly timed, confident, easy in their skin and dynamic on-screen. That is not to say the younger actors did a bad job. They were all consistently good and likable as well. Having said that, age matters. And it’s a shame there aren’t more films that give these older talents a chance to shine.
Having said that, the next film I saw was “Towelhead,” which is Alan Ball’s new script and directorial debut. The lead girl, who was young, I am not sure how old she actually was, delivered a subtle, moving, daring and ripe performance. Her name is Summer Bishil. Remember the name, because you’ll be hearing a lot about her, I think. She plays Jasira, a 13 year old girl, half Lebanese and half American, who’s mother, played by Maria Bello, ships her off to live with her father after she catches her boyfriend shaving Jasira’s pubic hair. The father, played with exquisite timing by Peter Macdissi, whom she doesn’t really know, is strict, obsessed with the morality of his child, but not enough to be around to watch over her. Quick to anger and just as easy to please, Jasira is always a little on edge around him. When the next-door neighbor, played by Aaron Eckhart (who is always fabulous) begins paying attention she is easy prey.
The film is about racism, culture, and bias on the one hand, a girl’s physical awakening and pedophilia on the other. It does not shy away from any of it, and the physical moments between Eckhart and Bishil are startlingly intimate, leading me to wonder exactly how old the actress is. It is a good film, complex, difficult, but also with humor and respect for the characters. It iaccurately and realistically portrays that time in a girl’s life when she is moving from innocence to maturity and discovering her sexuality. It also shows well, the conflict that pedophilia brings up in children – it might feel good, but they intuitively know it is wrong. They might go along with it, because it is an adult asking, but not want to. So they are left feeling guilty, as if somehow it was their fault.
As a side note, I think the film might have been shot on digital. I am curious about how many features up here were. It would be nice to know whether mainstream world has caught up to the low budget indie mentality. It will take that to get distributors to stop judging the worth of a film based on the medium it was shot on.
Later that night, as my husband monitored the Ledger situation we popped in “Raisin in the Sun,” which will be out on TV soon, but is playing as a feature up here at Sundance. Based on the award-winning play by Lorraine Hansberry and starring P. Diddy, Phylicia Rashad, and Audra McDonald, the film was warm, touching, quickly paced and did a fairly good job of transcending the conceits of theater.
This film again brings me back to experience. Being a newcomer doesn’t necessarily mean you are young, and P. Diddy is a prime example. He did an acceptable job, but another actor, with more experience, would have been able to bring a more rounded character to the screen. Having said that he is still adequate and shows glimmers of talent that keep you with him. And if he had been playing opposite other actors of his skill level, he would have shined, perhaps. But Audra McDonald is an extremely talented stage actress with a great deal of experience behind her and delivers an quietly moving performance and Phylicia Rashad, again, shows what those years of life bring to an already talented actress. She is the root of the film as her character is the root to her family and it is with pleasure that I watched her negotiate her way through the role.
Several deals finally went through yesterday, “Henry Poole is Here,” Fox Searchlight acquired “Choke,” Focus Features picked up “Hamlet II,” which was a increasingly hot title moving towards it’s premiere, and apparently “American Teen” which is a hot doc title was close to a deal as well. I think this is a record for how long the festival has gone before a narrative deal pushed through.
Today I’m doing laundry. Fascinating I know. Then going to the Massachussets Film Office Lunch. In the afternoon I hope to sit in front of a few movies before a dinner party and the PGA party later on in the evening. I’ll talk to ya later.
Sundance Blog Day Six – Lots of Movies, Little Cold
It’s early. I was up late. I’m feeling a little ache in my throat. Not good. I have yet to make it through a Sundance without getting sick. I got some Marine Plankton drops at one of the green lounges. I’m going to try it. See if it helps. Though it is supposed make your cells healthy over time so….hmmm. Time to mainline the Airborne, I guess.
Maybe it’s just from all the talking. I’ve been talking a lot. And yesterday was no exception as there were a number of parties. Went to a Fox Searchlight Brunch to start. Lovely meal, salmon, rice cakes and Caesar salad, served after a screening of their doc, “Young at Heart.” It’s a tender, humorous, hopeful film about an old person’s chorus who performs renditions of a wide array of songs from Cold Play to Clash to James Brown. The film had the audience in tears, but smiling at the pluck of the seniors. A neat trick for any film to pull off and the director, Stephen Walker, was earnest about how it made him feel to look around and see the tears. There were a couple of the seniors at the brunch and, like the rock stars they are, they were constantly being approached by jaded festival goers asking to have their picture taken with them. It’s a buzzed about film here and an audience favorite. It is slated to be released this spring. Go see it, get inspired.
I left the brunch and marched through extremely slushy snow to catch a press screening of “Phoebe in Wonderland.” It’s been a rough festival for narrative. A number of documentaries have been getting light buzz, not full throttled buzz, but at least some attention, praise and small distribution deals. The narrative has been flat. No sales. Talk of good films, okay films and horrible films, but no great films, stirring films, stimulating films. So I was delighted to see what was, for me, the first WOW film of the festival. “Phoebe in Wonderland” stars Elle Fanning (Dakota’s sister), Felicity Huffman, Bill Pullman and a particularly wonderful Patricia Clarkson as a theater teacher of dramatically silent proportion. It was directed by Daniel Barnz in a very sensitive and magical way. It is about a young girl, Phoebe, who is picked on for being different, and increasingly acts out in odd ways, like spitting on other kids, saying things she doesn’t mean and exhibiting early signs of OCD. She tries out for the school play (Alice in Wonderland) and wins the role of Alice. It is in the theater environment that she is able to be not only normal, but truly shine. Her symptoms grow more severe, including hallucinations in which she imagines she is talking to characters from the book, and her family struggles to deal with her while trying to figure out what is wrong. I won’t give away any more than that, because everyone should go see this film (assuming someone is smart enough to pick it up - I haven’t heard it selling yet). There is also a great supporting role by a cute and little boy who plays Phoebe’s best friend. He is gay and unabashed about it, and when he is asked what role he’d like to play, the knight or the knave, he responds “um, the red queen?”, delivering the audition line, “Off with her head,” with dramatic English flair worthy of Cate Blanchett. And Elle Fanning is off the charts good.
The evening started at the Picturehouse party at Zoom (which is supposedly owned by Robert Redford.) Always a packed party. Festival programmer, Trevor Groth, was there along with Killer Film’s Christine Vachon. We got a drink in before heading up the street to see Patti Smith perform in a small venue called the Music CafÈ. She’s up here in support of a doc about her life and artistry, “Patti Smith: Dream of Life.” I was only vaguely familiar with her, she was a little before my time. So I was unexpectedly impressed with her music, humor and passion. It made me what to download her music for my itouch. From there we headed to grab a drink at the Indiegogo.com party for the movie “Flow,” biding our time before our late night dinner plans at Bon Appetit again.
It was a less lively dinner than the Washington Life party the night before, but we sat with our friend, David Poland (moviecitynews.com) and got to know his new fiancÈe, Heather, a bit. Also had a wonderful chat with Larry Gross, screenwriter of “48 Hours” and three other Walter Hill movies, as well as the Waldo Salt screenwriting award winner (a Sundance Award) for the wonderful, but under-appreciated “We don’t Live Here Anymore,” at Sundance in 2004.
The dinner a celebration of the premiere of “Henry Poole is Here,” directed by Mark Pellington and starring Luke Wilson and George Lopez. The supper club holds two dinners and the earlier one held an auction that got apparently lively and no one wanted to leave afterwards, so the dinner that followed was held up. George was apparently stuck outside for a half and hour in the cold, waiting in line to get in.
Another good meal, great wine and I think while we were there, the film was in early negotiations for a deal. They also gave out a beautiful enameled pen to all the guests. Thanks Lakeshore!
Today, I am seeing “Assassination of a High School President” and “Towelhead,” Alan Ball’s new film, which I am excited about. I hope it’s good. I’ll let you guys know tomorrow. Then writing all afternoon for my internet story before starting the party circuit. Tonight is our annual Stella Artois dinner, a four-course meal, where each course is paired with a different Stella beer. Might be sleeping in tomorrow!
Sundance Blog Day Five – filmanthropy/the word of the day
Yesterday emerged as the day of being socially conscious, which goes hand in hand with the green lounges I wrote about a few days ago, I know, but being aware and doing what you can about it may just be the unwritten theme of the festival this year.
I say unwritten because as I talked about in my second blog of the festival, Sundance always declares the themes of their festival – this year being new voices and dark humor. Many times, however, they claim themes that they have deliberately programmed, rather than simply letting the theme emerge naturally.
There is a word I learned yesterday that sums up this naturally emerging theme. It was coined by a man from Washington, Ted Leonsis, who produces (I think that means heavily invests in – but don’t quote me) films about issues. That term, and I think it is catchy as well as apt – is FILMANTHROPY. Take it, use it, spread it around.
Mr. Leonsis was a guest of honor at, at a dinner thrown by Saruj Bagley of Washington Life Magazine, in support of a film that he produced called “Kicking It.” The film is about a group of homeless men across the world who have been organized into soccer teams and they play a “world cup” each year. It was directed by doc filmmaker Susan Koch to give a face to homelessness. Susan, by the way, has been around for quite a while now - not exactly the “new” voice that Sundance is spinning.
Let me digress a moment to say that the dinner, which was held at the Bon Appetit supper club, was lovely, Veuve Cleiquot champagne, top of the line wines specially paired with a three course meal prepared by Iron Chef Cat Cora. Eggplant soup with cotton candy, a Moroccan lamb stew and a chocolate soufflÈ type thing. MMMMMmmmmmgood.
There were a lot of caring (and financially capable) people in that room, from the Mayor of DC and the “soon to be” Senator, Congressman John Conyers, to entertainment celebrities like Jackson Brown, Tim Daly and Danny Glover, to the head of AMPAS, Dan Glickman. All of whom want to see change happen and believe it can be done through filmmaking. “Kicking It” is being distributed by ESPN (which seems an odd, but apt deal) and should be coming to a tv near you in the not too distant future.
Leonsis made a bucket load of money early on with an on-line venture. He thought he was set and then his plane crashed. Coming that close to dying forever changed his life, and caused him to redirect his focus to giving back. “We need to be able to shine the light on very important subjects,” he said, because “film can be a catalyzer to social change.”
A few years back I attended a panel that Robert Redford participated in. At that time Redford said that after “All the President’s Men” was released he realized that film couldn’t change anything. That you have to make films that you like without the expectation of a deep and lasting effect. (I am seriously paraphrasing here by the way, but I remember it because at that time I was just beginning to promote a film I did on teen pregnancy and a woman’s right to choose and his statement was discouraging.)
Earlier in the day, I attended another panel that had been organized by the Queer Lounge, and the feeling was completely different. Ricky Strauss, President of Participant Productions (“Syriana,” “Good Night and Good Luck,” “An Inconvenient Truth”) told two great stories that countered that statement. The first was about a film called “It Happened One Night,” starring Clark Gable. The star had been filmed without his shirt on and no t-shirt. The studio was in a panic because is was risquÈ at the time and they were fearful of the backlash. But the film was a huge hit, and caused t-shirt sales over the next months to plummet. Similarly, there was an episode of “Happy Days” where the Fonz gets a library card. The week that followed saw an huge spike in new applications for library cards. His point was that while social change is hard to track, it doesn’t mean it isn’t happening, and don’t underestimate the effect film can have on an audience.
Christian Vachon, of Killer Films fame (producer of such greats as “Safe,” “I Shot Andy Warhol,” “Boys Don’t Cry,” etc.) says she doesn’t make films to make a difference. She makes films that are great scripts and tell stories that provoke and move people. If they happen to change public opinion for the good, then it is icing on the cake.
Director, Josh Tickel, director of “Fields of Fuel,” was an activist with a successful first book. But he decided to go back to school for his MBA in filmmaking after he read a series of studies about how the brain works. Those studies say that the human mind stores information in a way that doesn’t differentiate between real experiences and the things we see on-screen. We remember the movies as if we experienced them ourselves. Therefore, you can subtly change opinion by the movies you make.
I feel good about all this. I’ve always believe you can change perceptions by telling an interesting story first, but in a way that leaves a lingering thought and creates dialogue that allows both sides of an opinion to be heard.
We wrapped up the night at the Cinevegas party. On our way home we ran into Anthony Breznican, reporter for USA Today, his wife Jill and her friend Erica, coming out of a party. Jill snagged an extra swag bag for me and it was a good one. I don’t know how I’m going to get all my extra shit home from the festival at this point, but it’s not a bad problem to have. While we were chatting on the street, Jason Reitman, (“Juno,” “Thank You For Smoking”) who we’ve all met before at Fox Searchlight parties, stopped to chat. Jason is one of the nicest guys, very real, very down to earth. Just a regular guy with a great sense of humor and a talent for making kick-ass movies.
Half and hour later as the snow was coming down hard and the cold was seeping through the layers of clothing, we parted ways and headed back home.
I’ll close today with what Ted Leonsis says are the five things that combined are scientifically proven to lead to happiness.
being an active participant in multiple communities, in other words if you are filmmaker, take a cooking class, if you are a sportsman, read a book, if you are a business man, throw yourself into dance lessons.
Have high levels of personal expression. For example Ted says he blogs three times a day. That is his personal expression.
Have gratitude for the things you’ve been given and the people around you.
Volunteer. Reach outside yourself to do something for someone else.
Pursue a higher calling.
I think that’s a great list of things to live by regardless of whether you are trying to achieve happiness or not. Though if happiness is the proven by-product…well that’s just icing on the cake.
Sundance Blog Day Four
I’m tired. Ended the night with a little dancing at the Entertainment Weekly Party at the Legacy Lodge at the Lift. Say that fast 10 times in a row. Can’t do it can ya?
Yesterday was a pretty busy day. Aside from a separate blog I wrote for my husband’s job, I had several interviews and a panel called Webolution, which had some big names (including Dan Glickman, head of the AMPAS) yapping about the future monetary potential of the internet. Considering that the writers and producers can’t figure it out and the director’s guild put off the hard decisions for three years, the panel was right in line - it was an hour and a half about the fact that no one knows where the money will come from, or if the money will come in sufficient amounts. Which we already knew.
The other problem, and this is a problem quite often with panels, is that they weren’t addressing the web and how it relates to the independent filmmakers. Heeellooo, we’re at a film festival people! They talked a lot about tv and mostly how the studios and big money films use the web. I wanted to hear about how it can relates to me.
On that score, I interviewed one of the founders of a new internet company called Indiegogo.com. They have an online community geared to help filmmakers raise money for their movies. You set up a page, similar to myspace or facebook, only slanted towards business – in other words, it has a log line, synopsis maybe, what talent and above the line is attached, how much you are raising, why you are making the movie, a business plan perhaps – that type of thing. “Fan” members browse for worthwhile investments. If you’re film interests them, they theoretically donate money.
This is the pro and the con of it. People donate the money regardless of whether you are a non-profit or for profit. So if it works there are no investors to pay back. But if is not an investment or at least a charitable tax deduction what is the donor’s incentive? They are giving their money away for free, because they like what you are trying to do, I am told. I am not so sure there are enough people that will give something for nothing unless it is really cause oriented. The rep said that their interest could be in other things – to see their name on the screen, to come to set, to be at the premiere.
We’ll see. I’ll give it a try though, cause really what do I have to lose? Well actually 9% to be exact. That’s what Indiegogo’s fee is if the donation goes through. Considering many finder’s fees are 10% and agent fees are 10%, I suppose they are slightly under market rate. And as I said most people don’t give something for nothing.
My review today is “What Just Happened?” directed by Barry Levinson, starring Robert DeNiro, Kelly Lynch, Catherine Keener, and Stanley Tucci and co-starring as themselves Bruce Willis and Sean Penn. Now you may be wondering how a film with such a pedigree and that had to have been made for at least $15M belongs at the “premier festival for independent film.”
They justify the indie moniker because they were financed by Mark Cuban’s company, 2929. And to their credit they say they shot in 33 days. That’s pretty fast for Hollywood. And I suppose DeNiro owns a piece of it in lieu of his usual paycheck. And if I were an actor, I’d work for cheap for Barry Levinson. They shot half the film in Connecticut so they were able to take advantage of a decent tax credit. So I am sure, compared to how Barry, Bob and Art Linson, the big producer of the film, who actually wrote the script, are used to working, this film was on the fly. But, it just seemed weird. And by most indie filmmaker’s terms they have no idea what shooting on a budget really means.
Having said that DeNiro, Bruce Willis, Stanley Tucci and Sean Penn were all there, which was pretty cool. We walked in with Tucci, while fans who were gathered outside in the freezing cold, yelled his name and asked for autographs. He looks good, btw.
Well, again I digress. In terms of the film, it was fun. A well-made, well-acted, fast paced romp through the treacherous environment of the film industry. Levinson’s “Short Cuts” but maybe less dark and more funny.
Robert DeNiro plays a successful producer who is, on a daily basis, hand-holding, cajoling, begging, conceding and generally taking it up the ass from everyone. At the top of the movie DeNiro’s latest producing effort is test screened. At the end Sean Penn begs for his life and the bad guys shoot his dog before they shoot him. The audience gasps in horror. Their written responses are unanimous in their disgust for the ending. The studio insists it be changed. The director refuses to diminish his art. Meanwhile, DeNiro has a hot-tempered star (Bruce Willis) who shows up for rehearsals on DeNiro’s next movie, over-weight with a grizzly adams beard, which is a character choice he has made. He refuses to shave it, throwing a fantastic temper tantrum. The studio says they’ll pull the money if Willis isn’t clean-shaven and handsome for the “millions of menstruating women” who go weak for him. While this is going on DeNiro is trying to get back with his ex-wife who is having an affair with a writer (Tucci) who wants DeNiro to make his next movie, and he finds out his 17 year old daughter was sleeping with a cocaine head agent, twenty years her senior, who just offed himself. DeNiro has to figure out how to handle all his problems, save his career and get on to making his next film.
An audience member asked Levinson if he ever did test screenings. He said that the studio had done them on “Rainman” and he always remembered one person’s response to the question, “did you like the ending?” The answer was, “I was hoping the little guy would snap out of it.”
Today is the Outfest brunch. I’m going to attempt to do a little schmoozing, talk up my short period lesbian romance, and look for money for my feature period lesbian romance. Then an interview with the myspace people for my internet story, a panel with Christine Vachon, a filmmaker and press reception, followed by the Gladd awards party, a dinner at the Bon Appetit supper club (the food there last year was outrageous) at which, it is rumored, the Bono will attend, then a bunch of parties, depending on how late the dinner goes and how tired I am. Happy Sunday to all.
Sundance Blog Day Three
It was flurrying all day yesterday, really lightly, but always enough to keep a dusting on the windshields. Not as cold as Thursday though, so that’s something. Spent the morning going to lounges. One was the “Village in the Square,” which used to be the “Village at the Lift,” but something must have happened because they’re now stuck out in the middle of nowhere. Regardless, I went to talk to Timberland about their new recycled boot line.
I tried to get the rep to talk about green being profitable because I was looking to tie altruism in with commercialism, but I just couldn’t get him to crack. In fact, rather, he seemed genuinely passionate about the environment and excited about their initiatives – they recycle their billboards into bags, the scrap rubber from boot soles is reused, they use wind and solar energy, they recycle old boots. As the rep said when I pushed for a capitalist remark, “I mean, afterall our logo is a tree.” The most I could get out of him was that their solar panel, “one of the largest,” which is on their distribution plant saves them money. I did, however, get some really cute recycled boots, a couple of adorable striped socks and a very fun, hip hat.
Swag in hand, I set out to visit Project Greenhouse, upon arriving they sat me down in their lounge and explained how the sofa fabric was hemp and the carpets were Karastan (I have no idea what that is, but I assume it is organic), and the leather was organic cow….URRRCH! Organic cow?
Okay, I couldn’t help it. I had to ask. What makes a cow “organic?” Well apparently, they eat organic and range free. In case you, too, were wondering.
I spoke first to the woman who organized the house. I asked her about what brought companies back, how did they mark their success in dollars. Did she give me anything? NO! The witch. All I got was a bunch of earnestness about trying to raise awareness and reaching out to educate. Blah blah blah.
The tour, which was brief, was mostly fabrics and clothing. I was sure I’d get something good to use there, maybe how the technology hadn’t caught up to fashion. WRONG. The fabrics were really pretty. The vegetable dye colors were rich and detailed. One looked and felt exactly like velvet. Most were soft. (In fact, in my swag bag made of recycled Lexus billboards, I got the softest bathrobe made of some organic material - did you know that they make fabric out of pineapple fibers, milk bi-products, bamboo and corn?) And they had this really adorable coat that was designed by Diane Von Furstenberg, so forget the bad fashion thing.
Next, I talked to a very enthusiastic representative of Lexus about their hybrid cars, and then I met with Leslie Hoffman, who works with Earth Pledge, whose main mission is to work with farmers to reduce their emissions, which (and I didn’t know this) are plentiful and harmful, partially stemming from the waste left in the fields after harvest. They educate the farmer and when necessary assist financially in turning farms “green.”
“Farm issues at Sundance? What’s that got to do with the film festival?” you might ask. Well I’ll tell you. And this is really cool. They’ve been working with filmmakers to make their films carbon neurtal, through reducing their carbon footprint and budgeting to pay for carbon offsets. Big films like “Syriana,” “Babel,” and “There Will Be Blood,” have done it. So have lower budget films like “An Inconvenient Truth,” and a doc at this year’s festival called “Fields of Fuel,” which is about America’s dependency on oil and the viability of bio-diesel. Earth Pledge buys the carbon off-sets from the film productions and funnels the money into farms in the area where the film is being shot.
They say that reducing your footprint doesn’t really cost more and could save you money, and that purchasing the carbon offsets is much cheaper than you might imagine. It is worth checking into, isn’t it? As Corrin Arasa, founder of Project Greenhouse said, the film business is a “big hog” when it comes to waste. If you’re curious, check out their website, http://www.earthpledge.org.
Later I went to see “The Wackness” starring Sir Ben Kingsley (who was by far and away the best thing in the film,) a bunch of unknowns who were likeable enough, and believe it or not, Mary Kate Olsen in a rather delightful supporting role. The film was way way too long, kind of one note in some respects and wasn’t the greatest script. After seeing “In Bruges” the night before with some really tight, well-written dialogue and story it was a little painful at times.
Basically it is set in 1984 and tells the story of a sweet, outcast kid who deals pot for a living. He has therapy with Ben Kingsley’s character who accepts dime bags as payment. They develop an unlikely friendship, which is an interesting dynamic, though I don’t feel the filmmaker completely explored it. There are a lot of drugs, to numb each of them to their shitty lives and dysfunctional families. The kid falls in love with Ben’s step-daughter who breaks his heart. Ben divorces his mean bitter wife and finds love with a GoGo-esque ex-band chick. I think they were supposed to have grown from their experiences, though I am not completely sure that was achieved either.
There were some funny scenes and some really great moments courtesy of Sir Ben, but overall I give it a C+. If some distributor comes in, pays conservatively for it and cuts the shit out of it, I think they’d do all right with film-goers who grew up in the early to mid-90’s. The music, both from Ben’s character’s generation and the kid’s is great. Soundtrack could sell as well.
I’m off to see another green lounge and then I’m running the rest of the day. A panel called Webolution, two interviews, coffee with a friend, a party, a movie, and three more parties. I’m tired just thinking about it! See you tomorrow.
Sundance blog Day Two
The first official day of Sundance started with a press lunch that was held at the New Frontier on Main, in the basement. They take over the whole underbelly of this little mall and use it for companies like Sony to hawk their wares. In the last couple of years, however, it has evolved to include a performance art space and multimedia installations, all with a distinctively filmic approach. For instance on one large wall there are projected full-size “trees,” colorful graphic renderings that sway in the wind. The installation is called “Mike Kelley Trees,” and was created by Jennifer Steinkamp. Pretty. I enjoyed staring at them, but I’m not sure what they are supposed to represent beyond a decorative purpose. Then again, I’m not terribly esoteric.
This new addition to the festival, as John Cooper, (I think he’s head of programming) said, represents how the organization is “growing like an amoeba.” But it is still ultimately about the films, and Thursday night was the big opening night.
Between the lunch, the presser, and the evenings opening event the spin coming from everyone involved, from John, to Geoffrey Gilmore, the festival director, to Robert Redford, the Sundance Kid, was twofold. They were excited to talk about the dramas laced with humor at this year’s festival, represented by the opening night film, “In Bruges.” It is pronounced broozsh, by the way. Everyone is mangling it. Once you see the film, you get why they used it. Besides the fact it is the name of the town the two hit men are holed up in (see earlier story for description), the actual phrase IN BRUGES is used as a running joke through the film. But still, I’m not sure how great it is to have a film title you have to teach people to pronounce.
Anyway, I digressed. The film was true to the dark humor spin we were getting. There were out loud laughs through the whole thing, yet the characters, who killed people for a living, were still very empathetic. And the requisite hit man movie violence was still in place. As well, the actors were really good. Ralph Fiennes was so focused in his character it took me a few seconds to realize it was him. Brendan Gleeson is infinitely likeable. And who knew Colin Farrell could be funny?
However, even though they represented their first spin accurately, I have issues with their second, that is couched in the idea of “change,” latching onto the democratic political mantra. Behind the idea of change is supposedly these new voices - first time directors in this year’s festival, who represent Sundance’s commitment to being a place for discovering new talent. Supposedly 56 of the 120 features they are screening up here are first time feature directors. Okay, fine. I’m sure in the Park City at Midnight and Spectrum categories that is true. And I am sure the World cinema, which they are trying to build in order to become an international force, has first time feature directors. But the high profile premieres don’t have many at all, nor I would be willing to bet do the competition film categories. I could be wrong. And ultimately it comes down to what you consider “new talent. Judging from the opening night movie, that is supposed to represent this new voice, my definition and theirs, jibes.
The director of “In Bruges,” Martin McDonagh, is a huge! and I mean HUGE! playright. I remember his “The Beauty Queen of Leenane” from acting class when every other girl had to do a monologue from it. He’s won two Olivier awards and been nominated for 4 Tonys. This is not a new voice. This is not an untried, undiscovered talent. This is big talent moving into a new medium. He did a good job. Don’t get me wrong. I liked the movie and thought it was well told and well done, but I think it is a stretch to apply it to the idea of discovering new talent.
We also saw Amy Redford’s directorial debut (another “undiscovered” talent – Redford, hmmmm. I wonder how she got in?), “The Guitar,” which was incredibly linear and simple. It took a premise with potential depth and made a superficial, surface story out of it. She was also fond of shooting the characters through things as she panned. She did it a lot – through screens, through columns, through glass. Besides being an annoyingly, overtly, “arty” mechanism, it also separated the audience, through the entire film, from the subject, for whom we are supposed to be journeying with to another mental mindset. I can at least say the production design was good, and Saffron Burrows, when she wasn’t pouting was just fine. Well, it helps to know people. That’s all I’ve got to say.
How’s that for shooting myself in the foot. I’ll probably never get into Sundance now!
The day ended at the Focus Features party in the Tent, which was just okay. It’s interesting because these late night parties are completely different from the daytime in terms of crowd. The cocktail parties tend to be a few stars and directors and many more producer types. The late night are the opposite, with a lot of wannabe’s thrown into the mix. Which is fine if you’re looking to get laid, but since I have that handled, I tend to get bored easily at them. We saw a few friends, had a beer and went home. I hope the stars and the director of “In Bruges” had fun, though. It really was for them anyway, right? Right???
I’m off to start my day, which includes checking out all the eco-friendly lounges for a “Greening of Sundance’ story I’m reporting for my husband. Then I’m gonna try and fit in a movie mid-day before coming back to write said story. Tonight is a cocktail party, the premiere of “the Wackness” which stars, surprisingly, Mary Kate Olsen, and then maybe an early night of pizza and hottub, because Saturday through Tuesday are heavy on the parties and I’ll need my strength. We’ll see how that goes.
Sundance Blog Day One
Hi all. Today is the first day of the rest of my Sundance. Just to fill you in, this is my 9th or 10th festival…I can’t remember anymore. I come up here with my husband who is an entertainment editor for a big news outlet. I string for him on a few stories, so I get a press pass, which makes it much much easier to get into films, and we get on the list for a ton of parties as well. Since that’s what Sundance is all about – Films and Parties, I’m good to go.
Through the next 11 days I’m gonna share the more interesting things that cross my path. I’ll let you know about the films I get a chance to see, the lounges I’m checking out – along with the swag, if I’m lucky enough to get anything worthwhile. (The really great stuff is saved for the celebrities. Little people like me get the consolation prizes!) I’ll be hitting the parties as well, which are always good for some schmoozing and star sighting. I might bitch a little here and there, so bear with me. I am a bitter filmmaker, afterall, having never been accepted into the big dance!
We arrived in Park City on Tuesday, planning to ski a few days before the madness, but the phone started ringing and the schedule was still not set, so instead we’ve been prepping things in our room at the Blue Church Lodge. We got lucky this year, and instead of the servant’s quarters we usually stay in (the only room in the place we can afford) they gave us a one bedroom with a fireplace for the same amount! It’s a good start to the festival. I hope the rest of the experience goes as well.
I’ll soon find out, because it’s Thursday and the festival is just about to launch. Today is the yearly press lunch, which I will attend (free food) and then the press conference, which I won’t attend (no point for me to be there!) Then tonight we hit the opening film “In Bruges” directed by playright Martin McDonagh and starring Colin Farrell and Ralph Fiennes. The film is set in a medieval Flemish town of Bruges, where two hit men have been ordered to lay low after they f… up an execution. After weird experiences with the locals, tourists and a dwarf American filmmaker among others, a final life and death struggle ensues that is supposed to be violent, but touching…according to the Sundance programmer description. We’ll see.
Afterwards we’ll be headed to the Focus Features after party for the film, which is being held in the Tent at the Lift, which is located…you guessed it at the town ski lift. They used to call the area The Village at the Lift but this year it’s the “Reaction Hospitality Lounge and In Touch CafÈ at STEREO,” which is a mouth full. I’m going down in the am tomorrow to get my credentials and suss out the new set up. I do know the lounge is planning to hand out cocktails and expensive shit, like iphones, ipods, play stations, designer bags, boutique jewelry and a bunch of other things, to the poor impoverished talent who couldn’t otherwise afford it (lol). Outside and upstairs is the Tent where companies will be throwing parties for their films and a CafÈ (free to credentialed pass holders. Yea!) that serves breakfast and lunch.
Hopefully, I will wrap up this opening day at a semi-reasonable hour, cause Friday morning it’s up early to start the festival in earnest. Hope you’ll sign on each day and get a little kick out of the whole shebang.
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