This is my last piece on this year’s Sundance Film Festival, I promise. This time it’s my overview of the experience.
First and foremost I had a great time. I was only there for maybe 85 hours, but I went to seven film screenings, three panels, three parties and lots of hanging out. I saw some great films, bad films and some in between. I met a lot of industry folk and learned a few things.
Among the things I discovered:
- Independent Film is in flux. The small little film that goes big- Sex, Lies and Videotape, Blood Simple, She’s Gotta Have It, Stranger Than Paradise, all 20-25 years old- is a thing of the past, BUT also maybe a thing of the future. A good story will go a long way.
- Distributors have no money for films that don’t have a name or can “open.”
- DIY distributing, when put in motion before production is a viable way to get your film seen.
- Sundance- it seems like all the films in the festival had some Sundance connection- getting into Sundance or the Institute is the trick, once in you are in.
- 5600 short films for 90 slots. Why even try entering?
- Where else can one go see a documentary like Old Partner– the Korean film about an old farmer and his 40-year old dying ox. That and the short film panel were worth the trip.
In short I learned a lot. glad I went, I look forward to going next year and hope we can take some students.
PeterH
Sundance Film Festival- a wrap
Peter;
Appreciate your sundance covers.
Was it the pete townsend link, or the stones beatles list in favorites, or the film school required comment and come in under 7 minutes? My process is now to enter FSU film school, even while I have both a small and large project to work on with or for all of the above. So I really appreciate filmmaking 101, if to just generate smart eyes. If I said we did dream of being awarded, confident in the music story ready to be played. Yes, we see money for independents is growing, and LA is less holly than wood these days, but any story rocking out still is a "Can Go". There are always new avenues too. I think Pete and Mick would agree as does this Pete as well. In fact, they might be the directors to produce. So, Who's what are you going to do Next?