I just came back from a weekend at Sundance.
I was a film viewer, not a filmmaker -- I didn't have a film at the festival. I was there to see new films and meet people.
Some quick advice:
- Anyone who wants to be a filmmaker should go. It's a great way to see quality work and also, above all, meet other filmmakers.
- Stay in Salt Lake City. $60/night rooms + rental car = a lot cheaper than staying in swank Park City. Just a 40 minute ride each way.
- By the way, who came up with the idea of putting on the "indie" film festival in one of the most expensive cities in the US -- Park City? Imagine a bunch of starving filmmakers trying to pinch pennies where an $8 vegetarian dinner costs $20 and the rich come to ski and frolic. Just saying.
- Fuck the wait-lists. If you don't have tickets, give up and see something else. Except if you're trying to get into the Eccles theater, which has over 1200 seats and thus usually enough room for wait-listers. Wait list lines suck.
- Best way to get tickets if you don't have them: wake up early, get to the box office at least an hour before it opens and get same-day tickets. Every morning they release more tickets for screenings for that day. When I tried that, I got tickets to every show I wanted to see that day. I also used the box office in Salt Lake City, so that might have helped too.
- Dress for cold. Very cold. Why can't it be in Mexico or Florida in January?
- Go to the Filmmaker Lounge. Even without a credential they'll probably let you in (I didn't have any trouble when I didn't have a badge). It's a great way to meet other filmmakers and chill out.
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