Time's Up
The last time I submitted something to the Sundance Film Festival...it was a struggle. Deadlines kick you in your ass. No matter how much we seemed to prepare...the date loomed and when it arrived we weren't exactly ready.
The deadline was on a Friday and still on Wednesday night there was much music mixing, dialogue mixing, smoothing out of effects and getting the cut to look at the very least "okay." We could've submitted a work-in-progress. That's accepted but we shunned the idea. NOT US! We will not submit anything before it's time....and looked down our noses at the thought. J was working all night with the other J on making everything just right...by Thursday morning I was typing up various "press kit" info - bios, cast lists, synopses, whatever they wanted but naturally troubles persisted through the day. The computer kept crashing, J2 ran out of smokes (and was getting married in less than 2 weeks - nope - no stress here!), the computer crashed again, the sounds weren't working, the sounds didn't exsist and WHAT is that buzzing sound. It went on like this for hours....into the night and finally the final morning.
I was at work at my day job...nervously typing, filing, answering the phone and other office crap. I was trying my damndest not to pick up the phone and inquire how "things" were going. 11am...6 hours til deadline.
I received the call maybe a half an hour later..."the power went out" "what do you mean? did you blow a fuse?" "No, the power went out on the entire BLOCK." "What?? an entire block of Hollywood lost power just because?" "That's not the worst part of it....the tape is stuck in the VCR."
Yes, during the last stressful hours the VCR, which had lost power with a great deal of other folks in the neighborhood and ate the tape. Naturally we started running around like chickens with no heads. I left work. I don't even think I feigned illness...I just had to go.
By time I got home - power was restored and things were "sort of" working again...but the minutes were ticking away.
Deadline 5pm
Our location Hollywood approx 8 miles from drop off location.
PROBLEM - RUSH HOUR ON A FRIDAY....
The tape was complete at 4:30...not nearly enough time to get the submission in. We were praying for Batman to arrive and take us there or at least someone with a helicopter....but no one.
J2's suggestion...."C- hop on my bike."
The next 25 minutes were spent whizzing through traffic, careening down Santa Monica Blvd, splitting the lanes and driving in between cars. Being the first to start from every stoplight. Nothing like Santa Monica Blvd, on a Friday, in Los Angeles - WHEN IT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION. Ah memories. We only were hit by one SUV (yes, SUV hit motorcycle....but we did a quick casualty count, were deemed okay and took off again - much to the dismay of the SUV driver).
At approximately 4:55 we pulled up - J2 squeezed the bike into a tiny space in between parked cars (right in front of the office doors - gotta love that about small bikes), we ripped off our helmets and smoothed out flyway yet sweaty hair and headed inside. I was exhilarated, nervous, excited, hot & sweaty. Upon the two of us, frazzled and buzzing with motorcycle adrenaline, opening the door - we discovered that apparently everyone has as stressful of a day as we did when submitting to Sundance. It was like looking in a mirror...
The ride back to Hollywood was much more enjoyable. We took a scenic "short cut" through Santa Monica and traveled the snaking Sunset Blvd through Brentwood and past UCLA. We didn't make it into Sundance that year but I will always have fond (?) memories of the attempt to do so...
I hope this year is even better. The film was submitted at about 11am this morning via FedEx. Wish us luck!!
The deadline was on a Friday and still on Wednesday night there was much music mixing, dialogue mixing, smoothing out of effects and getting the cut to look at the very least "okay." We could've submitted a work-in-progress. That's accepted but we shunned the idea. NOT US! We will not submit anything before it's time....and looked down our noses at the thought. J was working all night with the other J on making everything just right...by Thursday morning I was typing up various "press kit" info - bios, cast lists, synopses, whatever they wanted but naturally troubles persisted through the day. The computer kept crashing, J2 ran out of smokes (and was getting married in less than 2 weeks - nope - no stress here!), the computer crashed again, the sounds weren't working, the sounds didn't exsist and WHAT is that buzzing sound. It went on like this for hours....into the night and finally the final morning.
I was at work at my day job...nervously typing, filing, answering the phone and other office crap. I was trying my damndest not to pick up the phone and inquire how "things" were going. 11am...6 hours til deadline.
I received the call maybe a half an hour later..."the power went out" "what do you mean? did you blow a fuse?" "No, the power went out on the entire BLOCK." "What?? an entire block of Hollywood lost power just because?" "That's not the worst part of it....the tape is stuck in the VCR."
Yes, during the last stressful hours the VCR, which had lost power with a great deal of other folks in the neighborhood and ate the tape. Naturally we started running around like chickens with no heads. I left work. I don't even think I feigned illness...I just had to go.
By time I got home - power was restored and things were "sort of" working again...but the minutes were ticking away.
Deadline 5pm
Our location Hollywood approx 8 miles from drop off location.
PROBLEM - RUSH HOUR ON A FRIDAY....
The tape was complete at 4:30...not nearly enough time to get the submission in. We were praying for Batman to arrive and take us there or at least someone with a helicopter....but no one.
J2's suggestion...."C- hop on my bike."
The next 25 minutes were spent whizzing through traffic, careening down Santa Monica Blvd, splitting the lanes and driving in between cars. Being the first to start from every stoplight. Nothing like Santa Monica Blvd, on a Friday, in Los Angeles - WHEN IT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION. Ah memories. We only were hit by one SUV (yes, SUV hit motorcycle....but we did a quick casualty count, were deemed okay and took off again - much to the dismay of the SUV driver).
At approximately 4:55 we pulled up - J2 squeezed the bike into a tiny space in between parked cars (right in front of the office doors - gotta love that about small bikes), we ripped off our helmets and smoothed out flyway yet sweaty hair and headed inside. I was exhilarated, nervous, excited, hot & sweaty. Upon the two of us, frazzled and buzzing with motorcycle adrenaline, opening the door - we discovered that apparently everyone has as stressful of a day as we did when submitting to Sundance. It was like looking in a mirror...
The ride back to Hollywood was much more enjoyable. We took a scenic "short cut" through Santa Monica and traveled the snaking Sunset Blvd through Brentwood and past UCLA. We didn't make it into Sundance that year but I will always have fond (?) memories of the attempt to do so...
I hope this year is even better. The film was submitted at about 11am this morning via FedEx. Wish us luck!!
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