So I'm currently watching my 494th film this year. It's one of three films that the Danish Film Institute sent me. Even though we already have two Danish films confirmed for th festival already, I still want to check these out.
I am finally upstairs in my screening room (well my office with a futon and TV in the corner) since I moved my multi-region DVD player upstairs. I really should start scanning those old pictures for mom and dad, I guess I'll get to it eventually.
Last night was a great night, went over to Beth's with Debby, Natalie, Ginne and Stacy to bake and decorate cookies. OK, you may think this is lame but anything at Beth's house is entertaining and fun, and if you throw in a punch bowl full of vodka, it only exacerbates the insanity. I still can't believe that Patrick and Jason showed up and actually took part in the decorating. Natalie and Ginne both got sick, though I am worried that they have something that they could have easily passed on to me, the combination of cookie dough, truffles and cheese dips (and aforementioned vodka punch) could have done the trick. But that leaves me thinking, am I now immune to the sickening effects of sugar, sugar, alcohol, sugar, cheese, sugar, cheese, and a little broccoli mixed in (for good measure) - at least I can tell my doctor I'm eating broccoli.
As I sit here, with one eye reading the subtitles to the film and one eye glancing down to make sure my fingers are on the right keys I'm thinking of all that I need to do before Christmas, not only all of the shopping, etc, but the work stuff, confirm at least 30 more films, get organized at the office and watch at least 40 more films. At least I'll get to 500 today (or tomorrow morning). Wish me luck.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Sundance before Sundance
So every year since I've been programming the festival, I have emailed (well when I started it was faxing) the directors/producers of the films that will be screening in Sundance for a video/DVD of the film as soon as Sundance announces their lineup.
The request goes something like this: "blah blah blah, the Cleveland International Film Festival is great and you'd be a fool to pass us up, blah blah blah, so send me a screener before Sundance for us to consider it, blah blah blah, since our programming deadline is the last weekend of Sundance, blah blah blah."
In a dream world, most filmmakers would send me a DVD of their film and I would be able to clear up my Sundance schedule and see the films that either have distributors already or are "high profile" - or open up my schedule in the off chance that I get invited to a huge party (rarely).
In the real world, (up until last year) I would receive two or three DVDs, and typically, they weren't the greatest films playing in Sundance.
This year, I've already viewed four films screening in Sundance and at least 10 more are on their way. So now on top of watching the piles of recommended submissions, DVDs from sales agents and foreign film agencies, I have to find more time for these Sundance films. Not that I'm complaining, but I'm now getting worried about needing to turn some of these Sundance films down.
Anyway, the main point to this post is mainly to say that three of the four Sundance films that I've seen so far are documentaries, and I would like to screen all three. If this is a sign of what is to come, we're going to have an amazing documentary year. Who cares that US distributors are limiting their buying this year (especially of documentaries). It gives festivals like Cleveland more of an opportunity to screen these awesome films.
The request goes something like this: "blah blah blah, the Cleveland International Film Festival is great and you'd be a fool to pass us up, blah blah blah, so send me a screener before Sundance for us to consider it, blah blah blah, since our programming deadline is the last weekend of Sundance, blah blah blah."
In a dream world, most filmmakers would send me a DVD of their film and I would be able to clear up my Sundance schedule and see the films that either have distributors already or are "high profile" - or open up my schedule in the off chance that I get invited to a huge party (rarely).
In the real world, (up until last year) I would receive two or three DVDs, and typically, they weren't the greatest films playing in Sundance.
This year, I've already viewed four films screening in Sundance and at least 10 more are on their way. So now on top of watching the piles of recommended submissions, DVDs from sales agents and foreign film agencies, I have to find more time for these Sundance films. Not that I'm complaining, but I'm now getting worried about needing to turn some of these Sundance films down.
Anyway, the main point to this post is mainly to say that three of the four Sundance films that I've seen so far are documentaries, and I would like to screen all three. If this is a sign of what is to come, we're going to have an amazing documentary year. Who cares that US distributors are limiting their buying this year (especially of documentaries). It gives festivals like Cleveland more of an opportunity to screen these awesome films.
Am I really a blogger?
Come to think of it, the last time I actually "blogged" I was sitting in a cafe in San Francisco and playing with my new Myspace account. Yes this was four years ago, when I thought that I would just start journaling by blogging. Needless to say that never took off.
Now that Debby and Matt are blogging, I don't want to be left out. For years, I have been asked to start a Bill blog, I've received that request from board members and patrons of the film festival, thinking that it would be exciting and interesting to know what I do throughout the year to bring the program of the film festival together.
As you will see through my posts from this point on, it is not that exciting. It's watching hundreds of films throughout the year, taking notes and endless emails to producers, directors, sales agents and distribution companies. Yes, it does involve traveling to anywhere up to 10 other film festivals throughout the world, from Karlovy Vary, Toronto, Vancouver, London and more, but do I really get to experience those cities? Barely, if you consider taking quick pictures of Big Ben while running to another movie theater "experiencing" the city.
So from this point on, I will keep some notes on the films I see, the places I go and things I need to do to put the festival together.
But in order to make it more fun, I will add personal items (nothing too risque) and random thoughts and feelings, so you will have a somewhat "open" view into the mind of the programmer of the Cleveland International Film Festival.
Now that Debby and Matt are blogging, I don't want to be left out. For years, I have been asked to start a Bill blog, I've received that request from board members and patrons of the film festival, thinking that it would be exciting and interesting to know what I do throughout the year to bring the program of the film festival together.
As you will see through my posts from this point on, it is not that exciting. It's watching hundreds of films throughout the year, taking notes and endless emails to producers, directors, sales agents and distribution companies. Yes, it does involve traveling to anywhere up to 10 other film festivals throughout the world, from Karlovy Vary, Toronto, Vancouver, London and more, but do I really get to experience those cities? Barely, if you consider taking quick pictures of Big Ben while running to another movie theater "experiencing" the city.
So from this point on, I will keep some notes on the films I see, the places I go and things I need to do to put the festival together.
But in order to make it more fun, I will add personal items (nothing too risque) and random thoughts and feelings, so you will have a somewhat "open" view into the mind of the programmer of the Cleveland International Film Festival.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
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