As promised, more video goodies from the festival...

BROKEN ENGLISH red carpet with director Zoe Cassavettes, Parker Posey, Drea de Matteo and Justin Theroux.

Sundance Channel party: THE SIGNAL sells, ThinkFilm's Mark Urman talks about acquiring festival winner IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOON, Sundance Channel's Kirk Iwanowski gives a preview of upcoming programming on the channel, CHASING GHOSTS invites us to the arcade, Jeffrey Abramson from Gen Art remembers Adrienne Shelley, World of Wonder's Fenton Bailey & Randy Barbato on Tara Reid sightings, and the team from FOUR EYED MONSTERS passes along a few tips about self-promoting your film.

Sundance staff and programmers Cara Mertes, John Cooper and Trevor Groth talk about this year's festival program and new ventures for the Sundance Institute.

Sunday morning at the Queer Brunch with THE L WORD creator Ilene Chaiken, director Angela Robinson, THE NINES producers Dan Etheridge and Dan Jinks, Katherine Linton of here!'s LESBIAN SEX AND SEXUALITY, TEETH director Mitchell Lichtenstein and more!

For more Park City video coverage: www.iklipz.com/sundance

Highlights from the rest of my Sundance...thanks to all who helped out with interviews, information and invites! See you at the next fest.

Cheers,
Tamara Krinsky
www.iklipz.com
DOCUMENTARY magazine

Not knowing what to expect...the festival has gone well so far. Had our Press and INdustry screening yesterday. A few things have come up about it already.

ACCESS HOLLYWOOD
Eddie Rouse, who plays Nixon in the film, is going to be interviewed by ACCESS HOLLYWOOD this afternoon. It should be on TV some time this weekend. Eddie's an amazing actor. Besides his performance in LOW AND BEHOLD, you can see him in two great supporting roles in David Gordon Green's GEORGE WASHINGTON and UNDERTOW.

CNN
We've also been getting a ton of calls from friends who saw Barlow Jacobs and I on CNN. We were interviewed last week in New Orleans at some of the locations where we filmed. Hopefully the interview will end up on cnn.com. We'll see.

Other than that, we're just getting ready for our next screening - Thursday 5:30pm at the Library. Met Lynne Ramsay last night who's in town judging the World Dramatic competition. We invited her and her sister to our screening. Would be great for someone whose work we've all admired from afar to come see our film.

more later.
--zg

Hello...
The film I directed - LOW AND BEHOLD - premiered last night at the Prospector. It was a thrill to see this film with an audience, the largest audience with which I've ever watched one of my own films. Nerve-racking at first, but people seemed to get into it, which eased the tension. Had a good Q&A - Actor Eddie Rouse blew everyone away with his beautiful response to a very tough question asked of him. Who knew Eddie Rouse could wax so eloquent? The man is full of surprises.
--zack

(I would like to upload a picture but I am having trouble uploading this morning. Each time I press UPLOAD, nothing happens...oh well.)

SXSW producer Matt Dentler gives a preview of his fest's programming, SIFF vets dole out tips on surviving the week and DJ Spooky talks about his ReBirth of a Nation project and the concept of "Director as DJ."

For more Sundance video goodies, click here.

Tamara Krinsky
www.iklipz.com
DOCUMENTARY magazine

Thanks to guest bloggers Amotz Zakai (Echo Lake Productions) and Michael Ziegfeld (cast, THE TEN) for contributing to this report!

Tamara Krinsky
iklipz.com
DOCUMENTARY magazine

THE JOURNEY
TAMARA: It started with a 6:35am flight Friday morning.
Which meant my alarm went off at 3:45am Friday morning.
Which means that as I write this at 1:07am Saturday morning, I’m a bit delirious.

We landed. We checked into our suite at the Treasure Mountain Inn amidst all the Slamdancers. We ate hamburgers at 11:30am because our stomachs had lost all sense of time.

And then we were ready to begin.

AMOTZ: Delta didn't lose my bags thank god but the one hour twenty minute flight was delayed for three hours so it took a whole day to get to Park City. Delta has a party house on Main Street called The Delta Sky Lounge. You need to wait three hours outside in the cold to get in the party. Not!

SETTLING IN
MICHAEL Z: I’ve been pretty stressed since I got here. It’s a lot of things … am I going to miss out on anything? Will the film be ok? Will I come across well for my screen debut? Like most comedians, I have this self-deprecating thing thinking everyone is gonna figure out I’ve been faking it the whole time and don’t know what I’m doing. So I was anxious to break the Sundance hymen at our premiere tonight.

But like everyone else, the day began just trying to see a film or two. It’s near impossible. Sundance used to be about the little guy, his film vision and the people who support it. But now (as Redford has commented numerous times), the corporate world has infiltrated and made it something else.

But Main Street had a few companies hosting lounge socials and giving away samples of their products. Including one lounge promoting a healthy environment. I walked into the main room to find TV actor Ed Beglely Jr. riding a stationary bicycle to power up a stove or something! I thought maybe the elevation in Utah was finally kicking in and I was seeing things. But I digress…

THE SCENE
TAMARA: Kicked off the festival at the SXSW cocktail party, where we interviewed festival & conference producer Matt Dentler, hung out with the cast of THE SIGNAL, and had a bizarre festival moment with “Screech” from Saved by the Bell, who is apparently engaged in some sort of Schwag-a-thon with Gary Coleman. Video goodies to come.

AMOTZ: There is something new happening this year. The huge bouncers and the petite brunette publicists at the door to the parties now ask for your driver's license. In years past you mentioned your name or used the name of the boss of some mini-major and you got in. Sooner or later they will ask you to remove your shoes and take out your laptop to enter the Delta Sky Lounge party house at Sundance.

TAMARA: After SXSW, it was off to the PBS party where a spread of tortilla chips and lamb chops welcomed the non-fiction crowd. John Boland, the new Chief Content Officer of PBS gave a welcome speech to the enthusiastic crowd, pointing out several significant anniversaries: the 20th anniv of P.O.V., the 25th anniv of Sundance, and the 40th anniv of President Lyndon B. Johnson signing the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, which enabled creation of entities like PBS and NPR.

AMOTZ: The official Sundance International Filmmaker party asked for my identification. Inside was very little room as it took place at the Stella Artois Patio and it was good to see all the foreign peeps. Tried to speak to Joachim Trier who did the analytical film REPRISE but he was being approached by so many agents and managers that there was no room. Can't blame them as his film is good. Spoke to the director of ONCE which is really a musical but not in the conventional sense. What makes the movie even better is that the director is a nice and polite human being. But then the heat was getting to me so I had to leave.

The First Look Hollywood Life Party had models running around serving food and no vodka. So how does that work? You pay the model to come to Park City to become a waitress? Room and board and flight included? I couldn't find anyone at the party to ask that question. The food was good and it reinforces the idea that you don't need to pay for that $35 filet mignon. You can survive at the festival without paying for food or booze. Water may be sometimes hard to get for free.

THE PREMIERE: THE TEN
MICHAEL: Tonight after a cocktail hour with tons of people I had never met, we went to the theatre for the premiere [of David Wain’s THE TEN]. It’s hard for me to get that I was being included as one of the co-stars when they were moving me up to the tiny green room for a select few to be brought on stage prior to the film debut. It was myself, Adam Brody, Gretchen Moll, A.D. Miles, Paul Rudd, Ken Marino,Winona Ryder, Mather Zickel, Justin Theroux, and one or two other supporting cast. Winona and I reconnected and bonded incessantly, along with Justin and I talking a lot about his own film premiering this week.

Michael Ziegfeld, Justin Theroux, Cedric Sanders & Winona Ryder in the green room before the world premiere of "THE TEN".

Before taking us into the theatre with the public, director David Wain walked in to explain about the introductions and the Q & A after, but not before he told everyone how touched he was that we came to support him at this huge life moment. It was really nice. He’s so sweet.

I had been forewarned that the film had been running SO long that a ton of cuts were made. Although I think my work turned out ok and I had a few strong moments, I have decided that they need an awards category for “Best Actor in a DELETED SCENE”. I’d be IN!!!!! It was also a nice surprise to find out I was in not one but two of the vignettes of the film. During the Q & A, someone actually asked “Who performed the ventriloquist dummy?” David praised me and my work very generously.

FRIDAY WRAP UP
AMOTZ: Outside, platoons of young kids run around Main Street yelling and screaming. A pretty blonde girl in a green coat is yelling at a tall dude to stop cheating on her. A handsome guy wearing only a dress shirt and jeans instead of a large coat tries to speak on his cell phone without shivering. My boss asks me if we can quantify the cost of going to Sundance versus the revenue will we bring in from the magic that happens here. It's late, I miss my wife and daughter, and tomorrow I have a very packed day. Remember to "tell the truth, work hard, and come home on time." Oorah.

TAMARA: Attending Sundance is an exercise in balance. Crucial decisions about when to go back to the condo for a breather (or a glass of wine), when to wait it out in the party line vs. when to call it quits, when to have a glass filled with water instead of vodka…all of these factor into a successful Sundance experience. Tonight decision-making powers were put to the test as we waited in the cold to get into the Gen Art party (only 2 names on the list, but 5 peeps total in our posse), had one too many slices of pizza for dinner and finally left the Premiere Lounge when we realized we were close to being up for 24 hours straight.

Now it’s time to check the schedule for tomorrow with the hopes of actually seeing a few movies. As the buttons around town say, “Focus on Film.”

I will.

As soon as I get some sleep.

Arrived in Park City yesterday and still getting used to the altitude, the cold, and the lay of the land. Slamdance gathered all its filmmakers together for a welcome session up at the cozy Treasure Mountain Inn on Thursday. It was great to connect faces to some of the titles I've been reading about for the past month.

Our world premiere is Saturday afternoon -- a few hours away -- and most of today has just been catch-up. Started putting up some posters which is a complete exercise in futility. Posters go up, and minutes later, they're covered with somebody else's. At the Slamdance welcome reception we were also informed of the Park City flyer narcs. Apparently it's illegal to pass out flyers or postcards or hand anything out along Main Street to promote your movie.

So what's an American Zombie supposed to do? Fortunately, we have all sorts of wearable advertising. We got a little carried away, but here are some of the items available from our street team (aka our cast and crew). We have a bunch of this stuff so if you see someone loaded down with buttons, chances are it's one of us. Ask us for a souvenir.

Here's a sampling of what's available. Almost all of it homemade:

1) The basic button. We have a 1" button maker in our condo and are burning the midnight oil making these from scratch.

2) Wristbands...a souvenir from the film and all proceeds go to support the Zombie Advocacy Group.
Wear one in solidarity.

3) "American Zombie" zine; Slamdance edition.

4) And the piece de resistance: all the way from our executive producers in Korea; the official American Zombie cell phone cleaner. Because nobody likes a dirty cell phone screen.

A few words from guest blogger Amotz Zakai, Vice President, Echo Lake Productions, who`s coming to the festival with Away From Her, which his company produced, and his client's film Waitress.
~Tamara Krinsky
iklipz.com
DOCUMENTARY magazine

The Night Before Sundance

It's way too late at night and the wind is howling like I`m on the Baltimore Pier and not in cozy West Hollywood. The night before Sundance is always the worst. Even though you`ve done it so many times you still don`t know what to bring, you`ll of course forget the cell phone charger, and Delta will lose your luggage so best to carry an extra pair of underwear in your carry on. Maybe in that clear plastic bag they now force you to use for your skin cream and toothpaste. Who in the US government decided that 3oz containers are ok but 4oz are not?

The night before Sundance is that quiet time before the battle. It`s actually not the noise, it`s the intense energy that wraps around you when you arrive and doesn`t exist anywhere else. Even at the Cannes Film Festival with those enthusiastic Europeans running around, the energy is not the same. At all.

Ok, almost done. CNN just reported that China fired a missile that shot down a satellite. Doesn`t matter. The world slows down during the night before Sundance. This year I am trying something new. In previous times I scheduled my meetings one after the other. 45 minute intervals all day long. All on Main Street. One at Cisero`s, the other at Bistro 412 then back at Ciseros. Sipping sparkling water with a touch of cranberry juice. Getting upset when the producers from New York have to suddenly reschedule.

Not this year though – I am going Zen style. If a meeting is meant to happen, it will happen. If I can`t get into a screening even though I have a ticket then so be it. I`m not going to stand in the cold for hours waiting for that horrible bottle-neck to open up so I can get into a party and then sweat in my coat with the same people I was just freezing to death with. Yeah right.

The US has bunker busters and China has satellite busters and global warming is not happening. I am going to Sundance and mumbling what Gerald Ford always said "Tell the truth, work hard, and come to dinner on time." Oorah.

-Amotz Zakai

Sundance has gotten so big that there`s no way that one person can see and do everything. To that end, we`ve asked a few guest bloggers to chronicle their experiences this week for iklipz. We`ve got a mix of SFF newbies and vets who are all attending the fests for different reasons, so we hope you`ll get a well rounded view of what`s going on in Park City.

First up...actor/comedian Michael Ziegfeld, who is co-starring in The Ten directed by David Wain. The film is comprised of 10 vignettes, each inspired by one of the ten commandments. Here's what he has to say about his Sundance experience so far:

       So I’ve been asked to write this blog for the next few days as a less affected, newcomer to Sundance. But what should I title it??? My brother Kenny and I are in the hotel room now brainstorming and here’s what we came up with :

• 
  
  EXTRA CREDITS
  
  
• 
  
  ACTOR SCHMACKTOR
  
  
• 
  
  NAME DROPPINGS
  
  
• 
  
  GRANDMA’S VAGINA (Don’t ask)
  
  
• 
  
  ERNEST GOES TO SUNDANCE
  
  
• 
  
  WHERE IN THE HELL IS ROBERT REDFORD
  
  
• 
  
  DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM??? 
  
  
• 
  
   &  HOW MANY MORMONS DOES IT TAKE TO TURN ON A PROJECTOR ?

But let’s back up….

I’m on a flight to Sundance at 9am this morning and looking around the NY based airplane, I realize that the craziness has begun. Ya see, everyone around me has Blackberry, laptop and dark sunglasses so their famousness won’t be disturbed! I always find that ridiculous … especially when you’re the friggin’ Best Boy!

With that in mind, a nice woman about 38 sits next to me, then realizes she knows me. It was Kim Mishca of Bowling/Mishca Casting who actually cast me in “The Ten”!  Not only was she so sweet and complimentary, but she was a nervous flyer. Let’s just say, my attentiveness was out of the kindness of my heart … BUT if another gig comes from it? So be it.

As a side note, I am an experienced traveler and a little on edge with those who muck it up! Like my new friend at Hertz Rentacar named “Trainee”. 

Settled into the hotel and knowing that dining would be a nightmare, we Googled the local restaurants for reservations throughout the festival. After several listings of upscale establishments, I laughed my ass off at the most serious delivery of THIS information…

“…Low on cash? The 7-Eleven near the Park City Library has hot dogs, or better yet, skip the meal and stake a spot near the food table at a party.”

OK just to be clear, they are telling you to break in, uninvited and steal food….

Don’t believe me? Go to: http://www.indiewire.com/ots/onthescene_030105how.html

Tomorrow “The Ten” premieres and according to everyone attached to the festival, it is one of the most anticipated movies here. So much so, the producers have had to run a private screening of the film only for cast, crew and their guests because tickets are completely sold out to every viewing. I know at least 6 of the cast members are attending including Fampka, Mather, Winona, Adam, Justin and a smattering of others.

I’ll give ya the REAL dirt tomorrow!

MICHAEL ZIEGFELD

My flight to Salt Lake was cancelled this morning thanks to the abnormal freezing rain we're getting down here. So I'm stuck in Baton Rouge for a few more hours and will more than likely miss the opening festivities in Park City. Oh well...Figure I'll do this blogging thing.

Here's another teaser trailer. The film I directed - LOW AND BEHOLD - follows Turner Stull as he processes insurance claims in the post-Katrina New Orleans region. Here are some of the people he meets along the way.

LOW AND BEHOLD [teaser 2]

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Hello there – Glad to be a part of this…I’m Grace Lee and I am the director of AMERICAN ZOMBIE, which will be premiering at the Slamdance Film Festival in the narrative competition section.

AMERICAN ZOMBIE tells the story of two filmmakers who set out to document a community of high-functioning zombies living in Los Angeles and their struggles to gain acceptance in the human community. More information about the film and screening times can be found here.

I'm getting on a plane in about eight hours to Utah and functioning on very little sleep at this point...not unlike being undead! Excited to experience Slamdance and meet my fellow filmmakers.. Not looking forward to the cold.

The other night, a bunch of the American Zombie team met up to make buttons and create other homemade swag. Jane Wilson, one of our cast members, brought a popcorn cake, It had brightly colored m&ms embedded into a kind of rice krispy influenced popcorn mold. I’d never seen anything like it before so I thought I’d commemorate it here.

Looking forward to sharing an even larger array of flavors and experiences in Park City…

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LOW AND BEHOLD [teaser 1]

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LOW AND BEHOLD is a film set in post-Katrina New Orleans. It is something of a document of a time and place. A kind of patchwork mosaic of images and faces and voices, some coming and some going. But in the center of this world exists the story of a few people navigating their way through this strange and beautiful wasted land.

My name is Zack Godshall and I directed this film. I hope you get a chance to check it out.

Click here to visit The Official Site for LOW AND BEHOLD.

zg

Hello, this is Marco the director of the documentary, "Banished." Please check out my website: banishedthefilm.com for clips and other good stuff.

So, what is "Banished" about? It is about a little know history in America when white residents of towns expelled all of the black residents, leaving many of these communities virtually all white today. Most of these expulsions or ethnic cleansings took place in border states, not the deep south. States like Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentuckey, Texas, Tennesse, and Georgia (the only specifically southern state. They took place between 1864 and 1920. But my film is a historical film. It is about these towns today; it is about the African American descendants of the banished blacks and the white descendants who populate these towns. It is about redress, reconcilliation and perhaps reparations.

I hope you'll take a look.

Speak to you at Sundance.

Marco "Hip" Williams

Here's a first peek at the one-sheet for a Sundance documentary competition film that will surely be talked about this year at Sundance Film Festival. The documentary "Zoo," from director Robinson Devor ("Woman Chaser," "Police Beat"), is about a man who dies after having sex with a horse.

It is described by distributor ThinkFilm as, "the story of a seemingly average businessman whose secret sexual life led to his shocking death...the film explores the ensuing media coverage and public outcry that uncovered a secret community of apparently upstanding citizens who share this extreme and exotic appetite, revealing the enormous gulf between what we appear to be and who we really are."