There is less than 72 days until launch. There’s still time to save 10 bucks by being an Early Bird. Register HERE.
That’s less than 72 Days to:*
Call the guy that has the camera that would be totally awesome to use.
Call the girl that’s a whiz at editing.
Hire the make-up effects artist that will transform your sister into a zombie werewolf (should the criteria call for such a thing).
Figure out how to make 6 dollars a day feed a team of 8. (it WILL be done!)
Stare in mirror for 40 minutes a day and practice how you can forcefully get actors to do what you need while making them think they are the ones with the talent.
Audition said actors for roles that don’t exist yet.
With the confidence of an Ox, Register on 72Fest.com. Use a dominant team name ( that will make others Cower in Fear) but write the bio with a hint of humor in an attempt to show the world that you don’t really take it THAT seriously.
Whip out your credit card (yes the Snoopy one) and punch those digits in hard and smile as you hit “Enter”.
Assemble the team for a quick Photo to put onto 72Fest.com. Try not to pay any attention to the mouthy gaffer that says you better have good food this time. Remind the rest of the crew that sometimes you truly need to take 14 hours to get 3 shots.
Rewatch every short film you’ve ever made, reminding yourself that the reason you grimace is because you are growing as an artist. The more grimaces that are induced just means you’ve grown that much more. Right. Right?
Make list after list of everything you want, and take days and days to pare it down to only what you need.
As nervousness sets in, twist the arms of family members to commit the first weekend in October to you just in case you need them.
When Doubt starts, give your easily excitable hermit friend twenty bucks to write a broad script that would fit just about any criteria you pull out at launch night.**
Wake up in cold night sweats when you realize that people expect something more out of you this year than last.
Make appointment with therapist.
Tell all of your actors that in fact they WILL be the glue to the movie, because the truth is they were the only part about your last few movies that didn’t make you cringe.
Admit you are beginning to have a nervous breakdown. Only then will you work through it.
Overcompensate your insecurity with witty banter at the expense of other teams that are registered.
Try to sleep as much as possible before the fest, so you can be fresh. Watching twenty hours of TV is “research” not “depression”.
Realize that there is no turning back, and that at the very least, it’s a fun time and you’ll have a movie at the end of the weekend.
With less pressure now- Walk into the Launch Party confident once again with your posse at your back.
* Not Typical Results. Actual Preparation May Vary.
** We recommend not doing this at all, especially this year. Oh no. In case you missed that. NOT this year.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 20th, 2010 at 4:48 pm. It is filed under Blog.
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Frederick Arts Council