Sundance and Independent Film: The Festival Parties

This is the week. It all starts tomorrow.

The Sundance Film Festival is the mother of independent film. And right across the street on Main Street in Park City, Utah, a little festival called Slamdance goes on at the same time. If you're on Main Street in Park City, Utah this upcoming week, you've got a world of new, fresh independent film for the new year of 2013. It all starts here starting tomorrow.

I'll be getting up there Friday. Usually, I'm up there for most of the entire 10 days. But this time around, I'll just be up there for the meat and potatoes of the festival, Friday through Monday.

If you go to the Sundance Film Festival, the big thing is networking. You meet so many people, no matter where you are. Whether you're at a film screening, a panel, seminar, party, happy hour, event, or just walking down Main Street. You see celebrities everywhere, meet and talk with filmmakers and film executives everywhere. There's nothing like it.

But one thing that stands out more than anything is the parties. And there's a ton of 'em to choose from.

I've already been invited to over 20 parties during the 4 days I'll be in Park City. And more invites are coming daily. So it looks like I'll be doing the insanity of the party hopping and networking that makes up the meat and potatoes of the Park City madness.

If you've never been to Sundance or Slamdance, or if this is your first time going, it's not hard to find the parties going on around Main Street. It's a job, and it's work lining them up. But you can find them like I do before you make the trip. If you're new to the Sundance scene, before you head up, there's some cool Facebook groups for Sundance parties. You can get your start searching there.Then go the the websites for Sundance and Slamdance. They have a lot of venues and events listed there. Those things can get you lined up right away for your indie film networking at Sundance. But you'll really start finding out about a lot more events once you arrive on Main Street. There's always something going on. And when you meet someone, chances are you'll find out about other cool parties.

It's all about networking.

NO BUDGET FILMMAKING or How to Be a Well-Known Filmmaker & Be Broke at the Same Time
Written by Jack Truman
Copyright @ 2013 Dixie Publishing

JUNK

The Hit Short Film

Directed by Jack Truman

Starring Opal Dockery

A Dixie Film

Sundance 2013: Getting Ready for the Park City Madness

Well, it's that time of year.

The 2013 Sundance Film Festival. The 2013 Slamdance Film Festival. The 7 to 9 days that make up the insanity of the annual Park City madness the third week of January. It's an annual tradition. And I won't miss it for the world.

Got a lot to do before I get up there on Friday for Opening Night. Film people to contact, lining up events, film screenings, parties, daily outlines/schedules of places to hit and network....it's a job just preparing for Park City. There's an art to mastering the Sundance/Slamdance Main Street experience. So much to do. So little time. Between the 2 festivals, about 150 films (including features and short films), multiple seminars/events down the street by the hour, parties by the hour, it never ends. I'm glad I've been there as a filmmaker with a hit film to experience. Because of that, I've mastered the process every year and can get things lined out.

The next 3 days will be super busy here in Los Angeles. Then the cool drive up there. Opening night parties on Friday. The madness over the weekend. Then calming down a little as the festival ends. There's always something to do there. You just take your pick where you want to be.

I've been to Park City 3 times: twice as a filmmaker with a hit film (PHONE SEX GRANDMA in 2006, THE OUTHOUSE in 2008) and once as a Short Film Juror (2012 Slamdance Film Festival). This time around (officially) I'll be going as a Programmer for the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival, but I'll be there to release my new NO BUDGET FILMMAKING book. It'll be nice for a change to not be there with a film, and instead, just be able to go around letting people know about the new book. The networking is the best part of the Park City madness. The festivals have changed alot over the years (for the worst), but one thing that stays the same that's great is the networking and the friendships you make that week of independent film up in the mountains through the snow. There's nothing like it.

Gotta get to work for getting ready.....

NO BUDGET FILMMAKING or How to Be a Well-Known Filmmaker & Be Broke at the Same Time

Written by Jack Truman

Copyright @2013 Dixie Publishing

THE OUTHOUSE

Directed by Jack Truman

2008 Slamdance $99 Special

A Dixie Film

NO BUDGET FILMMAKING BOOK TO RELEASE AT SUNDANCE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NO-BUDGET FILMMAKING BOOK TO RELEASE AT SUNDANCE

Award-Winning Filmmaker to Launch New Book In Park City

Burbank, California – Anyone can make a movie. With no money. And be a well known filmmaker.

That's the premise of the new filmmaking book NO BUDGET FILMMAKING: Or How to be a Well Known Filmmaker and Be Broke at the Same Time, written by Jack Truman. Truman, an award-winning independent filmmaker, shares valuable tools, tips, and secrets of the industry trade in a book designed to help any aspiring moviemaker make their movie.

“It's not hard to make a movie. You just have to make your movie”, Truman stated in press materials. “Everyone has a story to tell. And there is an audience out there for your film. You just have to make it and get it out there. I wrote this book with the objective to help anyone make a movie with no money and become successful in the independent film world. I'm living proof it can be done. If I can do it, anyone can”.

An informative, alternative, out-of-the-box reference book for the film industry, NO BUDGET FILMMAKING covers a wide range of tips and tools: from proven filmmaking techniques, valuable industry resources, and more, this book guides the aspiring filmmaker from concept to distribution on the film festival circuit, and beyond. A must-have resource for anyone who needs help with making a low budget film on their own, NO BUDGET FILMMAKING is a breakthrough book for the next generation of filmmakers.

Author Jack Truman is an award-winning filmmaker and 25 year veteran of stage and film. A former professor at Texas A&M University, Truman has also appeared in several television series and major motion pictures. His film directorial debut, the award-winning hit cult short film PHONE SEX GRANDMA premiered at the 2006 Slamdance Film Festival. Combined, Truman's films have screened at over 300 film festivals worldwide to date. Jack was recently on the Short Film Jury at the 2012 Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

NO BUDGET FILMMAKING will be released in January at Park City in conjunction with the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.

Contact Director Jack Truman at dixiefilms@gmail.com

A Dixie Production

How to Make a Movie With No Money

You can make a movie.

Anyone can make a movie. Everyone has a story to tell. You just have to get off your ass and make your movie.

Our films have screened at over 300 film festivals worldwide. And have a cult following. We've just made 2 more short films within the last 3 months, and they're beginning to explode on the film festival circuit. Just lanched a brand new web series on Youtube, Blip TV and Funny or Die. And now shooting a new documentary film, and lining up a new shoot for a web series in Las Vegas this fall.

And on no budget.

Be an underground filmmaker. Let your voice through film. Make movies. You can do it.

No budget filmmaking is a dream come true. Get a camera and start shooting. There is an audience for your film.

THE ACCEPTABLE SIN

Award winning documentary short film

Directed by Jack Truman

Featuring Opal Dockery

Leading By Example

They say those who can, teach. But most of the time (for example), if you go to school, those who can't, teach. 95% of the time, a teacher in a specific field is teaching because they either couldn't make it in that field, were too afraid to try, or is some kid right out of college with no life experience trying to be an expert in a field.

So, in this humble filmmaker/consultant's opinion, if you want to teach someone, do it by example.

Then here we go.

My brand new short film is getting ready to explode on the film festival circuit. It's been about a year since I made a film that got out there, so I knew it was time to make another one. And this time, in a rare twist, I'm starring in the film as well. Was an award winning stage and film actor for over 15 years before turning over to the Directing role. It's fun exercising those old acting chops after about a 10 year rest.

WOODY THE REDNECK will be having its World Premiere next month in Cape Cod at the Woods Hole Film Festival. 3 weeks later, its Southeast premiere in Birmingham at the Sidewalk Film Festival. Then 2 weeks later, its West Coast premiere in Las Vegas at the Cine Vegas Film Festival. Just finished making this little 5 minute mockumentary about 2 months ago and began sending it out to festivals around the world. My films to date have screened at over 300 film festivals worldwide. So I've already built and established a global film audience. And they wait constantly for my next film. So no more film submission fees. And complete freedom to make my own films my own way.

WOODY is going to shock the world. At least, to those who see it. And more shocking than anything, the character and film is based on actual events.

Lead by example. That's the way I look at things. This 25 year veteran film/stage artist has a lot to teach. And still a lot to create.

Forget Cannes: Smaller Film Festivals are the Way to Go

If you're a filmmaker, and you want to share your film with the world, screening at any film festival is a great thing. Sundance is great. Cannes is great. SXSW is great. You've probably heard of the biggies out there.

And they say that entering a major big film festival as a filmmaker is like the lottery: you can't screen there if you don't enter.

But I'll be honest. Some of the best film festivals out there are the smaller ones. Submit to them. And when you get accepted, do everything you can to attend. For one thing, these smaller film festivals have a great local indie film community, and it's a great place to have indie film lovers see your film as an audience where they would otherwise never get to see it. And for another thing, if you can make the festival, the place treats you like royalty. It's a rock star life. I'm not kidding.

I'm not telling you to not submit to Sundance or Cannes or the other big name film festivals out there. But the smaller film festivals, in my opinion, are the way to go.

Don't Go to Film School - Make Your Movie

Take it from someone who makes no budget films. And has had their films screen at over 300 film festivals around the world.

You don't have to go to film school to make a movie.

You don't have to go to film school to distribute and share your movie with the world.

Anyone can make a movie. With no money. And screen it around the world on movie screens.

There's a big film festival world out there. And they're hungry for new movies.

It never ceases to amaze me when I'm at a film festival with one of my films, I watch other films there, and there's an endless line of film credits. It's obvious that these filmmakers spent a lot of money, and had a nice sized budget to make their movie. But the films that are talked about the most at film festivals, and generate the most buzz, are the personal films. The films that only that person can make. The films that people are afraid to make or have no idea where to start.

It's a job. But you can make a movie and share it on the film festival circuit, with a great festival run without any or little money. I'm living proof.