Slamdance 2013: Day 2 in Park City

Jack Truman and Opal Dockery

Slamdance 2013

Day 2 in Park City

This fucking city has really changed.

If today is any indication, I don't know about this fucking city and Sundance week anymore. You talk about going Hollywood. Being the commercial, artificial LA bullshit. Today really reflected that.

I can't tell you how many things Opal and I went to today on Main Street that just crapped out. Or as I like to say, petered out. Take, for example, the coffee lounges on Main Street. There's about 7 or 8 this year that I know about (like the New York Lounge, Variety Lounge, Utah Film Hub, Sundance Channel, etc.) . Some of these places we'd go to sit and have a cup of coffee while networking, but some didn't even have coffee. Some were closed up for a special event. Some blocked me with a 'what can I do for you' snootie snoot attitude like I was a fucking nobody. Fuck this fucking shit. I never remember Park City like this. My first full day here for Sundance and Slamdance and I'm not getting into things I'm RSVP'd for, not meeting many people, not getting and giving cards.....it seems really weird this year. Not near as good. I've been here 4 times over the years at Sundance and Slamdance. Twice with hit films PHONE SEX GRANDMA and THE OUTHOUSE. Last year as a Short Film Juror for Slamdance. This year as a Programmer for Slamdance, author of a new NO BUDGET FILMMAKING book and Director for the new feature PHONE SEX GRANDMA. And I never remember it this bad. It really reflects Hollywood. It's getting worse and worse that way each year. And this one takes the cake more than ever.

Plus, the films I've seen so far are for shit. I can't believe they select the crap that's showing this year that I've seen so far.

Here's a quick breakdown of what happened my first full day here at Sundance (Day 2);

Got up around 7 a.m. At the Motel 6 in Salt Lake City. Woke up with some morning coffee in the motel room while getting ready and wrote yesterday's blog, while lining up the schedule for the day. Drove to Park City. Stopped at Staples on the way and made copies of the new flier for the NO BUDGET FILMMAKING book. Went to Sundance and got lucky with the parking. Got to park right across the street (right in front of) the Sundance Headquarters. Took the Shuttle to Main Street. That ride took over an hour. Because of the long shuttle ride, we missed the Slamdance breakfast. So while walking down Main Street to the Sundance Channel Headquarters, we got some free coffee from Acura and Bad Ass Coffee. That coffee was really good. Tried wifi there on the laptop but couldn't get access. Left and drank the coffee while walking down Main Street. Got to the Sundance Channel and tried the wifi on the laptop, but it couldn't connect. There was a line with an hour wait for a free cup of coffee, so we said screw that and walked across the street to Slamdance. Got some tickets for some Slamdance films. Then walked down to the Sky Lodge of Heber for the Creative Coalition luncheon with Bill Pullman and Joey Lauren Adams. They wouldn't let us in. Didn't have our RSVP on the list. That really pissed me off. I RSVP'd over a week ago, after being invited to the brunch. So that was a waste of time. That petered out. So we walked down to the Utah Film Hub Lounge on Main Street. That's always a good one with coffee and snacks. They didn't have anything. Nothing. Not even coffee. Just people standing around in a room. So we walked up to the HP Lounge on Heber at the Sundance House. That was pretty good. Got to use some internet and check emails, and got some nice pictures taken. After that, walked across the street for the Slamdance panel with David Pierce. He was getting things set up for a late start, so we walked down to the New York Lounge on Main Street for a quick cup of coffee. Everyone in there had a snooty snoot attitude like their shit didn't stink. Didn't used to be like that in previous years. After a quick cup of coffee, we walked down to David's Slamdance legal panel. I enjoyed hearing David and Dan's stories (my Slamdance buddy Dan Mirvish). After the panel, I went up to David for some legal advice on my upcoming feature film PHONE SEX GRANDMA and...well....I won't even go there. I'll just say he treated me for shit. One good gift I have is a talent for reading people. It's something I picked up years ago when working in property management. And it helps me to this day. It was obvious he didn't want to talk to me. He told me things that he knew I already knew. And told me he couldn't help me. So that pissed me off. But oh, well. These fucking Hollywood people. What else is new? But I do have to say I enjoyed hearing Dan and David talk. It was inspiring. So we left the Slamdance Public House after the panel and walked up Main Street to the Mc D's and Social Red Media Lounge for a cup of coffee and to network (another place I RSVP'd for every day). We weren't in there 15 seconds someone came up to us and told us we had to leave. They said if we weren't media, we had to go. They were closing up early for a big media event. So that petered out. Pissed me off again. We left and walked up to Slamdance. Got some free Red Bull, free Luna health bars, and stood around chatting with some old film friends for about an hour. That was the most fun we'd been having all day. By then, it was time for the Sundance Channel party across the street, but I was really loaded down with stuff. So I decided it would be best to return some of this stuff to the car. We took the shuttle back to the car and I dropped off bags of stuff and my laptop (which I never got to use on Main Street all day). Taking the shuttle back to Main Street took over an hour. By the time we got back to Main Street, they had closed the party early for the Sundance Channel. I had RSVP'd for that. And that petered out. Pissed me off again. So I said screw that. We walked across the street to Slamdance and went to the first Happy Hour. That was fun. Saw some old friends and met some new ones. Opal was back to her rock star self with everyone recognizing her as PHONE SEX GRANDMA. After an hour of that, we walked next door for the North Carolina film party. That petered out. There was a long line on Main Street for that. A mob. Like a crowd of rats packed together trying to mob into a place to get the cheese. That's what it looked like to me. We had RSVP'd for it 2 weeks ago. After 30 minutes, the line hadn't even moved. They were full, and you had to wait for people to leave for a body to go in. So we never got in. That pissed me off. So we walked back to Slamdance and saw the documentary feature film THE INSTITUTE. Damn. What an awful movie. Just bad. That's all I'll say about that. And the short documentary film with it THE CORNER GARDEN wasn't good either. After those films, we walked to the Morningstar Farms building for some free vegan burgers. They were great. That was the most fun I've had here yet. Then we ran over to see the premiere of the new Slamdance film THE DIRTIES with the short TURTLE. Both were okay, so so films. Better than THE INSTITUTE. In my opinion, that's not saying much. Don't mean to come across too brutal, but I'm just being hones about things. But you know what they say. Opinions are like assholes. Everyone's got one. By the time that was over, it was almost 1.a.m.; so we took the late shuttle to the car, drove back to Salt Lake City and got to the Motel 6 room around 2:15 a.m.; a lot that day, for the first full day at Sundance 2013.

Let's hope today gets better.

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

Written by Jack Truman

From Dixie Publishing

THE OUTHOUSE

Featuring Opal Dockery

A Slamdance $99 Short Film

Opening Night at Slamdance 2013

Jack Truman with Opal Dockery

Sundance Film Festival 2013

Friday Nite Blog – Park City – Sundance/Slamdance 2013 – 1/18/2013

Opening Night at Slamdance and Sundance 2013

Well, I'm here in Park City. It's Saturday morning. Sitting here at the Sundance Channel Headquarters on Main Street across the street from Slamdance. Just got in town last night. And the routine of the madness is starting out with a bang.

Here's a quick breakdown of what happened yesterday:

Woke up at 5 am in the apartment in Vegas. Got myself woke up with strong coffee on the couch in my underwear. Washed clothes and packed. Drove from Vegas to Salt Lake City. Got our room at the Motel 6. Then drove to Park City. Spent a lot of time finding a parking space. Took the shuttle to Main Street. Walked up to Slamdance at the Treasure Mountain Inn with Opal and got our alumni / programmer passes. Saw a bunch of old film friends right off the bat. Networked for a couple hours. Got some tickets for films over the weekend. Then walked down Main Street last night to check out the scope of the land for the weekend. Hit a couple of spots like the Sundance House and the Sundance Music Cafe before walking over to the big opening night Slamdance party on Heber. Was there for a couple of hours before taking the shuttle to the car at the Snow Park Lodge, then drove back to the Motel 6 in Salt Lake City, getting to the room around 1:30 a.m.

Took it a little easy yesterday. What we did yesterday was light for us during the Park City madness.

I've got Opal with me this time around. The other half of my creative team. Writer and Star of our biggest Slamdance film PHONE SEX GRANDMA. 67 years old, and my Mother is more fired up than ever. The star of Main Street. Opal Dockery has owned this town with her films over the years. She's a little under the weather as we start things off. Need to make sure she doesn't get run down.

A lot of things lined up today during Sundance and Slamdance 2013. Look out, Park City. We're here for our first full day on Main Street.

Opening Day at Sundance 2013: Movies, Networking....and Free Stuff

Well, the Sundance Film Festival starts today.

Personally, during this traditional Park City madness, I like the Slamdance Film Festival across the street much better. It's what Sundance used to be. Plus, Slamdance is like family. They screened my first film PHONE SEX GRANDMA, and have screened several of my films over the years. So I could be partial to my film family.

That being said, today officially begins what is referred to as the Park City Madness. Starting today, for the next week, there's too much to do on Main Street during the Sundance Film Festival. Movies, networking, panels, parties.....

And not to mention all the free stuff.

It's a filmmaker's dream. You get so many free things everywhere you go that can help you with your filmmaking process.

Welcome to the Park City madness they call the Sundance Film Festival.

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

PHONE SEX GRANDMA 

The Award-Winning Hit Cult Short Film

Starring Opal Dockery

Directed by Jack Truman

Presented by Indieflix

A Dixie Film

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