I
started going to Sundance when it was still the US Film and Video
festival. A poster from the 5th
US Film and Video Festival hung over my fireplace for years. Oddly enough, in 2008 after I’d started
acting again I didn’t attend until this year; six years later. The first three years, I had a play going on
every year and between rehearsal and/or performances, I couldn’t get away. Since then I’ve either been working, on some
project or another or I didn’t have enough vacation hours at the “day job” to
take the time off.
But
a year ago I made a conscious decision to have enough vacation hours saved up to
enjoy Sundance this year. And, AND in
December, for the first time, I was given credentials for the, “Independent
Filmmaker’s Lounge”.
What
did I learn at Sundance?
The
first thing I learned was that every, and I do mean EVERY late model black
Cadillac Escalade, GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Suburban in Utah was either in Park
City or on the freeway going to or coming from the airport. The next thing I learned was that if, IF I
parked where I’d initially planned to park, I was going to blow my four day
Sundance budget on parking. I also
learned that if I executed parking “Plan “B”, the car would more than likely be
impounded; and that would not only take the four day Sundance budget plus but,
would also get me a semi-permanent spot on the couch. So, improv kicked in and in the end, parking
wasn’t a problem.
On
day three, I learned that in spite of the fact I was wearing, dare I confess
it, LL Bean fleece lined jeans, the door masters at the Eddie Bauer lounge
granted me entry into their lounge. On
day three I also learned that it would be better if some restaurant owners
would learn to relax during Sundance and, “go with the flow” so to speak (but
that as they say, is another episode of, “Oprah”).
And
on day three, or to be more precise Saturday night, I learned how kind and
gracious actors can be. The culmination
of Daniel Thompson’s work and fund raising on behalf of “Be Like Brit” and
“Operation Underground Railroad” was overwhelming. And it was on Saturday night that it became
incredibly apparent that the actors and celebrities I’d met at the lounge are
quite simply, very good people.
So
this year if I don’t see you on location, on set, on
stage or in the studio, I’ll look forward to seeing you at Sundance 2016…
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