If you live here or here, this is your lucky weekend.

"DEADROOM" will be screened at Texas Film Festival and Ozone Film Festival. James and David are currently at the former; Nick and I will be driving over to the latter.

Next stop: Philly!

So much for keeping a daily log of last week's worth of events. Here's an attempt to capture it all in one word: educational.

Okay, I shall elaborate in a single entry. To begin, I saw many great films. I was particularly impressed with "The Puffy Chair" and "Cavite" for narratives and "The Boys of Baraka" for documentary. It should be noted that all three were shot on DV, and while there was a strong current of anti-video sentiments expressed throughout the festival, I felt more convinced than ever before that it's not so terrible to shoot another project on tape. Besides, the film-is-better-than-video rant is beginning to sound like a Christian propaganda: switch or die, celluloid is your only savior. As much as I would love to shoot on film, bashing video is such a bitter, passé attitude, resembling a racist relative rambling about the good old days when whites ruled the country. Come on fellas, chill the fuck out. There's room for both to coexist.

Going into a festival as big as SXSW, there are essentially two things you can do: watch films or attend panels/parties.

James and Nick decided on day two that we need to focus on the latter because they were opportunities to meet people. We could always catch up on the flicks during the second half of the festival, when most industry folks have already left town. I couldn't agree more, and although part of me was resisting this whole process of putting myself out there and (gasp) talking to strangers, I also reminded myself that I absolutely need to go through this. It's okay to fumble. It's okay to fuck-up. But it's not okay to not take advantage of these opportunities.

There was the first attempt of going up to Ryan Werner from Wellspring that was awkward to say the least. I was overwhelmed by first-time jitters, which had a trigger effect on both James and Nick. Lesson 1: approach spontaneously. Planning only makes it worse.

To redeem ourselves from the embarrassment, the three of us quickly departed the premise and was onto the next (David, in the meantime, was busy watching films; or rather, his need to socialize hasn't kicked in yet), a party organized by DGA, where we met Susan Leber. Susan was at a ball-busting funding panel we (regrettably) attended earlier in the morning and she was the only person up there we could remotely relate to. It was refreshing to hear from a working producer who's not in it for the money and is more concerned about making great indies. We were also briefly introduced to the very talented Ti West, whom she produced the highly enjoyable "The Roost" for.

There was a point at this venue, sometime after speaking to Susan and before meeting DGA's John Larson, when I witnessed James and Nick blooming from doubtful buds into appealing flowers. While I finished my gin & tonic (or was it Diet Coke?) at one corner before joining them in their conversation about the greatness of Richard Linklater, I quietly giggled to myself, seeing how these boys are working their way in the room. And that was when lesson 2 sank in: only you can be comfortable in your own skin. Oh, there was also lesson 3: always establish the relationship first. Get to know the other person (and let them know you). Bringing up business (here's my script! Work with me! Watch my film!) from the get-go can be a huge turn-off.

At the same party, we also spoke to the delightful Jarred Alterman and his girlfriend Leah. They were there for his wonderful short doc, "Mott Music" and it's one of those encounters where we "got" each other almost instantly, cracking up at each other's jokes. We all then met up with David and Amy to stand in line for, well, let's say it was a film that prompted David and I to sneak out fifteen minutes into it. I felt guilty for doing so, because there was always a chance that it may have gotten better after we left. Nevertheless, I asked Amy (and later, Jarred and Leah too) what she thought of it: "I don't even wanna waste my breath explaining to you what happened after you guys left." Eek.

It's not like "DEADROOM" was immune to negative feedback. Our screenings went very well overall, and we did get some positive press, but we still heard some bad comments here and there. We were hoping it'll sell out, but as we realized later on, most of the screenings that took place at the Dobie weren't as packed as the ones at the Alamo or Paramount. Lesson 4, which is also the number one lesson in real estate: location, location, location. If possible, ask for a good one upon acceptance at a festival. Smaller films always run a chance of being (as James put it in his blog) the neglected stepchild. You gotta fight (politely of course) for certain things: venue being one, schedule being another (our last screening on Thursday at noon was pitiful; 16 people! And only three bothered to stay for the Q&A, which was cancelled as a result).

While we're on the subject of attendance, here's lesson 5, which I consider a social etiquette for all filmmakers: please don't make it a point to tell someone you'll make it to his/her screening and not show up. It's just lame. I'm perfectly fine with "I'll try to make it" or "I'm interested in seeing your film" (or heck, not even mention it) and still not being able to come. But when you look someone in the eye and express your desire to see their work, you better be present. When absence follows, it feels like a slap in the face, especially if you've already attended theirs. Moral support is a two-way street, and as long as we're struggling artists, we need that from each other.

Nick managed to get us on the list for the Carmichael Films party on the rooftop of Speakeasy. Before I could look around to see where Elijah Wood and Dominic Monaghan were at, David dragged me from one corner to the other to meet with one of the owners, Chris Pizzo. The conversation initially involved the three of us and him. Minutes later, it ended up with me and him for what seemed like half an hour, where I asked him about his background and why he's doing what he's doing. As I walked away with his business card, lesson 6 hit me: be it Chris, Elijah, Dominic, or even Tom Cruise for that matter, we've all gone through the rough times of getting started. In different levels, of course, but regardless of where we're at presently, there were still the days that were hard, that were hopeless. No one really has it any easier. We ultimately got into this by calling, not by choice.

Before Carmichael, we made a brief appearance at another party (we're such scenesters) where I was acquainted with more filmmakers. I remember a couple of years ago when I really had a difficult time engaging people in conversations. You know those moments where you run into a wall and you don't know what else to talk about and the other person's not chipping in and you find youself staring at the ice cubes in your empty glass, hoping they'll melt quickly enough for you to take a last sip so you can conveniently excuse yourself to get a refill? I had plenty of those throughout the festival, but I find myself asking questions, throwing little quips in, and lo and behold, the stranger I just met is now going on and on like there's no tomorrow. I'm not exactly sure where I learned this from, but I suspect my past three years of being in a corporate environment had something to do with it. Yay, Neiman's!

Which leads to lesson 7: when stuck in a chat rut, ask questions. They can be anything. Where they got their cute shoes. What their favorite TV show is. Where they're from. Even the fucking weather of their cities. It's surprising how effortless it is to get a conversation going.

We met up with Kat after our 2nd screening (which was our best by the way; 3/4 full theater and we conducted the Q&A like pros) at Metro Coffee, which is a sure sign she liked our film enough to spend another hour with us. Kidding. She would've done the same even if she hated it; that's how cool she is. She's prepping for her new film, "Jumping Off Bridges," which sounds very promising. I'm counting on this one to be her breakthrough project. She deserves a break, let's hope this is it.

Off the top of my head, some random highlights: hearing Marcia Gay Harden at an acting panel revealing how things haven't really changed for her after the Oscar nod; very unexpectedly running into Denton Everett outside the Paramount, who's moving back to Texas after a nine-month stint in LA; meeting Chuck and his gal pal (sorry I had to oh-so-bluntly ask if you guys were an item); turning around to Christine Vachon wearing a trench coat and combat boots; seeing Elvis Mitchell's incredible dreadlocks; a brief sighting of Wayne Coyne chatting with a friend; Todd Solondz and "Palindromes"; our morning radio interview with a shock-jock who has actually seen "After Life"; our TV interview recorded right after one was done with Jason Behr (where he stood about ten feet away from us while I whispered very loudly to David: wasn't he Sarah Michelle Gellar's boyfriend in "The Grudge"?); exchanging opinions of film scores with Howard Shore protégé Jeff Grace; John Larson telling me he has actually heard of "Happy Birthday"; James' daring question at the acquisitions panel where he challenged the distributors to assure artistic filmmakers that it's really not all that bleak and impossible; producer Daniel Long sharing some firsthand celebrity gossip about a certain rapper/actor; picking up tons of free CDs and magazines at the convention; and my short-term obsession with the guy who was sitting in a toilet at the Dobie for at least two hours (I seriously wondered if he was dead). Whoever you are, just say no!

To wrap it up, lesson 8: the friends who stick with you today will be the ones who stick with you tomorrow. In other words, stick with them. I know, it's a no-brainer, but I still find myself amaze from time to time when I realize that I've already known and worked with these guys for half a decade and we're still getting along fabulously. On that note, please check out these alternate versions of our SXSW experience.

SXSW (Dobie)
March 11 (Friday) at 10:00pm
March 15 (Tuesday) at 7:45pm
March 17 (Thursday) at 12:00pm

Cleveland (Tower City Cinemas)
March 16 (Wednesday) at 2:45pm
March 17 (Thursday) at 9:30pm

I'll attempt to keep a journal on the side while in Austin. In the meantime, please come see the film. Or better, come see us; we're hotter in real life.

A sidenote for me & co: be proud, but above all, enjoy yourselves. Opportunities like this don't come by everyday. This is what fond memories are made of.

It was a brilliant setup.

Dinner with Alicia and Paul at their home was changed last minute to meeting Kasia and Eric at a nearby restaurant. They were seated upstairs in a private room. I should've saw that coming. I walked in and there was Kasia and Eric.

And Kara. And David. And James, and Jeannie, Stuart, Karen and Michael. And balloons; one hanging by an empty chair in the center of the table screaming "OH NO...THE BIG THREE-OH!"

Were you surprised? I was asked over and over. I was, to quote James, so surprised I entered the room and took a step back. It's one thing to arrange this on the actual day and another to do it a week before. The masterminds at work were Jerry and Alicia, who have been arranging this on the side via secret-agent style phone calls.

There were the presents (a big gift certificate, movie passes, this DVD and a supposedly lost video cable uncovered underneath someone's bed), the big-ass cake, the heartfelt greeting cards (James' was particularly sweet; I would've shed a tear if I wasn't so emotionally guarded), but most of all, the sentiments felt but unwritten or unspoken. That always means more than anything else. 

I was told later that there were some people who should've been invited, but were unintentionally left out due to all these attempts to keep me in the dark. I apologize if you're reading this and going what-the-fuck? It's nothing personal. My friends don't necessarily know or remember all of my friends.

~

I left my party to attend another. This one was for Steven, who turned FOUR-OH, and was hanging out with his friends and other half at this tres trendy joint. I've been warned by reliable sources that it's super snooty and pretentious. By the time I got there however, which was less than forty-five minutes away from closing time, most of the patrons were already too drunk/horny/desperate/fuc ked up to maintain their air of "I'm-hot-shit." It was still a nice club, with cozy seats, good music and no cover. Save for the extremely long line at the loo (powdering faces? Or powder-in noses?), my first visit will warrant a second.

~

David's review of "Goodbye Dragon Inn" sums up very nicely what I felt about the film. Please check it out. Your patience will be profoundly rewarded.

Chris Doyle's commentary on the "Last Life in the Universe" DVD were filled with ramblings that didn't seem to have a coherent point, but was enlightening and inspring nonetheless. I can see why David thought he was a sweetheart at Berlin; he possesses an indescribable charisma that puts one at ease and almost makes you forget that he is the master cinematographer of our time. His approach places more emphasis on the overall effect of storytelling (no dorky-tech brags about using such as such equipment or technology), which makes me appreciate even more of where he's coming from and understand why the man is as talented as he is. It's not just all about the camera, or the frame we're looking at. The story and characters can ultimately be bigger and more meaningful than what we merely see. This reinforces a belief that I've come to embrace: first there's life, then there's cinema. The knowledge we gain from our daily experiences is a natural extension to film. That's why watching movies by itself (or even making them) is barely sufficient. The medium calls for something more substantial, more interactive. It requires our actual participation, our actual "living" in what we'll be creating later on.

~

We're heading to Austin in a couple of days. Scared? No. Nervous? A tad. Reading potentially negative reviews to be published soon? Horrified! I shall stop clicking on this link compulsively.

There will be a pre-SXSW test screening of "DEADROOM" tomorrow night organized by these fine folks. Here's the rundown:

Time: 8:00PM
Venue: Cool Beans

Holy moly, these glamour shots are something to behold (scroll down to "Magazine" and click on the "Great Performers" slide show). My favorites are of Kate Winslet, Hillary Swank and especially Julie Delpy.

I strolled through Virgin Megastore last Saturday and found myself on my knees at the clearance rack, shrieking quietly as I uncovered imported CDs of this, this, this, and this, all on sale under $10. On top of that, you get one freebie for every ten purchased. Score!!!

I need to write something more insightful in my next entry.