World Premiere Last Friday!

Many have asked me how Austin was. In short, our premiere went about as well as one could expect. Our screening was packed and the audience reaction was electric and palpable. The comedy played bigger than I anticipated for what is ultimately a bittersweet story. Fans told us Calvin Marshall made them laugh and cry. They said the 35mm print looked and sounded gorgeous. Many told us they loved the soundtrack/score. Over and over people said the movie has strong performances and that Steve Zahn has never been better.

Seeing this kind of reaction up close was our biggest reward. Ultimately it's what matters most, right? Word of mouth will help carry a movie like this and we all seem to believe (hope) that people will discover it over time.

However, unless I blog about it, these kinds of unmeasurable rewards are hard to publicize. Local press was fantastic but AFF was virtually ignored by Hollywood and indie film press in general. (cough, cough Variety, HW, Indiewire, Filmmaker magazine, Important Film Blogs/Websites, cough) Now, the last thing I want to do is sound bitter here, so bear with me. I also want to be honest. I realize it's a difficult time for everyone and certain festivals will be ignored. But AFF? Is there just one too many festivals in Austin? Is that the problem? Perhaps thorough coverage will hit after Up In The Air closes AFF tonight. I'm not counting on it but if there is fair coverage, I will gladly take all this back.

It's hard to deny fear and a herd mentality still runs this business even as it struggles to survive. Everyone's chasing the money, and not just young filmmakers -- but the evolving press and even the pros at the top of the heap. Are those elitist circles forming again as "Industry Leaders" pick up all the pieces? Like Kenny Powers says..."You're f*ing out and I'm f*ing in!"

On the positive side, AFF was well-attended and there was an enthusiastic atmosphere wherever we went. The panels were vulnerable and informative. I participated in a few and attended some -- and the overriding theme was this: There's blood in the streets. "Worst time ever for filmmakers", declared one of my favorite directors. In the same breath, there was silver lining, "At the same time, never has there been more opportunity".

We are living this paradox everyday and probably for the next few years.