Popping My Sundance Film Festival Cherry: And What I Learned From It

I just got back from my first trip to Sundance, where we premiered our movie HAPPYTHANKYOUMOREPLEASE in dramatic competition. What an amazing experience!  To get a standing ovation on your first movie is pretty incredible. And all six screenings were sold out!

After an exhausting five days, here is what I learned from Sundance — and what I wish I had known before I left:

• Hit the slopes. No one is skiing or snowboarding during Sundance because all the locals have fled the city, none of the real skiers are there because they know to stay away during Sundance, and no one who is there for the festival is getting on the slopes. You pretty much have it all to yourself.

• Talk to the locals. See what movies they are seeing. If the locals are buying tickets to certain movies, you know those are the ones with commercial appeal.

• Pack lots of protein bars. I’ve got to be honest:  If you aren’t eating in the high-end restaurants, the cheap food there is disgusting — and expensive (let’s call it the tourist tax.) If you pack some protein bars you can save yourself a lot of money and stomach aches.

• Prepare for the altitude change — 8000 feet is really high up. If you aren’t used to it, you will get winded very easily. (I never thought I would exhaust myself so quickly from walking up hill). Drink lots of water and rest when you get tired.

• Pack warmly. Seriously, it is cold. And coats you buy in LA just don’t cut it. But instead of buying a coat that you use for two days, borrow from a friend who has lived in cold weather. Trust me, you will thank me for this because it is no fun standing in line when you are freezing cold.

Most importantly, have fun, meet new people, take in the beautiful scenery and enjoy the experience!

PS. And in exciting news, we just found out we won the Sundance Audience Award for HAPPYTHANKYOUMOREPLEASE!