Amanda Farmer at Austin Freelance Writer was kind enough to share with me her fascinating infographic on SXSW Film 2013 stats.
It gives tremendous insight into the what films will be debuting at SXSW and how many were crowd funded (our film Loves Her Gun was partially funded by Indiegogo and USA Projects).
I also spy one of our film’s actresses, Heather Kafka, in the infographic!
Make sure to check out Amanda’s work here!
It’s one week before SXSW starts and one week and one day before the premiere of our film Loves Her Gun.
I’m nervous and I’m excited and hopeful and fearful.
What if no one likes the film?
What if during the film, the audience collectively rises in a wave of anger, throws vegetables or dead animals they had been hiding in their purses and pockets at the screen and tackle me into the theater seats to ensure my broken arms never write again?
Like George McFly to Marty when he sheepishly explains why he can’t ask Lorraine out, “I don’t know if I could take that kind of a rejection.”
This movie is my density.
I’m scared shitless!
I’ve never experienced anything like this.
Will you still love me even if my dangling broken limbs are covered in tomato juice?
Over the next week, I’ll probably be posting a significant amount about the film since it will be taking up a good chunk of my life.
It’s a tough industry and every share and retweet about our film (more…)
Have y’all heard of RSVPster, yet?
How could you not with their recent FREAKIN’ AWESOME Forbes interview and all.
This brilliant service created by one Austin woman, Jennifer Sinski, is revolutionizing the festival going experience.
So, we all know how insanely Godzilla-like SXSW has become, right? All the unofficial parties, shows, taco face-stuffing contests and free swag that is open to us is often hard to keep up with. Sinski, who was already the go-to party RSVPer for her friends, came up with the idea in 2011 to have a concierge service that does the SXSW RSVPing for you- all for a mere $40. Not only will RSVPster get you on the list of every open, unofficial party and event at the festival, they will also send you a full calendar of dates and time to update to your iCal or Google Cal.
In its first year, RSVPster proved to be popular and Sinski brought on business partner, Miles Dahmann. Word of mouth spread quickly and the site gained customers and press. Now in its (more…)
via All Points PR
I’m now a publicist!
Kind of.
I have a secret to share with you: there is no money in independent film and you often have to become your own press agent, cheerleader, champion and drinking buddy.
I’ve been (nervously) sending out press releases for our film Loves Her Gun and I can’t help but feel like a GIANT ASSHOLE every time I hit the “send” button. You see, I receive a fair chunk of press releases for my blog each week and the majority of the time I completely disregard them. If the sender- particularly the actual client and not the publicist- appears to have put effort in their attempts to reach out to me, then I will politely respond with a “thank you for reaching out, but this isn’t a good fit….yada yada blah blah.” If the press release is from a publicist who included me on a mass email with no regard to what my blog is actually about, then I promptly banish them to my trash. (more…)
It’s President’s Day, everyone!
Wait, it is President’s Day, right?
Once you’re out of grade school all these holidays kind of meld together.
And since I’m no longer in grade school, I’m going to celebrate President’s Day by discussing the hottest leaders to ever grace our country’s history!
Who is your POTUS crush and why?
Why He’s Hot:
– During WWII, his boat, PT 109, was cut in half and sank, but that didn’t slow down ol’ mean dog JFK. No, that man swam to a remote island pulling his badly hurt shipmate with his mo-fo’ing teeth.
– There was no food or drinking water on the island, so like a boss, Kennedy swam 4 kilometers to a nearby island for food and water and then swam back to take the men to another island with food and water.
– He and his shipmates survived on coconuts for six days. For those six days, Kennedy’s potassium levels were excellent.
– He won a Pulitzer Prize in 1957 for his book Profiles in Courage.
– He created the Peace Corps (more…)
Valentine’s Day is coming up!
Since it’s an Instagram world and we all have to live in it, I’ve compiled a list of local spots to take obnoxiously adorable photos with your sweetheart on V-day. You won’t be the first couple to take photos here and you can count on your future kids barfing when they see these cutesy photos of their ‘rents, but heck, it’s your love and you can do whatever the hell you want with it. If you want to suck face in front of Jo’s Coffee while a professional photog snaps your photo, suck away.
Note to Austin-area business owners: If you want to receive a lot of foot traffic and free press, put a romantic mural on the outside of your building. Thank me later by giving me free swag from your business.
What do you think is the most romantic spot in Austin?
The “You’re My Butter Half” toast & butter pat street art on the side of the United Way building 2000 E. MLK – photo via me!
The simple yet sweet “I love you so much” text written on the side of (more…)
Are you a fan of Valentine’s Day?
I’m not a fan of Valentine’s Day.
I spent so many years single that V-Day became a day of celebrating my bitter, unrelenting scorn.
But now this will be my second holiday with someone special and I realize that I didn’t dislike V-day because I was single, I just don’t like it period.
IT’S A STUPID HOLIDAY!
Actually, most holidays are stupid- except for Halloween. That is not a stupid holiday.
But you know what?
A lot of really cool people make really cool stuff that make great Valentine’s Day gifts. Their stuff is so hip, it makes me want to celebrate Valentine’s Day every day (which I kind of do already- that’s why I think having a holiday to express your love is silly-willy).
As some of you know, I’m friends with the fine folks over at Scoutmob.
Their artisan shoppe boasts a kick-ass collection of handmade art, clothing and decor by talented folks in New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Detroit…and Austin. Our very own Austin-bred (more…)
source
Dear Mr. Joe,
DUDE! WHEN THE HELL ARE YOU OPENING UP IN AUSTIN, HUH?!?!
Excuse me. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to shout. Let me regain my composure.
I’m just really really anxious about your impending arrival in our fair city.
Last year, you teased us with the news of your future opening in Austin like a laser pointer being aimed straight above a cat’s face.
YOU, SIR, ARE THE STUPID LASER POINTER AND WE ARE THE CATS!
YOU LEFT US AIMLESSLY PAWING AT THE FRIGGIN’ WALLS, oops, sorry, I mean, you left us aimlessly pawing at the walls, hoping, praying that we will somehow feel your physical presence.
Your establishment is a big deal to us Austinites since at one point or another we’ve experienced you in another city.
We got to try your fine $2.99 libations and magical cookie butter and the luscious tastes have never left our trembling lips.
You left an impression on us, sir. We dream about you often, in tropical Technicolor of reds, yellows and blues.
We (more…)
You guys remember that movie I told you about? The one I co-wrote and co-produced and some of you were gracious enough to donate to so we could finish our post-production?
Well, it will be premiering under the Narrative Spotlights at the South by Southwest Film Festival this year!
I can’t believe that this idea born out of my late-night, heavy-breathing “Oh my God I’m going to DIE!” panic attacks is now a full-fledged movie premiering at one of my favorite film festivals.
We are beyond the Thunderdome excited. Like, I’m going to go bleach and feather my hair and put a chain-link dress on and find Mel Gibson and say, “Two men enter, one man leaves” excited.
The film was written in the summer of 2011, but the subject matter- gun culture- is all the more prevalent today. We couldn’t have imagined that the always important topic would (sadly) heat up again.
Since we shot the film, our lead actress Trieste Kelly Dunn was offered a reoccurring role on Alan Ball’s new TV show (more…)
Ever since I was a little girl I was fascinated with the art and fantasy of film. This fascination led me to film school and then to Los Angeles where I held an assistant role at the production company of an Oscar Award-winning actor.
My upbringing and surroundings in Los Angeles barely introduced me to the world of independent cinema. Sure, I saw movies that weren’t produced by large studios, but they were still the films that had known actors in them or were bought for millions of dollars at Sundance. I had no concept of the 99% of other independent films on the film festival or local scenes (film school most definitely doesn’t tell you about this world either). My childhood art house theater was 30 miles away from my home and when I dragged my high school friends to see American Beauty (not an independent film and produced by Dreamworks), I thought I truly knew what independent film was.
It wasn’t until I moved to Austin and began meeting a large number of the country’s best (more…)
