Sundance: Settle In and Acclimate

First days and nights are paramount to settle in and acclimate |ˈakləˌmāt, əˈklīmit|: respond physiologically or behaviorally to a change in a single environmental factor– Sundance Film Festival. Finding first days, first nights ways to establish the pace and scope of productivity out of the next several days especially the Thursday and Friday afternoons into the evenings. Starting with British Virgin Islands, Texas Film and Montana Film Commissions along with coordinating AFCI (Association of Film Commissioners International) sponsor hosted receptions located at 305 Main Street, next door to Slamdance headquarters and diagonally across from the Egyptian Theatre, where much action goes on day and night.

The transformation of Park City into a film town for ten days is a transition mostly attributed to the founder, organizers and volunteers of the Sundance Film Festival. Rightly so, but behind the scenes recognition must go to AFCI along with the Utah Film Commission for their efforts in bringing awareness of the state’s ability to provide economic amenities for the filmmaker as well as bringing the business beyond the town level and up to the state level. Marketing savvy brings in millions of dollars and over a thousand festival jobs. Park City becomes a vibrant festival town.

Other states have followed this lead as state-supported film commissions host receptions and/or venues during the next several days. They offer a gathering place in an informal and entertaining setting, a catered reception, often with live music perfectly aligned for reconnections, introductions, conversations and networking which in turn, are planted seeds of opportunities. Good food, live music performance and new connections.

For many in the industry, it’s a much better situation than some of the venues whose DJs blast the crowd with ear-splitting distortions of retro sounds. Several store fronts have become exclusive party events touted as “private parties’ that cost $50 to get in (301 Main Street). The booming blast guarantee that few, if any, partygoers will rub elbows or get any selfies with celebs. The Rock and Reilly’s Pub fiasco shows that the party organizers don’t care much about anyone other than letting their friends in and allowing a swelling crowd to be crushed into a line up against the wall. Seriously, a dangerous situation for everyone and I was fortunately allowed to squeeze out of the mass. It’s not unusual for the first weekend at Sundance and is almost expected and welcomed. Something of a badge of honor for the party crowd. I’ll go back to connecting with other regional film commission parties and the movie crowd.