Pre-Party Jitters (or, "What if Phil hates us?") On Friday, 2/19, we made the 10 hour trek from Chicago to Brainerd, Minnesota.
The purpose of our trip was two-fold: first, we wanted to attend the EgoFest Short Film Festival, which was kind enough to screen 2 of our shorts (Snow Bunny & Libidoland); second, it was time to meet Phil Holbrook and Jeremy Doyle, the director and cinematographer for TILT.
The drive flew by and the scenery was beautiful, but when we got to Brainerd, we were nervous. What if we don't click with Phil and Jeremy? And, if that happens, how to we proceed with TILT?
Our worries were for naught. As soon as we stepped into the E Squared Cafe for the EgoFest pre-party and saw Phil at the bar, we knew we were in the right place. His handshake was firm; his smile, genuine. This was the same guy we'd interacted with so well on Twitter and Skype. Jeremy Doyle joined the party. We all immediately started sharing juicy secrets. All was right with the world.
EgoFest, Baby, EgoFest! (Or "Who thought 40 movies in 12 hours was a good idea?") The day of EgoFest was awesome. Phil was the consummate festival organizer, making sure that all of the filmmakers present (and those checking in via Twitter from afar) got the most out of their festival experience.
TILT prep took a backseat for the day, but that didn't mean that this wasn't an important day for our new crew. We all got a chance to check out each others' films, assess each others skills, and even see each other market themselves and speak in public (Phil, of course, addressed the EgoFest crowd numerous times; the rest of us participated in Q&A sessions after select shorts).
After the awards ceremony, we all headed back to E Squared for the after-party to relax a little and discuss the shorts. An excellent ending to an inspiring day.
Down to Business! (Or, "Are we seriously doing this TILT-thingy?") Sunday morning we met bright and early at the Sawmill Cafe for the best business breakfast ever. (Anyone who's never planned their future over cinnamon streusel is really missing out.)
We did a bit of planning for a video blog idea we'd discussed prior to the trip, then headed out to pick up equipment and shoot. (As of today, we're planning to post this video on Thursday, 2/25.) The vlog will explore: our real first meeting; what TILT is all about; and who our audience is. Don't miss it!
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For more pictures and juicy details, check our King is a Fink blog this week: http://kingisafink.com.
This is all too awesome! How you guys are from different places and collaborating on this project. I wish you guys all the best! This is a big deal! You guys put the "ass" in "massive" Ha!
can't wait to hear more, sounds like you have all the basics covered so far.