Sunrise, Sunset

[Dawn in Philly, as seen from room 2516 of the Loew's Hotel. You can see all of my Philly and U.K. pics on the "Smalltimore, the Movie" Facebook page - click the link in the right-side tool bar]

Philly already seems like a dream. How is it possible that I was there less than ten days ago?

I did have a great time and I REALLY want to go to that festival again, because I know next year will be even better. I have a few regrets, but they were mostly my fault. I wasn't organized enough before I hit the ground there, didn't have a plan as to what films I wanted to see and which filmmakers I wanted to try to meet, and I didn't have any marketing materials with me, which was a big mistake. Everywhere I went and everyone I met was pure randomness, if that is a word. Usually that works for me, and it was fine this time, but especially because the venues were a little scattered, I would have gotten more accomplished had I mapped things out a bit better. But then again, maybe not. Mikey and I had a really tight but reasonable schedule worked out one day, but the evening before we met some filmmakers whose movie we had not planned to see, and they talked us into it ("Sex. Drugs. Guns."). So we changed our schedule and then in the middle of the next day, we met the filmmaker, O'Shea Read, whose film ("Shipping and Receiving", a short) we had switched out to see the other one! He was very nice and happened to have a DVD of it with him and gave it to us, so in the end it did work out fine.

For that one, anyway. Another movie I wanted to see was Adam Bronstein's, "My Movie Girl." I met Adam at the Opening Night Party. I think he is the first guy I have met that made a feature-length romantic comedy. The plot sounded intriguing, and hysterical, and Mikey wanted to see it also. We blocked it out and showed up at the venue on time, to find out it hand been switched to another time slot (in fairness to the festival, that was at Adam's request). I ran into Adam later and found out that it was rescheduled at 10:00am on Sunday. As much as I wanted to see that movie, that just was not going to happen.

But Adam, and O'Shea (though they have not met), both live in L.A. and said they would try to come to my "Smalltimore" screening next month, so it is all good!

Another filmmaker I met on the first night was Philip Maglieri ("The Alley" - short doc). As it turns out, his film was screening at the same exact time as mine, the venues rather far apart. That was the one I was most disappointed not to see. When Philip and I started talking at the party the first night, I asked him if it was his first festival. He said no, he had just been to one in England. I smiled, as I kind of figured what was coming next. Turns out, "The Alley," screened at Swansea Bay Film Festival in southern England, just a week or so before I was in Tamworth for the Heart of England Film Festival. The two festivals are related and had a lot of cross-over movies. In fact, Nick Hudson, the Director of the HOEFF, had met Philip at Swansea Bay and invited him to screen, "The Alley," in Tamworth. Philip was tempted to come up, but didn't, though Nick still screened the film (I didn't see it). But Philip had met in Swansea some of the same people I made friends with in Tamworth, such as Kent Wall ("Shotgun Jesus") and Vagabond ("Machetero"). It was a very Smalltimore moment. Also, Philip lives in Toronto, where dear old Bentley resides (when he isn't here, which he is now, cuz he just called me).

I did manage to see Jesse Bernstein's short, "Us One Night," since it screened right after mine in the same venue. He is using it as sort of a pre-trailer, he wants to make a feature out of it. It was funny, I hope he does! Met some other cool cats, you can check the pics on Facebook.

I have to admit that though I am trying to concentrate and give you the skinny on Philadelphia, my mind is elsewhere. I am getting (a little too) excited about Indie Fest in California next month. I'll explain in a minute.

During one of my conversations with Philip, I told him that I may be losing my job, and therefore my residence, by the end of the year. He asked me, "Are you worried? Are you a worrier?" I said, "Not really. My life always seems to work out the way it should." And it does, though I think part of that is me not fighting battles for the sake of fighting them, but rather making lemonade when presented with the ingredients. Another case in point is the succession of these festivals. I had a great time in Tamworth, and have been in touch with a few of the filmmakers I met there since I got back. But the audiences were negligible. I was in a fairly good schmoozing mode, though, because I am used to traveling abroad by myself, and I didn't have to deal with big crowds. I know it is ridiculous that I am more at ease in a foreign country than in Philadelphia, but that's just how I am.

Philly was a sizable but not insurmountable step up from Tamworth. Only in its second year, they have some bugs to work out, but it was much larger and much better attended, and the filmmakers had a destination meeting point every evening. I had not psyched myself up to schmooze, though, and I watched others work the room like nobody's business. I hated myself for it, but Mikey was there, and I used him as a crutch. That's my fault, I know better. But I was a little overwhelmed , I guess. It made me determined to make sure that doesn't happen again.

And now comes Anaheim, California. West Coast, baby. Funny thing? Heart of England was its First Annual, Philly Independent was its Second Annual, Indie Fest is its Third Annual. I tried not to get too excited about Indie Fest, because there are SO many fests in California, and this one is rather young. HOEFF, I think, accepted the majority of films that were submitted (don't get me wrong, I saw some great stuff there, but I think percentage-wise, that is the case). Steve, the director at the PIFF (Philly), told me that they had about 400 submissions (including shorts) and accepted about half of them. That gave me a little extra confidence, but still, I guess you could say I had a 50-50 chance of getting in, which is a lot better than most fests. Mine was one of about 65 feature-length, though they seemed to be heavy on the documentaries.

Before I go to a fest, I pick it apart so I can know what to expect and avoid disappointment. How many years has it been running, how organized is the communication, I research the venues, I consider the screening times... Some people that I met in Tamworth and Philly were disappointed in some things, but I managed to avoid that because I didn't have any delusions, and I enjoyed the festivals for what they were.

However... Having gone through the schedule of Indie Fest, out of their 140 selected films, only about 38 of them are feature-length, 8 of those are listed as documentaries, 4 as comedies (including "Smalltimore), and the rest (of those 38) are listed simply as features. Especially considering that "Smalltimore" has the final time slot (coinciding with two other non-comedy feature screenings), and the screening venue is the AMC Disney... I'm starting to feel pretty good about this one. Which means I have to start psyching myself up IMMEDIATELY. So I'll talk at cha later.

The Oracle

Wikipedia: An oracle is a person or agency considered to be a source of wise counsel or prophetic opinion; an infallible authority, usually spiritual in nature.

[ANOTHER of my Executive Producers, Tom Kyte, offering me a cherry bomb at the Mount Royal Tavern, a.k.a. The Dirt Church, in Baltimore - photo by Melanie Caffrey]

Okay, I WAS going to write more about my experience in Philly in this posting, and I will get to that eventually, but apparently my last post, or more specifically, the photo caption on my last post, got me into some trouble and I have to make amends.

If you are a regular reader of the blog, you know that there are several Executive Producers (i.e., people who gave me money to make the movie) for SMALLTIMORE. Granted, I do talk about Mikey the most, because, well, I SEE him on a regular basis, even though he lives in NYC, which, if you need a reference point, is much further away, than say, Leesburg, Virginia.

The caption of the previous post starts off with, "Executive Producer Michael Bordenick..." According to another Executive Producer of mine, Tom Kyte, this caption implies that there is only ONE Executive Producer. Of course that was not my intention, and I don't necessarily think that [general interpretation] to be the case, but I see how he could. Tom said I should be talking about him, too, and directing people to his website. I said, "I thought I wasn't allowed to talk about your work?" Either I was wrong, or he changed his mind, so this posting will be All Tom, All the Time.

You see, Tom is a bigwig at Oracle. As in, he is literally the world's leading authority on Oracle. If you are a database engineer, whatever that means, he is a god to you. He is, "Ask Tom." (www.asktom.oracle.com) He has also written 3 or 4 books on the subject, that, to someone like me, may as well be written in Chinese.

I met Tom at a party at Pitt when I was a senior in high school. The following year, I enrolled at Pitt and went to countless parties at Tom's place, dated his roommate, worked for him at the student union cafe (Tom was Student Manager), and spent most weekends on his couch because my roommates were big fat C-words. Tom taught me how to play Quarters by rolling the quarter off my nose (we kicked major ass together), and he also taught me how to play pool. In effect, these subjects turned out to be sort of a double-major for me, as they were about the only things I learned at college, and skills that I retain to this day.

Tom was my best friend at Pitt. He was, and is, my big brother. He took this position very seriously. He let me take home leftovers from the cafe when I was poor, he made sure no one messed with me when I was on the losing end of a game of quarters, he let me ruin his shirt with mascara when his roommate dumped me and I cried all over him. He also made endless fun of me at any opportunity, kicked my ass at pool relentlessly, and a favorite past-time was locking me in the service elevator at the cafe and turning the light off. He also loved to embarrass me in front of anyone I had a crush on, such as Kip, a gorgeous specimen who worked with us at the cafe. Though I probably couldn't pick his face out of a line-up, Kip's abs were perfection carved in milk chocolate. When we locked up at night, it was Kip's job to mop the floor. This coincided with a daily decline in my level of productivity. Tom addressed the situation. "Kip," he said, "I'm going to have to ask you to mop with your shirt on, so Jeanie can get some work done."

In short, Tom made sure that no one harassed me, except Tom. To this day he likes to tell people I introduce him to that, "Believe it or not," (as soon as I hear this, I know exactly what is coming out of his mouth next), he says, grinning maniacally at me for effect, "I knew Jeanie all the way back when she was a virgin."

Tom and I have stayed in touch all these years, though granted it was pretty loose for a long time. Still we managed to get together once a year or so. A few years ago, when he was going through his divorce, we got in closer touch and ended up hanging out a lot again. Tom's mom was a little worried. "Be careful about the rebound," she said. I am screwing up my face just thinking about that, and I am sure he did the same at the time. "Mom, Jeanie is like the little sister I never had." This did not go over so well when his mom repeated that sentiment to his actual little sister.

Before any aspiring filmmakers out there get any ideas about asking Tom for money for your project, I'll tell you that I don't believe for a minute that he contributed to the making of "Smalltimore," because he gives a flying rat's ass about being involved in making a movie. I'm not even entirely convinced that he was convinced, at the beginning, that I would even get it done. He just did it for me. It is as simple as that, I think.

A lot of people ask me how I was able to get people to hand me the generous checks (3 to 4 zeroes on the end) that Tom, Mikey, and Dan did. Each of them had very different motivations for doing so, but our strong friendships were the common thread. I am extremely lucky and blessed to have these people in my life who love and believe in me as much as these guys do. It is a trust that we have established over many years, and I have other friends who are just as wealthy that I did not approach because I wasn't sure that it would not effect our friendship if I couldn't get them their money back. With Tom, Mikey, and Dan, I know that is not the case. Though of course I am going to make every effort to see that that (getting their money back) happens.

So, my advice is, make friends with the most intelligent people that you can when you are young, because those are the people who will be wealthy when you are older! But mostly, just always put good karma out there, it will come back to you when you need it most, and also don't rely on anyone else's assistance to accomplish your goals. For the most part, I think my guys know that I would get this thing done one way or another. They saw that I was sincere in my vision, and though in some cases I was asking for their help, under no circumstance was I flat-out expecting it. Life is not on a sliding scale, and you should never think that someone should hand you money just because they have a lot more of it than you do. That right there is bad karma, and that will come back to you, too.

Anyway... one of the funniest things about Tom is that, though he loves to try to embarrass me, there is no one that I can make blush faster than him. The above photo is by his standards downright scandalous, and my new favorite. This was taken just this Friday night, when he and his girlfriend visited me in Baltimore (she snapped the photo). Happy now, Tommy? I hope this drives LOADS of people to your websites!

Four Days In Philly

[Executive Producer Michael Bordenick a.k.a. Mikey B., gesturing towards some Historic Stuff in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia]

Just got back last night and need to wrap my mind around some (day job) work issues as well as burning a bunch of DVDs to send in for some last-minute deadlines (you know that's how I roll), so I am not going to make this a very long entry. I'll do that soon, though. Bottom line is, Philly was great, fun town, GREAT people (those who live there as well as those visiting for the fest), horrible, horrible pizza.

This is no joke. I think Philly has an inferiority complex about NYC in the same way Baltimore has the same in regards to D.C. This is the only theory I can come up with to explain why the pizza is so very bad. I figure that Philly wants to set itself apart, so at some point the city as a whole decided, if New York is known for its pizza, we can't do it the way that they do it, we have to make it completely opposite! Unfortunately for Philly, NY makes their pizza very GOOD. So the opposite of that would be... well, you get the point. Opt for the Philly cheese steak. Even chain restaurants there do it well.

I'll get more into it later, but as a whole I was very happy with the Philadelphia Independent Film Festival, and it was far better than I expected a fest in only its second year to be. Several bugs to work out, but that's how it goes, and you have to have reasonable expectations at these things. My objectivity may be slightly clouded by the presence of many good-looking male filmmakers (several of whom you can check out in my photos from the fest on the Facebook page, "Smalltimore, the Movie" - click on the link on the right). But - men being my favorite vice and all - who's complaining?

Press Release for Philly

I know I've already shown you the laurel, but it's so pretty, isn't it? Leaving tomorrow, no time to write anything else, so thought I'd share:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

"SMALLTIMORE," a new romantic comedy by first-time filmmaker Jeanie M. Clark, will screen at 7:40p.m. on Saturday, June 27, at Yards Brewery, 901 N. Delaware Avenue, as part of the Philadelphia Independent Film Festival.

Tagline: Baltimore may not be known as an artists' haven to outsiders, but the people who live here know that the pertinent question is not, "What do you do?" but rather, "What ELSE do you do?" Struggling art gallery owner Gracie finds herself in a romantic dilemma when she forgets the Golden Rule of Charm City, "Don't judge a book by its cover."

"I am ecstatic that SMALLTIMORE's first domestic festival will be in Philadelphia," says Writer/Director Jeanie Clark. "Philadelphia and Baltimore have a lot of similarities, and I am certain the humor will translate flawlessly from one city to another. Plus, I am a Pennsylvania native, so I am personally glad to be here."

SMALLTIMORE serves as Ms. Clark's love letter to her adopted hometown of Baltimore. Originally from the Pittsburgh area, Ms. Clark has lived in Baltimore city for more than a decade. It was here that she discovered a strong creative community that was both tight-knit and inviting, after a fashion. "I did have to prove myself," she says. "I knew no one when I moved to Baltimore, and coming from 10 years living in Washington, D.C., people here [in Baltimore] were suspect that I was not so much an artist as a wannabe."

Baltimore has proven to be a desirable location for both film and television, but has suffered from an identity crisis for years. If you haven't visited the city, you may only know of it from crime dramas such as, "The Wire," "Homicide," or, "The Corner." Of course, Hollywood heavyweights such as Barry Levinson and John Waters repeatedly return to Baltimore to make their (respectively) nostalgic and quirky films. "John Waters' films are a lot closer to reality than people think they are," Clark says. "People here really are that weird, and that is one of the many things I love about this town. But still, this isn't an entirely accurate representation of my Baltimore, the Baltimore I see every day. I haven't seen a movie that really portrays that Baltimore."

"The majority of my friends in Baltimore are artists: painters, sculptors, poets, musicians, writers, and filmmakers," Ms. Clark explains, "but we all have day jobs." Indeed, "SMALLTIMORE," showcases a dozen local visual artists' work, and the soundtrack is comprised of a whopping 37 original songs by 11 Baltimore artists. This includes triple-threat and nationally renowned artist Joyce J. Scott, who stars as the eccentric wealthy widow Mrs. Talford, displaying several of her own paintings, and singing three of her own songs on the track. Native Baltimorean T.T.Tucker and his Bum Rush Band also play themselves in the film, and contribute 8 songs to the soundtrack. Even ceramic sculptor Caren Shelley and jewelry artist Wayne Werner made commissioned pieces for the film.

There is a lot more to "SMALLTIMORE," than what meets the eye, or ear, however. "People ask me what made me decide to make this movie," Ms. Clark says. "And the bottom line is, I was tired of seeing horrible movies, especially romantic comedies. People like what they can relate to. Getting knocked on the head or drinking a potion that gives you supernatural powers might be entertaining, but it is not going to happen to you. And your jackass of a boyfriend is not going to turn into Prince Charming, either."

The diverse ensemble cast and overlapping story lines reveal even more sides of Baltimore. In this small town masquerading as a big city, the social circles are small - and they all cross-pollinate. No one bats an eye at the gay or inter-racial relationships, let alone a delusional cross-dresser. "I had to do some work to woo Joyce Scott, who is African-American, onto the project, mostly due to her own busy schedule," Ms. Clark says. "She liked the script, but after reading the whole thing, she had some concerns. Her character's personal assistant is Italian-American. Joyce said to me, not asking me to change the script but just wanting to make sure I was aware of this, that 'traditionally speaking', black people and Italians have not always gotten along so well. I really wanted Joyce for the project, and I did give what she said a lot of thought, because I wanted everything about the story to ring true, and I didn't want her to feel it was a stretch." Soon after, Ms. Scott signed on to the project, with no changes to the character of her assistant, Tony. "I knew what she was saying, but she knew what I was saying: I understand that is how it is, in a lot of places. But it just isn't that way in my Baltimore. Those aren't my friends. My friends don't give a flying rat's ass about that kind of stuff. And I know that Joyce doesn't either." Sure enough, once on the set, Joyce and Orlando Gonzalez, who plays the character of Tony, got along famously. Their chemistry onscreen is a direct reflection of their true personal chemistry. "It got to the point that I was afraid to leave them alone in a room together," Clark says. "I'd come back and within five minutes they would have come up with some ridiculously funny and COMPLETELY un-PC comedy sketch - entirely instigated by Joyce."

Romantic comedies can be a hard-sell at festivals. SMALLTIMORE's first festival was earlier this month in the Heart of England International Film Festival in the United Kingdom. "By the time the film screened on the third day, I was more than ready for a laugh," says Clark. "So many filmmakers, and festival programmers, think that if it is funny it can't be good, it can't be art. That is absolutely untrue."

SMALLTIMORE has also been accepted to Indie Fest in Anaheim, CA, in late August. In addition to Ms. Clark (who not only wrote and directed, but also produced and edited the film), Director of Photography Michelle Farrell ("Unraveling Michelle", which screened at Firstglance Festival 2008), Executive Producer Michael Bordenick, and leading actor Cheryl Scungio will be in attendance for the screening on Saturday. Ms. Scungio also starred in, "Public Interest," which screened at the first Philadelphia Independent Film Festival in 2008, and took home the award for Best New Director.

More info:
On Facebook: Smalltimore, the Movie
Trailers available on YouTube and www.smalltimorethemovie.blogspot.com

I'll Sleep When I'm Dead

And I'll breathe in mid-July. Maybe.

Got home about 8:30pm Tuesday night. Took my neighbors who dog-sat for me out to dinner an hour later. Worked all day Wednesday, plus had fellow filmmaker Brian Morrison ("One Down") help me figure out some compression and burn (making a DVD of the movie) problems, and took him across the street to meet my friend Phil ("Mrs. Simpson" in Smalltimore). Brian is renting Philip's fabulous Corvette convertible for a music video he is shooting this weekend for Lazerbitch (who is on the Smalltimore soundtrack - click their link on the right to check them out!).

Wednesday night went to The Charles to see Steve Yeager's premiere of, "Crystal Fog." I knew Steve had won an award at Sundance for his documentary on John Waters ("Divine Trash"), but I learned something I didn't know from the woman who introduced him: Steve is still Maryland's only award winner at Sundance. Of course, Eric Thornett won an award at Slamdance, and Michelle is winning awards left and right, so I am always in good company!

"Crystal Fog," was great. I wasn't sure what to expect but it turned out to be a very sweet and well-told story. Was NOT expecting the sweet part. Which is great, I HATE going into a movie and knowing everything that happens before it even begins.

It is the story of a drag queen (Crystal Fog) and an allegedly straight man who falls for her. The story is loosely based on a true relationship that happened to Steve's brother. I am always impressed when someone can write for a character that is very different from themselves and have the dialogue be believable, like men writing for women, crossing ethnic lines, an older person writing for a younger character, or a straight man writing for a drag queen. Steve did an amazing job, and it is an impressive tribute to his brother.

The after-party at Nick's Fish House (which was featured prominently in the film) was a great time. I ran into several of the actors and the DP that I have worked with on Steve's new feature (currently in production), "The Rosens". I spotted (actor) Johnny Alonso there near the end, but didn't have a chance to say hello. He has been in so many Baltimore productions, and mostly works in California now. I don't know him really, but met him briefly last year on the set of "Good People," which was the second time I had met Michelle but the first time I had seen her in action on a set.

Yesterday more work at the Day Job, then dropped by the Creative Alliance to pick up some DVD screeners from Kristen to review before our Members Committee meeting on Tuesday. A small panel of film-related people watch films that are in consideration for the next cycle of events. It's fun, I think, and always nice to have your opinion asked.

Today I have dreaded paperwork for the Day Job (god, I HATE paperwork! This is why I have never held a 9 to 5 job), and email/Facebook blasting about the Philly fest, and have to send some materials out to them and also try to get together a press release. That is SORT OF paperwork, but more of a creative kind and it can be emailed, so no real paper is involved and I don't mind it so much.

Tomorrow I have a small walk-on part for the Lazerbitch music video, and am going to try to catch The Degenerettes (also on my soundtrack - also click their link on the right) play a set at 8:25pm at the Pride festival stage on Eager Street (in front of the Hippo). And I know there are at least three other things I have to do tomorrow that I am forgetting about. Sunday is the second installment of my neighborhood yard sale:

Monthly Mother of All Yard Sales!
1 0 Households!
Sunday, June 21, 9:00am-2:00pm
Rear parking lot, 1125 North Calvert Street

Jewelry - glassware - antiques - oddities -
books - clothes - appliances - furniture -
decor items - dolls - kitchenware

Spread the word!!!


And then it's Monday again already? Argh!

Winding Down

Good lord. This is why it is good to travel alone. This morning I got up at a reasonable hour and was packed and ready to leave Tamworth at 10:30a.m. The train I originally planned to take was at 12:42p.m., but since I was moving, I figured there had to be one a little earlier, right? Not really. There was one at noon, so I still had an hour and a half to kill. So, after walking 1/2 mile to the train station to find this out, and there being no place at the train station to store my bags (by the way, can't blame Bin Laden for that. The IRA was blowing up things in London long before him, which is also why trash cans are very difficult to find in train stations), I had to walk halfway back into town to get a soda and sandwich, then afterwards back again.

When I did return, I found that I was on the same train and changing at Birmingham with Amir, one of the other filmmakers in the festival. He was the one who told me he'd watch my movie even though it would not be his cup of tea. Which, incidentally, he did not. He sat through about 15 minutes before walking out. I have since forgiven him but will admit I was annoyed at the time. I know it is my first festival, but still, there is a sort of etiquette between filmmakers, and once you establish some sort of rapport it is unspoken that you expect, want, and reciprocate support, i.e., watch each others movies.

But, we had a nice chat while traveling to Birmingham, and I know he did not have any malicious intent. I had to walk out of a couple films myself, though that was due to some very graphic footage. I remember images and I can't watch certain things that I find disturbing. I know seeing my neighbor Philip in a dress is somewhat disturbing; perhaps it was just too much for Amir to take.

Last night was the screening of "Radio Cape Cod," by American Andrew Silver. It was a sweet little love story, and a nice event. They served small sandwiches, satay skewers, and canapes during the meet & greet beforehand, so that was dinner. But other than Andrew, I was the only filmmaker still in town (except Amir, who did not attend), so it was a little lonely. I did talk quite a bit with John Welles, a councilman and former Mayor of Tamworth, who I met the first night at the castle, and his wife and son David as well. Really nice people, as was everyone in town, and as I said to John after the movie last night, I need to make another movie so I can come back!

It was a long day of travel today. To get to Matthew's I had to take five different trains, and very few of the stations I had to transfer at had escalators, so I had to drag my big case up and down the steps myself. In these situations, some man almost always grabs it from me without even asking and does it for me, but not today. It is Sunday so no one seemed in much of a hurry and the trains were less crowded, so maybe when they help me like that it is just to get me out of the way from holding up traffic.

I am looking forward to having dinner with Matthew tonight and catching up. He hasn't been over to Baltimore in quite awhile. Since New Year's, I think? Then tomorrow with Jim & Deb. This is just about the time that I really start missing my dogs and home, so it will be nice to spend it with friends.

The Heart of England Film Festival was a terrific experience, and I think a very suitable "starter" festival for me. I truly think that the networking I was able to do with other filmmakers will prove to be to my advantage down the line. I am going to try to help Amir with some casting for his next project; Ronnie said he'd DP for me if I made a short, and the wheels in my head are already spinning on that; if I ever make a documentary I would certainly consult with Indira, and she said if she ever made a feature she would consult with me; I really want Vagabond to meet Al Letson at some point, I think they would hit it off and creative sparks would fly; plus Vagabond and Maya both live in NYC, so hopefully I will see them again soon. Plus so many other great people I met... never know, might run into them again at another festival soon (knock on wood!).

Many of us being Americans, and traveling alone, I think added to the intensity a bit, and how well we hit it off. It starts off being a little lonely, and a little scary. So I think when you meet other people who are in the same circumstance, there is a moment that each is sort of thinking of the other, "Please don't be a jackass, so I have someone to hang out with," and in most cases they are not a jackass, and then the fun begins!

"...first, drunk, and shy!"

Of course that partial quote does not pertain to moi. Last night was the Heart of England International Film Festival Awards Banquet, and my fellow filmmaker Indira was the first to win an award for her documentary "Crossing Lines". She did not make any sort of speech and as other awards were being handed out, she realized she should have, but, as she said of herself, "That's what happens when you are first [winner], drunk, and shy!" She is hysterical after a few drinks, she is far more bold and far less self-conscious. I have a few friends that I love to watch get drunk (Donna, Lisa) because they get so funny so quickly, and Indira is now on that list.

I had SO much fun last night, it was wonderful. I was seated with many of the new friends that I made this week, though unfortunately the Scots, Ronnie and Paul, were not at our table. They won also, for "Shooter" (as well they should have!), so we screamed and cheered for them. Actually, every single filmmaker at my table won an award - six in all, making our table the most trophy-laden in the room - except me. Wasn't even nominated. I knew this all along, that the people I was hanging out with were all nominated, and I knew that they were likely to win as well, and though I didn't spend a lot of time thinking about it, I wondered how I would feel during this event. Turns out I probably had more fun that way, as there was no pressure and no competition for me. I was truly happy for all of my new friends and we had a ridiculously good time. On each table was a centerpiece made of a gold heart. I whipped out my retractable Sharpie and turned it into my own award, writing on the heart, "SMALLTIMORE - Award for the Only Film at Table 3 Not to Win an Award". I then had everyone at my table - Vagabond, John & Alba, Carlos & Sallie, Rafael & Claudia, Isaac, and Indira - sign it, plus Ronnie and Paul (the Scots), Richard and Karen (local Tamworth filmmakers), Nick Hudson (festival Director), Jordan (Nick's assistant, John Welles (former Mayor of Tamworth), his filmmaker son David, and - I am not making this up - the actor who plays Boba Fett in the Star Wars films. Jeremy something, I can't make out the signature. I love my trophy and it makes me smile to look at it. I actually like it better than the ones that were awarded!

I am exhausted and dehydrated and need to go find some water now. All my friends have left and I got up too late to go out to Bosworth Battlefield where they were screening today. One more event tonight, a screening of "Radio Cape Cod," I will likely go to that. Then off to London tomorrow!