xtcian

10/1/02 I should have been

10/1/02

I should have been to bed hours ago, as I've already been drunk once tonight (the fratboy in me can't pass up an open bar it's just too much like a candy store) and then I had to recreate our new website while in that insta-hangover stage. Ah, but I raconteur too fast.

First, the news: The Pink House made its big debut into the world today at the IFP Market, the first time that the "industry" and fellow filmmakers we don't know could see the fruits of our lumbar. Consider that we had the following things against us: it was a comedy narrative at a mostly serious market (lots of death, disease, dismemberment and cleft palette documentaries), the sound was criminally bad (as it was for all films there), the crowd was not warmed up in the least, and we didn't have enough money to transfer one of the scenes to film, making it look like, well, video.

Consider also that I didn't speak loudly enough, which was really stupid, since I'm usually very good at that sort of thing. Also consider that I botched my introduction by saying a bunch of off-topic crap that I barely remember, and didn't spell out the plot nor plug the Heather Matarazzo connection, leaving most folks in a state of mild befuddlement.

If you take all that and consider that there were plenty of places where the laugh lines didn't take and I began to wonder if I should take up TV/VCR and gun repair we ended up late in the day feeling pretty good about it. Truth is, there were lots of good laughs during the screening, even if no boisterous guffaws. It's further proof that this movie is destined to become the kind of flick that grows on you – I mean, we're pretty subtle. Today I heard people laughing at lines many seconds after they were delivered, meaning they had to think about it. My kind of humor, I suppose (although I'm also a big fan of farting).

Anyway, the reps from United Artists, Miramax, Fine Line and Samuel Goldwyn were all there, and Gill said the buzz was good as the day went on. Having those big fish around most likely means little, but even a small meeting with them could net us something special. As long as we learn from these little episodes, i.e., speak clearly, be obvious, don't show scenes that aren't done, etc., we should be getting smarter by the frame.

As I said, four free Finlandia screwdrivers tonight quelled my mood, so I spent a few hours chatting up some film folks from Minneapolis and being so goddamn thankful I don't have to hit on girls anymore. I ended up talking to a few women that I would have spent six or seven moronic weeks "getting' to know ya" time I can now use to finish my other screenplay. Sometimes just the mechanics of being engaged makes life so much easier. That, and you can get away with saying anything you want – Engaged Guy has a Get Out of Creepy Jail Free card!

me and the Pink Ladies: Tessa, Kim, Jessie, Liz. note my cool Chucks, made pink by three hours with a highlighting pen