Production wrapped just over a week ago when Daniel Thompson, one of the subjects of the film, went to jail. We had roughly a week to complete the rough cut in time for submissions to the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, the deadline of which is today. Needless to say it has been a long week, but well worth the effort.
The end of filming was a bit anti-climactic for me. I couldn't really fathom that it was over. We've been in production--actually shooting the film--for almost two years. I've worked on several other films during that time that have come and gone. Cleanflix was always there. Of course, it is still there. First we have to finish cutting the film. Still holding out for a few interviews. Waiting on score and animations. A lot of tightening and finessing still to do. Then will come the film festival circuit. That could last a year. Who knows? God (and indie film marketplace) willing, we will sell the thing. So I may be living with this for a long time. But that wasn't the only thing bothering me.You see, I'd always imagined that the moment I first submitted a feature film to Sundance would be a sort of life-defining moment for me. I'm not sure what I was expecting. Maybe some sort of instantaneous gratification where I'd hand the film over to the submissions board personally and they'd say, "We've heard about your film and can't wait to see it. Don't tell anyone we said this, but you're in!" Also I kind of imagined this playing out with me encircled by a sparkling cloud of fairy dust. Well, that didn't really happen. Instead, we rushed through a cut, editing almost 24 hours a day between the two of us, and had to turn in a project that is less than the best work we can do.
Ultimately, I'm not super confident that this cut will get us into Sundance. The film is still missing some crucial elements. They will come in time, but the rough cut is just that, very rough. Still, I’m proud of the strides we have made since wrapping only one week ago. Struggling for this deadline was a shot in the arm that has pushed the project to the next level and I am confident that we will do well at any other major festival we play at. It will just be a shame if we don’t play at Sundance because of Robert Redford’s involvement in the issue, the importance of this issue to the film industry, and the fact that there is so much local interest here in Utah.All of the Producer's Reps we've spoken with say we're a shoe-in, but I've heard there is no such thing at Sundance. The process is confusing to even those who have had films play at the festival. Here's a small for instance: I live a ten minute drive away from Redford's Sundance Resort and 40 minutes from Park City--contemporary home of the festival. Can I swing by and drop our submission off there? No, it as to go to the LA office. Some say they only watch the first five minutes of the film. Some say they don't watch the submissions at all and only take films that are heavily represented. Then, there's the fact that we submitted a rough cut--and when I say rough, I mean rough. As Andrew (my co-director) says, "rough cuts don't get in to film festivals."
So, I'm hoping for the best and expecting the worst. I'm not keeping my fingers crossed, but okay, I really am keeping them crossed. There are other wonderful festivals out there and some that are viable independent film markets. I'm confident that the film will find an audience and a home no matter where it play. Still, I gained my love for film here in Utah--where film takes place. I've spent my years here going to the festival, working at the filmmakers lab, and for a time, living a stone's throw away from Bob Redford. As I honed my filmmaking skills, I always imagined being a part of this in some larger way. For all it's faults, Utah is my home. Sundance is a part of it and so is this film.
