An old Jewish proverb states, "If you don't know where you're going, all roads lead there." Likewise, you never know where a project may wind up. When we all got together to make Side Effects back in February, I never imagined it would take us from the mountains of Colorado, to the beaches of Nantucket and now to the balmy deserts of Palm Springs. Within a month of completion, our film had been accepted at three major festivals. It had been a long time since I had been to a festival, and I had forgotten how fun and exhausting (perhaps because I was younger last time?) they can be.
But it has been wonderful seeing the film on the big screen and playing to packed houses. It has also been wonderful to discuss the process of making the film, and the whole Strike TV phenomenon with film industry luminaries like Judd Apatow and Leonard Maltin. Maltin in particular was fascinated at the idea of writers coming together and making their own films. He also agreed that he was too harsh in giving Animal House only 2 1/2 stars in his movie guide (hey, when you've got a guy like that cornered, you need to hit all the major points).
Mostly I was struck by how interested and impressed people were by what Strike TV had put together. And as I get ready to head to perhaps the biggest short festival of all this weekend, I am looking forward to yet another opportunity to spread the word. And of course all the open bars.
Side Effects screens Sunday night, August 24th at the Camelot Theatres in Palm Springs. There is quite an impressive lineup. With films featuring Ian McKellan, Robert Redford, Jessica Biel, Kurt Russell, Mathew Modine and many more. We recieved an added surprise this week when I discovered that the program we are on, "Boy Meets Girl" was being featured on the festival home page as one of the festival highlights.
Check out our page on the Palm Springs Festival site at:
http://www.psfilmfest.org/festival/index.aspx?FID=37 And if you feel like getting out of L.A. for a few days, join us at the Camelot Theatres. I'll be the one wearing the Strike TV t-shirt trying to strike up a conversation with Jessica Biel.
