Sell out
No, that’s not my advice to aspiring screenwriters.
The Nines sold out its first three screenings at Sundance, including the 1300-seat premiere. As of this morning, the only tickets available are for the final screening on Sunday, January 28th at the Rose Wagner.
Keep in mind, everything sells out at Sundance. That Ukrainian documentary about bottle caps? Gone.
But still, it’s exciting-slash-terrifying to realize that no matter what, a heckuva lot of people are going to be seeing my film one week from Sunday. It’s literally out of my hands–we shipped off the screening copy to Utah last week. At this point, I’m basically a passenger on this trip. And a little airsick, frankly.
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January 11th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
Congratulations John. I hope it all goes well for you.
I would just keep telling myself that there isn’t anything you can do to alter the course at this point, so no need to fret, and that I had done the best work I could.
Plus, you know a bunch of us down here in the comments section will coddle you regardless, so you still have your yes men if things go to hell in a handbasket.
January 11th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
“I would just keep telling myself that there isn’t anything you can do to alter the course at this point”
He could stand next to the screen and yell out differences he had with the director as to how the material was handled and what not… kind of a real time commentary.
January 11th, 2007 at 1:20 pm
Tom, John directed The Nines so I suppose yelling out differences with himself could get some interesting headlines in the papers, hehe.
Good luck John, I’m sure the film will do great.
January 11th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
Do’h! Yeah, it would make an interesting screening.
And yes, good luck, John.
January 11th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
The Ukrainian documentary wasn’t all that…
Congrats!
Unk
January 11th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
Awesome
Enjoy the feeling, I hear that writing and directing a movie for the first time only happens once.
Maybe stand by the screen and point out all the flaws in your actors’ performances? Actors love a bit of constructive criticism so it should be a win-win.
January 11th, 2007 at 6:18 pm
ya know, it’s kind of sweet to see someone with so much industry experience blogging like a blushing bride…
congratulations! good fortune come your way!
January 11th, 2007 at 6:20 pm
John,
Ride the wave. Inhale. Smile. Let go.
January 11th, 2007 at 6:34 pm
Why are we giving John ideas on how to saboutage his screening? Yelling out what the actors are doing wrong? That’ll help, it’ll help a lot. He should go to other screenings, and yell out what’s wrong with those movies. “The Löwenbräu München isn’t Austrian! It’s a German beer! Damn Ukranians think you’re such bottle cap experts.”
January 12th, 2007 at 12:49 am
Funny; how you still get those butterflies in the stomach even after your previous jobs. Although things may be different in this case, now that you had a lot of say in what was done in the making of the film (directing & such). Do you think this feeling ever goes away? 30, 40, 50 years from now, do you think you still will feel anxious over the release of a new film? I wonder if Spielberg gets the same feeling, going over & over in his head on premiere night, “could I have done better?”, “will people like it?” Maybe this beautiful self-torment is just a perk of working in the business. Either way, I’m sure the film will do great & hopefully it will be a major turning point in your career, crossing the line of screenwriter, to writer/director. Who knows, maybe even . . . (gasp) . . acting?!?!
The best of Luck John.
January 13th, 2007 at 11:05 pm
excitingness!
January 15th, 2007 at 1:53 pm
I have my ticket to the premiere… See you there