Cinequest 22: San Jose, hospitality, and our first screening

Venue for "Do Over" at Cinequest 22

Over the years I have heard so many wonderful things about Cinequest as a festival, as an organization, as a place the fosters networking and puts all of its filmmakers - no matter whether they made a feature or short - feel like their on top of the world. This is my first trip to Cinequest and to the quirky little town of San Jose, CA and I feel like everything I've been told has been confirmed in just a matter of days.

We were greeted warmly at the hospitality desk at the Intel VIP Lounge. We filled out name tags that say "My neverending passion is..." and you fill in the rest with a sharpie (I wrote "spaghetti," both because I thought writing "movies" would be redundant and self-evident and... because I do really love spaghetti.) And when I contacted publicity about putting up posters at our venue at the last minute, they told me to call Dustin and he'd get us whatever we need (thanks so much Dustin!).

Cinequest greets in style

This gentleman to the right was greeting folks at our screening venue throughout the day. Any time I walk inside he'd direct me to one of the festivals patrons or long time supporters so I could tell them about DO OVER. He was jolly and caught everybody's eye. I wish he could be at every venue.

At VIP Soirees and after hours Meet Ups, Cinequest has volunteers or envoys who help connect people at those events. They have served as great facilitators for conversation and networking between filmmakers and festival programmers/organizers. For someone who can be a bit networking shy, this has been extremely helpful. Its a feature I wish every festival could employ. The volunteers here are very outgoing and energetic. They are made up of San Jose State students, aspiring free lance filmmakers, and longtime supporters of the festival.

In a way, Cinequest is like SXSW and Austin Film Festival are to Austin: Huge fests that attract an international audience but that are also supported and attended by the city their based in. I've met quite a few members of the San Jose film community. Everyone seems excited to talk about what you worked on and to tell you about films you should check out if you have time at the fest. I have no idea what the San Jose film infrastructure is like, but I get the sense that there is a loose community here of very passionate filmmakers and positive personalities.

On Friday night at 6:45 PM we had our Cinequest premiere as part of Shorts Program 7: Comedy Favorites. DO OVER played first and it seemed to play well. I wouldn't say it brought down the house as much as I'd have like, but the audience was warm and definitely in the movie's corner. A few big laughs with smaller laughs rolling throughout the film. When we hit the main title, we did audibly hear a "Bravo!" form the front row of the theater. Never heard that before at a screening of one of my movies! That felt good and was emblematic of how the San Jose audience will make you feel like your movie is the only one they came to see.

There were some technical difficulties toward the end of the screening. I feel really bad for the filmmakers of "Fuck Lance Armstrong" (great title - nothing against Lance - that's just a good title). Their movie froze midway through and there was just no getting it  back. Have no idea if it was a projection issue or a format issue. No matter what, you don't wish that upon anybody.

The technical malfunction threw the screening off quite a bit at the end. There was a point where, while festival staff was trying to fix the issue, they had us come up for a Q and A before the last film. The Q and A went fine but after the fest tried to run the last film and it didn't work, the Q and A did not continue. I don't think there was an opportunity for audience members to identify who all the filmmakers were and have a chance to continue the conversation out in the lobby. Hopefully, things will run more smoothly at the second screening.

I have to run, but to get one final subplot in: While hanging out at the Intel VIP Lounge, Elliott Gould - recipient of one of the fest's Mavericks Awards - entered and was being given a tour. The man was in MASH, LONG GOODBYE, CALIFORNIA SPLIT! It was so cool he was there and I got to shake his hand. But the real coup was made our producer, Andrew Logan:

Producer Andrew Logan with Elliott Gould