Thursday, November 15, 2012

"Do Over" Update: Hometown premiere; Flatland award

"Do Over" had two great screenings at the Austin Film Festival last month. It screened in front of Missed Connections, a very funny indie romantic comedy directed by the editor of such studio comedies Role Models and The Dictator. We screened Thursday night, October 18th, at the Texas Spirit Theater at the Bob Bullock Museum and Friday night, October 19th, at the Alamo Village.

By the end of that same weekend, "Do Over" also received the Chris Caddell Filmmaker Award at the 2012 Flatland Film Festival in Lubbock, which is awarded to a regional film. This is our second award after winning Best Comedy at the Iowa Film Festival earlier this year. This is also the second short I've directed that has won an award at Flatland, following "Test Day" in 2005. Unfortunately, it's also the second time I've been unable to attend Flatland, which looks like a fest that expands year after year. The first time I missed it, I was living in LA; this time, I just couldn't be in two places at once. (I hope to attend in the future and hope audiences enjoyed "Do Over" as much as the judges apparently did.) 

I've had films that I edited screen at Austin Film Festival but never something I directed. Honestly, it was a relief to finally be able to screen in one of the major festivals in Austin. It helps me to be viewed as not just an editor in this community but also as a writer and a director. The film played well both nights. On the second night at the Alamo Village there was one gentleman in the back of the theater who laughed loudly and heartily. Whatever joke set him off I was grateful that it did because his laugh alone filled the entire theater. If only I could plant him at every screening.