Sunday, February 21st, 2010
Today is my birthday. And about now I usually start pondering the universe and how I fit into it. Well, I usually do that just about every day, but even more so around my birthday.
I think it’s going to be a great year. I really enjoyed my other double-digit years. I was 11 when “Star Wars” came out, and that movie changed my life. I think for the first time, I saw that the universe was massively expansive.
When I was 22, I was still in college, and my last year of it was a blast. I got my first really great acting role in Lanford Wilson’s play “Angels Fall.” I got to play a really, really confused character, and I think that role taught me a lot about acting. How to focus, how to be subtle. It was theatre in the round, so the audience was literally at arm’s length. There were “windows” hanging, and I remember I had to look look through them and “see” the desert. And I did see it. The far-reaching sands, mountains in the distance.
At 33, I started writing my first script, which became “Dancing on the Moon.” I had no idea what that would lead to and I never, ever imagined that it would actually become a movie — that I directed, no less. That first attempt at writing a script opened up an entire new world, and got me into two writing labs at Sundance, almost unheard of for a first-timer. Those experiences taught me wonderful, invaluable things about the craft of writing, analyzing movies, the film business — and myself.
Now, at 44, my latest movie is almost done. I’m anxious to show “The Dead Can’t Dance” to the world, I just hope the world wants to see it. I really hope we have a great festival run, that we get into some great places. And I still want to take it on the road on tour, possibly in the fall. I’d go door-to-door showing my movie if I could. We’ll just have to see.
It all feels promising. And looking ahead, I can safely say I have no idea what’s in store. It feels like I’m about to step off a cliff. Let’s just hope I don’t crash.
The clock is ticking,
-r.
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Tuesday, February 9th, 2010
We are confirmed to have our premiere screening of “The Dead Can’t Dance” at 7:30 p.m. here in Wichita on Saturday, April 10, at the beautiful Orpheum Theatre. It’s being presented by the Orpheum’s Film Series and the Tallgrass Film Festival.
Very exciting news, I’m stoked! And I’m very thrilled to be back at the Orpheum, we had phenomenal screenings of my first two movies there, so this should be a blast, as well. Look for heavy promotion to kick in fast. Things are gonna get movin’!
Can’t wait to share the film with everyone. It’d be great if some people came dressed as zombies! (But we don’t want to clean up any fake blood.) More info to come…
-r.
Posted in Film festivals, The Dead Can't Dance, zombies | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 19th, 2010
Well, our festival experience with “The Dead Can’t Dance” is officially under way, with our first rejection letter:
“Dear Rodrick,
Thank you so much for submitting your film to the SXSW Film Conference and Festival 2010. We wouldn’t exist without the support and engagement from filmmakers such as yourself.
However, it’s a crazy numbers game. We’re sorry to let you know that while ‘The Dead Can’t Dance’ was given every consideration, it did not make the final cut. This year we received well over 4,000 submissions for a final program of about 120 features, and 120 shorts. There are way more excellent and fascinating films than we can program, and the final decisions are agonizing.
Again, we thank you for your support, and apologize for this disappointing news.”
It’s not really a surprise (and I tried to not get my hopes up too high). But I think it IS very cool that we hung in there as long as we did, and with only a very rough cut submitted (while it would have been cool to have sent them a more polished cut, it just wasn’t possible). Unlike many other festivals, SXSW sends out notices in batches, so if your film gets a thumbs down right away, you’ll know. Final notifications will go out around Feb. 1, so that means we were still being considered much longer than many films. Very promising. (The last time I submitted to them, I got a rejection before the first deadline was even up — ouch.)
And 4,000 submissions???!!!! It makes getting in nearly impossible. Crazy!
But this officially kicks off the next phase: Dealing with the festival beast. And I feel pretty ready and confident, with my armor glaring. Bring it on, freaks! This won’t be the first rejection for “The Dead Can’t Dance,” but hopefully someone bites somewhere. We’ll just have to see.
And while I was reserving world premiere status for SXSW, knowing this I can now pursue our own world premiere here.
Sure, it would have been absolutely incredible to be in SXSW, and with no word until now, it almost seemed possible. It’s fun to day dream, but it wasn’t meant to be (probably never will, and that’s OK). Still, it’s a bitter pill. Just gotta wash it down and make room for more.
Until, hopefully, we get that nice, sweet — elusive — one. Someday.
-r.
Posted in Film festivals, The Dead Can't Dance | 1 Comment »
