011608 - The Festival is really gearing up now, and the madness begins on Thursday. When I picked up my uniform the other day, people saw me and immediatly commented, making me realize just how infamous I really am. Expressions ranged from disgust to excitement, so I can rest assured knowing I’m both an influential and controvertial character. Sundance can be a glam, gossip-ridden environment, so stirring up a bit of drama may not be so bad anyway. The important thing is to do my job well so there’s no reason to call my status into question. Meanwhile, I’ll be true to the ‘freedom of expression’ that is core to the Festival’s theme. After training, a co-worker told me about two films screening for volunteers and staff. I checked out Adventures of Power, a silly and fun film about an air drummer’s quest to help others feel what he feels from the music. This struck a familiar cord with me, as my UCLA roommate constantly air-drummed to Rush, finding ‘Tom Sawyer’ to be the ultimate air drum challenge, as did the film’s geeky protagonist. The second film, I Always Wanted to be a Gangster, made me realize I’m a francophile to a fault. Especially excited to see this black and white film from France, I forgot to check the bus schedule; finding the film interesting but a bit slow, I left half-way through - missing the last bus and having to take a cab home.
Sundance was a great success, and I was able to see many films: An American Soldier, American Teen, Fields of Fuel, Gonzo, I.O.U.S.A., Roman Polanski, Downloading Nancy, Frozen River, Durakovo, The Drummer, The Deal, Adventures of Power, Hell Ride, Fears of the Dark, and the winning Shorts. Work went well, and I have the manager’s recommendation to return next year. I met some great people, and enjoyed taking the bus to Old Town, tromping through snowy streets to make a few bucks working for a great organization. The documentaries in particular have motivated me to get more creative and live outside the comfort zone. Now that my paranoia is quelled, this next stage should be a great opportunity to make changes and develop into the character I want to become.
