Before I tell you how awesome this event was, I want to explain how I wiggled my way in.
So, yes I’m a Writer but I don’t just review films. I have written many things over the years including tons of stories, a short and feature, plus I am working on a series for YouTube that is a spin off my channel which is called ScorpioSunScorpioMoon. I am also working on a game that I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. So in my universe, I have already completed my series and it is the most watched on YouTube right now, plus the major TV networks are contacting me. My game is also the highest download ever and people can’t stop talking about it.
In what you would call the “real” world, I have only a few pages of my script written, no one to direct, produce my project or even a substantial budget to hire union actors. However, because I believe in the law of attraction, which means whatever you give your attention to you attract, I have been thinking heavily about my game and series and I’ve been wanting to find amazing people who know all the things I don’t know to help me. So as I am in my millionth daydream about my series, I run into an ad for a coat check job online for a Pre-Sundance industry party. Now I am no coat checker or any of those people at parties who clean or carry someone’s bag unless I have to be and what I mean by “have to be” is there is some meaningful reward for me as a result.
The ad was crystal clear, it said they needed someone to check coats and would pay $50 and the bonus would be that you get to meet some of the most amazing people in film whose work has been seen at Sundance. It also stated that they wanted someone who would really benefit from the experience to have the job so please respond with a photo and explain how you would benefit from attending the event. SOLD!!!! I’m a writer and if you tell me to respond and explain anything I am down! So is what I wrote word for word. Sadly, as I look at my original response, I notice that I misspelled the word “would,” haha. Oh well, I said I was a Film Critic, not an English professor. Anyways, “Hi, I would love to attend the event. I am a writer, I review films and events for Irish Film Critic. I love movies and writing about them. I also love people and cool events.” All true by the way! Short, sweet and honest always does the trick.
I got a response from a man named Guy Shahar who said he would invite me and I can write about the event and I don’t have to do coat check. And let me tell you, I was so happy, especially when I arrived and saw all those damn coats. Honey, it was a hot mess! Jackets were everywhere because so many people showed up they had no room and had to pile the coats somewhere else. That poor girl could have been me but the law of attraction is good because I always attract the most fabulous situations.
Guy emailed me and told me to make sure I found him when I arrived and I agreed. The event was held at McGee’s Pub on W. 55th Street, upstairs. It started at 7 pm so I arrived at 8. I always like to show up at events when a good amount of people are there have already had a few shots or whatever else they need to warm up to me so I can easily talk with them. I walk in and pass the coat girl, I smile at her with that “better you than I” look. Then I immediately start asking people where Guy is. Some have no idea who he is but that opened the door for me to ask who they were in the business. The first person I met was a director who has been to Sundance years prior but won’t be attending this year. He was with a fabulous female friend who was also a director and of course, they wanted to know what I did. As soon as I tell people I am a film critic, I get mixed responses. Some are afraid of me and some want me to see every project they have ever done in life. They are intrigued and we have a good 35 minute chat about my writing and my YouTube channel which is all about Scorpios. I tell them that I am working on a script for a cool series that will be the next step from my channel. By the end of the conversation, I am offered recommendations of people who will help with my series from the production all the way to the music composition. All of this within my first 35 minutes of arriving!
The party is packed already at 8:30 pm and I squeeze by people, asking which one is Guy. I finally get his attention as he walks right past me and I introduce myself to him. He is nice and excited that I am writing about his event. He introduces me to a few filmmakers that are a bit afraid as soon as he tells them who I am but I assure them that I am a good person and I am not out to bash anyone’s movie. Throughout the night, I had the most incredible conversations with directors, producers, music composers, screenwriters, script directors, and a few actors. The conversations ranged from diversity in film, black genre, science fiction, horror, to what my favorite films were and what I have seen lately, which I had to actually look into my calendar on my phone and pull out the list. I was thinking, how lucky would I be to have these types of people like this around me every day. Okay, a reminder to add that to my vision board. Only brilliant creative people will be in my life from now. I made my way to the back of the room right near the bar. I met some more interesting filmmakers, one, in particular, was a fan of my YouTube channel. I love meeting fans of my channel by the way. A lovely young lady I spoke to about her work and astrology of course. If you are reading this right now, sorry I forgot your name but I remember you are a Taurus with a Virgo moon and a Sagittarius rising. I don’t do names but I always know who you are. Anyway, she promised to invite me to the screening of her short film and I expect to get the invite in my email.
The vibe of the evening was super chill, no inflated egos, no super drunk people falling all over the floor, acting a fool, no one talking down to anyone. Everyone was having a great time, meeting new people and wanting to get together and collaborate. I had a beautiful female composer ask me to please write about women in film and to get the message out there about how important it is to include and celebrate women in the industry and I totally agree and I promised that I will do a better job at it.
So I saved what I’m about to tell you for last because, for me, it was the highlight of my night. I have been wanting to create a game for years and I don’t know anything about game developing or anyone who knows anyone who knows anything about game developing. So I am talking to this guy about making movies and of course, that conversation ends up with me talking about my channel and me wanting to create a series. So then I start saying that I want to also develop this amazing game to go with my channel and I start telling him all of the details and I’m excited and he gets all excited and then he first announces that he is a SCORPIO, like me! And here comes the best news ever and if you don’t believe in the law of attraction you will after reading this, the universe is always working out for us. (Drum roll) He says he CREATES APPS and GAMES. What?!! Are you serious!!!?? I’m standing right next to someone who not only understands the concept of my game but can help me bring it to life!!!? Nobody on this planet or any other planet can tell me that the law of attraction is not real. I did not see the ad online by accident, I did not attract this event by accident nor did I attract all of the beautiful people and conversations by accident. Everything led up to me getting exactly what I asked for. People who can help me bring my projects to life.
I left by 10:15 pm, and had problems catching the train back home. It didn’t come so I had to take another train which ultimately didn’t go to my stop. I took it back to the original stop and finally, the right train came and when I got to my destination, my bus was waiting for me. So it ended up being about timing, the law of attraction at its best.
The event was amazing and I want to be invited every year. Thank you and best wishes to all of the incredible people whose films made it to Sundance, you have inspired me and I want you all to win!!!
