[Photo: The Dallas Boys]
I’m on my Jet Blue flight home from a whirlwind trip to NYC. I’m trying to catch up with work, knowing there’s a whole lot more where that came from once I land and check my email. That dreaded gmail inbox. I know my husband who started Fantastic Fest yesterday is back up at the Alamo hoping I get there sooner than later. I’m crossing my fingers I have time to see my most anticipated Fantastic fest films this weekend—Take Shelter, Snowtown, We Don’t Need to Talk About Kevin and You’re Next.
The last day of industry meetings was probably my favorite. I certainly left with a wealth of knowledge, inspiration and eagerness to get home and debrief my Nikki cohorts. We have a shit ton to do. That’s my new catch phrase … “shit ton” and “wheelhouse”. Everyone keeps using “wheelhouse”. I’m still a little confused what it means, but it certainly sounds cool and adult.
Highlights of our trip besides the IFP— seeing Michael Arndt walking down Broadway, hanging with the Dallas boys over a weird, hilarious lunch, getting teary-eyed watching some woman sing opera at the San Gennaro fest and getting as much quality time as I could with my friends.
Now my efforts turn toward Love Me. We head into production on Wednesday and I fly to Calgary on Monday. I’ll soak up everything I can as the screenwriter watching my script come to life through other people’s hands. It’s definitely a very different experience than the scrappy DIY indie world I’m used to.
On behalf of the Nikki is a Punk Rocker crew, we’re so super grateful to Rooftop Films, Mark Elijah Rosenberg, the IFP and all the industry folks who advised, challenged and showed genuine support and interest in our project.
I’m excited to land in Austin, decompress a tiny, tiny bit then follow up with all the kick ass people we met during our 2011 IFP adventure.