I spent the morning working on a screenplay, at first at the desk in my room, then down by the stream. It was a perfect work environment. I even managed to make a number of business calls from my al fresco office. At one point, an agent in New York interrupted our negations asking if I had just quacked at him. No, I said. I’m surrounded by ducks. I assume he thought I was in L.A., and I found it humorous that he didn’t follow up my comment with anything other than a nonplussed “Oh.”
After lunch I finally had the opportunity to meet Pat in person. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more enthusiastic festival director anywhere on the planet. His infectious smile and enthusiastic love of movies goes a long way to explain why Sedona Film Festival enjoys such a great reputation among filmmakers and filmgoers alike. As I pulled up to the Harkins Theater, I took note of the many construction/traffic workers outside the theater. They seemed to be waving people into the cinema with their big orange flags. When Pat greeted me in the same reflective yellow vest and hard hat, I became aware of all the traffic cones and street signs leading into the theater where the film was going to be playing. It was all for us! I was so amused and impressed with how they decked the place out with the Sherman traffic sign motif. Very clever. Very effective.
We went inside and did a sound and picture check on the film before I dashed back to the hotel, where Mike was due to arrive at any minute. The theater lobby was already filling up with people buying tickets to the 4:00 screening – including Joaquin’s mom and dad, sister and nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins. The place was crawling with Sedillo’s!
Mike and I got some business done on his porch (over a glass or two of wine) before we headed back to the theater for the first screening’s Q&A. It went great until an audience member commented on how cool she thought the sepia coloring we did on the film was but asked about its meaning. I looked to Pat and he explained that there was a problem with the projector, but it was being corrected for the next screening. It was funny how many in the audience thought it was some kind of artsy creative choice we made. Maybe on our next film. As we’ve seen at many other festivals, the audience asked great questions and made for a lively give and take.
Following the Q&A, Pat introduced Mike and I to Mary and Suzy, festival board members who were graciously hosting a dinner for us at their home between screenings. And what a home it was. A stunning, sprawling pueblo-inspired ranch home nestled in one of the most beautiful spots I’d ever seen. The delicious food was topped only by the delightful conversation. It was certainly an evening to remember. Time for us to return to the theater came quickly, and Mike and I arrived just as the film finished up.
Now… a warning for filmmakers on the festival circuit who also like their wine: ease up on the grape before doing a Q&A. I’m afraid I was a little fast and loose with my attempts at humor and forgot that our audience consisted of more than just college kids. When a sweet elderly man commented on how much he enjoyed not just the jokes, but also the heartfelt moments that left a lump in his throat, I smiled, paused and promptly called him a “pussy.” The stunned look on everyone’s face – including Mike’s – albeit priceless, is one I hope not to see anytime soon. I’m sure there were other transgressions, but thankfully my buzz was such that I’ve all but forgotten them. I’m sure Mike will remind me, however, whenever the opportunity arises. Luckily, everyone afterwards was extremely kind and filled with good humor. Seems the evening was a success.
I can’t wait to finish our next film and hopefully be invited back to Sedona. I’ll promise not to drink too much.
On October 4th I got a Facebook message from Melanie Miller, Artistic Director of the Jackson Hole Film Festival, (above, right with Festival Programmer Cevin Cathell and me) announcing the closure of the Festival due to lack of funding. 
