Q: HOW DO YOU MAKE GOD LAUGH?

By Don R. Lewis | October 10, 2006

A: Make a plan

First order of business…
Our Doc short STRINGERS is playing the Austin Film Festival on Friday October 19 at 9:45 at the Hideout and then again on Sunday October 22 at 3:00 at the Dobie. Pleeeease come see it! Moving on to the blog…

Since being accepted into the Austin Film Festival, my already cluttered mind has been in overdrive for the festival. Getting in wasn’t particularly tough. I just paid them and then sent in my DVD. Yet getting people to actually come to the screening is a whole “˜nother beast.

I have a whole arsenal of online plans but as my header alludes to, I had a major snafu. Our barely-a-year-old Mac G-5 doesn’t like me anymore. It froze up last week and would not restart. I then had to wipe the hard drive which killed many of my half done/not backed up projects. F**k! Now it keeps freezing up and we’re running on “”safe boot.” Ugh. However, not having the computer right now has made me think outside the box.

Having been to Sundance for the last ten years, my mind immediately drifts to winning and losing movie buzz building strategies. Some losing campaigns that come to mind included hiring some overzealous jackass to verbally assault people on the streets or worse, get some kids to put stickers for your film all over the town. Not cool.

While I’m not a real big fan of Troma flicks (I could care either way) I happen to love the way the Troma characters kind of”¦talk loudly in the third person to one another to get people to listen to their pitch and come see their films. Like”¦

Kabuki Man: Hey Toxie”¦what are you doing later?

Toxie: Glad you asked, Kabuki Man, I’m going to Tromadance from nine until one a.m.!

Kabuki Man: What a coincidence Toxie! So am I!

Toxie: It’s going to kick a*s!!

While it was funny the first 6 years I was there, it’s since lost its flavor and I just can’t bring myself to do it.

Another issue is, I’m basically operating on no budget here. If I go ape s**t on promo stuff, they’ll repossess my car and that ain’t cool. So, I enlisted the help of my cousins girlfriend who is an awesome artist and a student at a local graphic design school. She’s doing to poster and printing posters and postcards for the cost of printer ink! Frigging sweeeeet! The poster is really coming along and I’ll post it soon. I’m also having a combination birthday party/fund raiser this weekend.

I called a local brewery and they’re donating a keg! It’s amazing what you can get when you ask. Lagunitas Brewing”¦you rule! Between the huge savings on the posters and the money I hope to generate this weeknd, I should be somewhat covered. It also didn’t hurt that my birthday is so close because my wish list was simple: hotel, plane and food money.

As I mentioned before, I had to consult Gore’s book “”The Ultimate Film Festival Guide” for tips. I hate to keep whoring the thing, but it’s been pretty indispensable. From the book and the ideas inside, I got the idea to promote my film at the festival by attaching longish strips of police caution tape to my postcards and sticking them on windshields, street corners, kiosks, etc. Nothing attracts the eye like caution tape.

I have some other tricks up my sleeve but you’ll have to wait until the next blog”¦

The Austin Film Festival runs October 19-26 so come see me!
More information at The Austin Film Festival Official Site