Booyah, second year Sundance Film Festival volunteer here
It’s finally Sundance time, and I’m volunteering again this year. The 2009 Sundance Film Festival is now in session in several locations around Northern Utah. Most of the events are occurring in Park City, where I volunteered last year (at the Egyptian Theater). But I live closer to the Sundance Resort where it all started, and managed to snag a box office volunteer spot there. Yay!
Last week I went up there for training and orientation. I’d never visited the Screening Room before, but despite a major lack of signage, it wasn’t too hard to find. It’s a decently sized (but still cozy) theater with under 200 seats. I took the brief tour that was offered, and learned where Robert Redford sits if he chooses to visit. There’s actually a small section of seats that are reserved for “Mr. Redford or any of the Redfords,” so I guess the whole fam gets benefits. Makes sense.
A few minutes later, the group of volunteers was standing in the lobby listening to the theater manager’s spiel. Suddenly, there was a huge noise like what I imagine a pipe bomb sounds like when it goes off, immediately followed by the whole side of the building shaking and threatening to collapse and crush us all. I jumped with the crowd and moved away quickly from the shit-I’m-going-to-die area. Then an avalanche of snow tumbled over the side of the roof (which was visible because that side of the building is all glass or plexiglass) and landed with a muffled *slam* on the ground.
It was just snow. But if anyone had been standing in the particular area at that time, they would probably have needed some medical care. Yikes.
Back to the tour! I also learned that Glenn Close is on the board of directors and attends the festival every year, so the fact that I took her ticket last year at the Egyptian was not really that big of a deal since the odds were pretty good. I never finished the blog entry about that, but I pledge to be a better festival blogger this year.
You can get more juicy, up-to-the-minute Sundance blather on my Twitter feed that I’ll be updating from my phone.
The theater tour also included a brief visit to the projection room, where John the Projectionist told us that it was a very rare projection room because it actually contained equipment to show every type of film from 8mm to high-end digital (including 3D). I was impressed. Granted, I’ve had little exposure to projection rooms since high school. I asked John if I could snap a couple of photos, and he was even nice enough to pose for one!
Here’s one of the older projectors (there were three), with some artfully placed filmstrips. The tour had already moved on, so I didn’t have time to worry about photo composition.
And here’s the new Sony digital projector that sits front and center. The heavenly halo and singing angels surrounding it didn’t come out very well in the photo, so you’ll just have to imagine them.
And then after the tour I went home. I will take more photos and maybe I’ll even find a way to share some of them. I’ll be heading back to Sundance tomorrow morning immediately after my two morning classes, so watch that Twitter feed to find out if I’m caught in any Roof Avalanches. Though I’m guessing that I have a better chance of seeing Glenn Close again.
