Blogging and Vlogging Sundance

[Posted by Gregg Goldstein] I didn't plan on writing my first Sundance blog entry at 6 am est on a Delta flight, but I didn't plan on sitting behind Four Eyed Monsters costars and codirectors Arin Crumley and Susan Buice. Had to introduce myself because I'd just broken the story (with tech reporter Alex Woodson) about the new YouTube Sundance Channel Video Blog Festival they're hosting and filming. I snuck a peek between the seats as Arin showed Susan a video of themselves entering our plane. If you see a groggy, disoriented guy in a green hoodie on YouTube, that's me.

Arin told me they just filmed the first vlog (shopping for the trip, etc) and were looking forward to the second when they landed. I suggested we blog each other blogging. We were stuck on the same 2 hour flight with a change in Cincinnati to Salt Lake City - not much fun on so little sleep. With matching black winter hoodies on, Susan crashed in Arin's lap and soon both were sound asleep in a fetal position - their multimedia romance is no act, folks.

On Jan. 9, Four Eyed Monsters screened on the Sundance Channel "island" and several other locales on Second Life, a "Sims"-style virtual online world where you create an avatar of yourself, interact with others in real time, attend events, etc. Susan and Arin did a good job explaining the world in a YouTube short film:

The screening, arranged in cooperation with Christopher Barry at Sundance Channel and with The Electric Sheep Company, was followed by a Q&A with avatars of Susan and Arin for an estimated audience of 500-plus avatars. In other words, a world where you can watch a movie and interact with others without leaving home— a shut-in's dream and an exhibitor's nightmare.

Second Life may seem creepy, but reality is creepier than virtual reality on a flight to Sundance - I soon glanced to my left and discovered that my aislemate was putting the finishing touches on a website for the director of the opening night film, Chicago 10. To find out more about the part-animated political documentary, check out brettmorgan.com. It should launch by the time you read this, shortly after our plane lands. In addition to reading about Morgen's past work (The Kid Stays In The Picture, On The Ropes), stay tuned to the site for video of the director speaking at the fest.

Another flight in Cincinnati, another familiar indie filmmaker: Arturo Cabanas, who I met on a train ride from the Hamptons Film Festival, now off to Slamdance with his wrestling documentary short "Man Up." The story of a demanding father and his champion wrestler son is powerful stuff.

Comments

[Lisa Lindo]

Sundance just isn't gonna be the same this year. I hear the Redford is only going to be stopping in for 1/2 a day because he is in preproduction on his latest film.