Last night I went and saw Jean Michel-Bascoix: The Radiant Child. Really amazing and devastating how his quick fame led to his very early death. Soon after the movie I had to rush outside and wait in line and pray I could trade my volunteer voucher for a ticket to Exit Through the Gift Shop, a film by Banksy. Only 15 volunteers get to trade in their vouchers and after an hour of waiting in the cold, I was lucky #15!! And I cannot say anything further about this film except that it needs to be seen! Well, I can leave this trailer.

Last night was one of the most fun nights I’ve had during the festival. All because I don’t know how we pulled it off.

Long story short, after a few drinks, waiting in line in the cold cold Park City night, saving the boy with the girl’s name a seat and losing it while he waits outside and a volunteer who is calling the name, “Jason!” (either the lady didn’t hear me correctly or she couldn’t believe a boy could be named Tracy), we find perfect seats, seconds before Tucker & Dale vs Evil begins. And it was the perfect time to see it too, midnight. Not only is everyone is hopped up on red bulls, but only hard core festival goers go until midnight. The film was amazing and hilarious! No doubt in my mind this will be in theaters soon!

And this. This couldn’t be a better way to top off the night:

In case you haven’t heard, Banksy is in Utah! He’s been tagging throughout Park City and Salt Lake City. Hard to believe but true. Sadly the government here won’t protect his artwork like the UK does. Sigh…

It’s official. And crazy. I’m teaching Holga Photography via the University of Utah’s Lifelong Learning program, this summer. The catalog and web information won’t be official until all the details are in order so stayed tuned for links to sign up, if you’re interested. I’m looking forward to it!

I took these 3 images above when I was scared of 120 film. Scared of the size, scared of the price, scared of what to do with it. I adapted my Holga to hold 35mm film before I even put 120 film inside it. As much fun as it was, it’s so much simpler just to use 120 film, now that I know what I’m doing with it.

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Last night I got to see documentary, Wasteland. Let me just say, wow. Brazilin artist Vik Muniz creates a project based in his home country, where lays one of the largest landfills in the world. He recreates photographs of natives by using found materials/trash. He even involves workers from the landfills to help, which give them a bigger perspective on their life outside of trash. Really inspiring. I was able to find a photo from the film:

I got to see these 2 amazing films last night. 

Catfish was a wild documentary about this guy who meets a girl on facebook. Wild, wild ride. There were 12 agents scattered in the back row, so I’m sure this will get picked up soon.

The Perfect Host didn’t seem like my kind of movie. But as I was ticket taking, I saw David Hyde Pierce walk in, which threw me off because I guess I didn’t even realize he was in this movie. But still. Scary movies, ain’t my thing. It wasn’t until I was handed an extra ticket and no one to give to that I called that one boy who has a girl’s name and had special permission to go sit by him, that I went in. And I’m so glad that I did. It was a real treat! And my hat goes off to Mr. Pierce. He totally breaks his Niles character completely! I’ll be sure to let ya’ll know if I hear of any of these coming to a theater (or rental store) near you!

Disclaimer: I want to add that I am only going to mention the films I really recommend out of the ones I get to see. The great thing about volunteering is I don’t feel guilty leaving the screening if I’m not fully enjoying it. So yes, these are a must see!

This next week will probably cover more of the Sundance Film Festival then it will printing/design. Sorry.

This is my second year volunteering, but first time in SLC (last year I was in Ogden). Last night was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. I ushered for the film, Smash His Camera. There’s a section specifically for the people who worked on the film and I got to give people the boot if they weren’t suppose to sit there. An older man in that section asked me where he could get a good drink. I told him a few close places, one being the Beerhive where I had my Mad Men birthday party the night before. He then asked how old I was and then said, “You’ll be 50 soon. The time it takes to turn 18 to 19 is equivalent to 50 to 60. It goes by really fast.” I told him he was scaring me and the man next to him said, “Just excuse him. He’s only the director.” Oh no big deal. He’s Leon Gast. Just a plain old Academy Award winning director. And he was the friendliest. We talked until the film started where I sat on the floor and saw him slip out for that drink.

Smash His Camera is about Ron Galella, the first ever paparazzo. At the time he was called a stalker, a monster, and everyone hated him, especially Jackie Kennedy Onassis who sued him twice. Marlon Brando punched him hard enough to break his jaw and lose some teeth. But he didn’t give up. In fact he faced Mr. Brando again with a football helmet on. His photography wasn’t like paparazzi photos today. His were classy. All street photography and all to capture celebrities in their normal daily life (as opposed to celebrities today and their “normal” daily life…usually not wearing underwear). Ron was also at the screening and was just as sweet as Leon. He came prepared with a camera around his neck, just in case. This is a must see so keep an eye out!

That’s Leon on the left and Ron on the far right with the rest of the crew. Magical.

Letterpress Coasters from Quarter Productions on Vimeo.

I have never wanted to make coasters more in my life. I think Jack White needs to be in attendance for my future coaster making.

Birthday wish: one of them rounded corner cutters. What a dream!

Just went to a screening of Typeface directed by Justine Nagan. The event was sponsored by the Salt Lake City Chapter AIGA.

“Typeface documents the Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, the only such institution dedicated to the preservation, study, production, and printing of wood type. With 1.5 million pieces and more than 1,000 styles and sizes, the Hamilton’s is one of the premier wood-type collections in the world. The museum, however, is not just host to static holdings of preserved artifacts behind glass, but rather is an active educational center for letterpress workshops for designers and artists from across the Midwest and around the country, and a place where the last generation of skilled men and women who once created these intricate fonts—now in their seventies and eighties—can share their knowledge of this enduring craft.”

Here is an interview with Justine. I’m pretty impressed that this was Justine’s first film, but I gotta say – wrong choice in movie title. The movie seemed to be strictly about the on going debate of the development in letterpress technology. Setting type, carving blocks vs. making plates (digitally). I think “Under Letter Pressure” would have suited the film much better. But you can’t use it because that’s the name of one of my teabags!

Check out the events going on with the Salt Lake City Chapter AIGA. And become a fan on Facebook here!

COMBO a collaborative animation by Blu and David Ellis (2 times loop) from blu on Vimeo.

Last night I went and saw The Cove. Sitting in a dark theater by myself and crying wasn’t what I had planned, but it was definitely worth seeing. Playing at The Broadway now.

A question on everyone’s mind: Does Michael Cera act the same in the real life?

Answer: Apparently.

I was at the Broadway the other day to see Away We Go and saw a poster for Paper Heart starring Charlyne Yi, a writer/musician/actress, and her quest to find love. It appears to be a documentary but it’s hard to tell. I researched it and even Wikipedia is throwing me off:

this film combines elements of documentary and traditional storytelling.^[1]

This film was at the most recent Sundance Film Festival and my brother was really lucky to see it. He couldn’t tell if it’s a documentary or not either, but still recommends it. And with that, and finally being able to see the trailer, I want to see it. Coming to a theater near you, or a theater in a big city near you, August 7th.