Makes It Harder
The Sundance Film Festival team is only just starting to officially inform journalists that their press credentials have been approved. Does anyone else find this just a teeny bit inconsiderate on the festival’s part? Hearing today, for example, would afford a little more than three weeks advance notice. Same deal last year: I wasn’t notified that my 2010 press credentials were good until 1.4.10, or about 17 days before that festival began.
Within the last month I’ve spoken to three journalists who felt they had to wait on finding accomodations until they knew for sure. But it’s hard to find a well-situated place to stay at decent rates at this stage. Cannes and Toronto don’t wait this long to inform.
I received my notification for Sundance 2011 on Dec. 23, exactly 28 days before the festival starts.
In comparison, on Aug. 18, 22 days before the start of the Toronto International Film Festival, I received an e-mail from TIFF’s press office telling me how to re-apply for credentials as a returning journalist — after I had already put in my application.
Anyone who thinks Sundance’s press office is less efficient or professional than Toronto’s or Telluride’s (the two I’ve had the most experience with besides Sundance) is full of it.
DId you notice Sundance is now requiring press to request a ticket to any public screening 2 full days in advance? It gets a little more ridiculous each year.
You mean as opposed to one day in advance, which is how they did it last year and the year before?
Wells to Means: Sorry about your experience with Toronto. Procedural mistakes will happen, of course. They’ve always let me know a little sooner than that. And Cannes always lets me know by early to mid April.
Sundance has a small staff with limited finances. But of course, letting journalists know only as of Xmas or a bit later limits accommodation options and makes it likely they’ll have to spend more to find something decent (i.e., not too far from Kearns/Yarrow/Marriot or downtown, and for a reasonable rate) and to book air fare. Late bookings are always pricier.
Anyway, you’re a big SLC cheese, Sean — a local. And to get to Sundance you only have a 30-minute drive, and you can stay in your own crib if you want.
I was told earlier about 12.23 being the likely date of notification…check. As modestly as can be stated I’m a fairly well established, widely-read columnist, and have been coming to and covering Sundance since ’95 or thereabouts. And yet a first-timer of my acquaintance got his e-mailed approval five days ago while I received zip. Nothing on 12.26 or 12.27 either. So I was naturally wondering what was going on. Other festivals (Toronto, Cannes) give journalists with a certain history & seniority earlier notice and notify the newbies a little later in the game.
Wells: Yes, exactly. One day in advance isn’t early enough now.
Sundance pushed back the deadline for press credentials this year, until after the festival’s slate was announced.
The idea was to give outlets in cities/countries where some films were made a chance to come cover the festival.
That could explain some of the delay.
Sundance can only mean one thing.
Lots of “wacky” pictures of actors mugging while wearing douchey hats, all pleased that they got to break out their winterwear finally.
I just contacted the Sundance press office about the requesting of tickets for public screenings. They sent me back this response.
“You can only request tickets in the Press Office. You can do so up to two days in advance. This means that you can request tickets on January 20th for January 20th, 21st, and 22nd. We can not accept advance requests. ”
So you can still request day of or day before, but this time we can request up to two days in advance. Makes a bit more sense, so those of us that get to the festival on the 20th or 21st we can still get into some of the public screenings on those days.
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Here’s the bottom line: The festivals no longer care about the press. They used to need us. Now they don’t. Plus this year’s Toronto was a total clusterfuck as far as the press office went; seems like there’s no continuity among the press officers at either festival and so, for press types, it’s like starting from scratch each year to prove you’re worthy of their oh-so-valuable credentials. And really – they don’t give a rat’s ass what it costs a press person to fly/stay there. Not their concern. There will always be plenty of suckups willing to foot the bill and post gushing hype.