Like Water

I'm a member of this company that offers free movie screenings to all of its members and I try to go to every single one. It's really cool. Last week I saw "The Five Year Engagement" which doesn't come out in theatres until April 27th. I watched "The Fourth Kind" with them about two months before it hit theatres. The great part of this is that we get to see the "rough draft" of the film and sometimes even get to comment on it to the writers or producers or film representatives that may be in attendance.

Last night, I took my mom out to see "The Paperboy", a film by Director Lee Daniels (Precious). He explained that the film was super duper rough and unfinished. Boy was he not lying. The star, Jack (played by Zac Efron) gets attacked by jellyfish...yet there were no jellyfish. Ward (played by Matthew Mcconaughey) stumbled on his lines a bit. Camermen had their hands on the lens. It was really funny but a great experience. Of course, non of this will make it to the final cut and I'm sure the movie will be perfect! Really good movie, so be sure to see it when it comes out in theatres November 2012, lol.

Now to the point at hand.

Usually these advanced private screenings are also attended by the screenwriters, producers, etc. of the film so that they can talk to the audience and gauge their reaction. Sometimes we're even filmed with a night-vision camera while we watch the movie so that the big dogs back in LA can see how we react to different parts of the film and create their movie trailers based on that. I've always tried to attend these things because I feel its an AMAZING opportunity to meet these industry folks as someone who's trying to get an "in" with these guys. A lot of the time though, we never know who's who. They don't wear nametags. They look just like everyone else, and they do that on purpose so they don't get hounded. But last night was different.

During the screening of "The Paperboy", the actual DIRECTOR was there. I almost pissed my pants. Seriously (this part is important later). While my mother and I waited on line, the film representative came to us (out of all people) and asked if we wanted to stay behind and answer some questions from the film crew and director. I WAS LIKE, "HELLS YEAH!". Ofcourse my mother didn't want to but she pretended to be excited about it.  We both got little name tags so we could be identified later as "part of the team".

After the film, which was about 2hrs long, my mother and I had to take a piss SO BAD, so we ran out really fast and went to the bathroom. I was done as quickly as I could and ran back to the theatre. When I got back, the film representative said, "Oh, I thought you guys left so I gave your spots up to some other people. So we don't need you anymore. Sorry." (I told you that part would be important later)

I was so upset but I didn't let it show. When I went outside of the theatre, all pissed off and ready to cry...I saw the most beautiful sight ever.

There, talking to his friend, was Director Lee Daniels. I HAD TO TALK TO HIM! I HAD TO TELL HIM ABOUT ME and HOW I WANTED TO WORK WITH HIM and that FLYING TO LA ANYTIME WOULD BE NO PROBLEM! But being as polite as I am, I decided to wait for him to be finished with his conversation...which is more than I can say for someone else.

As soon as Lee Daniels took a pause, some woman jumped in front of me, stepped on my toe, and grabbed his hand. I wouldn't have been that mad if the things she wanted to say to him fell along the lines of what I wanted to say. BUT...her words just pissed me off.

"So what's going to happen next, Mr. Daniels? Is Jack going to go to jail? I was confused by that ending. What happened?"

Rage bubbled in my chest as she went on and on asking the most time wasting questions I've ever heard in my life! My mouth got dry and my eyes began to burn as I fought back tears.

Director Lee Daniels answered her questions and immediately went inside for the discussion with his people. I met my mother downstairs, told her what happened...and she bought me a beer.

Should I have been as aggressive as that woman? Should I have been risky and rude enough to interrupt Mr. Daniels during his conversation? Did I let what probably was my only opportunity, slip through my fingers like water?

I will never know. But what I do know is that I will, from now on, attend EVERY SINGLE ADVANCED SCREENING I'M INVITED TO...with business cards...with TV/FILM treatments in tow...with a pitch ready in my mind for everything I've ever written...and soon...with paperback copies of the DOME trilogy all ready to go!

Why?

Because you never know!