Made it to the Austin Film Festival yesterday. Got my badge, and attended the Film & Food Fundraising Party. Tomorrow is the first day of the Festival!
Opening Night Reception for the Austin Film Festival at Coconut Club in Downtown Austin.
Austin Film Festival’s Late Night Party on October 29, 2026.
Some enterprising clever Aussies gave me their 5¢ in the form of a promo for Pickpockets, which world premiered at the Austin Film Festival
Another clever piece of film marketing, this one coming from Sweden. This one in the form of a sheep tag (all tags had individual numbers on them), representing the farm in which the film takes place.
BONDE world premiered Sunday, November 1 at 8:45 PM at the Galaxy Theater in Austin.
I brought these two pieces from my last San Diego Media Pros event, thanks Eved for the gadget bag, without which I would not be able to charge my devices, and The Film Hub for the stress ball which has become valuable as I prep for my pitch tomorrow at the Austin Film Festival!
In the front row at Writing A Spec That Will Sell at the Austin Film Festival at the historic Austin Club with Scott Myers, Mac Smullen, and Alison Flierl.
Me and the guys behind “Bonde” (see my post about their clever marketing). I heard somebody in the row talking to them about their film and they were describing it and I said hey and flashed the sheep tag and picture of my previous post!
Convergence! I met the guys behind “Pickpockets” before the Scriptnotes panel. See my previous post about their clever marketing. Pickpockets world premiered Saturday, October 31 at 9:20 PM at the State Theatre.
Unfortunately, I did not make the Pitch Final, but it opens up my night for other experiences, and this is only the start of letting people know about Common Interest Development, the series.
“Persistence and delusion are the keys to success.” — Nick Keetch, Writer and Showrunner of ‘Sunny Nights,’ on how to succeed as a screenwriter. Nick Keetch appeared in a panel with is co-writer, co-showrunner friend, Ty Freer.
They (those clever Aussies with the 5 cent promo) won an award! Comedy Vanguard Feature – Pickpockets
Writer, Director, Producer & Actor: D.C. Fairhurst
Writer, Producer & Actor: Lucy Green
I got to see a panel with the creators behind the viral vertical sensation Eavesdropping, Nicolas Alayo, Kaleigh Howland, and Christian Sullivan. I talked to Christian about social media, after the panel.
Read an interview in Variety, with the creators.
Another clever piece of movie marketing (holiday graphic added in margins), this one from Christmas Pop-Up, a holiday romantic comedy set in Seattle. I had the pleasure of meeting Director, Producer, Molly Muse at brunch this morning, and had to tell her I’m going to try the Bucatini recipe when I get home from the Austin Film Festival!
Christmas Pop-Up was shown Sunday, November 1 at 3:35 PM at the Galaxy Theatre Screen 5, and is being shown Thursday, November 5 at 4:45 PM at the Galaxy Theatre Screen 6.
I got to see the Christmas Pop-Up world premiere at the Galaxy Theater! It was a lovely, and touching, romantic comedy! There was a Q&A after the film. Pictured are Rachel Taggart, Producer, Molly Muse, Director & Producer, and Geena Pietromonaco, Writer, Actor & Producer.
The movie was great. I hope it gets to screens here in the US! It’s a screwball romantic comedy, really: the film itself was as clever as the marketing. D.C. Fairhurst and Lucy Green were some of the most endearing criminals I’ve ever seen on film! Tim Minchin was masterful as a dastardly celebrity who crosses paths with the pickpocketing duo! The movie was shot exquisitely, and the use of black and white and color, and the pounding score were both part of the story. I highly recommend it, and I got to tell them how much I liked it!, in an out of the theater reaction! So did native Aussie, the colorful and effervescent, Jaymee Mak!
Shorts Program 13: Best Lil’ Shorts in Austin, Austin Film Festival.
ANAIMIA (US, 13 min) — Writer/Director: Drew Saplin
ASSEMBLY REQUIRED (US, 11 min) — Writer/Director: Andy Volk
BLOOD MONEY (US, 24 min) — Writer: Kenny Tran, Russell Kinscherff; Director: Russell Kinscherff
HITCHHIKER (US, 10 min) — Writer: Samantha Walker; Director: Scott Rice
JEEPERS CAPERS (US, 13 min) — Writer/Director: Nora Rubenstein
PIOJO (US, 16 min) — Writer/Director: Miguel Alvarez
PRESSURE POINTS (US, 13 min) — Writer/Director: Janelle Lee Austin
It’s my last day at the Austin Film Festival and the writers portion is ending. Got to see some folks that I’d met at the festival and hopefully have made some long-lasting contacts and going to see some films later.
Austin Film Festival was a blast, had a lot of fun and I met some cool people.
