All the people at the party were drinking wine in one room at Zoom but I wanted food and a bit less ‘scene’. As I hovered but the bounty of greasy appetizers during the Focus Forward party I started chatting with Paul Bunyan in a cowboy hat. I asked him what movies he had seen and liked. Then he said judgmentally, “You haven’t seen much have you?”

“I cover the scene in Park City during the Sundance Film Festival,” I explained. “I don’t have time to see movies.” The cold chill crept in. “Films are the essence of Sundance,” he said with disdain. “Everything else is a waste of time.” The irony of the fact that this statement was made while standing in a party and eating free food was not lost on me. What’s worse is that Tex had no clue of his hypocrisy. Sundancers often split into two camps: the film camp and the party/lounge camp. But both are very much intertwined. Without networking, without parties, without music, without cast dinners, without swag (hell, think product placement and endorsement), these independent films would not be made. Those who can embrace all aspects of Sundance are the ones who get the most out of it. Maybe poor Tex (owner of his own little movie review website) just wasn’t invited onto enough Sundance VIP lists this year.

Exclusive cast dinner were all the rage this past fest with meals and bashes at places like the Supper Suite at the Montage, the LIVEstyle Film Lounge (HBO party), the Bertolli Meal Soup Chalet (7 For All Mankind Fresh Faces party), the Grey Goose Blue Door, The Fender Lodge music sessions, the new STK space, Hyde and Goodnight Gansevoort, TAO, Bing Bar and the Sundance Channel Headquarters, Chefdance and more. The only way in was to know someone.

One way to do that was Tweet. The Tweethouse party rocked and all you had to do to get in was send them a Twitter message asking to come. FYI- if you want to attend Sundance parties it’s best to RSVP long before the Festival actually starts.

The Tweethouse party of free booze and a cold veggie platter preceded a social media panel discussion. Celebs and press both attended and although they never did give away that Sony Tablet they promised to raffle if you tweet “#sonytablet”, I made some killer contacts.

With the editor of Backstage MagazineWith a star from one of my favorite inappropriate TV shows- Outsourced.

Entertainment lawyers throw the best party. Dive and Cozens got down at the Spur with live music, good food and tequila for everyone. There, I met the communications chair for Women in Film and a fellow blogger Christina Kotlar Turchyn.

After tequila comes Vodka, and the cast dinner and after party for Richard Gere’s new film Arbitrage featured free-flowing Grey Goose disguised as a fruity juice shot. IE Trouble.

Richard Gere and wife Carey Lowell were in the crowd somewhere at the Grey Goose Blue Door but I only caught Gere’s profile in the distance.

photo credit Jamie McCarthy / WireImage

I expected a sitdown dinner but it was a buffet so the dinner felt no different than the party at the Spur except the healthy, colorful food was fantastic. Wish I had gotten the name of the caterer.

The Sky Lodge partied from 24/7 throughout the first weekend of Sundance as ReTreat took over the upstairs, downstairs and sideways spaces.

Most of the hoopla has ended as we enter the last weekend of the Festival. To find a place toget your rock on, you’ll have to hunt deep. Head over to one of the final screenings and start networking. There’s a big fat “official” Sundance party tomorrow night but that is usually lame and you need a ticket. The food is picked over in less than an hour, the lines for your free plastic cup of wine or beer is slow and people just stand around in a loud, dark, crowded football-field-sized room while video clips of award winners flash in the corners. Skip it; especially if you partied hard at the Nas show tonight.

The rapper headlines at Sugar, 9 p.m. at 268 Main Street. The tickets aren’t cheap ($65) but there’s bound to be a guest list somewhere you can sneak onto. The Massachusetts-based electronic-pop band Passion Pit will perform on Saturday.
www.ticketcake.com.

Tomorrow (Saturday) singer-producer Akon should take the stage around 11 p.m. after the doors open on Park City Live (old Harry O’s). $50 at ticketcake.com and, yes, there’s a VIP list floating around.

Dear PCSkiGal- I think I want to see a Sundance Film Festival movie but everything that sounds interesting is waitlisted? Am I wasting my time? Should I even bother trying to go? I thought you might be the one in the know. ImpatientFan

Dear Impatient Fan- It’s not as bleak as it seems. You definitely have a shot at seeing not only a movie but one of your choice. Sundance continues through this Sunday and ends on Monday with the Best of Fest screenings for locals. The tickets to the BoF have been divvied out but because everyone got two, there’s a strong chance people can’t make it. Start asking around. Same goes for tickets to the screenings of your favorite picks. Network. Post want ads on Craigslist and KSL; Tweet. Also, every morning at 8 a.m. the Sundance box office releases extra tickets to movies screened that same day. They will publish an updated list the night before at http://www.sundance.org/ticketchart/. Check the chart, then head up to Park City before dawn. The guys at the office told me some people start lining up at 3 a.m.!

WaitList

Plan to stand in line in the cold if the above doesn’t work or have appeal. Now that the Fest is halfway through more seats become available. A good number of ticketholders start to blow off their movies toward the end of the Fest. They would rather ski, sleep, network, or they’ve OD’d on film. Choose movies that play in the early morning (before 9 a.m.) or super late evening (after 10 p.m.) that will screen at the larger venues: The Eccles Center, The Park City Library and the Prospector Square Theater. Get there TWO HOURS before showtime to pick up a waitlist number and return 30 minutes before the screening.

FSBO

Disclaimer- I neither endorse nor deny the following suggestion.

People are selling their tickets. Check Craigslist under Sale/Sundance. It is what it is. Be aware, however, the box office says they will prosecute anyone reselling their tickets and will void them out as there is some sort of fine print allowing them to do so. I asked the workers in the box office, “Don’t you guys have anything better to do than police your tickets?” and they responded, “Are you kidding? We’re a non-profit, of course not.”

Scalping is legal in Utah as long as the price is not greater than the face value of the ticket but Sundance gets to make their own laws? I think it’s absolutely ridiculous and lame that ticketholders can be prevented from recouping their money in the event that they can’t make it to a film. They are forced to purchase tickets so far in advance that the earth could end by the time the Festival comes around. You shouldn’t have to be out the money; especially if the screening is sold out. Sundance made their money on that ticket. They shouldn’t be entitled to double dip at your expense.

The one relief is you can exchange your unusable tickets for another movie at the box office and but it must be done in person and costs and extra $2 per ticket (the original ticket cost is $15). The box office will then resell your old ticket.

Now go out there and see a film before it’s too late!

~PCSkiGal

The Filmmaker Challenge grew out of the FOCUS FORWARD - Short Films, Big Ideas program (www.focusforwardfilms.com), a series of 30, three-minute nonfiction films developed by leading documentary filmmakers. The theme is the power of ideas and invention. Those films will screen at film festivals globally, followed by Vimeo.com debuts. I bet you already have a few ideas for your own film. Think compelling nightly news packages. That’s a three-minute film.

You’ll need to make an end-to-end story about people or organizations whose innovative efforts in medicine, computer science, robotics, engineering, green energy, or other fields of applied technical knowledge have had a significant positive impact on humanity. It could even be technology in the sports field. The Challenge films will sit alongside the first 30 films produced by FOCUS FORWARD filmmakers on Vimeo. Submissions open in mid April, with winners to be announced at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. For more information, please visit www.focusforwardfilms.com/challenge.

Jack Myers, project producer, said at the conference. “The concept is to build a traveling nonfiction film series; we will be inviting filmmakers from every corner of the earth to join us in creating short films about game-changing innovation.”

They were trying to show off their computer prowess as an internet app builder. This actually had a lot of promise for me. I’m looking to create an app for my Utah dog hikes library. Can We Meet is a social networking app where users can connect and meet up at nightclubs. Sundance being the ultimate nightclub, this was the perfect launch venue. I haven’t personally tried it because I’m not much of a clubber in need of an entourage. The person I come with (usually the boyfriend) is all I need. But back in the day maybe….

Inside, one C Studios partner was eager to explain how they had built the brand while the other partner was trying to shoo me out because “there wasn’t room”. I whispered to Dave that his partner could use some marketing and PR coaching. You never know who can help your exposure so don’t get cocky, Dude.

One company that gets it was Koolaburra. I had never heard of them before but their shoes are so damn hot! The Khloe is lined in soft plushy Merino- perfect for a Park City Summer evening. They were featuring their winter boots for gifting but since I’m wall-to-wall boots and zero heels, I couldn’t resist. Still, check out the shoes on the website. Totally sexy.

Another sweet owner was Vallora Sabourin from Flying Lizard Jewelry Design. Her necklaces and earrings have graced the lobes and necks of many Hollywood Starlets. I’ve been wearing my new earrings non-stop.

The vests from Tracker are made with faux fur. Retail? $600+! The designer used to design for Marc Jacobs and has only been doing his own thing for three months. I was impressed and wished them luck as I handed the vest back.

Paul Frank’s getting in on the winter scene but truthfully these are some seriously ugly skis. The cable knit hats on the other hand were soft and cute.

On the way out, I couldn’t help but grab a shot of Laura Prepon (That 70s Show). She was quite accommodating. Must have been the fuzzy bear hat from Spirit Hoods.

The games and gifting was off to a mild start for the first Friday of the Sundance Film Festival and that’s not a bad thing. You had ample time to get to know the products, the people behind them and mostly importantly move around. At the Timberland Lodge on Lower Main Street (the west side is for VIPs, the east for Public), men and women were treated to the perfect winter attire for the raging blizzard that has finally appeared- SNOWBOOTS! And down jackets.

My favorite was the long down with the faux fur hood. Very Hollywood while being very Utah. The boots are wrapped in down all the way up to your knees. They’re a bit funky and not for everyone but super warm on your legs.

I was asked if I could could alcohol when I entered the TR Suites. Huh? Apparently if you live in Utah you can’t write about liquor. I got a kick out of that one. Not only was I thrilled to see zero calorie margarita mix from Refine (sold in World Market) but these naughty Vice Merchants bedsheets also got my sexy on.

But of course it was too early to drink so I grabbed Hint Fizz instead. Unlike most flavored waters, these taste ‘infused’ rather than juiced. Kind of like those cucumber waters you’re handed at day spas.

Shoes seem to be a big thing at Sundance this year and the styles appearing from Matt Bernson mix the mountain look with fashion in a way that makes even a flat-soled gal like me sparkle.

I have never heard of DL1961 Denim but now I know. That’s the thing about Sundance. The exposure to brands and fashion you never knew existed. DL1961 is the only jean with 4-way stretch Lycra so it will never sag, bag, or lose its shape. When you’re used to wearing Lycra baselayers all winter it’s not a stretch- so to speak- to include it in your outwear.

Friendship bracelets and layering bangles and rings are popular according to the Rachel Roy rep. But the friendship bracelets they were gifting had a touch of bling that was irresistible.

You can’t get away from the harsh climate in Utah so Hollywood and New York is bringing their skincare saviors to us. Prasad Medical Skincare was gifting gels, lotions and potions designed to minimize free radicals, fine lines, and sagging skin. I walked with a skin survival kit of sunscreen, eye rescue and “intense vitamin serum”.

You can’t be beautiful without being thin and the Sensa rep vowed that clinical studies showed users lost 60 pounds in 6 months just by sprinkling the virtually tasteless crystals on every meal. I’ll be trying that before ‘buying’ that one.

And there is was! A little table of SHRD. I discovered this magical hair protein crème at last year’s Sundance but ran out in the fall. I missed it badly. I tried two other leave-in conditioners but nothing smoothed my hair without making it feel dirty like SHRD. The stuff’s expensive so it was a sweet find.

Business was picking up as the day waned and I was starting to feel a bit mushed. It was time to crossover to the Style Lounge after a scoop of Cream O’ Wheat- Yes, they have gotten in on the celebrity scene- and a to-go cup of hummus from Sabra.

Jason Mraz participated in a nooner speaker/series special at the BingBar in Park City Friday, Jan. 20. The guy is an amazing singer/songwriter and he again rose to the occasion of entertaining and connecting with an intimate group of fans.

He helped present an award to Utahn Dan Hedlund as the winner of the In Search of the Incredible campaign. Asus and Intel designed the contest as a way to hype their new N5 laptop by asking people around the globe to submit their ‘incredible’ life story. The winner would get to have their story made into a short film with the help of a professional film crew and acclaimed director Asif Kapadia of SENNA fame. He would also get the Asus N5.

The short was screened Friday afternoon in the BingBar to an intimate crowd of VIPs and lucky #TeamBing followers. Mraz put on an hour acoustic show immediately after and paid tribute to the late Etta James.

I’ll probably get pummeled for making this next comment but Mr. Hedlund’s story didn’t really seem all that incredible. Not to belittle what he went through. As a cancer survivor myself I get how you believe your story is incredible. But he tells a journey that every single cancer patient takes. There really isn’t anything unusual or inspiring there. You get the diagnosis and you do what you must to survive. Outsiders say, “Wow, you’re so brave; you’re so strong” but it’s really called stepping up. Your only other choice is to roll over and die. His wife should have won the award. It’s a lot harder for those around you to stay strong and she never wavered.

But if you truly want to hear incredible stories of humanity read some of the bios from First Descents campers. Talk about your inspirations. For example, Tailz was 30 when he emerged after brain cancer surgery a blind man. He learned to fearlessly whitewater kayak with FD’s help and became a licensed massage therapist to help heal others. Being around these people- both the organizers and campers – made me want to be a better person. Me thinks Intel and Asus didn’t dig deep enough or market enough. Or maybe it’s that inherent flaw in the system when you ask the public to vote. I’ve always hated those popularity contests that depend more on how well you network than on the quality of your work. Just saying….

That said, congratulations on winning, Mr. Hedlund, and I loved the song you sang to your wife at the end of your movie.

I do believe my Alta pass has dust on it. Now, with this huge storm system that just rolled through the Wasatch, I can’t decide what’s more epic. Skiing or kicking off Sundance. Ah, the dilemma. The invites rolled in by the minute. The other side of the Sundance Film Festival- the non-film side- occupies so much space in Park City the first weekend of the event that you wonder if there really are films to watch.

There are “official sponsors” of the SFF that set up ‘suites’ and ‘lounges’ around town so the public and Festival passholders can wander in and sip cocoa, and then there are the underground guerilla companies that occupy Main Street businesses with glamorous VIP gifting and party events and a great big bouncer who refuses to acknowledge you without the secret password (usually the name of the event planner). One year, I watched the Dude from The Big Lebowski- and I mean the real Dude who the film was made about- get denied. He lost it on the security guard and still wasn’t admitted into the House of Hype. Just goes to show, it’s not who you are, but who you know.

Sundance was never just about film; it’s music, art, technology, celebrity and film. The entire Festival celebrates the independent voice so it’s not so crazy to see small chic beauty and fashion companies sidle up to the Hollywood-style event. What happens is a marketing or publicity firm rents a space or house somewhere near the action, then offers their clients the opportunity to display their wares in a section inside to personally introduce their products to VIPs and the media. The goal is for short and long-term exposure. These special guests (most often people with films in Sundance but they can also be publicists, musicians, and reality TV stars) get ushered in and moved around to meet, greet and have their photo doing a Vanna White with a particular product. The photos are later Tweeted, Facebooked and attached to press releases to be gobble up by People Magazine et al. Same goes for the evening parties. Almost every film at Sundance has a cast dinner and afterparty. The town rocks until 2 a.m. and over the past few years party organizers have caught on that not only will they make extra cash but garner good karma by opening up the parties and concerts to locals. It’s like the 2002 Winter Olympics all over again but for four days instead of three weeks.

After this Tuesday, most of the lounges will revert to their old scene. Like the circus leaving town, so goes the madness. Therefore, you better head up to Park City this weekend if you want to catch celebrities walking the streets with bursting shopping bags of clever goodies while the paparazzi nip at their heels.

Here’s the tentative guestlist:

Susan Sarandon, Mario Lopez, Rashida Jones, Terrell Owens, Annalynne Mccord, Elizabeth Olsen, Christina Hendricks, Carrie Preston, Stephanie Pratt, David Blaine, Kristen Bell, James Tupper, James Marsden, Paris Hilton, Nicky Hilton, Bai Ling, Jamie Chung, Jason Ritter, Jeff Shroeder, Lake Bell, Michael Cera, Danny Masterson, Natasha Beddingfield, Shayne Lamas, Anne Heche, Ryan Phillipe, Lil Jon, Michael Emerson, Jon Heder, Edward James Olmos, Laura Prepon, Lil’ Jon, Nia Vardalos, Paul Simon, Andie McDowell, Allison Janney, David Blaine (Magician), James Tupper (Revenge), James Valentine (Lead Guitarist, Maroon 5), Keith A. Fox (Producer, The Office/30 Rock), William H. Macy, Traci Lords, Helen Hunt, Donna Karan, five-time NBA All Star Chris Webber,Jon Heder, Chelsie Hightower (“Dancing with the Stars”), Lou Diamond Phillips, Richard Gere, Julie Delpy, Chris Rock, Kirsten Dunst, Elijah Wood, Keri Russell, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Bruce Willis, Joshua Jackson, Parker Posey, Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, Liv Tyler, and Olivia Wilde.

And here are the best spots to spot them:

The city of Miami and the Beaches is a title sponsor in one of the largest VIP hub of Sundance – The T-Mobile Village at the Lift/Miami Oasis –to hype their own upcoming film festival. The “Miami Oasis” will incorporate live DJ performances, tattoo artists, hair care stations by göt2b POWDER’ful, complimentary cocktails and gifting.
The whole Town Lift area at the bottom of Main Street transforms into its own little village. This two-story, 30,000 square foot venue celebrates its 10^th Anniversary with a café, nightclub, restaurant, portrait studio, and special event interview site.

By day, the Stella Artois café serves up free breakfast and lunch. By night, the T-Mobile/Google Concert Series will showcase Bad Rabbits,
Fort Lean,
Vintage Trouble and The Whigs, G-Side and Chancellor Warhol, The Civil Wars and Feather & Belle from 7-10 p.m.,then a satellite TAO nightclub converts the 5,000-square-foot underground parking garage under the Town Lift into one of the best party spots of the weekend.

The Bing Bar, the search engine from Microsoft, will take over the empty space once known as the Claim Jumper Hotel. For the third year and on three floors, the Bing Bar will host exclusive film premiere after-parties, press junkets, The Bing Speaker Series, SPIN Sessions (a daily music happy hour), musical performances from Friday, January  20 to Tuesday, January 24. Drake, Cobra Starship, Wiz Khalifa, Jason Mraz, Theophilus London, and James Murphy will be performing. The Bing Speaker Series will bring in guests from Catherine Zeta-Jones to newly awakened
snowboarder Kevin Pearce. Bing plays mountain concierge, handing out essential cold-weather items like sweatshirts, gloves and blankets, ski lift passes, rides around town, movie screening tickets, and more. Connect with the Bing Bar concierge on Twitter using #TeamBing to enter exclusive giveaways. And don’t worry if you can’t gain entry. Bing will stream their events live at www.bing.com/community.

Talent Resources is bringing the TR Suites to Sundance again. They’ll be inside the Gateway Center and next to another fabulous hotspot- Kari Feinstein’s Style Lounge. TR will have some interesting selections including the Teaologist, DL1961 denim, Prasad Cosmetic Surgery and Medi Spa, Matt Bernson Shoes, Rachel Roy and Judith Jack jewelry, Contraband hats, SHRD (the most amazing hair crème ever), while the Style Lounge has Cape Cod Leathers, Commonwealth Proper men’s clothing, Koolaburra boots, Paul Frank, Rusdak coats. The Style Lounge will also feature the Style ‘food’ Closet of Icelandic Glacial, Milk n Krunchies, Nuvo Sport and Popcorn, Indiana.

Invited guests can grab a Vida Tequila cocktail at the Sundance Chic Suite in Flight Boutique on Main while gathering gifts from Wildfox, Plush Apparel, Tocca, Everyday Minerals, BB Dakota/Jack, NCLA Nail Lacquer, and Discreet Headwear.

Wonder what happened to Harry O’s? They got booted last summer but the Sundance concert legacy lives on. Making its Sundance debut is The VEVO PowerStation & SOREL Suite/Fresh Lounge/”Goodnight Gansevoort at The ONE Group House.” Whew. That’s a mouthful. The “one-stop-shop” for celebrities, independent filmmakers, festival attendees and media will offer stylish winter boots with laser-customized lace plates by SOREL, beauty treatments, food, cocktails, charging stations and internet. At night, there will be movie premiere dinners, cocktail parties and concerts. LMFAO & House of Party Rock play on Saturday, DeadMau5 on Sunday and Drake on Monday.

Two venues are making themselves accessible to the general public. Timberland Lounge, the official footwear and outerwear sponsor of Sundance (four years running) will showcase a selection of waterproof boots and accessories across the street from Mary Jane’s boutique. Timberland wants consumers to commit to the environment through on-site activities, contests and online activations via Twitter and Facebook. Festival-goers can pledge “Random Acts of Earthkeeping” – the small things they do each day to minimize their impact on the environment – and pose for photos with your favorite green activity prop for a chance to win a limited-edition Timberland scarf. Then on Sunday, Timberland will host a special event inside Mary Jane’s (613 Main Street), from 4 – 6 p.m. Hors d’oeuvres and cocktails will be served to the public, free of charge.
On a chilly Utah day, nothing warms better than a free cup of Bertolli soup. Anyone can come in, sit down on a heated chair, throw over a blanket and sip at the Bertolli Meal Soup Chalet at the Sky Lodge. VIPs get luxury skincare treatments courtesy of Lumene, sunglasses from Solstice, exclusive invites to the after-dark special events.

The Alive! Expo Green Pavilion/MixMedia Luxury Lounge at the Wild Spirits Nature Photography Gallery proposes consciousness at Sundance. The exclusive eco-luxury gifting suite will have eco-friendly gifts, displays and foods like Aubrey Organics Hair, Skin & Bodycare; ShelRae Jewelry, Phytomar USA Marine Plankton Skin & Bodycare; Fashion Hope with Tembo Trading Company, Kiondo Bags, Prophetic fashion, Earth Friendly household cleaners, Sparklehearts body products for girls, Vitamin Water, Redmond Sea Salt, Mane N Tale shampoos, Bari Olive Oil, and you get the idea.
This longstanding suite is huge. It will benefit Project Green is a 501c3 non-profit organization whose mission is to invest in a ‘Greener Tomorrow’.
Another socially conscious suite- the Eco Hideaway Music Saves Lives Lounge – will set up shop all the way up at the Stein Eriksen Lodge. Sustainable film and television producer Debbie Durkin hosts an invitation-only private hospitality respite showcasing eco-luxury lifestyle brands like Minky Couture blankets, Sonas denim, Sandast’s vintage handbags, and Leisure Society eyewear. Top that off with complimentary mini-spa services, live acoustic music performances, and a chef’s station serving breakfast all day, and you may never want to go back to Main Street.
Those celebs looking for snow-related gifting will drop into the Burton Apres Lounge at the base of Park City Mountain Resort and the Oakley/Hyde Lounge at the Downstairs bar. Guests will have the once in a lifetime opportunity to learn to snowboard with some of the world’s top ranked pro athletes as well as product test gear from the two brands.

Grey Goose Vodka will host five nights of private cast dinners and cocktail parties at their invite-only lounge- Grey Goose Blue Door- inside the McCarthey Gallery. Guests will get to taste their newest flavor- Grey Goose Cherry Noir.

“Festival After Dark” is brought to you by Sugar. The evening concert series will feature DJs and live performances for all ten days in the venue formerly known as the Star Bar. Mary J. Blige, Estelle, Common, Kendrick Lamar, Sebastian Ingrosso and Nas are scheduled to perform at the 6,300 sq. foot contemporary event space.

Ok, it’s decided. I’ll ski Monday. Let’s get this party started!

Jan. 19, 2012- I visited Solitude Ski Resort to check out the On-Snow day of the Outdoor Retailer Show. 70 manufacturers (out of nearly 1000) set up tents so retail shops and media could get a first-hand look at winter gear for 2013. Walk with me……

It’s time to know what a hashtag (#) is if you don’t already. The Twitter symbol basically signals a conversation about a topic. For example, if you ‘search’ #fail you will get a long list of tweets about things people consider a ‘fail’. Same goes for Sundance et al.

Good luck and happy Tweeting. Don’t forget to include hashtags in your tweets so other peeps who may not be following you, can see them too.

Follow these popular hashtags regarding Sundance and you’ll never have to leave home. It’ll be just like you’re here- almost:

#ArtistServices

#TeamBing

#Film

#ParkCity

#Slamdance

#BingBar

#SFF2012

#indiefilm

#StyleLounge

#SundanceChicSuite

And follow me @pcskigal! J