It was opening day of the Sundance Film Festival 2016 and I didn’t feel like driving into town. So I logged onto Sundance.org/festival and clicked the YouTube icon. There was Robert Redford with John Cooper welcoming everyone to the Fest at the Day One Press Conference. Although I was driving around Salt Lake City running errands, tuning in through Bluetooth, I felt like I was there. I rarely get to the conference in the first place and now I didn’t feel guilty about it. I got to hear all about the 12,000 films submitted for the less than 200 spots at Sundance and more. (I read a statistic somewhere that said your short film has a .74 chance of getting into Sundance.)

Now, more than ever before you can enjoy Park City’s Sundance Film Festival without fighting the crowds, the parking, the shoving, the lines and the cold. You can pick what you want to see and hear (minus the actual movies- this is just for panel talks) and watch or listen from your cushy couch, office desk or driver’s seat. No more having to feel less than one of the privileged few invited to attend as filmmaker, journalist, actor, or studio exec. All you need is high-speed internet.

LIVE@SUNDANCE

Tune in for daily live content from the Sundance Film Festival, including intimate conversations at Cinema Café, two heavy-hitting Power of Story panels, and plenty of other key Festival events. All Live@Sundance events will be streamed on Sundance.org/festival and the official YouTube page.

Monday, January 25

11:30 AM MST

Cinema Café with Werner Herzog and Joshua Oppenheimer

2:30 PM MST

Power of Story: Evolution of Storytelling

Tuesday, January 26, 11:30 AM MST

Cinema Café with Rebecca Hall and Michael Shannon

Wednesday, January 27, 11:30 AM MST

Cinema Café (Guests TBA)

Thursday, January 28, 11:30 AM MST

Cinema Café

Power of Story: The Art of Film (feat. Christopher Nolan and Colin Trevorrow, moderated by Alex Ross Perry)

Friday, January 29, 11:30 AM MST

Cinema Café with D. A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus

Saturday, January 30, 11:30 AM MST

Cinema Café with Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson

Saturday, January 30

Awards Ceremony

You can also Google “Sundance Live Stream” to find various online magazines posting their live streams. Deadline Hollywood has a couple posted already.

Other ways to see what’s happening in Park City January 24-31, 2016:

FOLLOW #SUNDANCE

TWITTER

@SundanceFest – The official handle of the Sundance Film Festival. Follow for live updates, talent takeovers, and more. Each day of the festival, a different filmmaker takes over @SundanceFest  to share the experience through their eyes. Follow along and ask them questions.

January 25: Nate Parker, director The Birth of a Nation

January 26: Dawn Porter, director Trapped

January 27: Gingger Shankar, co-director/performer Nari

January 28: Louis Black, co-director Richard Linklater – dream is destiny

@SundanceFestNow – Our account for Sundance Maniacs: indie film fanatics who want 24/7 breaking news at the Festival.

@SundanceLabs – Year-round news and information about Sundance Institute’s wide array of Artist Programs and Labs.

#sundance2016

www.facebook.com/sundance.

INSTAGRAM

@SundanceInstitute  for highlights of daily events, behind-the-scenes looks, and red carpet coverage direct from the Sundance Film Festival.

SNAPCHAT

Follow SundanceFest on Snapchat for highlights of daily happenings and exclusive behind-the-scenes instant coverage by our social media team.

TUMLBR

The official Tumblr of the Sundance Film Festival includes news coverage roundups, exclusive content, graphics, gifs, user-generated content, and more: http://sundanceinstitute.tumblr.com.

VINE

Behind-the-scenes videos from the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. Capturing the best moments of the Sundance Film Festival, one six-second Vine video at a time. SundanceFilm.

YOUTUBE

The Sundance Film Festival YouTube Channel is home to all of the 2016 live events and panels as well as exclusive filmmaker and talent interviews.

SPOTIFY

Follow Sundance Institute for fresh playlists from this year’s Sundance Film Festival artists including ASCAP’s Music Cafe artists and the Celebration of Music in Film.

I’ve never completely understood the allure of celebrity. I’d much rather have a photograph of me and friends than me and actors who don’t know me, but it’s there…and it’s here in Park City, Utah. It’s fairly common to see stars skiing Deer Valley or riding Canyons but that’s typically like searching for Waldo. Not to mention asking for a photo while they’re hoisting a tray in the Silver Lake cafeteria will more likely gain you snarls than snaps. But Jan. 22-26, 2016, is a whole different story as celebrity actors, musicians and filmmakers descend on our little mountain town. It’s perfectly legit to become a Parkarazzi so fine tune your camera and your smartphone. It’s Sundance Film Festival time.
During Sundance, the haystacks are gone and the needles are everywhere. There will be no shortage of cameras snapping during this first extended weekend of this independent film festival so get on that bus. This is not a time to be shy.

Get in there and ask if you want a fan photo of Johnny Depp (yes, he’s supposed to attend) or Zoe Kravitz. These celebs come to Park City with the expectation of facetime with fans. You’re not cramping their day to ask for a picture. In my 20 years of covering the Fest I’ve only experienced one actor who negatively vibed me- and I still got the shot:

That said, here’s some advice on getting your ultimate fanpic-

1. Take the photo. You often get so overwhelmed standing next to your idol, smiling, and talking, that you forget to ask for a picture. Don’t.
   

   Instead of stepping over and just photobombing your own moment, respectfully ask. Say something like, “Hi, would it be alright if I took a picture with you?” Though it usually doesn’t happen at Sundance, be ok if they say no; don’t take it personally. They might be running late for a meeting; they might see giving you that pic with open the flood gates for everyone nearby, or maybe they haven’t had their makeup done yet. TIP: If you have kid, use him. Celebs love taking pictures with young fans.
   

2. Wait your turn. Don’t try to interrupt for a picture if they are finishing up with someone else.
   
3. Avoid the selfie. Get someone else to take the shot so you don’t fumble around and lose your window of opportunity.
   
4. Stand next to them and take their lead. Maybe he puts his arm around you, maybe she jumps into your arms. Just let them decide the kind of picture they’ll take. Nothing is weirder than you trying to create the image.
5. You only get one chance. Practice before you head up to Sundance to make sure your camera is working properly, you have memory space, your friends know how to focus your iPhone. You get one shot when they’re walking down Main Street.
   
6. If you blow the shot- it’s blurry, your eyes are closed, etc, don’t try to take another unless you can tell your celeb is super easy going. Otherwise, just let them move along and do better with the next one. Yes, there will be another. Just look for the throng of people in black swarming around.
7. Smile and say thank you. Duh.

Now, take a look at some of your fan photo targets at Sundance 2016:

Jonny Depp

Hayley Joel Osmet

Vanessa Paradis

Kevin Smith

Adam Brody

Justin Long

Zoe Kravitz

Elijah Wood

Rachel Griffiths

Laura Dern

Kristen Stewart

Michelle Williams

Rachel Weisz

Kathy Bates

Danny Glover

Paul Rudd

Selena Gomez

Mary Stuart Masterson

Michael C. Hall

Anna Gunn

Nick Jonas

Jenna Malone

Brooklyn Decker

Ryan Eggold

Rosanna Arquette

Molly Shannon

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

Daniel Radcliffe

Ellen Page

Allison Janney

Justin Bartha

Chris Noth

Viggo Mortensen

Steve Zahn

Sting

Juliette Lewis

AnnaLynne McCord

Chad Michael Murray

Eryka Badu

Norman Lear

Lena Dunham

Chelsea Handler

Alicia Witt

You don’t have to throw up your hands or stand in the cold because you didn’t get in on the early ticket packages or just weren’t ready to pull the trigger on a movie tickets. You have options for movie viewing during the Sundance Film Festival like you’ve never had before even if you don’t like them. But it looks like the eWaitlisting for Sundance is here to stay.

Try the NEW eWaitlist

Whether those film execs are stuck at their private shindig at the HQ lounge or decided to take a few extra ski runs, there’s usually a vacant seat or two at any number of screenings throughout the Festival. And organizers love to have butts in seats. That’s why there’s always been a line-up of shivering folks prior to the start of each movie, hoping for the golden “standby” ticket. Well, did you know the eWaitlist is running smoother than ever? Sign up on the Sundance eWaitlist from anywhere with an internet connection. The first incarnation emerged in 2014 to pure hatred.

The app worked so well that those set on “earning” their seats by standing in line the earliest fumed. They complained that the app ruined the experience and pandered not to the film lover but to the one with the fastest LTE connection.

The idea behind the Sundance app was to prevent folks from waiting twice- once to get a waitlist number and then later to see if they would even be admitted to the screening. With the mobile-enabled check-in system, festivalgoers have a shot to reserve a line position over the internet. Those with smartphones and tablets (or close to a self-serve kiosk) can claim a spot in line two hours before the scheduled screening. The system also allows festivalgoers to view/manage their check-in and gauge their chances of actually getting into the event. The drawback is obvious. The list fills almost instantly.

In addition, there’s no guarantee that a single waitlister gets in. The waitlist seats open up only if ticket or pass holders don’t show by the 15-minute mark. At that point, the theater management assesses the number of open seats, and sells to the waitlist. Pass holders and ticket holders are still admitted during this time and have priority over waitlisters.

Finally, in order to use the eWaitlist you need to register ahead of time. Check the Sundance website to see when they go live with it (early January).  You can only be on one waitlist at a time per two-hour window so choose wisely. Once you sign into a waitlist, you’ll be given a waitlist number; btw, you can connect with a friend so you can both go to the same screening; though you’ll each get individual consecutive numbers in the queue. You’ll then need to get to the theater at least 30 minutes prior to showtime; tickets will then be sold (cash only, $25 per ticket) beginning 15 minutes prior to showtime. While the number of available waitlist seats vary by venue, history has shown that early mornings and late nights are the best times to get seats, and larger venues like Park City’s Eccles Center will obviously offer your best chance. WAITLIST NUMBERS DO NOT GUARANTEE THAT YOU WILL BE SOLD A TICKET TO YOUR DESIRED SCREENING.

The theme song for Sundance could possibly be the one on the radio from Echo Smith- the chorus goes “I wish that I could be like the cool kids; cuz all the cool kids they seem to get in.” Oh, how true it is – many times a day- during the Sundance Film Festival.

We all wish we could be like the cool kids weaving in and out of the special sponsor lounges and suites peppering Main Street carrying paper bags filled with odd gadgets and beanies.

One of the cool kids

Bloggers are apparently the cool kids this year at Sundance. The hottest YouTube and Vine sensations are getting in on the networking here. I’m told that kids nowadays could care less about TV and film actors. They’re all about those three-minute wonders dishing on fashion, style, food or just themselves. (I couldn’t name a single one but I’m not under 13).

Companies staking tables inside Sundance lounges are responding like dogs to salami when you mention you blog. I tested it myself at the Talent Resources Suites inside the Blue Iguana Cafe. The reaction between saying “I’m a writer” versus “I’m a blogger” was mindboggling. The gal from Moose Knuckles outerwear couldn’t stop shaking my hand. I got all warm and fuzzy. I’d love to try out one of their coats.

We’ve already talked about the parties and the VIP party list, now let’s talk schmoozing. The gifting machine has changed quite a bit this year as advertising agencies try to figure out Park City’s latest batch of rules surrounding the operation of businesses as ‘pop ups’. A company (usually a branding agency) swoops in and rents a retail space on Main. Then they invite retail companies like Motorola or Sorel or Ex Officio to take a corner for meet and greets, gifting and photo opps.

Breaking Bad’s RJ Mitte chatting up Westrock Coffee

Every year at Sundance, licensing for sponsors and sponsor booths gets more complicated and this year is no exception. “For some reason no matter how buttoned up or how experienced we are there is nothing easy about it,” said Talent Resources CEO Mike Heller about his company’s TR Suites. “The festival doesn’t love the pop up gifting suites so they make it extra hard to execute.” Heller says they work closely with the town to make sure they follow complete protocol. “Each year new rules and regulations are created that we have to make sure we update and adhere to.” TRS has been hosting brands for seven years.

The basic gist of the latest rule change is that every single business within a rented space that wants to gift has to get its own business license. The parent company who runs the space can purchase an umbrella license and save the other companies the hassle but there’s a deadline and there are stipulations. Then if you want to serve alcohol or food or be open late at night you’ve got even more rules to contend with. So it’s no surprise that there was less gifting and more massaging. “Gifting’s out. The trend is about creating a unique experience,” said Kate Elfatah. She started as a designer of the cutest kids dresses and she was hooked after her first experience showcasing at Sundance. Three years later, she’s running her own

Bang & Olufsen Lounge where film guests, VIPs and media can come for the pampering. There are massages, hair stylists, makeup artists, even eyelash extension appointments.

BeforeAfter

The space is also used for panel discussions and private parties. She did bring in clients for a tiny bit of exclusive gifting, however, and I doubt anyone’s complaining (or not taking).

Jaybird is featuring their new Reign fitness bracelet and app and the wonderful Urban Decay make-up gal reminded me why I love their Naked Foundation.

The Eddie Bauer Adventure House basically offered a place for a drink, cup of coffee with Califia Almond Milk, chat with an athlete and a chairlift photo while you’re sprinkled with fake snow made of bubbles. At night they had parties.

At Lipton Lounge you taste their new canned lemonade, you jump into a box of plastic balls, get a massage and have your nails done.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKNgv10F28E&w=560&h=315]

The EcoLuxe Lounge had a mixture of both experience and gifting. Plus, hosting at Cisero’s, they had the best food! I’d take pizza and spaghetti over a jar of lotion any day. They offered seated chair massages, open bar, makeup applications (with a gift of J. Andre natural cosmetic sponges)

and you could slide your feet into a cozy pair of Pakems you customize yourself while you lounged.

The TR Suites offered the more original gifting experience and celebs like Walking Dead’s Laurie Holden and Jane The Virgin’s Gina Rodriguez were clamoring for the swag.

Gifting is still the ideal way to get your products in the hands of influencers. It’s one thing to look at something it’s another to be able to take it home and play with it.

I loved being able to give the evil eye to those companies who don’t get that. Alex and Ani were showing off their new collection and it was fun to see them there.

Speaking of seeing, Vuarnet is back! The undeniably French brand that covered every skier’s eyes in the 80s fell off the map but with new owners and US distributors, the company is using Sundance to launch and rebrand themselves. The frames with glass lenses retail from $180-$500 and the company will position themselves as a luxury brand. I can’t remember how I could afford the Cateyes back then as a highschooler and now I really can’t imagine buying a pair. Fortunately, I was gifted my very own pair of with Polarlynx lenses.

CAT footwear was back and celebs were scooping up the boots. Nothing was left in my size but I’m still wearing a pair that look as great now as they did when CAT gave them to me.

UK brand Superdry has been at Sundance before but this time they partnered with TR to gift jackets.

TR Suites also had food like the very yummy Mellow Mushroom Pizza (now located in Sugarhouse!), Jackson’s Honest Potato Chips one of the only chips made with healthier coconut oil instead of polyunsaturated vegetable oils, Yellow Tail Wine and Westrock Coffee (bringing beans from Rwanda and paying locals a fair wage.)

To be honest, as much as I loooovvvee free stuff I’m kind of glad there wasn’t more gifting. I’d be stuck at home writing instead of out mingling. Off to the races!