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!

The energy in the room was electric; so many people in black with the most exclusive Sundance ticket packages gathering up at the Stein Eriksen Lodge to kick off the Sundance Film Festival 2015.

“Are you local?” I asked the family standing nearby as we moved toward the shuttles that would carry us to the premiere screening. They nodded yes. I said enthusiastically, “Really? Where do you live?” The parents live in New York and their daughter in Los Angeles. I chuckled. During Sundance, being from LA or New York is local. The filmmakers and patrons own this little ski town for 10 days in January and on this first night of the Fest- at An Artist At The Table- we’re all family.

Attending the documentary What Happened, Miss Simone? about the legendary jazz artist Nina Simone was ancillary to the evening but it highlighted the fact that without the Sundance Institute there might not be this kind of voice in film.

The ‘artist’ at our table excitedly described his next film, a documentary about the woman who singlehandedly crushed the ERA from passing. Sundance Directing Award Winner Ben Cotner was back after last year’s Case Against Eight documentary to share his passion for Sundance.

He vouched for the sentiment that without the Sundance Institute that nurtures them there would be no Sundance Film Festival and possibly no true independent film voice.

An Artist At The Table was an evening of education, connections, introductions and awe. Norman Lear was at the table in front of me discussing the Memoir he’s writing, Christine Lahti was at the table to my right, Sundance alumni and the director of the Oscar-nominated Selma Ava DuVernay stood to applause at yet another table.

Unlike your everyday world, rubbing elbows with some inspirational filmmakers is commonplace at the Sundance Film Festival. The AATT facilitates this ten fold. Everyone around me had some sort of professional connection. They weren’t just coming to see movies. They were actors, producers, lawyers, ad execs, directors, writers and they all have a story to tell.

Morgan Neville sat next to me on the bus. The Oscar-winning documentary producer (20 Feet From Stardom) has yet another film in Sundance – Best of Enemies, a humorous look at the 1968 televised debates between conservative strategist William F. Buckley, Jr. and liberal writer Gore Vidal.  Neville’s Sundance royalty but still an all-around good guy.

Last night was an opportunity to hear from the artists who have grown up through the Sundance Institute. The organization has been nurturing visionaries through their labs and workshops since 1981.

The AATT last night honored the programs and people that helped build their film career whether it was a screenwriters, filmmakers, directors or Catalyst event at Sundance Resort.And the rest of the week gives us all a chance to recognize both partners’ contributions.