We arrived in Los Angeles with empty stomachs, smog in our hair and stars in our eyes, just like every other Hollywood hopeful. It was Vision Fest 08 and we were there, not with any vision ourselves but with a goal and a dream: to get Kevin Smith on Seesmic. There's really no need to build the suspense because I wouldn't be writing this if it didn't happen but how did it happen? How did we sucker this A list director to come on Seesmic? As they say in Hollywood, here's the backstory:
My friend Jacques Thelemaque, founder of the Filmmakers Alliance, invited us to attend Vision Fest, an event FA throws every year to screen the short films they've produced and also honor amazing filmmakers. This year the event honored Kevin Smith. Jacques is a big fan of Seemsic and thinks it has amazing potential for filmmakers so we decided to show him exactly what Seesmic is all about.
I posted to Seemic asking if there were any Kevin Smith fans out there, and got tons of responses. The best by far were from uber fans, Virginie and Sebastian from Switzerland. They posted several times but they blew us away when they dressed up like Jay and Silent Bob and digitally inserted themselves into a "scene" in front of the famous Clerks' Quick Stop.
We got to work right away (two days before the screening--oy, the pressure) editing together the Seesmic videos to actually screen at the DGA theatre in front of Kevin Smith and an audience of a 1000 including press, actors, filmmakers, hollywood veterans, etc... I wasn't stressed at all.
Before the screening, I got the opportunity to introduce Kevin to the Seesmic community and he responded directly to Seesmic uers questions. Dana (aka Wankergirl) had a "seesmagasm" when Kevin responded to her video. Kevin was very generous with his time and answered loads of questions. He also told us about his upcoming film, "Zack and Miri Make a Porno." Sounds like a family film.
Interviewing Kevin Smith was fun and a career high and all that, blah, blah, but the true highlight of the evening was the screening. Our little short film (using Seemic videos and also starring Vinvin, Whit and I) was a hit! I'm talking non stop laughing in the theatre. Afterwards, as the three of us stood around like dorks reveling in our glory, it started happening....a double take from a random stranger and then "Oh! Are you the guys in the film? You were so funny!" and "Hi, I'm one of the founders of FA, your short was so great, hilarious...." I hate to brag (no, i don't) but that was just the beginning. We were hounded by our fans all night. Kevin who?
