7/26/07 note:
I should have taken more photos, specially at Q & A segment following the screenings, specially on opening night. Next time. Below are a few photos from the 7/12 - 18 Date Number One run.
All photos Copyright 2007 Sujewa Ekanayake/Wild Diner Films.
A few friends of Fritz (DNO actor & crew, 4th from left), on closing night of the run - Wed 7/18.
I think this photo, of me at the entrance to the theater space, was taken on Tue 7/16.
That's an image from Story 1. There are people in the theater, in the front rows, even if you can't seem them in this photo :)
A few more audience members from the closing night - Wed 7/18.
More people on closing night.
That's Fritz on L, Stephen J. on R, working the door.
Main entrance to the venue.
The Venue.
Ready for the next show.
Me after the first night's screening.
That's Mike C. & Stephen J. working the door.
DNO poster at town's sign, close up.
Sign in middle of Kensington. That orange poster is the one for DNO run.::
Notes from Date Number One's 1 week (7/12 Thu - 7/18 Wed) D.I.Y. theatrical run in Kensington, MD/@ Armory Building.
:: Wed 7/11, 9:20 PM:
I should have done this at SilverDocs, keeping all the posts re: that one event as a part of one post, so that I won't have to go back later & work on pulling everything together to read my notes from several days/from one event. So here goes;
- Went over all the preparations for the event today, got final (for now) posters up in Kensington, tested out the gear & venue (a most excellent venue - tall ceilings, lots of space) one more time. Will have pics soon. Everything is running smoothly, with back up plans in place & tested.
- Waiting for the Gazette to come out. Also City Paper tomorrow. We'll see if we also get anything in the Post, very likely. Press & publicity work continues, and will continue every day of the run.
- This run is gonna be awesome - lots of excitement & positive energy re: it in Kensington.
- About 14 little tasks to do 'till we open for bidness tomorraw; according to my 2 Do list. Off to get some of that sh*t done right now!
More tomorrow- from day 1 of the first ever week long run of DNO!!!!!!! It took a loooong time (since late Spring '04) to get to this point, glad we got here baby, glad we got here.
:: Wed 7/11, 10:09 PM:
Got this week's Gazette, nothing re: the flick in it-perhaps that interview they did will be published next week. It's a good thing we've got the CP ad, On Tap article, fliers, e-mails, blog press, & word of mouth definitely happening.
:: Wed 7/11, 11:14 PM:
Still working the publicity machine-updating all the blogs. Need to get that wilddiner.com website updated ASAP too. Full-on 7/12-18 run publicity work is on!
:: Thu 7/12, 12:25 AM:
Doing a US wide theatrical release w/in a short period of time - even w/in a couple of years, is a lot of work & is very expensive- too expensive for most low budget indie filmmakers, BUT, producing a week long run of a film at one venue is doable -w/the right venue & the right film. Coupled with bookings & fest screenings/other screenings elsewhere, & w/ blog & other internet exposure & whatever print exposure that can be had, with DVD sales & rentals & VOD following closely, a DIY film could be "released" by a DIY filmmaker- independently & on a low budget, w/ in a relatively short amount of time (3 mos - 1 year after completion of film perhaps). That is at least the path that Date Number One is traveling on at the moment/or at least one possible direction for it to go at the moment. Stuff to think about.
In order to embrace that future the Hollywood/Indiewood idea of success will have to be fully put aside. Is that truly possible & is that even something to aspire to? More stuff to think about.
Regardless of the future paths, producing a week long run of the movie is a very satisfying & happiness-inducing thing. In that sense the event is already a massive success; I've been high on this thing for like 3 months or so now. Now let's see how many people show up to the show today & how they like it :)
rest of day, Thu 7/12:
highlights:
Mike Tully publishes his interview with me re: DNO & the 7/12 - 18 run. Thanks Mike!
I found out that the Gazette did publish an awesome article re: me & DNO, because of the 7/12 - 18 run. Happiness all around.
Opening night notes. A good time was had by all there, myself included. Thanks a lot to everyone who came.
Mon 7/16
It's early AM - 2:53 to be exact and I am looking forward to some much needed sleep. Some quick thoughts;
:: Wed 7/11, 9:20 PM:
I should have done this at SilverDocs, keeping all the posts re: that one event as a part of one post, so that I won't have to go back later & work on pulling everything together to read my notes from several days/from one event. So here goes;
- Went over all the preparations for the event today, got final (for now) posters up in Kensington, tested out the gear & venue (a most excellent venue - tall ceilings, lots of space) one more time. Will have pics soon. Everything is running smoothly, with back up plans in place & tested.
- Waiting for the Gazette to come out. Also City Paper tomorrow. We'll see if we also get anything in the Post, very likely. Press & publicity work continues, and will continue every day of the run.
- This run is gonna be awesome - lots of excitement & positive energy re: it in Kensington.
- About 14 little tasks to do 'till we open for bidness tomorraw; according to my 2 Do list. Off to get some of that sh*t done right now!
More tomorrow- from day 1 of the first ever week long run of DNO!!!!!!! It took a loooong time (since late Spring '04) to get to this point, glad we got here baby, glad we got here.
:: Wed 7/11, 10:09 PM:
Got this week's Gazette, nothing re: the flick in it-perhaps that interview they did will be published next week. It's a good thing we've got the CP ad, On Tap article, fliers, e-mails, blog press, & word of mouth definitely happening.
:: Wed 7/11, 11:14 PM:
Still working the publicity machine-updating all the blogs. Need to get that wilddiner.com website updated ASAP too. Full-on 7/12-18 run publicity work is on!
:: Thu 7/12, 12:25 AM:
Doing a US wide theatrical release w/in a short period of time - even w/in a couple of years, is a lot of work & is very expensive- too expensive for most low budget indie filmmakers, BUT, producing a week long run of a film at one venue is doable -w/the right venue & the right film. Coupled with bookings & fest screenings/other screenings elsewhere, & w/ blog & other internet exposure & whatever print exposure that can be had, with DVD sales & rentals & VOD following closely, a DIY film could be "released" by a DIY filmmaker- independently & on a low budget, w/ in a relatively short amount of time (3 mos - 1 year after completion of film perhaps). That is at least the path that Date Number One is traveling on at the moment/or at least one possible direction for it to go at the moment. Stuff to think about.
In order to embrace that future the Hollywood/Indiewood idea of success will have to be fully put aside. Is that truly possible & is that even something to aspire to? More stuff to think about.
Regardless of the future paths, producing a week long run of the movie is a very satisfying & happiness-inducing thing. In that sense the event is already a massive success; I've been high on this thing for like 3 months or so now. Now let's see how many people show up to the show today & how they like it :)
rest of day, Thu 7/12:
highlights:
Mike Tully publishes his interview with me re: DNO & the 7/12 - 18 run. Thanks Mike!
I found out that the Gazette did publish an awesome article re: me & DNO, because of the 7/12 - 18 run. Happiness all around.
Opening night notes. A good time was had by all there, myself included. Thanks a lot to everyone who came.
Mon 7/16
It's early AM - 2:53 to be exact and I am looking forward to some much needed sleep. Some quick thoughts;
- don't have much time to blog while the run is on, will get caught up on it on 7/19 or 7/20 when the run is over.
- the Armory is a great venue. Such non-commercial venues maybe the ideal path to take with DIY screenings because such venues are more affordable & there is a sense of community & a positive casualness about having the event at such a venue - an agreeable simplicity.
- having a great time with the run.
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More Notes/Links Coming Soon
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- Sujewa
- Sujewa
