Also saw SON OF RAMBOW, this awesome little British/French dramedy about a
kid with no dad and loads of artistic talent who lives in a very strict religious
community with three generations of female family members, while trying to
survive school. I won’t give much more away than that, but it is a must see
for anyone who loves good storytelling. So cute, so cool. Very bittersweet
with stellar performances by the two kid leads. 

Here are some tips to stay sane at the Expo:

General:
- Bring snacks so you don’t have to spend a ton of money at the hotel feeding yourself.
- Bring a ton of business cards.
- Bring a lot of paper and pens. I ran out a ton last year. Didn’t even use my laptop to take notes.

Pitching:
- The atmosphere is very hectic because everyone else’s nervous energy will permeate the hallways. People will be especially nervous because of the impending Strike. Right now agents are being asked by studios NOT to submit pitches or scripts.
- Don’t dress like you are going on a job interview (no suits). Clothes should be clean, comfortable, and more on the casual side, but not sloppy.
- Take a deep breath, practice your pitch, and make sure you have a one-sheet leave-behind. List your Logline/Pitch, break out each Act with a short description, include the Climax and Resolution, Main Male and Female Leads (with possible casting ideas), and your Contact Information.
- Don’t feel compelled to fill up all the time by going on-and-on about your story. Hit them with your pitch (30 seconds-1 minute), and hope they ask questions.
- Practice getting your pitch into a conversational tone, and make sure you give them the title, the genre (fish-out-of-water comedy, a revenge story, etc.), and bring note cards so if you get nervous/confused, you can refer to it.
- In some cases you’ll get a “What else you got?” Have another script/story idea that you’re ready to pitch.
- DO NOT…. DO NOT bring props like a musical instrument, stuffed animals/puppets, t-shirts with your movie’s logo on it, etc.
- Remember that most of the people you will pitch to don’t want to be there. You’ll get some 20-year-old with no experience listening to your pitch. Don’t take it personally if they reject it outright. They know less than you.

Classes:
- Take advantage of the interviews and panels with working writers. You will learn volumes from their trials and tribulations.
Get there really early for the big names, though. Last year we couldn’t get in to see Oliver Stone and we got there over an hour ahead of time.
- Don’t worry about the arbitrary designations for attending the Advanced and Pro seminars. If it interests you, go. People in the Guild tend to be far more experienced and prepared than most of the people who attend Expo.
- Take at least one course on the film market/industry. For those of us outside of LA, it is important to stay connected to what’s going on.