Anyway, the two gals I was hanging out with last night worked with me at Sundance and I was telling them about my problem, we were laughing about how back in the day we only had one email for the entire Sundnace Los Angles office it was: sundancela@somethingsomething.com and there was only one computer that was hooked up to "the internet", anyway, my job in the morning was to check the "email" and then print out the individual emails and put them in the staff boxes. Indiewire was just a little newsletter and I'd print it up and make copies for Geoff, Michelle, Lynn and Cooper - now look at Indiewire they're all fancy and new and apart of Snag Films.
Everyone keeps asking me, "what do you want to do?" Well, having just left my job 48 hours ago after 10 years and since I've been working in film festivals since before Al Gore invented the internet... I'm going to have to pause on answering that one...
On my website you can see I've been performing and telling stories for years and voiceovers (my dream job would be to be the voice of some sexy robot on Adult Swim).
I've developed and optioned scripts and my short films and performances have played all over the world... so that'd be cool to do more of that for sure - I would consider giving away my non-existent child to write on a TV show!
And I love film festivals, I love watching new films in the dark for the first time with the filmmakers - it's thrilling when the audience laughs in the right place and gasps at the right moments - it's truly awesome to know you programmed those films and got them up on the big screen!
I'm also obsessed with online festivals and watching films online. I just got my Roku set up. I spend hours on Criterion.com and TheAuteurs.com - Matt Dentler has my other dream job right now.
Ah the options, the opportunities abound!
Off to Sundance 2009, I wasn't planning to go this year since things were so tight at AFI but I bought the sweatshirt cuz I started there before 1985 when it was the US Film Festival but still quite an accomplishment for the old dame!
Anyway I babble... I'm unemployed I got time!
So, here is the email I would have sent you if I had your email for those of you who I know that didn't know:
As many of you know, I am no longer working for AFI FEST, due to financial constraints at AFI.
I have loved being a part of AFI FEST the past 10 years. During those years I ushered in the 22nd Anniversary of the festival and programmed some extraordinary films in Los Angeles that otherwise might not have found their audience. We (myself and others who have already left AFI) created the alternative film screening series AFI at ArcLight and the rocking Music Documentary Series and one of my favorite cultural programs AFI PROJECT: 20/20. Most importantly, I was very fortunate to have met some amazing artists, many of whom have become dear friends along the way.
These are times of great challenge and great change. Non-profits are suffering under the weight of our nation's economic turmoil and AFI FEST is no exception. I hope the festival and AFI’s exhibition programs are able to continue, as it’s never been more important in the larger film industry.
In the meantime, I am looking forward to the new opportunities and challenges ahead and plan to stay in Los Angeles (unless the perfect job appears in Barcelona). I would appreciate any information you may have or come across about positions at other film festivals, cultural institutions, or production/distribution companies.
I will no longer be checking my former sbennett@afi.com address. Please change your address books - since this is on the internet: DM me on twitter, message me on facebook or myspace and I'll update ya or you can go to my website - I'm not too hard to find.
Dovetailing on the economic situation and keeping the cinematic revolution alive I look forward to programming some gems in various venues around the city this month. Let me know if you want to know more.
xo
shaz
www.shazbennett.com
Here we are in front of the iconic Albertsons!
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