Californ-i-aaa and TVIFF | Opening Night!

September 15, 2011

Can you find us?  =)

Tanya here! Welp, yesterday started out eaarrllly.  I touched down in L.A. (listening to “Back in Black”…that slow-mo-walking, soundtrack-in-your-head…don’t deny it; you have a song like that). I met up with Kristine here in L.A. and we were off. 

Last night was Opening Night for the Temecula Valley Film & Music fest! It was quite the experience, lol, we’re definitely newbies.  We got there, got our credentials and badges and then registered for the red carpet.  They gave us a card that said “Blue” on it, so a lady could go ahead of us and show the press who was coming.  Then they had us fill out a card with our names and where we were from so the announcer would know what to say. 

It was in line (waiting to be assigned a vintage car that would take us to the red carpet) where we were a bit humbled and found out just how new we were to this whole shindig.  The guys in front of us were about our age, had already won some awards and had been picked up to make their short into a feature.  The ones behind us already had a plethora of laurels too.  But it was fun to laugh and visit; crazy characters they are =P.  We were finally assigned to be in a shiny black ’76 Camaro, driven by the sweetest lady. Haha, she asked if we wanted a picture and I wasn’t about to turn that one down.

We finally pulled up to the red carpet, a guy in an Air Force uniform opened our door, and we stepped out to what we didn’t think was going to be much at all.  Then when we saw flashes going off, press and people.  Lol, is it hacky that I had my camera?  And that I was rolling video the entire time? 

Um..Screenshots from the hip-shot Red Carpet Experience =P

We were ushered through various press-interviews along the way, and probably the most meaningful part of my night was meeting a young man who had seen Blue and asked us to say a little something to the Facebook Fans.  We had to move on, but I’m hoping to find him later; I’d like to know his personal connection with cancer if he has one.

We were ushered into the Theater lobby, met some awesome filmmakers over refreshments.  Then we screened the Opening Night feature, called “Losing Control.”  It has actually been granted theatrical release, so that’s cool.  The director (a woman, chuyeah!) and some of the cast were there too =).  We met her briefly at the after-party.

The Jazz band that kept us company while we waited for the Opening Screening of "Losing Control"

Xenia featured on NBC's "The Voice" performed for the opening!

The Director, cast and some crew from "Losing Control"

By that time, my East-coast watch was a quarter past dead so we skipped out early and came back to Kristine’s grandma’s house to crash.  We’re headed out to see some screenings now, so peace! More to come =)