Party on Hollywood Blvd: Schmoozing...oh the awkwardness

My week in Schmoozing School:

First, my two thesis films screened at Chapman's First Look at the DGA (Director's Guild of America) in Hollywood on Sunset (boo-ya boy!). Chapman invites tons of industry people to the screening with hors devours served before the show and desserts and coffee after with drinks served all the time (aw yeah). Scoring free food and drinks at these events is what I'm always excited for, but what everyone is there to do but at the same time what I think everyone hates to do is: SCHMOOZ. I had my business cards in my pocket and set a bunch out on the Mamitas table (they were all gone after the screening). You scan the room and see everyone else scanning the room, looking for people to talk to. You think about opening lines. You see a friend engaged in what looks like an interesting conversation but you can't butt your way in...I was recently informed it's bad form to interupt a friend mid-schmooz. You have to wait until it looks like the conversation is dying down. Once in the conversation, it's an effort to keep it going and finding a way out is always an awkward transition.

Scmoozing: I've realized I need to relax and just chat with ease, I usually get tense and nervous, thinking things like, am I boring this person? It's loud, can they hear what I'm saying? I also need to learn to take compliments. I got a lot of praise at the screening. I always blush and look away and I never know what to say. However, I think, I just need to say simply, "thank you so much for saying that," and then continue the conversation. Side-note: my movies looked polished and went over amazingly. After Mamitas screened, I heard someone a few rows up lean over to the person next to them and say, "that was really good."

The Emotion of it all (This is why I do this): I was sitting in the back of the theater and half way through the movie the tears started flowing. All the hard work and all my passion went into the two movies. I loved working on them, I loved how I molded them out of hours of raw footage. I loved how the audience responded to both of them...and now it's over. People keep telling me not to worry; that I'll have new things to work on. I know that there are many projects ahead of me, but I've just been so involved for over a year, it's hard now that it's gone. I guess, if the scmoozing will get me more projects that will make me feel like this, it's a neccessary thing to do. It's just so awful. It's definetely an artform in this business.

Last night there was an industry party on Hollywood Blvd. I saw Oliver Stone, scored some delicious bites of steak on a stick and partook in the free open bar. After a few parties, I will be an old pro...I'm going to avoid being that Hollywood slick annoying schmoozer.