An Honorable 30th Year Celebration at Sundance

Words and photography by: Matthew McGuire

Welcome to our special review and recap on the 2014 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. This post is to help navigate viewers to various sections of our 2014 coverage. Hyperlinks are available within this recap to easily connect with individual reviews on films screened this year at Sundance. Check out the links to the directors, artists and other talented people that helped put this event together. This year we have provided high definition photos from the event via our Google+ page. Viewers can download and share photos that we were able to record during the festival.

The coverage and planning for this event dates back to 2009 for our outlet. When we were first making YouTube videos, our background image was the marque at the Egyptian Theater on Main Street. The dream of working with the most prestigious independent media organization in the country seemed like a million miles away. I found out first hand that it is more like 1450 miles in driving distance to Park City, Utah from Carbondale, Illinois.

This year mark our first time being able to cover the event, and the drive seemed manageable overall. Kevin Smith, director of ‘Clerks’, talked about inspiration during the Q & A before the ‘Clerks’ 20th Anniversary screening at Sundance on Friday, January 25. A fan asked about how he derives inspiration from comic books. Smith responded with a story from a Batman comic about Bruce Wayne taking the car off the road, but realizing that it would be more honorable to get the car back on the road. This story resonated with me as I looked back at my freak accident on the way to Park City. During my drive I feel a sleep at the wheel after taking two separate naps at rest areas. The tire strip on the side of the interstate woke me up, as I pulled the vehicle back on the road. It would have been honorable going down on my way to Sundance, but I agree with Kevin when he points out that it is more honorable to get the car back on the road.

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A quick thank you to all the sponsors that help make this event possible. Cheers to HP, Acura, Sundance Channel, Chase Sapphire Preferred, YouTube, Adobe, Canon, Southwest.com and a long list of supportive companies pushing for the growth of indie art.