BUTT-NUMB-A-THON 5

Hey Folks, Harry here… Originally, I was going to do something… a bit insane on October 1st for Locals to have to accomplish to get tickets. I was going to give local Austinites and Central Texas folks 30 days to donate blood, get proof, then meet me on October 30th at an undisclosed location to participate in the BLOOD DRAWING for Bnat tickets.

Then, right as I was about to do it, I was made aware that apparently Blood Donor centers seem to prejudice against gays, drug users and anemics… and figuring that’d be completely unfair to gay geeks, druggie geeks and anemic geeks… I figured, I had to come up with something else.

THEN – I got put smack dab in the middle of Film Development, and Tim League at the Alamo Drafthouse got busy with his ever-expanding mega-empire and… well, time flew by. Now that the film deal is announced and my screenwriter is banging out his deal, I’ve had some time to think about it a bit and I’ve decided to make it all simple this year.

Austinites… Citizens of the World… You are all in the same boat. This isn’t going to be a drawing this year. There will be no random nature to getting tickets to BUTT-NUMB-A-THON 5… This year, it is all about the doorman. That’s me. I’m turning this year’s BNAT into a Studio 54 type of deal. Here’s what you have to do…

1) A Picture of you & the person(s) you’re hoping to get into BNAT 5 this year must be submitted to Harry@aintitcool.com. These pictures should be a nice clear headshot(s). No smaller than than 4 inches by 4 inches 72 dpi.

2) Another picture that for whatever reason expresses who you are and your personal state of mind. This picture doesn't have to be you, it can be anything at all. Sent to the same email address above. No larger than 8 inches by 8 inches. No smaller than 3 inches by 3 inches. 72 dpi.

3) A paragraph about you & your friend(s) (one paragraph per each person at least), why you (they) want to come to Butt-Numb-A-Thon 5, age, favorite movie, where you live, what you do and why I’m cooler than Moriarty. (Hey, nobody said this would be easy!)

The date to email the pictures and info is OCTOBER 31st, 2003 (that 24 hour day according to Central Standard Time). The SUBJECT LINE should read: "BNAT YEARBOOK SUBMISSION". Any email that comes without that subject line WILL be DISCARDED! Any email that comes before or after October 31st - WILL be DISCARDED! No Exceptions!

You should realize – I’m having Yearbooks of BNAT attendees this year, and possibly a recap of BNAT 1-4. The plan is to organize the pictures and profiles via seating row. That way, in-between films you can get BNATers to sign your yearbook!

ALL ATTENDEES MUST SUBMIT These Criteria on October 31st. I don’t care if you know you already have tickets because of all the money you slip into envelopes all year to bribe me, or if you are Drew McWeeny or Capone or Quint. To get into the “yearbook,” to get into Butt-Numb-A-Thon 5, you must submit!

YOU WILL be notified on November 7th, 2003 of whether or not you got in. Yes, I know I’m making more work for me by doing it this way, but hell… It’s BUTT-NUMB-A-THON 5, you have no concept of how much work I’ve done on this sucker this year already. Given what is happening with me personally right now, I’m not sure how much attention I’ll be able to personally put into any of the future BNATs, but this time, this time I’m putting together a fest with surprises for all!

OK – So there you have it. Details on BUTT-NUMB-A-THON 5: The 24 Hour Film Festival will take place on December 6 & 7 (start time is still being discussed) and will last at least 24 hours at the original downtown location of THE ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE!

Now, Father Geek and I must get to work on the poster/cover photo for this year’s festival, finishing programming the fest and oh yeah… back to work on me movie.

P.S.

For those of you unfamiliar with what BUTT-NUMB-A-THON 5 is... Here's a refresher.

For the past 4 years, I've thrown a film festival that served two main purposes. 1st was to celebrate my birthday and have a reason to gather friends that I've made, and folks that have become friends via AICN together in a single place to enjoy amazing premieres, good company, good food and damn fine beer in an all out lovefest for everything great about films and friendship. 2nd was to raise the yearly funds to create and continue to run a non-profit charity with BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS called THE SATURDAY MORNING FILM CLUB. This club programs films from all times and from all backgrounds to kids that are not as well off as many, free of charge. Over the past 4 years we've brought over 50 films on the big screen at the Alamo Drafthouse for kids. Giving them that big screen experience of classics like CAPTAIN BLOOD, KING KONG, 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD, THE TIME MACHINE, KING SOLOMON'S MINES, THE GOLDEN STALLION and so on. This past year we managed to get Chris Columbus to tape a special introduction to our presentation of YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES, in which Chris shared his memories not only on the making of the film, but also the films he grew up on and how he went from being a kid watching Hammer Horror films on TV as a kid, to organizing a film club in High School, to the beginning of his screenwriting career and finally to the set of HARRY POTTER where he taped his introduction.

This event annually is my way of having an excuse to throw a damn fine time for filmmakers, film lovers and us folks that run AICN. This event is an insane bacchanal creation for lovers of films... from B Movie classics to the greatest films ever made to premieres of movies yet to be seen, some with distribution, some without.

In opening it up to film fans I don't know to attend, what I attempt to do is learn as much about those that wish to come for many reasons. One, to find out if they are really ready for a 24 hour film festival. Second, by finding out what their film interests are - and controlling seating, I end up sitting folks next to people of similar interests, backgrounds, etc. The result - for many - has been a film nirvana that can only be attained by having a perfect audience of film lovers... where each and every attendee knows that for each person in The Alamo Drafthouse... there's 30 that didn't get in that tried.

The Pictures are for the YEARBOOK that'll celebrate the 5th Anniversary of this Festival. A keepsake, one of many, that you get for attending. This event is all about film, the movies and the people that love them with every ounce of love they have. For those without this passion, I don't expect you to understand. BUT - if this sounds like something you'd love... give it a shot - but realize, each year roughly 7000 try, only 250 get in. Perhaps it's your lucky year, I know it has been mine.