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Feel Good Film Festival - Our Story
August 22, 2008
The movie that David filmed in August of 2007, The Rainbow Tribe, was part of the opening night gala at the Feel Good Film Festival in Hollywood.
David James Elliott appeared with the entire child cast; Grayson Russell, Noah Munck, Max Burkholder, Aidan Gould, Dalton O'Dell, Taylor Boggan and Dennis Volochkov.
(click on thumbnails for larger images - mostimages enlarge)
Myself, Sue, Jerri and her husband Richard attended the film festival. Below are our ramblings and photos ...
Friday:
The festival staff was a bit disorganized, this was their first festival afterall, so they were late letting us in. We passed the time getting to know each other which was great. Sue and I had our cameras but Richard was the 'pro'. Thank goodness for his pictures because Sue's camera kept malfunctioning. (*@! - LOL!!)
Once inside we got a drink and 'one' hors d'œuvre, which was very good but I would have enjoyed more.
While mingling around we met Dan Frisch, writer and producer of TRT. He was quite friendly and happy to meet David fans. We introduced ourselves and when I said my name is Cindy he said "CindyG?" Yikes! Anyway ... he said he was glad to meet me.
Dan left saying he was off to pick up David and his family and the "kids". The limo arrived a bit later however the gang stayed inside until the line on the yellow carpet to get through 'the press' shortened. Finally the kids got out and close behind was David, hair extensions and all. From where I was standing I knew it was David from the moment I saw him but he walked right by Sue and Richard with both of them totally unaware. LOL!! They figured it out pretty quick though. As the image shows - he had his hair pulled back into a ponytail.
They walked up the carpet to the press area and David held back to give the kids a few minutes by themselves. He then joined them in front of the backdrop.
When David was done with all the official pics fans started asking for photos. David agreed happily as he always does. I seized my moment as well. I told him that I thought the movie was fabulous; that I had seen it at the Rhode Island Festival. He said "Thanks - Rhode Island - Wow" Okay, so he now knows I am officially insane, LOL!
After the fan pictures, David gave two interviews.
Once inside the theater things were much less crowded. David and family were mingling about so we took the opportunity and spoke to them briefly here and there. Nanci was beautiful, Wyatt was energetic (boy do I remember those days) and Stephanie has grown up so much. Don't know why that surprised me, after all my own children who used to sit and watch JAG with me are now aged 21 and 18.
In the pictures above, I had David autograph two Rainbow Tribe Memory books. One for the auction later this year and one for me. I told David that and he said that was fine. So after he signed the first one and I am getting the second one ready I said to him "David, since this one is for me, will you sign it 'To Cindy, it is wonderful to see you again'" in a teasing tone. He looked at me with that raised eyebrow and smiled - he wrote 'To Cindy' and then signed his name. So I said, "Well... it is wonderful to see me again... isn't it?" As he is handing me the pen back, he smiled again and said "Yes, of course it is, Cindy" he paused and then added "Thank you." I thanked him as well.
At the end of the movie, there was a Q&A and all the kids, Daryl Morris (the chauffer) along with Dan, Chris (director) and David went down front. They talked about making the movie and everyone had such nice things to say about each other. All the boys said what an honor it was to work with David and it was clear he respected them as well.
(For now I will refrain from telling you too much about the Q&A because I hope to have a video fairly soon, fingers crossed, and then you can hear it yourself.)
We walked down to the front of the theater to have Dan autograph Jerri's photo and the Rainbow Tribe Memory books. He made such a big deal about signing his *first* autograph when he signed Jerri's photo. He said "Quiet everybody ... I am signing my first autograph!" LOL!! Then I handed him the books and he signed them - but while he was signing a friend of his that was standing there said "What are those, Dan?" He said "I was wondering the same thing", and then asked me where I got them. I said "You have to promise not to get mad" He is looking through the book and said, "why would I get mad?" I answered with "because most of it is from your website". He said "You made this!" I nodded and he said "how do I get one?" I told him I would trade him a book for the movie poster that was out front and he quickly answered "Deal! But you will have to wait until Sunday to take it." Fine by me.
Later out in the courtyard, we hung around and chatted with Dan and a few others. Have I said what a nice man he is? And funny too! The boys absolutely adore him.
Dan mentioned if we wanted to come back that they would be showing the movie the next night. I teasingly said, "I don't know ... watch it a third time??" And he pretened to slug me in the shoulder. We all said we would love to come back and he said "Great!" He told us he hoped to start filming TRT part 2 in Oct. He said although a *significant* part of the story, David's role is not as large in part 2 as it was in part 1. However, in part 3 he comes back and has a much larger role again. It sounds like an excellent story and I wish him all the success in getting it told.
Philip Waley (Dan's partner) joined us outside so we had him autograph our books as well. He communicated his deep commitment to the movie and expressed how hopeful he was to getting a theatrical release.
Saturday:
Somehow - this movie gets better each time I watch it! I laughed and cried as much this time as the first and second time. We were in the smaller theater and it was packed. Dan did another Q&A after the showing. The story he told here concerning David was that he almost scared David off the movie - now I'm sure he was exaggerating a bit based on his tone of voice but he said he told David that in addition to starring in the movie that he would also be part director, part producer, and part babysitter!! LOL!
Outside we talked more - this time going to the street right off -as Friday night we were kicked out so the theater could lock up. Dan's girlfriend (she was so nice!) was with us so we got a few more of the juicy details. She told us the story that the 'biscuit' shot was indeed David and she was on the set when it was filmed! It was a closed set so there were few many there. She laughed when she told us that the couple of females on the set had to "turn their backs" when it was time for David to "drop the towel". She said that David was a total good sport about the scene. She agreed that the scene was a necessary one for the movie as did we. She also shared that seeing David in Holiday Affair is what totally sold her on David, although she hasn't seen The Man Who Lost Himself. (I will be sending her a copy! LOL!)
Sunday:
At the awards program, The Rainbow Tribe won Audience Favorite. It should have won Best Picture as well!
Pictured with Dan above is Chris Watson, the director.
Sending out a BIG Thank you to RichardS for his awesome pictures. Please do not post these images on any other website.
