Backstage at Sundance : HP_Onsite_Encounters

Oscar Win for Once's Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova

amy brock — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 02:12:00 GMT

Angela LoSasso
Web Content Manager, Imaging and Printing Group, U.S.

Congratulations to Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova for their Oscar win tonight for Best Song, "Falling Slowly" from the film Once (the 2007 Sundance World Cinema Audience Award winner).

HP has a special place in its heart for Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, as they were gracious enough to give HP a live performance of this Oscar-winning song on a snowy January day during the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. Take a look and listen.

Technorati Tags: sundance, sundance film festival, sundance film 2007, hp, hewlett packard, robert redford, once, glen hansard, marketa irglova, columbia records, oscars

HP Printing Studio for Professional Photographers

amy brock — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 16:18:00 GMT

Cindy Maestas
Interactive Marketing

Hello from Sundance! I have been working most of the week in the HP Printing Studio in the basement of the Sundance House at the Kimball Art Center. The Printing Studio is a hands-on place for credentialed and professional photographers to go to print their photos on several available HP Photosmart Pro B9180 printers. The studio is equipped with a Mac and two PC’s with Photoshop so it’s a great way for photographers to come and print (for free!) the fabulous photos taken around and about on the streets, movies and parties at Sundance. Throughout the week we have printed dozens of beautiful fine art quality photos for the many photographers who come to the event.

As many of our visitors have been members of the press, it really struck me how many beautiful images get taken by them but that never get to see the light of day. I spoke to a photographer from Getty Images who lamented that he might take 3,000 images at a single event and never print a single one of them – only a few get used for professional publication. He commented that he sometimes uses his printer at home (an Epson) to print his photos but frequently gets problems with the ink drying up and having to print several times to get an acceptable print – this means too much wasted time, effort, and money to bother especially when he is constantly out on the road on assignment and he doesn’t have time to mess with it. Many of the photographers we encountered at the HP Printing Studio had never seen the B9180 and were extremely impressed with not only the superb print quality, but even more so with the some of the lesser understood technologies of the printer – for example, this is the only printer on the market that can be calibrated at your command to ensure that the colors in the print match what you see on your monitor – extremely important for fine art and professional prints! People were also very interested in the fact that this printer does a daily check on all of its 8000+ print nozzles to make sure that none of them are clogged or experiencing problems and if they are it fixes them! These kinds of technologies ensure the level of reliability that busy press photographers need. I was thrilled to see the great interest in the product as well as get to see some of the absolutely fabulous photos taken at the festival by the photographers who are out braving the cold and snow patiently waiting for great photo opps!

Tom Hubbard at the HP Printing Studio
Photo by Cindy Maestas

I also had the distinct pleasure of sharing “booth duty” with Tom Hubbard who also works for HP doing business development for HP’s line of Photosmart Pro professional photo printers. Tom has been a professional photographer for 35 years and his knowledge and expertise about everything related to photography is amazing! I peppered Tom with all kinds of questions throughout the week and it was like getting a one-on-one photography class! And not only that, I am now ready to buy my first SLR camera – I can’t wait! Tom is a great resource for any photographer --beginner or seasoned -- so stop by the Sundance House and say hello and get some of your photos printed!

Technorati tags: sundance, sundance film festival, 2008 sundance film festival, hp, hewlett packard

HP interviews Amy Redford

amy brock — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 20:25:00 GMT

Matthew Caldwell
Creative Director - HP Newsgram

Sundance's favorite daughter sat down with HP to talk about her new film The Guitar.

Watch the interview with Amy Redford

Amy Redford, daughter of Robert Redford grew up in New York City with Summers and holidays spent in Utah.

At 37 she has enjoyed an extensive acting career in films and on TV.
The Guitar marks her directorial debut.

The film, written by Amos Poe, is about a woman (played by Saffron Burroughs) who learns she has terminal cancer. She decides to spend her last days surrounding herself with her favorite objects.

We caught up with Amy on a bright tuesday morning and asked her about her film, her life under the Sundance kid and who she's listening to on her ipod.

Premiere: Sleepwalking starring and produced by Charlize Theron

amy brock — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 22:27:00 GMT

Matthew Caldwell
Creative Director - HP Newsgram

It was a packed house at the Eccles Theatre, in Park City, as the film "Sleepwalking" premiered.

© Wireimage Pimentel

Producer Charlize Theron introduced the film, thanking the cast and crew and delivering extra kudos for director William Maher who couldn't make it due to a sickness.

Nick Stahl ("Sin City", "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines"), AnnaSophia Robb ("Bridge to Terabithia", "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory") and Academy Award® winner Charlize Theron ("Monster") star in "Sleepwalking", a moving drama about the deep familial bond that develops between a 30 year-old man and his young niece after the girl's mother suddenly leaves town.

© Wireimage Pimentel

Directed by William Maher from a screenplay by Zac Stanford ("The Chumscrubber"), "Sleepwalking" also stars Academy Award nominees Dennis Hopper ("Hoosiers", "Blue Velvet") and Woody Harrelson ("The People Vs. Larry Flynt").

© Wireimage Pimentel
After the film, stars Dennis Hopper and AnnaSophia Robb conducted interviews in the HP Broadcast Studio.

Mr. Hopper said of his young co-star:

"I believe that AnnaSophia is one of the finest young actresses, in all of film, at this time."

The creation of the film "Sleepwalking" got off to a slow start.

Writer Zac Stanford tossed the first draft in a drawer for 5 years and forgot about it. But when another of Stanford’s scripts generated interest in Hollywood, he met director William Maher who took an interest. The two friends knew creating the film would be difficult, but then Charlize Theron read the screenplay and signed on. With her backing, the film really took flight.

With a star studded cast set in the unique, gritty landscape of snowy Saskatchewan, Canada, "Sleepwalker" is a visually rich and original film.

Dennis Hopper in the HP Broadcast Studio

Dennis Hopper in the HP Broadcast Studio

HP Broadcast Studio

HP Broadcast Studio

HP Backstage at Sundance

Sundance makes short films available online

amy brock — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 21:05:00 GMT

Angela LoSasso
Web Content Manager, Imaging and Printing Group, U.S

No tickets? No problem. The 2008 Sundance Film Festival offers a selection of short films online, and a bunch of behind-the-scenes interviews with filmmakers and exclusive Festival coverage. All this content is available to online audiences free of charge at www.sundance.org/festival. New content premieres daily, including one new short film being made available for 24 hours.

In addition, a selection of 45 Festival shorts -- dramas, comedies, documentaries and animation-- is available for purchase and download on three platforms: Apple's iTunes Movie Store, Xbox LIVE (the online entertainment network for Microsoft’s Xbox 360), and Netflix.

Presented in collaboration with Sundance Channel, the shorts available online will launch simultaneously on all three services beginning January 18, 2008 and run through 2011.

Technorati tags: sundance, sundance film festival, 2008 sundance film festival, hp, hewlett packard

A feel-good flick: The Great Buck Howard

amy brock — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 22:49:00 GMT

Angela LoSasso
Web Content Manager, Imaging and Printing Group, U.S.

Photo courtesy of WireImage/ Vespa

I didn’t go into the theater expecting The Great Buck Howard to “move” me – and it didn’t. But what it did well was entertain me for about and hour and half. And that’s a success in my book. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with a feel-good movie that has solid performances from actors I enjoy watching.

“Mentalist” Buck Howard (John Malkovich) is a throwback to the golden age of television, an entertainer infamous for his 61 appearances on the Tonight Show – “with Carson”. His “great” days are behind him, but he’s the only person who doesn’t know it yet.

Colin Hanks (Orange County, Untraceable) plays the law school dropout Troy Gable who reluctantly accepts the position of Buck’s road manager/personal assistant. “Caring” for Buck initially involves the typical entry-level, earn-your-stripes stuff – such as arranging the rental car and acting as stage manager and running through preshow routines with whatever bush league venue they’re playing.

But as the story unfolds with predictable and some semi-predictable turns, I enjoyed how the “caring” evolved (the feel-good part). Malkovich nails the cheese factor – his head- and shoulder-tilt during the piano and singing portion of his road show reminded me all-too-well of real-life lounge lizards I’ve encountered in long-forgotten Holiday Inns – and yet conveys a vulnerability that’s entirely believable. Hanks builds on his foundation of solid performances to date. Much like his father Tom but very much in his own way, this Hanks exudes an “everyday” quality that makes him immediately acceptable in that there’s something there in his looks, in his voice, and in his reactions that elicit recognition of someone you know and like.

I wouldn’t say this movie is date-night material, but it is worthy of a pick-me-up matinee.

sundance, sundance film festival, 2008 sundance film festival, hp, hewlett packard, john malkovich, colin hanks, the great buck howard

Star power, days 1 & 2

amy brock — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 15:43:00 GMT

Angela LoSasso
Web Content Manager, Imaging and Printing Group, U.S.

We love film. We love providing the technology and know-how to power the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. But we’re human, too. We love to do a bit of stargazing while were here. Check out the photos of the folks who’ve hit the premieres and happenings in Park City so far…

Photo courtesty of Wire Image/ Pimentel	Actor Colin Farrell attends the “In Bruges” Press Conference.
Photo courtesty of Wire Image/ Pimentel	Actress Maria Bello attends the premiere of “The Yellow Handkerchief”.
Photo courtesty of Wire Image/ Jeff Vespa	Photo courtesty of Wire Image/ Fred Hayes

Sundance Film Festival Juror and actress Sandra Oh at the Sky 360 by Delta Lounge Wire Image Portrait Studio (left) and at the Jury brunch (right).

Photo courtesty of Wire Image/ Jeff Vespa

Actress Patricia Clarkson and a playful director/star Stanley Tucci of “Blind Date” at the Sky 360 by Delta Lounge Wire Image Portrait Studio.

Photo courtesty of Wire Image/ Pimentel

Actress Kristen Stewart at “The Yellow Handkerchief” premiere.

Photo courtesty of Wire Image/ Pimentel

Actress Paz de la Huerta, actress Saffron Burrows, and Robert Redford at the premiere of Amy Redford’s film, “The Guitar”.

Technorati tags: sundance, sundance film festival, 2008 sundance film festival, hp, hewlett packard, Robert Redford, colin farrell, sandra oh, maria bello, patricia clarkson, stanley tucci, kristen stewart

Robert Redford: What do you have to say?

amy brock — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 04:48:00 GMT

Angela LoSasso
Web Content Manager, Imaging and Printing Group, U.S

Photo courtesy of Wire Image/ Pimentel

Change is inevitable – and often welcome and needed. But some things are fine just the way they are. No single image better represents the spirit and independence of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival than festival founder Robert Redford. But Redford has change on his mind. We were lucky enough to be invited to the Opening Press Conference, and we asked Mr. Redford about change and his thoughts on inspiring creative expression.

According to Redford, this festival presents more new filmmakers than any other on record, a fact that he attributes to a generation coming of age that possesses a “spirit to set themselves apart from the baby boomers”.

Another change Redford spoke about is how there’s a noticeable shift to embrace and incorporate other artistic forms into the film medium, but it’s a shift that Sundance celebrates because this festival “has always been a place for discovery” and that “Sundance will always be committed to showcasing” new voices.

So how do you encourage young minds to find their voice? I specifically asked Redford:

“What do you have to say about how parents, friends, and family can ignite or inspire creative expression in kids and others?”

(I really wanted to ask him this, not only because Redford has helped ignite the careers of many filmmakers, but also because his daughter Amy Redford’s film, “The Guitar” premiered here earlier this week.)

“I don’t know if there’s anything a parent can do to grow it – the passion is either there or it isn’t,” he said. “It blossoms or it won’t. If it’s there, it shoots upward like a blade of grass” because the stories or art or whatever come from within. Redford said he “encouraged his own family – all of them – to be independent” and to be happy in what they do.

If you want some inspiration, Sundance is good place to find it. If you can’t make it to Park City, HP wants to help you find your voice.

-- Get free creative projects inspired by Gwen Stefani

-- Build the story of your business and improve your brand with ideas from Jake Burton

-- Share your ideas and your passion for creative expression or see what others are creating at the HP Community Wiki

Technorati tags: sundance, sundance film festival, 2008 sundance film festival, hp, hewlett packard, Robert Redford, amy redford, the guitar

HP helps indie filmmakers with HP Broadcast Studio

amy brock — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 15:58:00 GMT

Angela LoSasso
Web Content Manager, Imaging and Printing Group, U.S.
Video by Kate Sheofsky

The most satisfying aspect of attending and sponsoring the Sundance Film Festival is the opportunity to help filmmakers succeed. Year after year, directors and producers have told us about how challenging it is to get publicity and media coverage for their films. We knew we could help. So HP created the HP Broadcast Studio – a high-def, miniaturized SmartHome set that gives filmmakers a complimentary turnkey solution to record and walk away with their own interviews to share with press and publicists. See what HP Broadcast Studio hosts Arnold Say and Linda Morton had to say on day 2 of the festival:

Technorati tags: sundance, sundance film festival, 2008 sundance film festival, hp, hewlett packard, HP Broadcast Studio, high definition, HDTV, digital, smart home

On my way...

amy brock — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 15:23:00 GMT

By Lisa Tucker
WW Interactive Communications

Greetings from Denver International Airport. I'm sitting here waiting for the flight that is going to take me to Sundance and a lot is running through my head. It is pretty much the same ridiculous stuff that runs through my head every year right before I go to Sundance. You know, like, did I bring the right clothes, why did I eat so much at the holidays, and will anyone really want to be interviewed by me for this blog?

I find this whole thing to be analogous to the kid who is suddenly plucked from a small school in the mid-west into Beverly Hills High School. The question is the same – how can I possibly fit in with all the cool kids?

You see, secretly, or not so-secretly, I’m really a not-so-cool mother of two from Colorado who works for HP. At Sundance, where most people hail from either NYC or LA, people think of Colorado as just a fly-over state. HP is simply part of Corporate America, not the elite film industry. So already, I arrive with two strikes against me.

In my day job, I work for HP in search marketing, making sure pages showcasing HP products like printer ink cartridges are found by search engines. Sounds glamorous, doesn’t it? But for one week out of the year, I go to Sundance and breathe the same (thin) air as members of the film community. I employ my best amateur acting skills to act as though I really belong there and the sight of celebrities walking down the street is something I see every day.

Well, my plane is here now, so my journey begins. Wish me luck. Get ready cool kids, here I come.

Welcome to the 2008 Sundance Film Festival!

amy brock — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 18:03:00 GMT

Angela LoSasso
Web Content Manager, Imaging and Printing Group, U.S.

HP is back in Park City as a presenting sponsor for the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, and we’re kicking off our coverage at the Opening Night Film, “In Bruges”, directed by Academy Award winner Martin McDonagh. Take a look ...

Technorati tags: sundance, sundance film festival, 2008 sundance film festival, hp, hewlett packard, Robert Redford, Martin McDonagh, In Bruges

HP’s Tales from the Cannes Film Festival!

amy brock — Thu, 17 May 2007 14:06:00 GMT

Angela LoSasso
Backstage at Sundance Blog Editor
Home and Home Office Web Content Manager

Did you know that in addition to Sundance, HP is also the Official Sponsor and ‘Digital Entertainment & Graphic Arts’ Partner at the Cannes Film Festival?

From May 16 through May 27, 2007, the most famous, luxurious, and prestigious film festival in the world celebrates its 60^th anniversary unlike any other. And HP is stationed on la croissette to bring you every barrage of flashbulbs as the hottest stars, directors, and producers walk down the red carpet …

plus, perhaps, a few faces that are familiar inside the halls of HP:

(That is Vyomesh Joshi – VJ— Executive Vice President of HP’s Imaging and Printing Group in the middle of the HP pack on the red carpet.)

According to our colleague Jenny Amanquah-Sauter (who is burning up the keyboard for HP’s Tales from Cannes), “HP has printed the iconic banners decorating the Palais des Festivals and turned the surrounding streets into a series of outdoor galleries, featuring digitally restored photographs of the stars who have graced the red carpet at the Festival since it began. The photos are part of a special exhibition organized to mark the 60th Festival.”

And.. “We’ve also redesigned the Cannes Film Festival website to create an intuitive, indispensable guide to all the films and news.”

Not a bad gig, if you can get it!

If you’re like us and are stuck in North America (or elsewhere) whilst the stars shine in the south of France, be sure to visit HP’s Tales from Cannes to get your daily dish.

Technorati Tags: Sundance film festival, Hewlett Packard, HP, Cannes, Cannes film festival

Jean Louis Restaurant

amy brock — Thu, 10 May 2007 22:21:00 GMT

by the HP / Sundance team

By booking our table somewhere around the Jurassic period, we were able to reserve a huge table for 25 HP folks at Jean Louis‘ Restaurant in Park City. My part of the HP team is here running our internet presence, networking technologies, digital photo sites and Web 2.0 experimentation at the Sundance Film Festival.

You’ll find a good review of this pleasant restaurant here.

Although we were a big group, the eponymous owner and famous chef Jean Louis Montecot assured me he could do mega-sized groups in much bigger venues. And he didn’t disappoint: We had an absolutely stellar dining experience. We had a set menu to keep costs down, but our Butternut Squash Soup was so out of this world that folks were joking about licking their plates … but kind of not joking, if you know what I mean. We followed this up with crisp light crab cakes – nothing like the ones weI make at home. Then we chose between salmon and steak for the main course, which was served elegantly with robust portions of potato and salad. This we washed down with champagne, chunky red wine and a light white.Jean Louis is French, charming and a great host. So we punished him for that by speaking Franglais (despite one of us being a Brit’ that left France 7 years ago who struggles under the illusion that he is still fluent). He was engaged when our own Brit noted that they had both grown up and spent time in the same areas of Normandy. IHe then recounted my years working for HP in Paris and Grenoble where HP has Research and Development facilities. So we then got to meet other members of Jean Louis’ team (that were from my favorite city in the Alps – Grenoble), and we recounted tales of St. Egreve, Meylan and our favorite bars in town. They were full of praise for the Sundance Film Festival and HP’s role in the various cities we had lived in.We then joked that our leader's current city of residence (Boise, Idaho) was not evidence of some terrible wrong-doing that had led him into the witness protection program, but instead is a sign he had joined HP’s Imaging and Printing business -- part of which finds its home there. We did attempt to gain some sympathy by pointing out that the city has a French name meaning “wooded” and is one of the fastest growing cities in the West with several top notch French restaurants … like Andrae’s.

Lest, we digress: Back to Jean Louis‘ Restaurant. This place is so service-oriented that when one of our HP colleagues found the need for A1 Steak Sauce, there was no sign of a sneer or a curled lip that you sometimes get. This was despite the fact that the lovely piece of prime rib was sitting in a sterling burgundy reduction. What we got was quick and pleasant service that brought a previously unopened bottle of aforesaid A1 sauce to the table.

Jean Louis, the restaurant, is buzzing, has a great feel and is the real deal if you want upbeat French cuisine without the stuffiness. Everyone in our group loved it. And when you’re working 18 to 20 hours a day, the temptation is to fall asleep in the soup bowl……but we had a rare old time laughing, telling stories and trying to persuade Jean Louis to go online to find out about buying a new notebook and printer … there are even HP Outlet specials…..or pop down to any of our retailers like Staples, Best Buy or CompUSA if he felt so inclined.

We’d go back tonight but we're pretty sure you’d beat us to the phone for a reservation … (435) 200-0260.

(Editor's note: Copy edited in 2008 for clarification.)

Technorati Tags: sundance, sundance film festival, sundance film 2007, hp, hewlett packard, robert redford, jean louis restaurant, Grenoble, A1 Steak sauce, staples, best buy, comp usa

Unzipped: HP’s Day at the Races

amy brock — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 20:11:00 GMT

Laureen Danieli, George Dedes, Joanna Sinnwell and Kim Thompson
IPGA Marketing

Unzipped! Feet firmly planted on the starting gate in front of us, hands gripping the black straps, minds racing. The gate slams open, and we’re off! We sail over the trees, wondering about the drop below our seats, adrenaline rushing and hearts pumping. The harness carries us at 50 miles per hour over the 120-meter, Olympic ski jump. Women – and men—screaming like little girls as we zip toward the end of the line. And before we know it… what? Much, much too soon, it’s over already? Gotta do that again!

Our HP group visited Sundance and took a tour of Utah’s Olympic Park. We rode the Zipline today. We rode the chair lifts up to the landing, where we marched to the line, more than a little worried—but excited—at what our event planner and colleague Susan had gotten us into. (Was there a way to sneak back to the chair lift and ride down without anyone noticing? Not a chance.) Like horses at the gate, we were harnessed up, lined up, revved up…and then sent DOWN.

Our leader Kim, who’s brave enough to film her descent (using an HP digital camera, of course), gets peeved when her zip goes too slow! Next year for Kim: the fastest 53 seconds of her life when she takes on The Olympic Bobsled Run!

sundance, sundance film festival, sundance film 2007, hp, hewlett packard, utah olympic park, digital photography

Last chance to win a trip to Sundance: Tell us your story!

amy brock — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 14:22:00 GMT

Susan Getgood
Getgood Marketing

Hurry! Contest closes this Sunday, January 28^th! Enter the Snapshot Diaries contest, tell us a great story and you could win a trip to Sundance next year!

All you have to do is submit 6-10 photos with captions and a title, and you just might win the grand prize of a trip for two to the 2008 Sundance Film Festival with HP (or one of three runner-up prizes of HP gear).

The pics of the grand prize winner will be turned into a neat short movie by director Matt Pope. Check out this example.

And from January 20 through February 20, don’t miss the Snapshot Diaries on the Sundance Channel. Eight Sundance Film Festival attendees -- actors, filmmakers, volunteers, agents, publicists -- will document a day in their life at the 2007 Festival using an HP digital camera, and we’ll get to see the final results on TV and the web.

So go ahead: Tell us your story. See how the contest works here. Full contest details are here.

sundance, sundance film festival, sundance film 2007, hp, hewlett packard, snapshot diaries, snapshot diaries contest