The Sundance Film Festival of 2015 is one of the best experiences of my life, and one that I encourage the Western Kentucky University study away film program to keep doing for years to come. The film program at Western Kentucky University was major I decided to get into without knowing that one day I would be able to go to Park City, Utah for one of the most popular and respected film festivals in America.

Some of the best experiences of my life’s recent memory come from the Sundance festival, which include meeting celebrities, watching films that have not been released in theaters, and getting connections from people in the industry. The first two days that I was in Sundance where also fun, because I was able to go to Downtown Salt Lake City, and see how people from across America went through their everyday lives. This was the first day that I was able to bond with my fellow class mates, and connect with them through the power of film.

This experience took away the challenges of being an adult, and reminded me of simpler times when I would go on field trips as a child back in grade school. The class was able to attend the body museum, and also go to a film screening in the local Salt Lake City area. The five days that I was able to attend the film festival was amazing, and the experience is one of the greatest experiences of my life, and goes up there with graduating high school and my first time performing in front of a crowd.

I was able to meet many celebrities, which included Jack Black, Sarah Silverman, James Franco, Kid Cudi, Keanu Reeves, Kevin Bacon, and Spike Lee. A person from Kentucky never expects that they’ll ever be able to meet these people in person, and was truly an honor to meet every single one of these people and have some type of effect on them for a moment in their lives. I feel like this year’s film selected at Sundance was one of the best selection of films that Sundance has ever had, and I even heard from articles in the press that this year selection of films was surprisingly better than most years. I never thought I would see a Sundance booklet that offered movies from Chris Pine, Asap Rocky, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Noah Baumbach, Jared Hess, Winona Ryder, Brad Pitt and Kid Cudi all in one festival.

I also never thought I would see a Black Panther documentary going up against a documentary about Scientology and Kurt Cobain. I also never thought I would see such random celebrities as Snoop Dogg, Courtney Love, and Johnny Knoxville all apart of Sundance in one year. I also never thought that a full length documentary about Dennis Rodman would be released at Slamdance, and was shown to a packed theater house. I was able to meet almost every celebrity that I could dream of, but I’m still pinching myself for missing the chance to meet face to face Winona Ryder, Jason Schwartzman, Brad Pitt, Pharrell Williams, Kirsten Wiig, and Danny McBride.

Sundance 2015 was definitely one of the grooviest years to attend the festival, because all of the films seems to have a spark of youthfulness about them. There didn’t seem to be any pretentious filter in the films shown, and many of the directors are first time filmmakers who have not had the time to be pretentious yet. I’m only saddened by the fact that we had to leave early for school, and I was not able to watch the films I Am Michael, True Story, The End of The Tour, Drunk, Stoned, Brilliant, Dead, Being Evel, Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl, Nasty Baby, Chuck Norris Vs. Communism, or Diary of a Teenage Girl. These are all films that I know will get some type of buzz when their release theatrically, but sadly won’t be released in theaters until months from now.

I also missed out on the chance for George Lucas to sign my Star Wars T shirt, but you can’t always get what you want. I hope next year’s films at the Sundance Film Festival are just as exhilarating as this years, but that will not be known until January of 2016, so until then I’ll be waiting on my hands and knees that I’m able to go again and have an even greater experience next time around.

Attending the study away program to Park City has been an interesting and truly fulfilling experience in my filmic education. Programs like studying away to Sundance Film Festival, Film 399, and Film Capstone are vital points in a film student’s education. Capability to not only involve ourselves in the process of film making, but also the business and the culture of film as it unfolds in a festival setting is like nothing I draw on during film studies courses.

Planting oneself in the minutia of the town, conversing with reporters, film goers, producers, and actors allowed me to gain new perspectives and opened the doors to new journals and other lesser known festivals I had never known of before. Eating at restaurants in central Park City is edifying. People converse loudly and friendlily with one another and are more than willing to share information, contact details, experiences, and recommendations of the actual content screened at the festival.

The films themselves are cut from a hugely unique cloth as well, and are far from the standard movie-going fair. Attending packed screenings of obscure films with interesting like-minded people discussing upcoming projects and what brought them here fed my impetuous nature and brought along much more understanding of the festival circuit. One of my few disappointments comes from simply the lack of time that we as a class were able to spend at the festival.Five or so days is such a short time, and while I know I would not be satiated had I been there for the duration, I did miss out on some panels, films, and opportunities to meet with industry people that I would have had we even stayed to that Friday.

The Sundance Study Away Program is without hyperbole one of the most useful and important features to the budding WKU Film Program.

This is my sophomore year and I have gone to Sundance twice and I didn’t think It could be any better than last year but god I was wrong. It tops last year by a good mile. I made some connections in Sundance that I will use definitely later down the line and this summer to get a internship. That is something I stress. There are industry people at Sundance and they are there for the same reason you are the moviegoer and that is to see amazing films. I saw things from conedies like The Bronze, horror movies like The Nightmare. The variety of movies at Sundance each year has been immense.

There are films there for everyone’s taste. And boy do you see star power there. I got to see Robert Redford again this year which was just as awesome as last year. I even got to meet SNL alumni Kristen Wiig on the streets of Park City.

This trip is for anyone in the Film program and is serious about working in the industry. I feel like Sundance will be my ticket into the industry and independent filmmakers at least the ones I met were great in the advice they gave. It is worth the money to go for sure. I absorbed more information than I did last year. This trip like last year gave me an even more clearer idea on how I can make it in the industry.

Parker with Gary Cole

If film is a passion of your, Sundance is an out of this world experience. It will chance your outlook on cinema and life. You can completely submerge yourself in movies, while being surrounding other people with the same interest.

After the movies you can be part of Q&A’s, and learn vital information everything that goes into the creation of these works of art.

If filmmaking is a profession you plan to pursue it could get your foot in door for your next step. All while being located in one of the most beautiful towns in America during the winter season.

As a whole, the Sundance Film Festival was a really enjoyable experience.  It was really exciting to see new movies that had yet to premiere anywhere else.  Being able to listen to actors and directors talk during Q&A’s after the films was really interesting and inspiring.  Just being in that setting around so many like-minded people who had an interest in film made the experience even more enjoyable.

I found it interesting that after seeing so many actors and filmmakers walking around that it became a reminder that they are human beings as well.  It became an average occurrence that you’d just see Kevin Smith or Ethan Hawke or James Franco just walking around the city, which was a really neat experience.  The city itself was stunningly beautiful and it was exciting to see the mountains and skiers, a nice break from the typical countryside back home.

The locals were truly wonderful people and each shop along the strip was independently owned.  The “scene” was just really different down there and almost everyone seemed willing to hold a conversation and discuss movies. I swear I’ve never been able to passionately talk about independent films to an 80 year old anywhere besides Park City.  I was even offered free tickets to a film in Salt Lake City just because the ticketholder thought we were all good kids.

Along with the cool shops and nice people, the weather played out well and it was sunny throughout almost the whole trip.  It was also nice being able to experience the trip on our own schedules instead of having everyday planned out for us.  We were able to see the movies we wanted to see and we could experience Park City individually whenever we had free time.  While there, some of us were also able to find some reasonably priced and good restaurants, as well as numerous coffee shops, as caffeine became a staple part of the Sundance diet.  I wouldn’t consider the lack of sleep a negative aspect of Sundance, but it definitely made it difficult to stay awake and feel energized while hopping from movie to movie all day.

Upon my return to Bowling Green, I was bombarded with the question “How was Sundance?”  Ignoring my exhaustion, I attempted to answer the question, but found it more difficult to do so than I originally thought.  The Sundance Film Festival was equally amazing and frustrating, but overall worth the time and money spent to experience it.  The festival and week spent there had its ups and downs, but I’m glad I was able to be involved in this Study Away program.

Having the chance to experience The Sundance Film Festival is an experience I will never forget. Being around the atmosphere of directors, actors, filmmakers, producers, and other film admirers helped me decide that I chose the correct major at WKU. Seeing their creations on the big screen and attending panels was a huge eye-opener to what I need to do to become successful in the filmmaking industry. Park City is a beautiful city directly outside of Salt Lake City, and it could not be a better location for this festival. I did not want to come back.

I highly recommend taking the opportunity to attend a festival like this, at least once in your life. I got to meet great people and friends I did not know before, and now we have a simple connection like no one else does. I would like to thank Dr. Hall and Dr. Hovet for opening this opportunity at WKU and allowing students to experience this festival and receive college credit while doing so. I am already saving for next year’s festival.

Before leaving for Sundance I was filled with anxiety; anxious to get there, scared of what to expect, and extremely nervous because I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. Questions began to flood my mind as I bordered the plane to Park City, Utah: How do I schedule and choose my movies? What the heck is the e-waitlist, and what am I supposed to do with it? What if I don’t make any friends and I’m stuck spending this whole week alone? As all of these things flooded my mind on the plane ride there, I was met with a sudden relief as soon as we landed in Park City. These things that were causing me so much anxiety just dissipated as I exited the plane.

Once we all got settled into our rooms, the first day in Park City was ready to begin. We all headed out for a bite to eat, before unpacking and getting acquainted with one another. Within the first two days I learned how to plan my movie schedule, I studied the transit bus schedule like it was a test, and I began new friendships that will last a lifetime.

Park City is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, and covered with thousands of people that are there to watch films and learn from the greats makes it even more beautiful if that’s possible. There are lots of things to do that are affiliated with Sundance, there’s lounges and free snacks all along Main Street. Also there is a smaller festival that goes on during Sundance that I enjoyed very much called Slam Dance. Being able to experience both of these festivals together was a dream come true.

Getting to watch these films as they premiere are a once in a life-time experience. Picking apart the cast and crews brains in a Q&A, you really can’t get much better than that. But wait, being in a room full of people that share the same passion for movies as you do, now that’s breathtaking.

Overall I couldn’t think of another place that could’ve made a bigger impact on me as a person and a film student.

I am taking away knowledge from some of the most famous directors and actors of our generation, I am coming back home with friendships that I never thought I would have, and I got to experience a film festival and get college credit. If you are thinking of taking a trip to Sundance in the near future, do it with some classmates and study away!!

Sundance, as a whole, was a fantastic experience, which I feel is nothing less than a once in a lifetime experience. There were so many films to watch and an uncountable number of people within Park City.

However, personally, the best part of the entire trip, as with many trips, was the people I experienced it with. I barely knew a few of them before the trip and, over the course of eight days, made what I believe to be lasting friendships.

Granted, not everything went according to plan, as a lot of people seemed to focus on the celebrities and the parties instead of the films themselves. In the end though, I feel that Sundance is something that a film lover or anyone in the industry just can’t pass up.

Sundance was definitely an amazing experience for me! Before going I was nervous because I wasn’t sure what to expect but the atmosphere was amazing, everybody was very welcoming.

The Q&A’s the film directors were great about answering open and honestly about their films.

One of my favorite things about Sundance is the diversity with the films. I love how out of the box some of the plots were because it gave me a new way to view or look the creativity of film making.

I would love to go back because I feel like it will be an amazing new experience every time!

My fist time in the west was AMAZING.  Being set in the beautiful mountains and little town of Park City, gave alternative, peaceful vibes to the fast paced perspectives of Hollywood.

Our hotel was fantastic, even having its own theater where many movies premiered.  As the days blurred, I learned that independent film is a new medium to tell a different story in a different perspective.

I would encourage future students to go to as many premiers as possible, because that is usually where the crew and cast are to answer questions after their movies.  They’re usually also cool to get pictures with you!  Also dress as warmly as you can, wear two pairs of pants if you have to!

The most memorable activities were getting a picture with Keanu Reeves walking past me at one of the premiers and getting a picture done at Sundance T.V. headquarters with my crew!

Sundance gave me a new perspective on how to create movies, from the writing to the directing to the acting to all the aspects of film making.  Sundance shows audiences different ways of telling a familiar or new story!