Blake Bragdon with WKU Class after a Film Crashing 101 session with Dr. Eric Pierson of USD

One of the most important things that you could ever do as a filmmaker or as anything is make connections. These connections don’t have to be with big industry level people who have seven or eight movies under their belt, an Academy Award and a list of future projects and blockbuster hits their going to be working on over the summer. In other words, they can be normal, everyday people.

Over the course of the film festival I have met a small time cinematographer, a sales agent, a software developer, and of course, Sundance goers. All of them have given me advice, words of encouragement and a slice of reality.

The takeaway from Sundance is experience, knowledge and connections. This business is all about networking, if you don’t do that then you’re not getting anywhere. The best thing you could ever do for yourself is talk. Talk to people, anybody on the street in Park City who even looks like they’re there for the festival and you’ll be surprised. At the end of it all, what matters isn’t a piece of paper with a name or a picture of a moment with a famous person; those things live in the past. Take something that will stay with you, something that you can use, because if you don’t, all you have are pieces of paper and ink, two things that you can buy for less than $20.

Remember, what do you want to take away from the experience? Ask yourself that question, dig deep inside yourself and not only will you find the answer but the reason why you’re there to begin with.