My wife, Margaret, my film partner Ken Hanada, and I attended Sci-Fest LA 2016’s Opening Weekend Party on Sunday night, May 8th, at Hollywood’s historic Formosa Cafe. It was definitely a Hollywood scene complete with swag bags full of goodies. The party was on the roof. Hollywood after dark is almost always more interesting than the daytime version.
Sporting my VIP pass
I had been to the Formosa Cafe many years ago when I went to the premiere of the first script I wrote that got made into a film. The movie shall remain nameless for reasons that will become obvious. It was screened at nearby Paramount Studios. I invited a writer friend of mine along to share the thrill of seeing my name crawl up the screen in a darkened theater. That was the best part.
The worst part was the fact that so little of what I’d written actually made it to the screen. As I was to learn, this was not an uncommon occurrence. To add insult to injury, one reviewer highlighted specific dialogue he didn’t like. Lines I didn’t write! Oh well… I was new to the game. I was disappointed. But after a few drinks at the Formosa Cafe and I was once again navigating the sunny side of life.
(L-R): Me, Michael Blaha, Ken Hanada
The party was a great place to network and to see old friends. Margaret, Ken and I spent time with two of the three Sci-Fest LA co-founders (producer and entertainment lawyer Michael Blaha, and actor David Bottrell; Lee Costello is the third co-founder).
The slate for this year’s prestigious festival is incredible.