More than anything, Sundance is a survival game. Here are some tips from veterans on how to make it through your stay there.

Park City Fashion: You shouldn’t be embarrassed about skiing down to Main Street and going straight to a screening. It’s cool to show up at the Egyptian in your snow gear. — Jeff Abramson, Gen Art

Budget Control: The more time you spend in an actual theater the less chance you have of buying rounds in bars and other more frivolous expenses. Rather than partying, choose that midnight movie instead! — Michael Tully, Hammertonail.com

Housing Strategy: Wait until the last possible minute to book housing and gamble on finding something on Craigslist. — Ryan Kampe, Visit Films

Best Bet for Free Food: Events. You can make your whole dinner out of event snacks. — Jay Van Hoy, Parts & Labor (echoed by all interviewed.)

Best Free Food, Evening: Last year it was definitely the William Morris one cause they had a free Chipolte bar inside the party. — Todd Sklar, Range Life Entertainment

Best Free Food, Morning: Bagels at the New York State Film Commission table. – Josh Zeman, Ghost Robot

Best Reason Not to Look for Free Food in the Morning: Because you've already eaten breakfast. All that stuff about it being the most important meal of the day? At Sundance, it's kind of true. Don't rely on grabbing something at your first Eccles screening — the line will probably be too long. Stop at Albertson's and stock your condo with coffee, juice, fruit and cereal for the a.m. — Scott Macaulay, Filmmaker Magazine/Forensic Films

Watch Out For: Anyone looking at your chest to see your credentials instead of looking in your eyes and face. – Marianna Palka, director, Good Dick

Simultaneous Meeting and Eating Strategy: I have found the only tolerable place to have a meeting and to eat (even for vegetarians) is Butchers Chop House. I recommend getting a window booth in the bar area at lunch, having meetings all day there and then moving into the dining area with a large group for dinner. I think I did that every day last year. — Hunter Gray, Producer, Artists Public Domain

Extracurricular Activity: Go skiing. Sundance is the one time of the season when the slopes are empty. – William Malone, Park City Chamber and Visitor’s Bureau

Best Place for Random Encounters: Albertsons [the grocery store]. You can go meet James Schamus in the produce section. – Bob Byington, Harmony & Me

Parking: If you rent a car, which is not necessarily recommended, and you are driving up Park towards Main Street and you see a spot, take it. Even if it's too far away, you'll save time by not circling around Main Street again and again. — Scott Macaulay, Filmmaker and Forensic Films.

Innovative Ticket-Scoring: Hover by the door and once a screening starts you might be able to get ushered in by a press person or a producer with extra tickets. — Jeff Abramson, Gen Art

Best Place for Meetings: People’s condos. You can get some very good insight into what someone might be like to work with by seeing the state of their apartment. — Jared Goldman, producer, Manda Bala

On Wildlife: Beware of Bears! We had a baby bear approach our hot tub last year. — Jeff Abramson, Gen Art

Appropriate Footwear: Wear waterproof shoes and warm socks. There is nothing worse than starting the morning by trudging through mucky sludge and then being forced to suffer through the rest of the day with uncomfortably soggy feet. It makes watching an already bad film much worse, and might even take subconscious points off a perfectly solid effort. – Michael Tully, Hammertonail.com

Must-Do Good Deed: If you get shwagg or whatever, take it to the [Salt Lake City] Good Will on your way out of town. – Marianna Palka, Good Dick

# posted by Scott Macaulay @ 10:00 AM

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