Task List 3/19

This week has been about turning up the volume a little bit.  I have reached out for final confirmations on all of those who offered an award to touch base, get logos, and make sure all of the awards would come in on time.  Audio-Technica has pledged to send their mic before the end of March. I have contacted Bill Chandler of Cinelab, still waiting to hear back. I am also trying to reach Oliver Mellan from Digieffects.

I am also contacting a number of alternates and extras, including Pixcel as a possible substitute for Cinelab if that falls through. I have emailed Film Tools, B&H, Ikan for a Follow Focus kit, an EV2 Stealth ENG Shoulder Mount, or an Image 2000 XL-1 Camera Support.  I have also emailed Dana Dolly again for a Portable Camera Dolly System.  I have looked at Indie Film Depot and IndyFilmGear for more eclectic, out-of-the-box gift ideas.  I have contacted Austin Film Festival and Slamdance to see about receiving passes.  I have also sent out another last ditch effort round of emails to all those I have been trying to contact since January, such as Blackbird, Varizoom, Criterion, and a number of others.  I have been trying as well to get in touch with somebody at Barnes & Noble or Amazon, but this seems to be a complete effort in futility.

This week has been enormously frustrating.  Over 90% of the places I reach out to do not even contact me back, and then of those that due it seems like half decline the offer.  I feel like a have to balance between being sort of pushy and demanding to receive what I need when I need it yet also being grateful and careful so as not to discourage people from contributing.  It's tricky to get used to. 

The upcoming week will see more of the same as the pressure and deadlines build and build.  I am keeping a running total of all those who have confirmed and those we have already received prizes from.  I am also keeping a list of specific caveats relative to each company's requests (American Cinematographer, for example, want me to send them the winner's information so that they can contact the winner personally to deliver the award).  I am also going to be working with Sara Reedy in putting together the Awards certificates; I have received the $20 in order to do this at the office.

I have put in roughly 10 hours of work in terms of contacting people, calling, emailing, touching base, researching for new awards, and recording results.  I anticipate this will increase in the coming weeks.