How I Prepared & What To Expect At An Indie Movie Premiere?

I’m not gunna lie you guys. When I got the email that the documentary project that I was apart of was going to have a movie premiere in town – I was ecstatic. I was expecting a red carpet, cameras, correspondence – everything that you would see at a Hollywood movie premiere. Why? Because that was what I was used to seeing on TV and on social media and I never really saw premieres of independent (indie) film projects.

On top of that, the history behind this documentary film was so impactful. It brought forth the timeline of how almost all U.S. households went from the traditional cordless/non-cordless telephone to the worldwide infamous, multi-faceted smartphones. Yep. That’s right. So many big players in the telecommunications industry were in this film and depending on how your mindset works. I think when you’re around important people you somehow feel important.

The name of this film is called When Wire Was King (WWWK), a telecommunications documentary that followed the decades long battles between AT&T and MCI as they fought for the top spot as the # 1 telephone company in America. I’m going to be completely honest; I was a post-production assistant on this project but when I attended the premiere you would’ve thought I was the lead actress!

You couldn’t tell me anything honey. I was so excited to be there because I went through hell on this project and learned the absolute most from it. Jennifer Manner (Producer & Executive Producer), LeeAnn Dance (Screenwriter), and Cliff Hackel (Editor) are tough cookies to take on an astronomical project like this.

And to see my name on the big screen, I must say, it’s such a great feeling. I worked really hard on this project for a year and even though I had to step away from it a bit early, it taught me the importance of paying attention to detail – down to the precise second.

So, let’s get back on track.

I got an email from Jennifer letting me know that WWWK was having a premiere in DC and asking if I’d like to come. (Uhm. Hell, yeah, I would like to come!). In excitement I responded back accepting her invitation. She then sends me the link to RSVP and lets me know that because it’s a small theatre that I could only bring 1 guest. (Completely fine with me). I clicked the link to RSVP, but it wouldn’t allow me to reserve my seats. It looked like I got the link after the RSVP deadline, but Jennifer assured me that my guest and I would have seats. (Whew!)

Now, onto the preparation specifics.

The first thing I had to figure out was whether I should record this event. I really wanted to enjoy the experience and not have to worry about my phone, so I immediately thought of Ihana. But then I would have to find the budget to pay her. Besides, when would I ever get invited to a movie premiere again? Hmmm. Decisions, decisions. After some deep thought, I decided to go with Ihana and her videography services. I was happy that she was available on that day and excited to record the event as well. She was probably in the same boat as me – not knowing what to expect at an indie movie premiere. LOL.

Next, time to figure out an outfit. I was going to look my best because when you look good you feel good. I went to one of my favorite clothing sites called Fashionnova and started browsing for outfits. I didn’t want to wear a dress because I thought of theatres as generally cold, so I decided to go for a cute, classy pantsuit. Ordered.

Third, hair – the most stressful part of my beauty routine. Even thinking about the time that would go into styling my hair always made my heart start beating loudly so I was definitely going to keep my knotless braids in. I made sure to lookup YouTube videos on different ways to style knotless braids instead of doing my usual go-to-bun.

Fourth, nails. Yep, definitely in need of a fill-in. Appointment with nail tech – booked!

Fifth, makeup. I usually only book MUA services for special events such as birthdays, portraits, photoshoots etc. but since I already booked Ihana, I decided to go DIY with makeup. Now, this also meant that I had incorporate 2 extra hours to make sure I had enough time to apply my makeup with care. (I know…CRAZY!).

Sixth, diet. I was already beginning the process of cutting out meat for a while, but I also decided to eliminate sugar for a week and half before the event and let me tell you. Your body (metabolism), skin, and energy will give off a literal glow – it’s crazy.

Fast forward, it’s the day of the premiere – a Thursday. I had to do my best to make sure I got all my tasks done for work as quickly and efficiently as possible because the premiere started at 7pm and I also had to consider the 45-minute time frame it took to get to the theatre. So, I get done a little later than I expected from work, and I finish getting ready as quickly and patiently as I could. I pulled up to the theatre and there were no cameras or red carpet. LOL!

I open the theatre doors and Ihana is there waiting for me. I could also hear the film playing behind the second set of doors behind her. (Yep. I was definitely a little tardy to da party). Ihana starts giving me cues and directions on how to walk, turn, stop, and go for her videography content. And then I enter the theatre room. There had to be close to 100 people there as they watched the film with concentration. I found a seat, let Ihana do her thing, and watched the film proudly to the very end.

The film came out great. From coloring, to interviews, to stock/archival footage – it was definitely an accomplishment. Its placement in the Washington DC International Cinema Festival, LA Documentary Film Festival, Global Film & Music Festival etc. were all well-deserved. After the film was over, Jennifer, LeeAnn, and Cliff gave a quick Q&A and Jennifer even gave me an extra shoutout. (Yes!!!). LeeAnn & Cliff even had physical telephones from the 1980’s. LeeAnn had a light blue one and I think Cliff had a black one. Anyways, it was so cool.

Now that I think about it, the premiere was the first time I ever met Jennifer in person. We were supposed to meet for lunch one day before but with Covid and work – it was an epic fail. So, all in all, it was a great experience that was straight-forward and to the point which is essentially what indie film premieres are about if you’re on a budget and a timeframe.

Oh, before I forget to mention – Eat! Yes, eat before going to a premiere because you never know if they’ll have refreshments.

 Fingers crossed that I get to attend more of these!

Check out some pics and BTS footage below.

Much Luv,

Gia

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