Insider's Guide Extra: Tim League, Ultimate Fantastic Fest Insider

in

When we polled filmmakers and film geeks who've attended Fantastic Fests past to contribute to a Fantastic Fest edition of Insider's Guide, little did we know that word would get to Alamo Drafthouse/Fantastic Fest co-founder Tim League (pictured above at right with David Roland Strong). We figured he'd be too busy with last-minute details of the festival along with the very recent arrival of twin daughters.

Not only did Tim League respond, he's gone all out (if you haven't met Tim, this isn't surprising). So we decided to include all his tips in their entirety as a special edition. You'll notice Tim has some advice that mirrors some of the sentiments in yesterday's edition, because they're that important.

What advice would you give to newbies who've never done Fantastic Fest before?

Use the Festival Genius. Create your schedule online, review and rate as many films as possible and check in during the second half of the festival to see what screenings are getting buzz.

Also, get to know the filmmakers who are in town. This year, the badges are color coded, so you can easily identify industry, filmmakers, fellow film fans, press and arcade game designers. At Fantastic Fest, it's one big family with everyone hanging out, enjoying movies and parties together.  We have many first-time directors from all over the globe attending. That experience can be daunting for them, so we like to encourage everyone to be ready with a little bit of warm, Southern, welcoming hospitality.

What thing do you wish you'd done last time you attended Fantastic Fest but didn't?

Pace myself. Last year I stayed out WAY too late a couple of nights and it wreaked havoc on the next day. Have an awesome time, of course, but don't blow out in the first couple of days.

What do you wish you knew the first time you did Fantastic Fest?

Be willing to take chances on films. We think the lineup is very solid this year. If you don't get into your first choice of films in a given round, try something you know nothing about. Hopefully you will enjoy almost everything you see.
 
Advice for people who've been to film festivals but who've never done Fantastic Fest?

We like to think Fantastic Fest is a different sort of festival experience.  With all of the screenings and almost all of the parties being at one location, you get to know a lot of folks pretty well after eight days. The movies break around the same time after each round and there's plenty of post-movie debate and banter to be had. And late night, be ready to let your hair down and get a little crazy. There's a party every night, so dive in and enjoy them. And stay hydrated.
 
How do you balance working/family while attending Fantastic Fest?

This is the first year I've had a family, so I have no earthly idea how to do it. In years past there has been absolutely no semblance of balance. I think the best course is to pre-negotiate an 8-day pass from family time and make it up in October.

What to order when you need food fast?

My favorite fast food in Austin is Taco Cabana -- open 24 hours, good salsas, fresh made tortillas.  It is better than you would think.

Best Alamo hangover food?

I don't know why, but when I'm hungover, I go straight for the greasy stuff -- the Godfather Pizza or the Cheeseburger. And lots and lots of water all the time.  Pre-plan with it -- beer, water, beer, water, not beer, beer, beer.

What would you recommend on the Alamo menu for people with dietary restrictions (vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free)?

We have several veggie and gluten-free items on the menu. All are identified with little icons for each (veggie and gluten-free). The servers can help with substitutions too.
 
What are the best local places to get food when you need a break from the Alamo?

You can link to our food and drink guide for out-of-towners. We're working on a pretty big list.  [Sidenote from Jenn:  It's a damned impressive list.]

Anything else not-to-miss when in Austin?

I like to take out-of-towners to really clichéd but still wonderful Texas outings.

  1. Shoot guns - Red's Indoor Range is fun and rents all manner of firearms
  2. Eat BBQ - my preferences are Franklin, Smitty's, Mueller's, Snows, City Market; after that is a steep decline in my book
  3. A gigantic Western wear outlet like Sheplers
  4. A gigantic hunting megastore like Cabela's. I particularly like taking folks to the deer and animal urine aisle, the rare firearms room and the taxidermy museum (all under one roof!)

Specific advice for out-of-towners?

Sign up in advance for a Car-To-Go account. They are all over town and are very convenient!   Cabs are hard to find late at night, so if you are going to need one, call ahead and make sure to be very clear in giving them your name. There's a lot of late-night taxi poaching in front of the Highball. [Sidenote from Jenn: Tim isn't exaggerating, and you can wait an hour or more if you don't call ahead after 1 am.]

What's not to miss (particular programs, types of screenings, parties, etc)?

Take some time to check out the Fantastic Arcade over at the Highball. Fantastic Arcade is an indie game showcase and we've flown in a number of really cool indie game designers and are showcasing some really amazing games to play. The Arcade is a nice break from film marathons and you can sample in between screenings.

I really enjoy the Chaos Reigns karaoke night, and this year, I think the new party not to miss is the "Attempted Rap" party. Festival attendees will be rapping to super nerdy Fatboy Roberts remixes. It might be awesome, it might be a train wreck, but I'm pretty sure it will be fun!

Fantastic Fest runs Thursday 9/22 through Thursday 9/29 at Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar. You can follow the fest on Facebook and Twitter. Slackerwood will be publishing coverage throughout the festival.

[Photo credit: "Fantastic Fest 2010: Chaos Reigns Karaoke" by Jette Kernion. Used with permission.]