Twice Is Nice

Squeeeeee!

Cane Toad Productions and Sublime Intervention won the Audience Choice Award last night at our world premiere!

What a night. I was so nervous all day; it was ridiculous. Butterflies crashing around my entire body. I think I was extra-nervous because the film seemed actually good. I managed the nerves by shopping for black eyeliner and new lipstick (shimmery mauve, oooo!) and trying on various shoes. It was a long haul to 4:30 when Jarrah's fabulous babysitter would arrive to take her to an IMAX movie (What? You thought I'd bring my child to the gun-and-swear fest that is 48 Hours?)

It was hot and my hair started curling up almost immediately after the blow-out. Time for the flat-iron. In the end though, the photos from the night don't suck, so it was worth it.

First, met nearly the entire gang at Maria, Maria for dinner (purportedly) and drinks (yes, please, and may I have another?) We filled our table for 25 and then some. The gents looked dapper, but the ladies were really throwin' it down with the fashion. Lots of bare, sparkly legs and high, high shoes. It was a happy time, but as the red carpet drew nigh, we were all getting a little freaked.

Then, we were descending the stairs en masse. The only thing that could have made us look more rad would have been a wind machine and some sort of gangsta rap backing track. Cameras clicked. Kacie said she'd been avoiding carbs all week because last year the photos came fast and furious from every angle. She didn't want any bad ones this year. (Silly rabbit. She doesn't own a bad angle.)

In the posing pen, we squished as many Toads as we could, and sort of wore out our welcome with posing. "Oooo-kay." said the photog mildly. "You're all set." Stopping just short of "Move it along now."

Lines and wrist bands and ballots. Robyn has a new "guest control" (gotta love that Disney lingo) scheme this year and it's clearly working. Par for the course, our screening was sold-out and packed.

Ran into Mary, who picked the right year to see us live. I sat with her and David in some very choice seats. David held my hand, clearly too scared to even grip it very firmly.

The movies were mostly very good. And, because we were last (a very good thing!) each of them felt 15 minutes long. My heart sank when we reached the one right before us. It was about a man "allergic to happiness" who meets a girl who doesn't mind...for a while. What it had going for it was a lot: British accent voice-over (who doesn't love a British accent?) cool set-ups, snappy writing, and a subtle, smart, existential ending that made me smile. Yup, we'd definitely lost it now.

Afterward, ballots, but first: I got to go up and be interviewed in front of the entire audience. I had fun chit-chatting up there, and felt surprisingly relaxed, but wanted to kick myself--repeatedly--for my response to Duane's question: "And how did you score 2010's Best Actor AND Best Actress?" "They came to us," I purred, and immediately went DAMN! That is some cocky @#$%&*! Why'd I do that?" Since I also completely neglected to remind the audience of the name of our film and the number of the thumbnail currently in view on the screen, it probably didn't much matter. Ugh.

Up to Randy Jones to wait for news. Surprisingly low-key saunter from theater to restaurant. No one approached me. I guess I wasn't exactly recognizable since I wasn't in the movie. Sat with Mary and Tracy and her SIL, Lisa, wondering where everyone was. We dished (quietly) about Things We Didn't Like. Finally, David arrived and told us everyone else was outside. Oh! Soon we had a large, merry band of Toads on the patio, shouting and reminiscing. I ordered some bread pudding, but only got one bite and never saw it again because...

...someone came out and bellowed "There is some NEWS inside!" We all went tumbling in, gripping each others arms and other available extremities. Duane was dashing and really drew it out, and then he announced...

...that the British voice-over film came in third. I snapped my gaze over to Calvin, who whispered very calmly. "This is a good thing. You'll see." Then Duane was saying that first and second were VERRRRRY close, and two teams had been neck-and-neck throughout the ballot counting. I started moaning, somewhat quietly but probably not all that quietly. Calvin laughed. He still seemed calm. Even though he really, really likes to win. Which could mean...I didn't even hear the title Duane announced for second, just that it wasn't ours. Now all the Cane Toads were buzzing like a hive. "And the winner of 2011's Group C Audience Choice Award goes to...

...Sublime Intervention!" For an amazing instant there was almost silence. During which I was thinking "Which movie was that? I don't remember that one. Interesting title. Sounds a little like ours. What was the title of ours again? Something about angels? Something that started with an S....?"

Believe it or not, I got through all that before the screaming started. It was low for a fraction of a second, and then it got high-pitched and squealy and a little crazy-sounding. Readers, I'm pretty sure that was all me. But there were Toads pogo-ing around me, hugging and grabbing and screams more delicate than mine. Someone was yelling "Group Photo!" and I briefly thought "Ah, we missed this part last year. There was no photo then. When we came in second." The year before--when we won this same award--already lost to memory.

There were photos. And more photos. And congratulations. (Including a really sweet shout-out from our second place team, who seem awesome.) I yelled "I want a tequila shot!" But I never got one. Which is fine. We talked and talked and smiled and smiled until the next screening group's teams arrived. And suddenly I was crazy-tired. Almost as tired as I was after we turned in the film. Which had just won an award. Hopefully not its last. And I needed to sleep but knew I wouldn't, not for a long time.

And the sweetest of perks: no waiting to see if we made The Best of San Diego. We're automatic. We're golden, baby. Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. at Hazard Center. Come see us with the other bests.