Devi and the pink reservoir poodle (repost)

Last year I was working as a Manager On Duty/Security guy at The Hilton Palm Springs, and we hosted the Palm Springs Short-Film Festival. I did this write-up on an aspiring filmmaker, Devi Snively, and the post lived here at this blog for a few months but somehow got pulled.

Wouldn’t you know it – Devi emailed after all this time to say, “Hey, where’s that post? We want to link to it because it was really good!” which is about the coolest compliment a blogger can get, other than having people drive-by and throw wads of cash at you because they just love your blog that much.

Lucky Dooce.

I have yet to get to that point but here’s the Devi Snively post, resurrected from the dead. So yes, it’s kind of a Zombie post, which is appropriate for her, so it all works out in the end.

Devi and the pink reservoir poodle

Posted: 26 Aug 2008 11:52 PM CDT

She wandered out into the valet area of the hotel to catch a ride to a party, her blond hair sporting streaks of pink and a pink poodle named Fifi slung over her shoulder.  I immediately liked her, before I even talked to her. She had class, this one, and she was an artist.  I assumed, correctly it turned out, that she was in town for the Palm Springs Film Festival.  I didn’t know that she was a filmmaker, I mean.. my GOD she was only about 20!

We talked.

Starting with her asking me how to get to the party.  I told her we could arrange a ride, but it’d be a few minutes.  Lucky me, because I got to know someone dynamic and impressive and wonderful — shoot, I can’t think of enough positive adjectives to describe Devi Snively — she’s delightfully weird.  My young friend Joseph, who’s about 14 I think, told me last year that I’m weird, and he said it with a bit of disdain in his young voice.  “Joe,” said I, “there’s nothing wrong with weird.  Weird can be good.  Weird is different.  Weird is unique, so thank you for the compliment.”  He stammered a reluctant “you’re welcome” before shuffling off to blend in with everyone else.

Devi is weird, in that good way that stands out and demands your attention.  It doesn’t compromise; her kind of weird grabs you and says, “I’m HERE and if you don’t like it, that’s tough shit.. go watch a soap.”

It’s like Tim Burton, Charlie Chaplin, Quentin Tarantino and PeeWee Herman all got into an accident on the freeway and Devi Snively crawled out of the wreckage.

We talked of LA and, when I found that she’d just moved there, I pointed her toward Central Casting and advised her to do some extra work in film and TV to get the hang of the business.  HAHA! That was BEFORE I got home and was able to look over her website and see her film shorts.

SHE DOESN’T NEED TO DO THAT!

Devi, don’t listen to me.. ever.  I don’t know what in the hell I’m talking about.

Someone needs to just give her 42 million bucks to make a huge feature.  I don’t have it at the moment, else I would.  I hope, if someone does, I can be in it.  Just so you know she’s over 20, so if you’re a potential investor don’t be scared off by any perceived lack of life experience on this woman’s part.. she’s been around, and she’s done this and that over the years.. she just LOOKS 20.

Whoa! (apologies to Keanu Reeves)

We talked until her poodle rang. She unzipped Fifi’s back (ouch!) and pulled out her cellphone to take a call.  Then the hotel van was ready to take her to the party, where she’d mingle with other filmmakers and do all that networking she needs to do, so we said goodbye and I wished her well.  Sometimes I do that as a dutiful and courteous hotel employee, but not this time..

This time I meant it.

Look over her website.  Take a gander at her film trailers, all of which are from shorts made on a shoestring budget.  Sure they’re corny and silly, but look at the camera technique, lighting, staging and everything else.. then imagine her making one of those huge Burtonesque features.  I’m also reminded a bit of the Coen Brothers when seeing her stuff.

I’ll rerun this post and title it “I TOLD YOU SO!” come the evening she’s standing on the stage of the Kodak Theater, clutching a little gold man and thanking everyone.  Maybe she’ll include a certain hotel dude/blogger in Palm Springs.

On a final note to Devi, and this is advice you should take from me despite my prior urging that I don’t know what in the hell I’m talking about..

.. YOU NEED A BLOG.

Trust me on this – you need to attach a blog to that amazing website of yours and post at least 3 times a week, telling your fans (and potential investors) what you’re up too and what’s in the works. You need to have a subscriber button just like the one in my upper-right corner, so that we all can keep up with you and follow your career.

I’ll be your first subscriber.

2009 addition – Get on TWITTER TOO, and start by FOLLOWING ME. While you’re at it, follow my cousin Davis Rochefort because he just might mention you at his new celebrity blog.

Tagged as: Devi Snively, film making, Hollywood