How Suite It Is

It’s 1:39 am, and Alex and I are back from the world premiere of the Escapist—a tense, riveting display of old-school filmmaking out of Ireland and the UK.

It’s been another great day for The Giving Suite. Joe Tomlinson, Mr. Revolve http://www.revolvebrand.com himself (who put together the sweet Suite) and his merry band of mindful marketeers [ organicworksmarketing.com ] have been awfully busy.

Today’s schedule alone included:

1. rock stars offering intimate performances (check out the site http://www.givingsuite.com for schedule, if yer in these here parts),
2. not one but two film opening parties today alone,
3. and another successful day doing good by doing well—The Giving Suite has brought together 25+ eco, social-benefit and fair-trade companies…and are giving away 100% of all proceeds to charity. Now if that ain’t swimming upstream against the schwag-crazy status quo—where everyone who’s anyone comes away from every lounge, party and premiere loaded down with pricey, often-superfluous freebies—I don’t know what is. The Giving Suite is more than an eco shop and lounge, however—it, with Project Greenhouse represents the first fruitions of a national movement that prefers sustainability, cooperation and giving over schwag bags, Hummers or 5,000 square foot houses (which, at Park City, include—get this—heated driveways that are literally warming the earth). eConscious Market’s motto: “giving is the new getting” is what The Giving Suite is all about—and we here at elephant journal, your friendly local eco/social/political magazine feel fortunate to have found such a lovely, deep-green home at Sundance.

The motto of this year’s festival: “’Film takes ‘place.’”–evokes the importance of ‘where’ art happens—whether at a rickety desk in a cabin or a studio lot in LA. And that’s the magic (as Charity, Giving Suite’s manager, just put it)—of the Suite. It’s a container for people to network—and breathe out.

See you in the mornin’–

Waylon H. Lewis | editor – in – chief | elephant journal

You want celebs? In the town that Redford built, celebs are a buck a dozen. We got Paris Hilton, hosting a party last night. Adrian Grenier (of Entourage, new comedy Adventures of Power and now Discovery Network’s Planet Green) making trouble at Project Greenhouse, only one of three green hubs we’ve discovered thus far. We got Patti Smith and Moby rockin’ out last night at two separate events…We got VP Al Gore, Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker, Fiddy Cent, Lil’Jon, we got NHL greats flippin’ pucks for charity, four dozen A-list actors (Clooney, DeNiro, Woody…) and two hundred dozen A-list producers and directors of…remember …films.And that’s the chewy center, the creamy filling that remains the beating heart of Sundance Film Festival. Once you get here you realize it’s not about the parties you can’t get into, the Uggs, the huge fur couture hats or the black SUVS and Hummers inching up and down Main Street…it’s still about what lil’film gem you’re gonna discover this year.So: time to find a dry cappuccino and (finally) pick up our press passes, so we can take a break from interviewing eco entrepreneurs and celebs at The Giving Suite [ new videos and blogs at http://www.givingsuite.com ], and start checkin’ out this year’s best indie film offerings. Tonight: big party for Half Life

[The below is rough, full of typos, but we haven’t eaten more than http://ww.larabar.com and Mix1 and a couplla organic pears shipped halfway across the world all day…we’re off to try and find a restaurant that’s not reserved. Our good friend Jen Sall and friends are at a huge green party chock-ful of celebs and she can’t get us in, and our other buddies are off to films, but we ain’t got no press passes.]In the last two hours since roaring into Park City, I’ve met five green entrepreneurs—all successful, all glowing with the light that comes from doing well ($$$) while doing good—and interviewed one of them, Xavier, founder of http://www.betterworld.com . Stay tuned for the video interviews, Alex will post them as soon as he gets off his lazy axx (seriously, check out Alex’s just-completed first video, of this afternoon’s roadtrip from Boulder to Park City). So I arrive, Alex and I can’t find Main Street (ah, turistas) then we find it, I hop out in the middle of (Lexus Hybrid) bumper to (SUV) bumper (with Cali plates)…I grab a hundred elephant magazines, I turn around…and there’s the Project Greenhouse party, Adrien Grenier et company ( http://www.pangeaorganics.com and other great co’s in attendance). Only, I don’t go in…I’m gonna stop by tomorrow…instead I strut and stroll in cowboy shirt and bellbottoms and cowboy boots down lovely crowded with beautiful people Main Street. Immediately I’ve run into Heather English of englishretreads.com, the re-used purse, bag and wallet company and Rebecca of ebella.com…two lovely ladies out of Boulder.We walk over to Giving Suite—where 20 different big-green-minded companies are gathered, including http://www.drinkearthwater.org , which I’m about to interview…Mathew Gerson of econsciousmarket.com meets me, and walks me over with the man himself, Joe, founder of Giving Suite, where our elephant journal is being generously hosted, and where we in turn are hosting interviews, giving out magazines to the many folks who are coming in to buy sustainable fashion, fair-trade soccer balls, e bella Peruvian pillows etc. After meeting the good folks at Giving Suite, we start right in on interviews, then jet over to an independent filmmakers party courtesy of our Boulder Buddhist Brat buddy, the lovely Una Morera. Hosted by Without a Box (and filmfinders.com), just and I mean just acquired by IMDB, which is turn is owned by Amazon. We meet all the big boys (Jonathan Dana, the coolest bigtime producer daddio ever) and powerful ladies, interview some of them (including Nicole Guillernet, director of Sundance for 18 years, to whom I confess my undying), eat some bruschetta, schooze, meet the amazing Trina Wyatt and others who say big kind (and unwarranted) things about our little ele. Check back for videos, including one with founder of Without a Box’s David Strauss.

Finally, we conduct one of the harder interviews of my life, with two Cuban? Spanish? gentlemen…who were famous? unknown? producers or directors of a film that I haven’t seen that is getting remade into a big deal film by Magnolia, Tom Cruise producing…anyway, watch it when Alex gets a chance to post it, and thank god you don’t look have as dumb as I felt. Onward and upward, time for fancy schmancy parties my friends can’t get me into, and brilliant movies I can’t get into yet (didn’t have time to pick up our press passes).

Yours in the vision of independent arts,

Way
Waylon H. Lewis | editori-in-chief | elephant journal | http://www.iamelephant.com

My friend Mathew Gerson is himself mission-driven. A hardcore Buddhist practitioner, he’s vowed to “serve all sentient beings, and the world.” So it’s little surprise that his internet startup, [link to http://www.econsciousmarket.com ] eConscious—a philanthropic, green e-mall—is itself concerned more about our planet and helping you and I to live a green life than it is about it’s own bottomline. Giving away a generous percentage of all profits to a charity of your choice, eConscious is a one-stop shop for green. Green fashion, green gear, green home, green…you name it. But what excites me, frankly, is eConscious’ ‘spirit.’ Its staff works a thousand hours a week, often for no pay—not because they can’t wait to IPO and bring home the dough, but because they actually, really, simply want to help create a better world from all of us. And in so doing they’ve attracted major partners to their cause.

And that’s the twist: think about others, not yourself, and you’ll inspire those others to support your mission…and your business. Turns out Buddhist and/or sustainable, mission-driven business isn’t just love n’light, airy-fairy hippie-dippie idealism—it’s big-thinking, vital…and sustainable. Look for eConscious at the Giving Suite on Main Street…you’ll find a bunch of independent, mission-driven businesses (including elephant journal) who are excited and honored to be a part of Sundance, one of America’s greatest examples of what the independent spirit can produce and magnetize.

Waylon Lewis
/elephant journal/

After thirty years, Sundance—what began in 1978 as a noble attempt to cultivate and nurture a flourishing, yet fragile independent film tradition—has lost its soul. That’s not news. Sundance itself has tried to combat the inexorable building-up of hype (some of you will remember last year’s Focus on Film buttons). But still, countless companies throw rolexes at stars; paparazzi slide up and down Main Street hunting down $1,500 shots of Paris in her Uggs; it’s all about what parties you’ve been invited to, who you know, how big and fabulous your entourage is, and what you’re wearing.

In reality, it’s all sound and fury. For the heart, the soul of Sundance is alive and well—you’ll find it in the theater, just after the lights dim.

And this year, there’s reinforcements. A new generation is coming to Park City—eager to actually see those nearly-forgotten films and support the independence that inspired the formation of Sundance in the first palce. This, the Giving Suite, is intended to be an offering from a number of eco-oriented businesses founded by members of that generation. For like Redford and his pals, the new green-eration is all about the independence—saying what you mean in your own way, free to do your best (or worst) to realize an artistic vision not beholden to backseat vulture capitalists. For, at the end of the day (and the Festival), the hype is fast-forgotten, and all that remains is the connections you’ve made, the inspiration you’ve taken in—and given back. It’s not about how much schwag we can grab—it’s about what we have to give.

Look forward to meeting you all. In the next few days I’ll report on the Giving Suite’s companies, and our discoveries in the wide world of Sundance.

Waylon Lewis
/elephant journal/

Amazing what a few dedicated companies and individuals can pull together in a few weeks….. when the cause is for the collective good. The Giving Suite is already creating the years biggest buzz on main street, looks like;

Giving. It’s the New Getting at Sundance this year.

Produced by Re:Volve brand a local Park City company who wears the talk with their 100% organic line and powered by the eConsciousMarket.com giving model, the Giving Suite brings together eco/socially responsible brands with celebrities and the Sundance crowd all to support the cause…..it’s time to Think Outside the Gift Bag this year at Sundance Festival.

Did I mention that 100% of all proceeds go to the featured non profits, including:

• Environmental Media Association
• EarthPledge
• Our Future Now
• Healthy Child Healthy World
• Waterkeeper Allinace
• Room To Read
• UNHCR

Who’s driving this train?
The Spitfire Agency, a full service production, promotion and marketing agency dedicated to Non Profits , responsible biz and other cause related ventures. With their guidance, the Giving Suite is going zero waste.

Scheduled events include:

Thurs 17
Suite opens

Fri 18
10p -2a - Opening party – Sling Shot Hip Hop (private)

Sat 19
5p - Johnette Napolitano (Concrete Blonde) LIVE acoustic: Open to all.

Sun 20:
TBA

Mon 21
6pm – Your Vegas performs (TBA). Open to all.

Tues 22
1-3pm - Josh Tickell Book Signing – “Biodiesel America” (producer of “Fileds of Fuel”, up for best documentary 2008 Sundance): Open to all.

Wed 23
TBA

Thurs 24
TBA

Fri 25
10pm – “Half Life” film party (TBA). Private

Sat 26
5pm – Michael Kang (string cheese) LIVE acoustic . Open to all.

Sun 27
5pm – Michael Kang (String Cheese Incident) LIVE acoustic. Open to all.

Check back later more as events get added to the schedule.

For more information contact: 435-940-4133

The Giving Suite is different. We’ve taken the concept of Gifting Suites,
and turned it right-side up. This is not about getting free products. This
is about giving. The Giving Suite is an eco-boutique featuring sustainable
products that are displayed, sampled and priced to sell.

ALL profits go to the ViP buyer’s charity of choice.

Giving. it’s the new getting.