“Rock Against Diabetes” brought high density, highly amplified heavy metal music to Las Vegas, August 27 & 28 at ROX Club Vegas for a very good cause. Darrin Buchanan the producer and initiator of his version of Rock Against Diabetes explained why he is doing this. “My main objective is a worldwide solution, to help assist people in picking the right foods, how much of them to eat, how to prepare them, and even where to get the proper ingredients. This will be delivered in such a way, that it will be accessible to all people at all times”. He continued “I learned myself that I was diabetic, when I thought was a wounded foot, was actually diabetes related, and serious enough that I will become a below knee amputee on March 13th, 2008. By educating myself, and taking the proper steps, I now have my diabetes and health in control.”

My Red Carpet experience of covering Cinevegas 2008 Film Festival was the best ever. The special red carpet events we covered during the first weekend were the Opening Night film “The Rockers”, Cinevegas 10th Anniversary party, Dwayne Johnson’s special “Get Smart” screening at Planet Hollywood, as well as his “Star” on Brendan Theaters Walk of Fame. It also included Saturday’s Dark Streets Screening that was followed by “A Concert for Giving” featuring music some of the performers from the movie. Red Carpet coverage also included Honoree Award Ceremony at Planet Hollywood and the Closing Night Vegas Magazine 4th anniversary Party at Palazzo.

My husband Dale assigned as ECE’s official photographer was positioned at one end while I as reporter was place down the line with great opportunities in getting interviews with some high profile celebrities. James Caan, Rosario Dawson, Robert Duvall, Angelic Huston and Rainn Wilson were among the celebrities I interviewed. What I found out about myself as the festival aged is that I’ve become dynamite covering these red carpets. Thanks to the public relations staff of Cinevegas I was able to get interviews that I wanted at the festival. Even when it seemed that some passed and I shouted out the right question they would stop, turn around and answer it. Then I was able to ask a couple more follow up questions.

As it has been the past four Cinevegas it is nice to be able to chit-chat with Dennis Hopper during various Red Carpets. He always takes the time to come over, say how you doing, and usually talk a bit about what he has seen during the current Cinevegas that he likes.

However this year he didn’t get a chance to view many of the films because he was busy filming in Albuquerque, New Mexico the television series “Crash” during most of the festival. It’s great for him to be working but his presence was greatly missed. I did see the special screenings, “The Rocker” and “Get Smart”. The public relations staff of Cinevegas did a great job for the press with the big events.

It was the competition films where that same public relations staff fell flat. Film festivals are supposed to be for the inspiring filmmakers that produce low budget independent films. Media and press coverage for these filmmakers are priceless because it helps promote their craft whether or not their films are picked up for distribution or a festival win. In a pre-festival interview, Artistic Director Trevor Groth said something like you need the big events to draw interest into the festival but that Cinevegas does realize that the smaller competition independent films are the real reason for the festival. But I wonder if that was just lip service or if it might have been just growing pains for the festival that limit coverage of the smaller competition films?

Our coverage at the beginning was limited to one ticket each day and your request confined 24 hours prior to films show time. You were notified via email if your request was granted. As the festival aged the one ticket rule was rescinded, but not the 24 hour request rule, the email notification ceased and by then many of the films were sold out. So when making a request you risked wasting gas at $4 per gallon and 105 plus heat to find out there was no ticket.

There was virtually no press coverage for these films Red Carpets. I also heard mumblings that the quality offerings of these films were down from previous years. Could it be with so many film festivals to choose from many of the better filmmakers are going to other places where they can get better press coverage?

Now Cinevegas can be hectic for the public relations’ staff but, they could designate a person to contact to see if your ticket requests were granted. Or, if there was room in the theater you could show you badge and see the film. Even the supposedly sold out shows often had the reserved seat for filmmakers open, during the second screening. That is how I got to see one of the films that were allegedly sold out. There was almost a whole row of empty seats reserved for the filmmakers.

So reviews of the films are limited and with a thanks to Laura Velgos who was a volunteer at Cinevegas and got into more films than me. But those reviews are accompanied by Red Carpet comments received by me from actors, directors and producers of those films. My coverage also includes a profile of talented actor Rosario Dawson. She was so gracious and accommodating on the red carpets that I was able to come up with the profile. I’ve completed my coverage with seen and heard bits.