Hey folks, Harry here... It's so strange doing this particular BUTT-NUMB-A-THON announcement. It's my 10th one. I've done 9 1/2 BNAT announcements prior to this - and doing the TENTH one... It just feels different.
A decade? Has it really been a tenth of a century? 1% of a millenium? It's just really really hard to believe, but at the same time - it is kind of hard for me to remember NOT PLANNING and doing Butt-Numb-A-Thon. I remember sitting at Kerbey Lane on Kerbey Lane with a small group of friends - when I came up with the concept for Butt-Numb-A-Thon and the Charity that it would benefit. It was a truly inspired moment as I ate Apple Cinnamon Pancakes in Maple Syrup (can't do that anymore) but at the time... I literally had no idea that it would become an institution that would continue to grow and take shape - or at the very least, that I would still be doing it, 10 years later.
SO - what theme to play with for BNAT X? Well... The roman numeral for 10 is X, which denotes PORN... nah. I know, I could braid my hair tightly and put on a golden one piece bathing suit and jog down a beach as my balls mangina around the crotch in a parody of "10". Nah What could I possibly parody, that has to do with the number 10? I've got it!!!
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF BUTT-NUMB-A-THON!!!
I like that! Charlton Heston passed away this year, and my butt numbed to so many of his great films, it feels only appropriate that in the year of his passing, this monumental film geek celebration celebrate his most iconic film.
***HARRY WHAT IS BUTT-NUMB-A-THON?***
OH - you don't even know what I'm talking about? Ok. Basically, If God were a Geek, BUTT-NUMB-A-THON would be His HEAVEN & HELL! It is the sweetest, most exquisite cinematic experience that I can possibly imagine, that doesn't involve Opium, Heroin & A Harem.
BUTT-NUMB-A-THON takes place in an ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE Theater - A place that has been called by many publications (and myself) the best theater on the planet. Why? Because they get it. I concoct this 24 hours of Cinema, almost entirely on my own, conspiring with Tim League (Owner - Creator of the Alamo Drafthouse) on the various hijinks that occur within that 24 hours.
The programming consists of a hopefully exquisite mix of the Future of Film, The Past Of Film and The Strangest Of Film. You will see things that blow your mind, damage your mind and fill your mind with the sweet dream of movies. There will be special guests, and it will all be something you'll never forget.
The best thing about BUTT-NUMB-A-THON is the Audience - I pick through 1000s of applications from all over the world to select the most passionate, imaginative and dedicated film fans I can find. I craft the festival to that audience, I seat them next to people that they might very well befriend for life. AND I give every single member of the audience the "BNAT GOODIE BAG" which hold treasures beyond imagining. Seriously, I don't know what's going in them this year, not yet.
How are these people chosen? Well, pretty much for the last 8 years of Butt-Numb-A-Thon, I've had an application process, where I ask a series of questions and you answer. Based upon your answer, I judge whether or not you get in. There's usually around 15-20 questions, some short answer, some essay in form. And I'd have you send in a type of photo, so I could see... what sort of geek you were. This evolved into the YEARBOOKS - where every member of the audience, save those that get in by Standby, appear in a BNAT YEARBOOK, which serves as our Annual to remember the audience and the experience. People even autograph these books and write notes to one another in them. It's amazing.
SO - where's this year's APPLICATION? Well, you will no longer be emailing me your application. Instead, you'll be going to: This Page where you will first submit your photo and name, then go onto the question portion of the contest.
About the Photo. The physical instructions are on This Page, but I do want to say - this is more about the effort or imagination involved. This isn't about craftsmanship, but sometimes it's just about how you interpret the task. Don't Do This Till You Have Read All The Instructions on the above linked page and have your photo done Each Member Of Your Group Needs To Do A Separate Picture and Application, you can assemble them all and enter them, but they each need an application.
MAKE SURE YOUR PHOTO LOADS BEFORE FILLING OUT THE APPLICATION!
IF THE PHOTO ISN'T UPLOADED - Your application instantly goes to the rejection folder, even if you're a personal friend. You can submit multiple times if you fuck up, but please - try to follow the instructions, the first time. Applying first doesn't help - Right now, I'm threading all apps - filled out correctly to the MAYBE category. The only ACCEPTED apps till October 29th will be Personal Friends. Then I go through the UNBELIEVABLY LARGE AMOUNT OF SUBMISSIONS - threading people into place.
I will be going through all the applications and we'll announce the winners by Halloween, 2008. SO you should have the application in, no later than midnight on October 29th.
WHEN IS BUTT-NUMB-A-THON 10?
December 13th & 14th! - That's a Saturday & Sunday from Noon to Noon. Specifics on when we start letting people into the theater will be announced closer, but for you out of town travelers - do note that we'll be doing a pre-party on that Friday the 12th. My birthday is actually Thursday the 11th.
The application is up and ready - and I'm awaiting your applications with eagerness and glee. It's always a painful & fun process for me. The final edits always make me cry, seriously.
Good luck,
Harry
P.S. - Want to learn from the BNAT Community?
The BUTT-NUMB-A-THON MySpace Page
The BUTT-NUMB-A-THON Wikipedia Page
The BNATTERS Live Journal Page
The BUTT-NUMB-A-THON Facebook Page
And Coming Soon: ButtNumbAThon.Com, right now it takes you to the Alamo Drafthouse, soon that will change.
Join our Communities!
| 
