1. ParkCityLodging.com. Rent a condo, fill it with your team. Split the cost if you have to. The deeper in town you stay, the more expensive.
2. It's totally possible to find housing once the festivals have announced. If you're not planning on going anyway, it should be ok to wait to book a place. Some people do book months in advance to be sure though.
3. Stay as close to Main Street as you can get for your budget.
4. There's a shuttle for Sundance, don't rent a car. Half the people you want to meet will be on the shuttle with you.
5. If you have any time, SKI or SNOWBOARD. No one is skiing during this week. Mind you, if you have a film there you SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY TIME.
6. Volunteer. Both festivals need volunteers every year. Get in touch, and see if you can help. You'll meet more people than you would just walking around. (Only do this if you don't have a film there.)
7. Parking sucks. Don't bring your car up. If you do bring your car up, park at the end of the shuttle route and take the shuttle in.
8. Warm clothes are more than important. Also appropriate footwear. Heels look great, but they can also kill you there. I've seen people fall every year and have heard of broken bones.
9. Get your swine flu shots. You're in close proximity with a lot of people passing a lot of stuff around. Let's all protect each other.
10. The first weekend is kind of a tourist frat party weekend, be ready for drunken Utah people who drive in to see celebrities. We're tourists too, technically, so don't start fistfights.
11. House parties are usually better than the sponsored parties, but the sponsored parties are where you'll meet the heavy-hitters.
12.  Distributing fliers is not permitted. You are not allowed to pass them out. You can actually get some kind of ticket and/or fine for it.
13.  There are designated places for your fliers and posters. Make cheap ones, they'll be covered up in 5 minutes. Don't get mad, you're going to cover up other people's fliers in 5 minutes too. If you want to bring a car and park it on Main Street with your film title all over it, that's better than the bulletin boards.
14.  If you can create some kind of cool swag that people will actually want to have and use during the festival, that's way better than fliers anyway.
15. Have copies of your film on you at all times. Try and get people to your screenings, but if they're agents, distributors, reps, or press, and they can't make it-just give them a copy of your film.
16. Get to know John Bernstein, he knows everyone and will drive you to parties until 5 am and ditch you and then find you again and drive you to another one.
17. Break up with your significant other. There' are plenty to go around up there. (Okay, don't actually break up with them. Just look, don't touch.)
18.  If you're broke, you can always drive up. Dan Mirvish does this every year and always stops in Beaver, as far as I can recall. Because that's how Dan rolls. Into Beaver. I personally like stopping in Vegas for the night or St. George. But be wary; when there is snow and ice, 4WD is important.
19. Pace yourself on the alcohol. It isn't going to run out, and it's mostly free. The altitude can kick your ass; don't let it.
20.  If there are restaurants where you're hoping to eat, make a reservation. Sometimes studios make reservations at 3 or 4 different places depending on what they feel like eating, or who they want to send to dinner.
21. If you want to see a screening at Sundance but don't have tickets, you can usually get wait-list seats at the Eccles Theater. You'll just have to until they seat the ticketed audience.
22.  The Eating Establishment at the top of Main Street is where you can find me for most meals.
23. If you do get lucky and get into either festival, you may want to show up a day early to get the lay of the land, post some posters in shop windows, and get settled before the craziness starts.

I know there are more, but this should get you started.

And hey, the new, updated film festival version of my book is finally available for half the price of the original. Check it out if you have a minute-it's essential reading for people doing film festivals in 2010, The Indie Film Rule Book: Film Festival Rules, www.lulu.com/indiefilmrulebook .

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for all of you!!

**Please send all your questions to heidi@indiefilmrulebook.com. If I can, I will try and answer them in this blog. Otherwise, buy my book (www.lulu.com/indiefilmrulebook) and once you've read it you can use your email access to send me more questions that I will answer in a private email.

www.twitter.com/heidivanlier

Heidi Van Lier is an indie filmmaker living in Los Angeles. She has made 3 feature films, "Chi Girl" which won the Grand Jury Prize at the Slamdance Film Festival, "Monday" which screened as a special screening at the Slamdance Film Festival, and "American Decaf" which will make the festival rounds soon. Heidi now programs for the Slamdance Film Festival, produces and directs Slamdance TV (Slamdance.com click Slamdance TV) during the festival, and continues to counsel 10-15 filmmakers about festival strategy every year. Her new book The Indie Film Rule Book is available at lulu.com and is a strategic guide for indie filmmakers. Go buy one now!