Member Lens: What’s it Like to Attend the Spirit Awards?
Fun fact: Each year, all Film Independent Members who are eligible to vote for the winners of the annual Spirit Awards are entered into a very unique raffle, of sorts. The prize for said raffle? Two tickets to attend the Spirit Awards!
We’re talking about a true once-in-a-lifetime experience… You can grab coffee next to June Squibb. You might run into Questlove in line for the bathroom. Or if you’re Jean Ortiz-Luis, you’ll reconnect with a friend that you know from your years as Spirit Awards volunteers.
Ortiz-Luis was randomly selected to be this year’s Member attendee and, on top of her love for independent film, she has a long history volunteering for both the Spirit Awards and the LA Film Festival, making the experience that much more meaningful for her.
We spoke with her about her experience, both at the show, and as a Film Independent Member.
Tell us a little bit about your background – where you’re from, how you became interested in independent film, etc.
I’m a born and raised Southern Californian from Norwalk, which is just outside of LA. Honestly, I’ve just always been into movies and award shows. My dad took me to a Kids’ Choice Awards when I was maybe 10, and I never looked back.
I went to Cal State Long Beach and studied marketing. The plan was always to work at a film studio, or to work in entertainment in general, but I ended up not doing that. I got into marketing in tech. I’ve been doing that for six years now and it’s not where I initially thought I would go, but I will say organizations like Film Independent allow me to still have access to my passions and interests.
I love that I have a day job that I can walk away from, and then spend my nights going to screenings and enjoying what the LA film community has to offer.
Tell us about your history of volunteering with us here at Film Independent.
I was working for a lighting company some time ago. I wanted to branch out and didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t find a job in entertainment, so I started volunteering just to try to get my foot in the door. I volunteered for the LA Film Festival and had a great time, and some of the volunteers there told me that they had volunteered for the Spirit Awards. I thought, “That sounds really fun! I love that awards show.” I think I joined as a Member and began volunteering in the same year.
I loved going to all the Film Independent at LACMA events, all of those screenings. I always had so much fun and volunteering was fun too. I’ve volunteered for maybe six Film Independent Spirit Awards over the past several years. I often see the same people over and over again which is nice.
How did you feel when you found out that you were selected to attend this year’s Spirit Awards as a guest?
I was completely shocked because I forgot that the raffle was even a thing! I vote [for the Spirit Awards winners] every year but it’s one of those things when I see something about the raffle, I’m like, “oh yeah, that’s cool, but I’m not going to win that.” I totally forgot that I was entered!
Anyone would be excited to be invited to the Spirit Awards, but being a longtime volunteer, I thought “whoa, I actually get to go as a guest!” It was such a fun experience. I brought my brother who has also volunteered. We had a great time.
As a volunteer, I always had fun. Yes, we work hard and we’re helping, but I always saw that as a privilege. So, to then go as a guest I was like, “oh, I don’t have to work!”
Was there one moment from the show that stood out to you the most?
Honestly it was running into a volunteer who’s a friend of mine. Of course, there were a lot of people there and my brother and I were walking around the tent just trying to take in everything that was going on. We were saying, “wow, look at all these beautiful, famous people and filmmakers.” As we were walking, someone grabbed my arm. I wondered who would recognize me at the Spirit Awards, and it turns out it was a volunteer I’ve known for years!
We started as volunteers around the same time and, actually, we’ve known each other for over 10 years now, so she recognized me immediately. She thought it was so cool that I was the lucky one to win the tickets to the show.
It was such a nice coincidence to run into someone like that. Seeing her also reminded me how I feel about volunteering: Even though it’s only once a year, I come back and I get to see these familiar people who are really special. That was a full-circle moment. It was a very pleasant surprise.
What’s your favorite part of being a Member?
Honestly, it’s the access to the screenings and Q&As. There’s a ton of that in LA but I do think that Film Independent screenings are particularly well curated. There are always great filmmakers and actors that I get to see. I also love that it’s a pretty tight-knit community. I go to other screenings that are put on by other organizations and it can be kind of a circus sometimes. I feel like Film Independent is this very passionate, relatively small community and that’s what I like about it. There’s great access in what feels like an intimate setting.
I have friends in the film industry asking me how I have access to these things, and I tell them its really easy – Film Independent is right there! It’s been there this whole time. Also, Membership is not expensive. It’s very accessible and affordable, and you get so much access whether you work in the industry, or you just love it. It’s a low barrier of entry, and even though some people might not know about it, I talk about it about it all the time!
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