I had set the film release for a Saturday afternoon, co-incidentally my 30th birthday. The theatre was an old place in North Sydney near where I worked, organised cheap because that's where the company would always hold their company meetings. In a bit of style.

I took off two days in the week before the release in order to make sure the editing was done in time. It was a close thing. I put together the final print for the film at 3:00am of the night before. Arrived on Saturday morning at the theatre with a whole bunch of stuff that I'd prepared for the do. I had organised caterers, and bought up a whole load of alcohol. I'd gotten two limos to pick up Jon and Kate, Alistair, Simon, Ted, Linda. Bought a red carpet the day before. Made up a whole bunch of posters using Amanda's excellent design, with some last-minute changes to the credits based on sudden realisation of Ted's surname's spelling. Bought a suit. Organised for a projector and screen for the filming room. Talked to the waitress who would be serving up drinks and snacks. Got the posters up over the outside of the theatre - what the hell - and made sure there was space out the front for the limos to pull up. Had my video camera ready to film the proceedings. I tried to find some plaster-of-paris to do hand-prints of all the principal actors, but couldn't find any at the art shop, and settled for a weird kind of art-clay that I hoped would do the job. Rushed back and forth from the office where I worked, to the theater, transporting the screen and the projector. At last, ready.

The first people started to arrive - my Aunt Elizabeth, who I hadn't seen in a long time. I relaxed, started drinking, had a bit of a chat. Mingled. The snacks were passed around. The lobby started to fill up; lots of schnoozing. I excused myself to get the upstairs room, where we'd show the film, set up. The screen was fine, the projector was fine - but the sound from the projector was too weak. Not enough to fill the room. And since the film was rather talky, this was a bit of a problem. Richard Adamson, musician extraordinaire and workmate, ducked out, went back to work, and stole the sound system. No worries! Went back downstairs, met lots of people in very cheery moods. The crowd is at about 50 people. Contact the limos - they're on their way. Get everyone organised out the front to greet the limos - terrific reception. Cameras flash. The actors and crew lap it up, Alistair especially. Everyone is hyped. Time to go upstairs to face our moment of truth.

The room upstair is filled with people, projector ready to roll. Camera hooked up to the projector, correct tape in camera, batteries full. Nothing remains but to show the film. I stand up, say a few words of thanks for everyone who helped out with the film and the festivities, sit down, start the film.

And they love it. The experience of sitting in a room, watching a film that you've put together, something that you've been editing for months and now here it is, and people are watching it for the first time and enjoying it - wow. Addictive. Amazing. They're laughing at the right places, things that I haven't thought were funny for months now. They're picking up the nuances. The crowd are *on-side*. Wow! And by the time it's finished, they're cheering at the end, and we get a huge round of applause. Wow. Then, a presentation - unbeknownst to me, the cast and crew have gotten together and bought me a present. A brand-new clapperboard. Wow! Cool! Bring it on! I'm making films forever!