In My Orbit…

Digital Image courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Social Media Week has been in full swing in Los Angeles, and wraps up today.  I’ve tried to take in as much as I can, particularly since some quality presentations and panels have been offered for free! Can’t beat that with a knobby stick.

The first presentation I attended was about “Jesus and Social Media”.  Being the smart girl that I am, I turned that into an Examiner.com article so that the rest of the world could get the skinny on what was discussed.  Take a read… Social Media Week LA Presents “Jesus in Social Media“.

The other panel I attended was “Hollywood gets a Social Makeover” at The Paley Center in Beverly Hills.   The panel was a bunch of Hollywood execs who work to get their product out into the online marketplace, and the new challenges that it presents.  The gist: The consumer and the community is now driving the marketing and advertising, as opposed to the old model, where marketing and advertising were able to drive the consumer. The companies/media outlets/marketers who understand this and position themselves correctly will be on the cusp of this social media revolution.

One thing they all agreed on was that there is no magic bullet anymore; what works for one feature or game, doesn’t necessarily work for the other! Definitely an open field for experimentation and creativity, which I hope to exploit to my advantage, along with many of the attendees, I might add.

And I had the distinct privilege of attending a free screening of Like Dandelion Dust hosted by Christian entertainment industry fellowship groups The Beacon and Premise.  While not a part of the whole Social Media Week phenomenon, this fit in nicely, and made an impromptu date night for me and the hubby!

An adaptation of a Karen Kingsbury book of the same name, I’m happy to not classify this as a “Christian” film, because that title holds so much legitimate (and illegitimate) baggage.  What the film presents is a powerful story that is both edgy and thoughtful, yet poignant and powerful.  With themes like the cost of our poor choices and finding a road to forgiveness, redemption, and restoration, I believe those solidly in the Christian camp will embrace it and enjoy it.

An array of rich emotions are displayed through powerful performances by Barry Pepper (one of my favorite actors), Mira Sorvino, Cole Hauser, and young Maxwell Perry Cotton, who we’ll be seeing more of in the future, as he is a promising talent.

Don’t just take my word for it.  Watch the Like Dandelion Dust Trailer, and then make it a point to find a theater near you where it is showing.

It is scheduled for limited release today in some major cities, and will debut next weekend, October 1, in Los Angeles.  To ensure it makes it to a theater near you, go to the Facebook page ( http://www.Facebook.com/LikeDandelionDust) and click the link to  “Join.” Then visit the official movie site (http://www.LikeDandelionDust.com/) and click the DEMAND IT tab.

You can also keep up with the movie and its happenings via Twitter: http://twitter.com/kingsburymovie.