News

averner@globeandmail.com

There is no manual on how to navigate the onslaught of events that will be taking place over the next 10 days. No etiquette on how to casually approach someone accustomed to rabid fans, no rules about what should or shouldn't be discussed.

Which means that on some occasions, I've gotten lucky, while on others, I've blown things big-time. Before the festival officially kicks off tonight, I've had some time to think about what I've learned from the previous two years covering the stars, the scene and everything in between. And in the spirit of Creation, TIFF's opening gala, let's just say it's been an evolutionary process.

See the films...

Somehow, I neglected to do this my first year which meant that I was stuck with two fail-safe conversation topics when schmoozing with the stars: what they were wearing and what they thought about Toronto. It is a film festival, after all, not a party festival. So knowing that I will be attending events for Creation, Triage, Dorian Gray, Defendor and Cairo Time, I set aside time to attend the prescreenings. Note to Ben Barnes: We have a lot to chat about. I have also seen a few extras in the hopes that I will ultimately end up at whatever related events ensue: Precious (because I definitely need to be prepped if I talk to Oprah), A Serious Man (those Coen brothers are always good for a party) and the Hugh Hefner documentary (when else would I have a legitimate excuse to rub elbows with bunnies)?

...but don't stress when I don't

During one of the many late nights at the Park Hyatt Roof Lounge last year, I found myself resting my feet beside Rachel Blanchard, whose film, Adoration (directed by Atom Egoyan), had screened earlier in the evening. After commiserating about our high heels, we somehow managed to discover that we both attended all-girls schools in Toronto. At that point, it didn't really matter that I hadn't seen her film; the conversation had taken on a life of its own.

MIKE CASSESE/REUTERS

A little all-girls-school chit-chat goes a long way in breaking the ice with Adoration star Rachel Blanchard.

Find an obscure talking point...

I have always been an Ed Harris fan. When I had the opportunity to meet him, I broke into conversation by asking him about working with composer Jeff Beal for a second time (they teamed up for Pollock) rather than his acting. I remember being enthralled by the way he cupped his chin and spoke so pensively. From my perspective, it was one of the more insightful one-to-ones of TIFF '08 and I'd like to hope that not many other people broached that subject with him.

EVAN AGOSTINI/THE CANADIAN PRESS

For an insightful one-on-one, ask an obscure question of the pensive Ed Harris.

...but don't get too serious

I made this mistake last year when approaching Jeremy Piven, who, let it be known, has definite Ari Gold tendencies. Despite having seen at least a dozen films in prescreenings, I hadn't seen his, RocknRolla. I had heard he was getting ready for the Broadway production of Speed-the-Plow and asked him whether rehearsing for stage was different from rehearsing for screen. Big mistake. Okay, so I may have seemed a bit nervous, but he did a double-take, paused and said, "If I thought this was going to be a formal interview, I would have had you go through my publicist." Ouch

.

ASHLEY HUTCHESON FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL

A serious query can bring out the inner Ari Gold of Entourage’s Jeremy Piven.

Make sure to wear great glasses...

Gerard Butler asked to try them on (of course I let him!) and Jack White of the White Stripes randomly complimented me on them. Suffice it to say, I invested in a new pair this year. The funniest part: I opted to turn sunglasses into optical frames and as it happens, they are the same style worn by Mickey Rourke when he was promoting The Wrestler. Don't ask how we both look good in the same glasses but I'm ready to rock them.

...but don't get too fussed over the frock

Two reasons: (i) Most people are paying attention only to the celebs. (ii) Most parties are too packed for anyone to fully appreciate an ensemble. By extension, it's a waste (if not a hazard) to wear extravagant shoes at TIFF unless you plan to be photographed walking the red carpet. There's just too much running around; I even suffered a stress fracture in my foot covering the festival in '07. Which is not to say that I will go out of my way to ignore the heels chosen by Penelope Cruz, Demi Moore, Jennifer Connelly and Megan Fox. But I think we can all agree we will be looking at other parts of them first.

Amy Verner's Scene and Herd column appears daily during the Toronto International Film Festival.