Monday night was unexpected.

Along with all the films it screen, TIFF likes to do special events where people involved in moviemaking have conversations. Ordinarily its just an on-stage interview, but this year they added a night where Joseph Gordon Levitt (he of INCEPTION and 500 DYS OF SUMMER fame) hosted an evening promoting the creative work that goes into his HitRecord projcet.

The site is all about people creating content – photos, art, music, writing, and especially video. So to go along with that, this was an event where people using their phones and cameras was not only permitted, but it was actually encouraged.

So sometime after eleven last night Joseph Gordon Levitt hit the stage and began showing work from the site. Lots of charming little movies, a few stories and such. He even brought people out of the audience to read some of the Tiny Stories as the illustrations went up on the screen behind them.

Then things took a turn for the unexpected.

The focus turned to Love of Cinema, and Joe asked everybody to tweet their favorite moviegoing memory and hit it with a particular hashtag. Without missing a beat, I wrote this:

[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/matinee_ca/status/113449948711886848″]

So the clip about love and cinema ends, and he goes to discuss the tweets with the audience…guess which one he starts with? Yup. He follows that up with “Is this person in the room?”. The five friends I was with let out a holler so I was quickly pointed out…and called up on stage.

Joe quickly complimented my camera, which of course prompted me to pick it up and point it right at him. I am however rather embarrassed to say that between the camera being on the wrong setting, and my hands shaking from a touch of nerves, the photo I shot is blurry as hell:

So I got to tell my little tale of the night I met Lindsay, tried to ignore my friends heckling three rows back, and get off a thought or two about the love of going to the movies talking directly to an actor whose work I truly truly dig.

Like I said gang, unexpected.

Edit: The video of me acting like a dork in front of an actor whose work I respect and 400 paying patrons is up. Give a watch – RM

Untitled from Ryan McNeil on Vimeo.

The whole event was tremendously brief – a hour tops I’d say – but even if I wasn’t called on to work a mic, it’d still have been a sweet night out. The point of the whole thing was to encourage people to create original content. Furthermore, to open your work up to collaboration to perhaps create something even better. I’ve read a tweet or two from last night mentioning that people now feel compelled to contribute their ideas…and at the end of it all, that has to be a good thing. Obviously, as someone who takes photos, records a podcast, and writes a website, I believe in regular people trying to add something to the conversation…and if Joe can take it that little bit further with projects like HitRecord – so much the better.

Note: I’ll be updating this post later with another photo or two, and likely a video clip of the whole conversation. Keep an eye on Twitter for updates.

60 Replies to “HitRecord at TIFF with Joseph Gordon Levitt”

  1. Dude, you were nervous? How many other famous people have you met where you’ve kept cool?
    Pretty awesome man, that’ll be a nice anecdote in your autobiography some day.

  2. I do believe you now have a moment that comes close to topping your encounter with Cameron Crowe. Awesome story man! It has truly been a special TIFF for you this year.

  3. That’s awesome. And I love that photo. I think it’s perfect because – I guess I’m only speculating – it probably captures exactly how you felt at that moment.

    This also seems to re-confirm that Joseph Gordon Levitt is a pretty cool dude.

  4. That is so cool! Grats! I think you were the perfect person to pick up (judging from your podcasts, which I’ve started to listen to). The picture is awesome too. Like everything about your TIFF reporting.
    *envious*

    1. You should hop a plane some year and c’mon over!

      As for me being the perfect person, you flatter me dear woman. I’m pretty sure I was able to hold my own, but perhaps you can judge when the video of this little occurrence goes up.

  5. Sam G. will likely die over this. Good for you man, after “Brick” my views on this guy severely altered. Great film, great actor.

    Now, now …. what’s this about Cameron Crowe?

  6. Way cool. But stop hogging all the endearing stories! First you meet your wife at the movies, then you get to talk to JGL about them? You’re hogging all my dreams, Ryan!

    1. (Welcome to The Matinee Buddy – about time you showed up)

      There are still many women at the festival to meet, and many stars to tell the story to. First you gotta make the tip up, homeslice.

    1. First you have to learn how to spell “s’il sous plait”.

      Don’t sweat it dude. I’m still hopeful that in a year or two when you’re done your studies you can come up here and join me for this awesomeness.

  8. I’m pretty sure that that I wouldn’t have been able to even handle the camera because I would’ve been sweating bullets. This is awesome on so many levels, man.

  10. Super cool. Kudos for firing off the Tweet that got you on stage and I can’t wait to see the rest of the photos…and hey, shaky or not, you were that close to JoGo to take the photo in the first place and that’s aces in my book bud:)

  11. I would be insanely jealous, but I’ve had a terrific day with some amazing personal news that I can now say I’m happy you got to meet such an awesome actor. Oh, who am I kidding? I’m still insanely jealous:)

  13. Wow. Great photo and what an experience. It couldn’t have happened to a guy more passionate about films or dedicated to spreading his love for the medium. What a beautiful moment from ’02 to share.

  14. This is seriously amazing and even better that you got to tell your TIFF love story! Still the best line story that I have heard!

    1. This was the event I was telling you about on Sunday when you flagged me down – it really was the sort of “only at TIFF” experience that keeps me coming back to this crazy caper year after year.

      Hope your cold is subsiding!

  15. I am so jealous. You are amazingly lucky! He seems like a pretty cool dude. Plus, his HitRECord project is pretty awesome, too!

    Seriously, I wish I was in Toronto so much now. I wish I could be you! Haha.

    1. Usually when I get that sort of passionate response from my Canadian and American readers, I suggest they make the trip sometime…but for you it would be a bit of a hike.

      Oh well, if I ever see him again I’ll say hi for you.

  16. Woo hoo! What a great story!! Congrats on meeting JGL, I’d be so nervous too if I meet him! That is a lovely tweet, Ryan, what a romantic you are! 😀

  17. This is such a cool story. How often do you get to tell the story of how you met your wife with one of the best young actors around? Great stuff Hatter!

  21. OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG

    (Just watched the video.)

  22. That’s awesome dude. I went to the HitRECord event in Seattle and while I didn’t get called up on stage I did meet him briefly after the show, though only for about a minute. Still I was about as nervous, if not more in that brief time then you seem to be. You kept it pretty cool, I’m impressed.

    BTW: Did he perform at all while he was there?

  23. Amazing in so many ways! As others have mentioned the photo you took completely capture the moment.

    I also want to say that your TIFF coverage this year is insanely awesome. They (TIFF) really should think of incorporating you on the festival in some way.

    Finally, how much of a traffic spike did you get from this event?

    1. Thanks for all the compliments sir. My traffic spike is actually hard to get a handle on since my overall numbers are so out-of-sorts with the blog moving anyways. On the whole interest in my posts was good, but it’s hard to know how it compares to previous years.

      As for TIFF letting me play in their sandbox, we’ll have to see what next year will bring.

  24. Is this you making me pay for not coming to Toronto again this year? Dammit. This is pretty cool. See what twitter got you :P….

    Anyways I will continue to claim “next year” on this event and I already have the documents just need to book my ticket.

    1. Yeah, if there ever was a moment where I was thankful for getting on Twitter – this evening was it.

      See ya next September good buddy. Get ready to make a whole bunch of new friends when you get here.

  25. I’m forever jealous of you, Ryan! That is awesome though. Couldn’t have happened to a better guy. So glad you got to go on stage and talk to JGL!

    1. Aw shucks Kristin. Thanks!

      I’ve been saying this a lot to various people over the last few days, but hopefully you and your fella can join us all up here for TIFF one of these years and get to sit in on fun little events like this.

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