Wednesday was “Volunteer Appreciation Day” at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, a day to honor the 1,850 unpaid folks who make the festival run.
Festival organizers marked the day with a surprise – a two-minute short film playing before movies.
The film, "No Good Deed...," shows a guy named Derek (played by actor Derek Waters) waiting for a ride outside the Egyptian, and shivering without a coat. A couple of Sundance volunteers walk by, and offer him one of the ubiquitous orange Kenneth Cole coats that volunteers wear. A moment later, some other volunteers drive up and, mistaking Derek for a fellow volunteer, drop off two boxes, saying “take these down to the box office.”
Further misadventures ensue, as Derek takes on various volunteer duties, from shoveling snow and vacuuming floors to hanging banners and staffing the information booth. He starts out grudgingly working, but ends up enjoying the hard work.
The short was directed by Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg, who brought the documentary “Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work” to Sundance two years ago.
UPDATE: The video was produced by clothing designer Kenneth Cole (who provided the snazzy orange jackets to the volunteers, and who appears at the end of the short). It's tied to the Kenneth Cole Foundation, a k a Awearness. You can watch the video online here.
-- Sean P. Means
