The Cannes Film Festival is always full of moments. Whether they are personal moments, or moments that take place on screen, they still happen, constantly. Here are a few that will stay with me for many moons to come.

One of the things about the Cannes Film Festival is that there is always something to look at. If you're bored, or feel like there's nothing to do, you must be staring at your feet from your apartment. There is more than enough glitter and glam to go around on La Croisette.

Still, it's an interesting phenomenon that extends beyond Cannes to all parts of the film industry. Spectacle. The movie is a spectacle. That's the whole point of its existence. It provides something to look at for a certain amount of time. Some films are dark and moody, leaving the spectator to ferret out whatever it is they want to see. Others are bright and constantly moving, forcing the viewer to keep up or get left behind. But that's not the spectacle I'm talking about.

I'm talking about the spectacle before and after the movie. The ever-bright red carpet itself is a beacon for seekers of spectacle, drawing them in like moths to a flame. And then there are the moths themselves. We see these people on the red carpet, dressed from head to toe in the most eye-catching duds they could find. These outfits flutter and sway, mesmerizing onlookers and photographers alike, who imagine the spectacle that must be at the end of the red carpet. The more glorious the outfits, the more spectacular the spectacle. At least that's what we imagine.

The rhinestones, the glitter, the shiny fabrics are all highlighted even more with the brightest lights imaginable, glinting off every surface, whether it is machine or human. Cars, barricades, satin gowns, diamond necklaces, even glittery makeup. It's a temporary Las Vegas strip, drawing us in with promises akin to Ali Baba's Cave of Wonders. If all this wonderful-ness is going inside, then what's inside must be magnificent. Truly.

Cannes, however, does spectacle like no one else. Everyone goes all out in the competition for attention, trying to attract more of it than their competitors. It seems silly when you talk about it, but the truth is that it matters.

What if there were no black-tie galas?

What if there weren't hundreds of blinding white lights to bring daylight in the dark of night?

What if there were no sparkles?

What if there were no thumping sounds of activities?

What if there were no sleek expensive sports cars rumbling alongside you?

Answer: There would be no flash-bulbs.

People would stop coming.

The spectacle would fade into banality.

There is a thing in us, a curiosity perhaps, to know what everyone else knows. When we see a crowd of people looking at the same thing, we want to know what that thing is. It doesn't matter if it's a movie star, a police standoff, or a squirrel eating an ice cream cone. We want to see. We want to know.

And movies provide this, both inside and outside the theater. And it seems the rest of the world has followed suit. Our lives are full of spectacle, from the latest reality show to the news to everything on the internet. We look voraciously, never fully satiated. For some, this need to see sometimes spirals into a desire to see more and more graphic images, of any nature. We never tire of seeing.

At least at Cannes, most of what we're seeing is make-believe. Or at least temporary.

Sometimes it seems like there's just too many causes in the world. And maybe there are. It seems like you can't turn around or wind your watch without someone new asking for your hard-earned cash for some worthy cause. And most of them are worthy. Sure, we need to help the environment. And starving people. And victims of domestic violence. And people with muscular dystrophy,  breast cancer, prostate cancer, Crohn's disease, colitis, HIV, and so on. They all need our help.

And today, it's writers that need your help. Our help. So here's the deal. There's this wonderful non-profit in San Diego called San Diego Writers Ink, who help writers through a series of workshops, critiques, and so on. It's a relatively small organization, with a tightly-knit and dedicated staff. Simply put, it feels like family when you walk through their door. They're soft spoken, yet passionate about all things literary, from limericks to memoirs. 

And now they need to raise some money. They're having a fun fundraiser (or a "fun"-raiser!) called Blazing Laptops. It happens on June 9, and what happens is that they open their doors on a Sunday and all of us writers come in for a sort of writing marathon and just write for nine hours straight. We write to work on what we write, and we write because people have pledged their confidence in our ability to do just that. Basically, it's like the walk-a-thons that many other charities have, except without the blisters and sweat (or at least blisters on different body parts).

And this is where you come in. I promised to raise at least $100 (although truthfully, I'd love to raise much more than that), and I've already gotten 40% of the way there. I just need a few more people to show their generosity to this writing organization to help me get to my goal. At the same time, I actually have writing to do! I can spend those nine hours writing more blog posts and trying to *finally* finish that novel I started in November, which needs about 30,000 more words in order to be done.

So here is the link to pledge. Or click on the picture to pledge. It could be for $5, or it could be for $50, or even $500. Either way, you should seriously consider making a pledge. Everybody wins. Writers Ink gets some funding, I get the chance to work on some writing, and you get to feel great about yourself for being so generous.

I’ve been to many film festivals in my life, and the Cannes Film Festival is probably the most unique of the ones I’ve attended. There is this mystique of film festivals being lots of glitz and glamour; a fun time to be had by all. And to be honest, it is.

It’s also a lot of work. I count myself lucky that I have a job that allows me to do something I greatly enjoy: watch movies. The magic of sitting in a dark room full of strangers and watching a story unfold will most likely never get old. Most of the time, I end up screening films for consideration in our programming on DVD or online. When I get to festivals, however, the general excitement is palpable, with hundreds or even thousands of people who are just as passionate about film sitting in that dark room with me. Sometimes (often) there is applause when the film ends, and sometimes (usually only at Cannes) howls of disapproval and discontent.

But really, when it comes down to it, film festivals like this are really just giant trade shows, with filmmakers and sales agents displaying their shiny new films in the hopes that people the world over will buy them.  There is the Marche du Filme, essentially the trade show floor, complete with booths from around the world, working to sell everything from the latest art house film to a Nazi zombie killer flick and everything in between. It’s pretty awesome when you think about it.

Around the world, at any time, there are hundreds, if not thousands of filmmakers going through the excruciatingly exquisite exertion of making their films: a real life manifestation of the things they see and hear in their heads. Not many things in the world give that kind of gratification.

So we flock to the festivals hoping to share the experiences in their heads. All of us. The buyers, the sellers, the filmmakers, the critics, and yes, even people who just want to see good movies. And then we talk about it afterwards. Some of us just talk to our friends, others to colleagues, and still others to the public at large, creating the buzz that hums in our ears until everyone else makes it to the theater.

So today I started a little of my own buzzing, watching a few films, some good, some great, some not that great. And I can’t wait to watch a whole lot more, and feel the buzz hum around me, as it always does at a hive like Cannes. Cannes has beaches. Museums. Shopping. History. Food and wine. The movies overshadow them all.

What was the last film you just had to buzz about? Have you ever seen a film simply because of the buzz?

Not too long ago, I started talking about how I make certain choices when I program movies. It has to do with the actors, and it has to do with the photography.

And it has to do with the writing. Sometimes I watch movies and think that the writer is some sort of evil genius because they seem to be inside my head, writing exactly what I want to hear, even though I don't know I wanted to hear it. The first season of Dexter did that. Mad Men does that.

Then there's the other kind of movie. The kind that has half-formed characters reciting ridiculousness that has you rolling your eyes so often you think you might have seen your brain at one point. Transformers gave me lots of glances at my own grey matter. So did Avatar.

Most stuff lies right in the middle. The stuff at the ends is easier to spot. But the thing about writing is that it's not what is written that is genius. It's the stuff that isn't written. The stuff that characters say without talking: the subtext. Good subtext makes a move great. It can also be very difficult to write, because oftentimes, people write their own lines in those pregnant pauses, and that's not always that the original writer intended. But in a way, that's okay. If someone is willing to invest enough in a character to imagine what's going on in their head, then the writer has accomplished something.

And yet, it's not all about the writer. What's written isn't always what you see. As writing guru Robert McKee says, "Don't mistake words for writing..." (see video here) Actors take what writers write, then make it real. Good actors make it better than it was before. So in the end, what you see on the screen is really just the essence of what was written.

Lastly, writing screenplays is now turning a corner that doesn't really bode well for some. As with most industries, the powers that be are always looking for 'the sure thing' (no one told them that doesn't really exist). In order to find that sure thing, many in Hollywood have turned to fancy analysts, who comb through scripts (at a mighty hefty price, I might add) and suggest changes to the story that will make it more marketable, popular, or whatever it is that makes it the most money possible.

So, you can listen to the analysts, but there are also numerous gurus and experts that have about a bazillion tips and tricks for writing the best script possible. I'm guessing that the real thing is having a great idea, but being able to express it and tell a great story definitely has to happen. Here's guru John Truby with lots to say.

What is the best writing you remember in a movie? How about the worst?

People often wonder why I pick the films I do. It seems like a simple process, and in some ways, it is. Basically, I watch a film, then decide if it's good. But therein lies the complication. What is good? Is it a familiar face? Is it stunning photography? Is it a story with a message? The answer is yes. This is the starting point to a labyrinthian series of decisions and possibilities that determine whether we end up showing a particular film.

Let's start with the famous faces. We all know that when we see an actor that we like in one of those alluring 'Coming Soon' trailers, our stomachs do a little flip of joy and our brains make a little note to put that date on our calendars. But who do we like? Well, there's definitely some debate about that, but filmmakers generally pay more to people they think we like. So according to that notion, these ladies that would seem to carry huge cache for us. Kristen Stewart is at the very top of that list. One of my personal favorites, Nicole Kidman, didn't even break into the top ten. Neither did 2012's Best Actress Oscar Winner (whose work I also enjoy), Jennifer Lawrence. As for leading men? We have the top ten list for them, too. Tom Cruise, anyone? Yep, the action hero still is at the top of the list. So does that mean those are really the faces you want to see? Would you flock to see a film starring Tom and Kristen?

I'm also wondering if you noticed anything funny about those lists. Anyone? In 2012, Tom brought down over twice as much Kristen. Maybe I'll write about that another time. But I digress. 

Then we move on to the photography. This is particularly sticky, in that there are so many ways to shoot a film. It can be ultra-saturated images that include every color of the rainbow, or something drained of color down to a nearly monochromatic visual that sets a particular kind of mood. It could be a carefully composed series of shots on tripods and smoothly moving dolly shots, or a jerky, hand-held film that infuses the visuals with a sense of spontaneity and immediacy. People definitely have preferences for either (I tend to prefer the use of a tripod), but the way a film is photographed can bring great depth to a story that might not have otherwise been there.

And the story? Always key. Some people have an innate desire to see something they can learn from, or something that will lift their spirits from the depths, or share a message of hope, action, or humanity. Some people just want some good explosions. Some people want to see something that has won an Oscar, or other awards that speak to its pedigree. This article has collected all the data you need for the perfect movie. But did it really?

What I'm trying to say is that when I choose movies, I generally pick things that I enjoy watching, which actually includes a wide range of stuff. I know there are people who enjoy movies I don't care for, and I try to keep that in mind as I watch. Things like "Would my mom like this movie?" often run through my head, as well as "How many people on average would fall asleep watching this?"

So tell me. What kind of movies do you like? Do famous actors really matter to you? What's the weirdest movie you thought you would hate but ended up liking?