April 24, 2008 07:00AM EDT

Film Junkie Reports: Hello! (An Introduction)

Hi. My name is Randy Astle and for the next several days I’ll be writing about some of the things happening at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. If you’re reading this, you probably already know what the festival is all about—a relatively young event, as film festivals go, but one that’s already become a prime springtime event for the city and a premier venue for films from all over the globe. Having come from the land of Sundance, I’ve never attended Tribeca before, so it’s a great thrill to be able to do so this year and let you in on a little bit of what I do and see.

I’m from Salt Lake City. I have always liked movies, although I didn’t select filmmaking as a career until college. I earned a bachelor’s degree in screenwriting and cinema studies at Brigham Young University, and a master’s degree in film directing and production from the London Film School in England. I then did a fair amount of academic work concerning Mormonism and cinema. Last year, back in New York, I worked in postproduction on several films and worked at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens. I’m now marshalling my resources to work in children’s film and television. I live in upper Manhattan with my beautiful wife of eight years and our delightful four-year-old daughter.

I hope to be able to give some insight into the films screened and the events held. Whether you’re attending the festival yourself or live thousands of miles away, my posts will give you a look into what’s going on in independent cinema here in New York City and all across the globe. Thanks for reading!