The thing with Cannes is that you just have to go with it. There’s no point in trying to resist. Or thinking you’re above it. Or that you’re only there to close a deal. Cannes is about parties and premiers, hookers and hangers-on. So you gotta be prepared for a bit of messiness. TIP ONE: Always pack a tux. TIP TWO: never pay for champagne. TIP THREE: Boats are better than villas. Business was brisk with back-to-back meetings over 72 hours. Your day starts at 9am and finishes at 4am. Figuring out how to do the same pitch and keep it as fresh as the first every time is an art. It’s like speed-dating. TIP FOUR: So having a sense of playfulness and fun is essential. TIP FIVE: Take the business seriously, but not yourself. TIP SIX: Learning to be like a tape-recorder can be make or break – when your pitch to a Studio exec is interrupted ten times and then becomes a walk-and-talk you can’t lose your flow. Press Pause. Then carry on as if nothing happened. Charm and wit are your weapons. Gossip is intelligence. TIP SEVEN: Dress the part. It matters. TIP EIGHT: Have a prop. A book, headphones. Conversation starters help break the ice. TIP NINE: Comfortable shoes – you’ll walk a marathon. TIP TEN: Have a swim. Is there any point in being on the Cote d’Azur without taking a dip in the med? By the end of four days we’d build multiple new relationships with potential Canadian co-producers, had a better understanding of the various financing options and what the market would pay and bagged one very interested Sales Agent. Oh – and did I mention the champagne showers?