A Pound of Flesh

One thing I believe is important throughout life is to continue learning. To always better yourself and continue moving forward. Because if you're not moving forward, where are you going? No where. And if you are not going anywhere, you might as well be dead.

Wait. Dead?

OK, maybe not dead, but you certainly are not making yourself any better.

That is why I always make it a point to continue my education in whatever way possible, to be a student of life. I listen to NPR instead of music on my work commute, to try and learn something about the world. And I recently started taking a Sunday afternoon Spanish class, just to keep in practice. But, probably the best way (and an inexpensive way) to learn about something is to read about it.

That brings me to A Pound of Flesh. No, it is not a book about how to be a coroner (this post has turned out to be rather morbid...), it is a book about Producing. Written by a guy who has been in the game since the 80s, Art Linson has produced some pretty well know movies like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Heat, and Fight Club. The book is written very well and is an easy read, but it is also full of information.

Linson takes you through some of the situations he has been in while trying to get films made. Starting with getting the idea for a movie, finding and working with a writer, trying to convince the penny pinching studio executives to give you money to write a script, then finding a director, then trying to convince the execs the give more money to put everything else together, like trying to get actors or locations; and then finally asking for more money to put the thing into production. Then all the other problems that come next....

I ate this book up because it is pretty much what I want to do for my career, but I think anyone would enjoy it. If you ever wanted to know what a Movie Producer does, and you want to find out through personal stories, definitely check out A Pound of Flesh. He wrote a follow up called What Just Happened?, which I plan on reading next. Gotta Keep moving forward!

One Year.

The beginning of November marks my one year mark in LA. I think the 6th, maybe the 7th? Regardless of the exact day, it is still pretty unreal to me that a year has already passed me by. And yes, I'd say "passed me by" is pretty accurate, because I'm not sure where it went. Crazyness.

One year is kind of a land mark for people who move to Los Angeles for the Entertainment Industry. Supposedly very few people make it this far. After a few months, they become discouraged enough to move back home. I may have been discouraged but some how I decided to stay. Perhaps that was a mistake?

Oh well, I'm still here. And I have to say, while the time really did seem to fly by, I did have some accomplishments. I worked on a couple different feature films (one with a budget of $300 million), I have a full time job, I made some friends and I still have a roof over my head and a little bit of money in my bank account. Kind of a success. Surviving, if nothing else.

Yet, when I think of what I have done, I can't help but to think of where I could be. I still have such high expectations for myself. I feel like I could be further along in my career than I am now. Where would that put me? Who knows. Maybe it's just my lingering naivete, and I should be happy that I at least made it this far. If I can count the little successes, it is going to be a long hard run here in LaLa land.

So yes. I have done good thus far. I am in a better position that I was a year ago and I am still on the rise. Let's just keep this going. Little by little, eh? How 'bout it?

Par for the Course

Once again, not much to report. Just kind of moving along.

Although there is a new Funny Short up. It's called foot chase. And like all of the Funny Shorts, it is kinda ridiculous. Check it -

The exciting part of this funny short is that most of this footage is from a test shoot that me and a friend are going to begin developing into a web series. Just try to imagine all the bad assness of the video but with an awesome story.

In all truthfulness, there is a good chance that the web series will just be an even more elaborate game of tag.

Doin' work

Not much to report for this post.

Still going into work everyday from 9:30a till about 7:00p. Things have been a little more quite around the office as some of our people are out on location filming. We're stretching across the entire U.S.

As for the Motion Picture Cooperative, we posted a new video for our Funny Shorts project. PREGGERS. It's pretty awesome. What make it even better is my cameo. Who knew a doctor could look so good? Check it out:

Catching up...

I feel bad for not being more diligent with these posts. I think it is a problem that plagues a lot of amateur bloggers. Alas, I have been afflicted as well.

So let's get out of this information debt!

On the Sarah and the Sock Puppet front: Yesterday we finished our principle photography. It's a big step in getting the film finished. I'd say we are 2/3 of the way finished (Pre-production, Production, Post-production) and all we need now is to assemble the footage into something worth while. No small task, yet the end is in sight.

On the job front: I am working full time for a management/production company called Generate. I work as an office PA for the production part of things. The show we are producing is a web based financial reality show called "The Invested Life" <- *click to check it out*. There is a fine line I walk between what I can talk about, production wise, so forgive me if I am ever cryptic. But there is definitely a lot of awesome stuff going on. Today I got to sit in on a legal meeting! Well, that stuff is awesome to me... At least I am learning stuff that is important to know in the future. I can say that I have grown to really enjoying working here and am learning a lot about putting a show together.

I think that just about does it. I guess that wasn't too much to catch up on. Stay tuned...

Bad weather = Bad news

So much for good luck with SATSP...

We had to cancel our Day 3 yesterday. The culprit: Bad weather.

As much as you can fix things in post production, you can't really change a rainy day for a hot and sunny day. Well, maybe you can, but I don't own a money tree, so that is kind of out of the question. But one day!

This really is pretty bad news because the last day on our insurance is tomorrow. We are filming our Day 4 stuff today (at least I think we are, I had to be at work and not on set), but we cannot come back to film under our insurance time frame due to scheduling issues with the actors. And we can't really afford to get more insurance because of our shoe string budget. Thus, we are going to have to get creative.

The actors have availability next week, so maybe we can put something together. It is going to be interesting to see how this shapes up.

Last days of filming for SATSP

So only two more days till we finish the filming part of Sarah and the Sock Puppet.

Wait, two more days? Is that really it? Awesomeness.

Our third day, which is tomorrow (Wednesday, Oct 6), is our last day with SAG actors. We are going to finish all the scenes with Sarah and The Sock Puppet. It's going to be a pretty full day. We have to make sure we get everything we need. And there is a lot that we need.

Our fourth and last day is going to be all visual effects stuff. There are a couple of scenes where it is just the sock doing crazy stuff and we don't really need the actors to be there for that. That will probably be another really long day because if we don't get the shot then, there is a chance we are not going to get it.

I have to work for these last two day, so I won't be on set. Hopefully they will make it without me... oh, who am I kidding, they'll be fine. But even though I won't be on set, that doesn't mean that I'm not doing anything. I had to get a new permit for these two additional days, I had to prep someone to do my duty in my absence and I am going to make the breakfast.

Yup, breakfast burritos for cast and crew. I did it for the first two days, and I will do it for these, too. Kristin (the other producer) and I get together 1 hour before call time (5:15 am) and cook up a ton of eggs and bacon and put it a tortilla and wrap it in foil so that it will be ready for everyone when they arrive. Whatever we can do to save money!

I haven't gotten a chance to watch any of the footage yet, but I asked CJ about it. He said that it looked good, pretty much how he planned it to look. So I guess we are doing something right.

Halfway through principal Filming

What luck we've had thus far with the filming of Sarah and the Sock Puppet.

We finished filming on Monday and Tuesday and it all went pretty smooth. Yes, it's amazing. And we got some really great stuff. Doubly amazing.

All the cast and crew (14 in all) met at the Director CJ's apartment and we all carpooled out to the location together. When we got to our beach, which was just a few miles past Malibu, we unloaded and set up base camp and started filming. We were a little worried about the weather, because we needed a sunny day in order to film some scenes with shadows in them, but those worries were subdued because we had a hot and sunny day.

Actually, it ended up being a VERY hot and sunny day. We probably went through 6 or 7 palates of water and some crazy amount of sun screen. But despite the harsh conditions (not exactly easy filming on a beach...) we moved along fairly quickly and got pretty much all the shots we needed that day. All the actors were awesome and knocked out each shot with ease. We actually finished early. Success!

For day 2, we carpooled out again and began shooting. This day was a little more difficult because we began filming some of the Sock Puppet scenes. It took a little longer to set up each scene but we wanted to make sure that everything worked and made sense. But it wasn't quite as hot as the first day and everyone worked together to make each scene great. The only problem is we could only have the actors for 12 hours according to their SAG rules, and with the slower moving production, I was a little worried that we wouldn't get everything done that we needed for that day. But, with time coming down to the wire, we got the last scene in and finished the day getting everything within the 12 hour mark.

So now we have two more days of filming left before we take it to editing. These last two days involve a lot of puppet scenes and may be a bit of a challenge, but we should be able to get it all taken care.

It's pretty exciting to be moving along with this project. It is definitely happening and it is going to be great. Stay tuned.

Almost Sarah shoot time

It’s getting close to “go time” for Sarah and the Sock Puppet. Our shooting days are next Monday and Tuesday. It’s been a lot of planning to get to this point and we’re all pretty excited to make it happen.

But I’ll tell you it hasn’t been easy. Reserving the beach that we want to film on, or rather the one we settled on, has been quite an ordeal. And it’s compounded by the fact that the park ranger, who is in charge of the state beaches, is super hard to get a hold of. You have to leave him a voicemail and hope that he will return the call. Then when he does call you he wants to get off the phone as soon as possible. Then we were almost late to get the money to the California Film Commission to get our permit. But despite all odds, we have our location secure and will be filming legally, so hopefully no one will bother us.

And our director CJ has been working with the actors at rehearsals to learn their lines and character so we can hit the ground running when we get to set. I haven’t been working with the actors very much, but CJ says they are going to be awesome. There have been a few challenges with the actors too because of their conflicting schedules. They are doing this pro-bono so we can’t really ask them to rearrange their life for us, but it’s one of those situations where you can’t please everyone. But again, despite all odds, we are moving forward.

We have a meeting tonight to tie up loose ends and the weekend to get all the few last things together. There are still some things we have to settle up. And I have tried hard to think of everything that could go wrong and figure out a way to avoid it happening. If I’m lucky, nothing too serious will blow up in my face.

A Part of the Working Class

Yes, I guess I can officially say that I am one of the exclusive members of society that can say they have a full time job. Quite a feat, if I may say so myself, and it only took me 9 months.

So the job I got is as an Office Production Assistant at a company called Generate. They are formerly a management company, with clients that are mostly stand up comedians, but they also own a production company and that is where I work.

The way I got this job was through a friend that works for the management side of Generate (never know when or how a connection will help). About a month ago they needed an extra hand, so she recommended me and I worked for them for a couple of days. Then they called me and said they wanted me to come in on a regular basis (ie: Full Time) and I started last week.

It's not the most "sexy" job in the Entertainment Industry, but at least it's a step in the right direction. I am basically the low man on the totem pole and do all the stuff that no one else wants to or has time to do around the office. So any time we need to buy something or pick something up I go out on a run. This makes up most of what I do, buying various office supplies and random things that we need at that moment. It's not too bad, at least I get to be out and about for a lot of the day. But there are also other duties, such as making sure the dishes are clean in our kitchen and taking out the trash every night, not the most exciting stuff in the world. However, I do get to put the equipment together for the shoot days and I have been doing some "reconciling of petty cash" where I account for all the money we have spent. So the job is a little bit of doing stuff that is no fun and I don't really learn anything with a little bit of doing cool stuff where I learn about putting a production together.

I've only worked there one week, but I feel like I fit in pretty well. It is nice to have a full time job and it will be nice to have a steady pay check. Plus the people I work with are pretty cool. I am only going to consider this a temporary full time job, as I don't see myself staying here forever. It's just the next step.

When it rains, it pours

I guess it's kinda funny the way things work out. For the past month or so I have been in search of work, looking high and low for an opportunity. I kept busy doing this and that, but it was nothing that would be able to keep me here in LA for any extended amount of time. I guess I was sort of biding my time till something worked out.

Well, that day has come.

Last Friday, one of the several Temp agencies that I applied to called me back. I am already with an agency called Apple One, but I'm not sure they'll be able to do much for me. They don't really focus on the entertainment industry, so I am just kinda part of their system. But this other temp agency is called Friedman Personnel and they are one of the better known agencies in the entertainment industry. They send people out to work temporarily at a lot of major studios and production companies. So I was pretty excited to hear they wanted me to come in for an interview. But I was about to be more excited for the phone call that I got a couple hours later.

It was from this company called Generate, whom I had worked for a couple of days not too long ago. Well, they remembered me and decided they wanted me to come in on a more regular basis. Basically full time. So I have a full time job now. Sweet! I'll fill you in more about it later.

The only kinda crummy thing is the timing for the temp agency and this full time gig was on the same day. Both are really good opportunities. And I can only do one. Lame.

Actually, it turns out to not be so lame. I went in for my interview with Friedman and had full disclosure with them. I told them the situation, that I basically did not want to give up my new full time job, but still wanted to be on board with them. I couldn't let either opportunity pass, especially since it had been so long since something good had come along, let alone two good things. So what they decided was that I would not be sent out as a "temp" but as someone who was looking for permanent work. This way, if someone comes to them asking for someone to fill a position for full time, they will get my resume. If they decided that they simply can't go on with out me working for them, I can put in my two weeks at Generate and move on to something better. So now I have a chance to potentially get an awesome job from them while continuing to work at Generate.

But I'm not going to hold my breath. If they find something for me, great, but for the time being I am more than happy to be with Generate. It will be a steady pay check and am learning a lot every time I go in. And right now, that works for me.

Sarah and the Sock Puppet

So, I though I would give a little update on the short film I am helping make happen.

It is called Sarah and the Sock Puppet. I won't give away too much about it, but I will tell you it is about a girl (Sarah, in case you couldn't guess) who is at the beach with some friends and there is a Sock Puppet involved (in case you couldn't guess that either). And that's only the set up. This film involves some pretty amazing things. Magical things. Things that will make you say "ooh" and "aww" and "huh?". Things that will make you.... oh, I guess you'll just have to wait for us to finish to see what happens.

Is that good marketing? Do you really want to see it now?

No?

Are you sure??

We have already made some pretty good progress. We have held the auditions for the main supporting characters and made our decisions on who will play those parts. Now we just need to do the call backs for the "Sarah" actors and pick the one we like best. We are using SAG actors, so they have all been really good.

Also, we are working on securing a location. It has been a difficult process, because we need to get a permit to make sure that we don't get shut down in the middle of filming. The only problem is permits can be kind of expensive, especially on the kind of budget we have. So, we are looking into the best, most cost efficient options. The story takes place on a beach and one of the better options we have found is using a State Beach. There is no fee to apply for a permit and all you need to pay for is a Film Monitor, to watch over us, and production insurance. Production Insurance. Kinda a pain but definitely necessary.

Also, the Director and the Director of Photography have been meeting together to work on the story boards and plan the shots we will need. This is important for us because we want to film everything in two days and there is kind of a lot to film, so we need to have a plan and be ready to execute it when we get out there. Efficiency is the name of the game.

And that is basically where we stand. The plan right now is to film in late September, although there is no definite time set. It is pretty exciting to see everything come together. We are trying our hardest to make this film the best we can.

Once it's finished we'll send it to film festivals and try to get some recognition and legitimacy. Gotta show the world how awesome we are. I mean, it's about time someone knew.

The latest

There is really no reason that I shouldn't be writing more in this blog. I mean, what else am I doing?

Well, actually, a few things. I am trying to keep as productive.

A big step I took to trying to find work is signing up with a temp agency, AppleOne. The company was recommended by to me by several people so I decided to give it a go. Now that I am with them, I just have to start calling in and seeing if there is any work available.

I also started working on my typing. I know may sound kinda dumb and trivial, but having an accurate, high typing speed is pretty important. Especially if you want to be an assistant or a secretary. You have to be able to keep up with the quick paced boss.

I have also been doing a good amount of reading. Trying to continue my education on my terms. The book I just finished is called "Good in a Room" by Stephanie Palmer. It is about how to deal with high pressure situations, among other things. It's pretty good because she was a creative executive at MGM, so I can only guess that she knows her stuff.

Also, the Motion Picture CoOp just finished the first round of auditions for a short film I am helping produce. We are going to have call backs coming up soon. I'll keep you updated on the progress of this project. It's going to be pretty sweet.

And lastly I have been watching movies. But not just for entertainment purposes. I watch them with this book called "Save the Cat", that goes along with the movie and breaks down the story so you can understand why certain things are written certain ways. It's pretty amazing, definitely a formula to how a movie plays out.


So that's the latest. Not too much going on, but also keeping busy.

A new approach

It appears that I am going to have to rethink the approach to this blog.

For all my faithful readers, you may have noticed that some of my blog posts were deleted, and now we are back to May. That is because I blogged about the my work on Transformers 3, and the big wigs didn't like me doing that, so I had to delete the posts. I didn't give anything away about the production and was very careful about what I said in those posts, yet they didn't like them, so now they are gone.

So now I am going to have to figure out a way to keep an interesting, informed blog about what is going on in my career without upsetting the powers at be. Fear not my faithful, I will find something.

Just an update, I am back to out of work and trying to get something going. Back to hustling.

The next thing

As we continue on with the story, our hero John finds himself looking toward the next thing...

I talked to Bob a few day after the shoot and he sort of apologized for his actions. He admitted he is a hard person to work with and he does thing that way for his own reasons. He also said that he would be willing to help if there was ever anything he could do. I'm sure I can come up with something.

Moving on. I got a great phone call earlier today. It was from a Katie who works on locations for Transformers 3! They called me back! I am going to be working security detail as they build a set for the movie (they started filming about a week ago). It is top secret and I will be the protector of its identity. The good thing also is that a friend of mine who I work with at MPC (and was at the other Transformers 3 gig I worked) is going to work it also. So it will be cool to have him there. Were both friends with the same guy who is permanently a PA. And this is another chance for me to get in good with the Transformers guys and hopefully get some more work.

I also have some tentative lunch/coffee meetings set up with various people. So whenever our schedules don't conflict, I am going to be working that too.

So that is the next thing I got going on.

-Things I've learned: Patience. I've had to be patient with getting called back for Transformers and I've had to be patient with setting up these lunch meetings. Maybe nothing will come from it, but it is worth trying.

-Plans for the future: Transformers 3!

Disaster Strikes

The shoot was a disaster. What more can be said.

Well, a lot more.

It all stemmed from Bob.

I was talking to Brandon (Awesome storyboard artist, who got dragged into the situation as well) and I pretty much summed him up in this statement: Bob is a Wack Job who will drag you through the mud and work you to your bones, without batting an eyelash, all while on an Ego trip.

He is the kind of person who has to have it his way all the time, and there is no talking to him. He wants people to bend to his desires and he is not willing to work with them or give any leeway. And he has terrible communication skills. He is all over the place, wanting this or that and not being reasonable. It was like he was on drugs. Plus he is verbally abusive. Just a train wreck.

I could go on...

So I have made a firm decision not to work for him again. A person can only take so much abuse (without payment, might I add!!) before it's too much. And he kept wanting more. I guess I am going to have to move on. Shucks....


Things I've learned: Pretty much how bad it can get.

Plans for the future: Keep at it and not let the experience sway my desire to be successful.

Crazyness with Bob

Yes. Crazyness with Bob. But what more could I expect when I got a phone call at midnight?

Last Sunday, around 9:00 pm, I responded to another round of (what usually turn out to be hopeless) internet postings for various positions. One of these was for an assistant position to a producer that had been posted about two weeks before. Since it costs me relatively no harm to apply to these (I only die a little in the inside) I decided, what the heck. Well, low and behold, I got a call asking me to come in the next morning. He said that someone had backed out on him and that he was terribly unorganized and needed help with using his computer. Being a young and enterprising (not to mention organized and computer savvy) I said, "Umm, sure."

The next day I got a chance to meet Bob (yes, just Bob, in attempt to be discrete). Turns out he is a producer and has done a thing or two and knows some pretty big people, but I would never had guessed that the first time I met him.

I knocked on his door and came face to face with a man with who looked like he had been through hell. He greeted me with a raspy voice, wearing a purple sweatshirt that was covered in stains, walking with an unsettling limp, and hair that was like a tangle of wires. His apartment was a mess, with papers all about the place (he was right about the unorganized part), carpet with stains that rivaled his sweatshirt and an overall strange atmosphere that hinted something was off. Bob himself is of the skidish sort, with a type A personality and always has something to say. He is a quick talking New Yorker who's brain is all over the place, constantly throwing things at me and giving me way to much responsibility too quickly.

But he is nice enough and sincerely cares about other people. And after spending time together, I think that he took a liking to me. He kept on asking me if I wanted to help him pitch projects (that I know nothing about and apparently "don't need to know all about" according to Bob) to TV execs and do other random, odd things, that I would think I need more experience to do. He just assumed that I could handle everything he throws at me and I try my best to keep up with him. I don't turn down his offers for more to do and plan on proving to him (and myself) that I am worth my snuff. I am looking to get all the experience I can and the way things seem to headed, I will get plenty of that. I just simply go with the flow because that is pretty much the way things have to be done when dealing with Bob.

Right now he is working on some pickup shots for a Reality Show. And guess who he is leaning on for most of the planning... Yours truly. Oh, and guess who is going to be 1st AD (the one who basically runs the show while on set), yours truly. Hopefully things will go somewhat according to plan. We still have one day to finish planning the shoot.

So I am going to be working with Bob for at least a little while. I will definitely stick this weekend out. As crazy it is working with Bob, there is no way that I will come out of this with less than I went in. I am going to get some good experience from this, if not a really good story.

-Things I've learned: That there are some pretty crazy people in this industry, yet they some how manage to have some sort of success. If they can do it, so can I.

-Plans for the future: Try and get this shoot on Saturday off with out a hitch. And keep my head screwed on tight. Yea, we'll see about that.

The Motion Picture Co-Op

Sometimes it's hard to be productive when you don't really have anything going on. When there is no one else pushing you, you have to really make a point to be proactive. It is very easy to sleep in till 11:00, surf the internet, watch TV, eat some cheese, surf the internet some more and not really do anything but have a lazy day. Not to say I do any of this...

But I am happy to say that I am now part of a group called the Motion Picture Cooperative (or Co-Op for short, or MPC for even shorter, and it's not because I'm too lazy to say it all the way out) and we have a website. A really good friend (since at least 3rd grade) of mine named Zach is one of the people who started it and asked me to join. It was originally him and several of his friends that he went to school with, but they are looking for help and decided to bring me aboard (best decision they ever made? quite possibly). It's good because I want to produce and there is only one other person in the group who wants to produce as well, and she is pretty swamped with a real job, so I will get a chance to do a lot and hopefully stay busy.

The way it works is, every one in the group has their own "company" that they hope to start eventually (mine is Bluetang Productions, I'll explain the name one day) that is under Motion Picture Co-Op and we all will bring projects to the table. So if I have an idea for a short film, I can get help with the script, help shooting, and help editing, all from people who are in the Co-Op. And I will help them with their projects too (that's where my so-called producer skills come in). It's pretty much a group of creative people getting together to help each other out. Right now we are working on a project called "Funny Shorts" (website) that one member came up with. So I will help write and produce (includes script breakdown, location scouting, casting, props, finances and just about anything else that needs to be done in order to make the thing happen) some of the Funny Shorts. I am super excited get started with this and to be apart of this group.

In other news, I had coffee with my "cold call" e-mail contact. Her name is Kandis and she is the assistant director of development at 2929 Productions. She is only 25 (two years older than me!) and already pretty successful. She did grow up in Cali and has been acting since she was like 12, so she had a little head start on me, but she is still doing really good for herself. We got along really well and she is going to pass my info on to some people she knows, so maybe something will come from our little meeting.

I still have plans to meet with Regina from Geffen next Friday and I am excited about that. She is like the grown up version of a social butterfly and knows a ton of people (at least I think she does) who might be able to help me.

And I got a little surprise in my e-mail inbox earlier today; a guy that I met during SXSW and e-mailed almost two months ago responded to me. He said he has been really busy but still wants to get together. Sweet! So, we are working on setting something up.

Also, my brother called me last week saying he had some good news for me. After I found out that he did not win the lottery, he told me he talked to a friend of his who has a sister and a friend who live and work out here in LA and would be willing to get together with me. So, we are working on setting something up there, too.

Other than that, I am just hanging in there...


-Things I've Learned: No matter how long ago you reached out to someone, don't count them out. There is always a chance they may still get back to you.

-Plans for the future: Kick ass for MPC. Network like there is no tomorrow.

Studio SX interview

Here is a little gem I stumbled across.

During SXSW I worked at Studio SX and was a sort of "Jack-of-all-trades" where I would do anything needed... including giving interviews.

This is an interview I did with Eli Craig who directed "Tucker and Dale vs Evil". The person who was supposed to interview Eli did not show up, so I volunteered to fill the spot. I hadn't seen the movie, never met the guy and all I knew was that he was the Writer and Director. I was able to whip this together:

(Click Here to go to the YouTube website)




-Things I've Learned: What it's like to be on camera, in front of an audience, giving an under-prepared ad libed interview. (yes I was a little nervous)

-Plans for the Future: Get better at being on camera

What makes a movie good

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I started reading "Save the Cat" which is a book about writing screenplays. Well, I finished it.

I think it was really good and I now feel better educated on what a good script should be like. There is definitely a formula to writing a movie. Certain things that need to be included in order for your movie to appeal to the masses. A certain structure to the story. The Hero of the movie goes on a journey and we are along for the ride. There are always Three Acts, but they can be broken down further.

Here is the basic structure of a good screenplay/movie, as explained in "Save the Cat":

-Opening Image: This is the first thing we see, which sets the stage for the movie and gives us a snapshot of our Hero before the journey begins.

-Theme Stated: Somewhere in the first five minutes or so, someone will say the theme of the movie (ex: "Be careful what you wish for." although not always so obvious).

-The Set Up: This is the all important first part of the movie (the First Act) which must grab our attention and make us want to watch the movie. This is also the calm before the storm of what is about to come next.

-Catalyst: This is where the world of our Hero changes as they know it. It's the "You only have three days to live..." or "You're Fired!" kinda thing that sends our Hero on their journey.

-Debate: The time where our Hero questions his journey: Is this crazy? Should I really do this?

-Break Into Two: The moment where we leave the old world and enters the upside down version of that world. It is a definitive decision made by the Hero. This is the start of Act Two.

-B Story: This is the "Let's talk about something else for a little while" that gives us a break from all the craziness that is going on in the "A Story". This is often where the "Love Story" for the movie comes in (note: the "Love Story" is not always a romantic thing. It can be the newly made friendship between the Hero and her hairstylist, or two buddies.). The B Story is a good place for the theme of the movie to be discussed and gives vital cut aways.

-Fun And Games: This is where the premise of the movie come in and we have a little fun (ex: Spiderman gets to try out his new found powers for the first time). This is what we were promised in the movie posters/trailers and why we came to see the movie. Just some good ol' fun.

-Midpoint: This is a point in the movie where fun and games come to an end and the stakes are risen. It is either an "up" where the Hero peaks (though a false peak) or a a down where the world collapses (although a false collapse). Also may be a point where the hero is given a false victory and think he has everything he could possibly want, but really has a long way to go before he learns his lesson.

-Bad Guys Close In: Where the bad guys are temporarily defeated, but regroup and send in the heavy artillery. Also a point where the Hero's team begins to break up because of internal doubt and dissent. At the Midpoint, the Hero thinks he has it all, but evil has not given up and our Hero is headed for a huge fall.

-All is Lost: This is often the "False Defeat" where everything is in shambles (but only temporarily). It always should be the opposite of the Midpoint in terms of whether it was an "up" or a "down".

-Dark Night of the Soul: Where the character shows his feelings about the All is Lost moment. This is the darkness before the dawn, where the Hero reaches deep down inside and pull out the last great idea to save himself.

-Break into Three: The Solution! This is where Story A (main story) meets Story B (place where the theme is discussed and the hero is given a realization from it) and an answer to all the problems is able to be found.

-Finale: This is Act Three, where we wrap things up. We use our answer to get rid of the bad guys and the source of our problem goes away completely. Our Hero is triumphant and saves the day. New world order exists for our Hero.

-Final Image: This is opposite of the Opening image, shows that change has occurred in our Hero.

So there it is. Next time you watch a movie, you can see if you recognize this story structure. It may not be the same in all movies, and it may not be so cut and dry, but all good movies will have a structure similar to this.




-Things I've learned: The structure of a good screenplay/movie.

-Plans for the Future: See if I can recognize it, to prove that I actually learned something by reading "Save The Cat".

Update-n-Stuff

It's been a little bit of the same old, same old... but not really.

The internship turned out to be pretty much a bust. I really am not getting anything out of going in there and making these phone calls for this guy to go to Cannes. I have been handed the short end of the stick on that situation. So I told him that I am only going one day a week and I am going to leave at 9:00 am instead of 11:00 am. That's right, I told him how it was going to be (albeit, very nicely). In these situations the interns have a certain amount of power because the company relies so heavily on them. So he is happy to have me coming in at least one day a week than not at all. Yet, I am not even sure I want to come in that one day... I just have no loyalty to the company, no motivation to do the work. The only reason that I have been going in while I have is because I get access to this website called Cinando, which is a very powerful database of companies in the industry.

The reason I want to keep having access to Cinando is that the contact of some the people who work for the companies is available there. I figured I can send out a "cold call" e-mail to these people and see if they want to get together for lunch or coffee or whatever, and impart their expertise on me. Maybe I can meet some interesting people this way and make some good contacts. And if not, then no big deal. There are many others out there. And so far I have actually had some pretty good success. I sent out about 20 e-mails a few days ago and earlier today one responded back to me. She works at 2929 productions and said she has plenty to share about. So, we are going to get coffee next week, and I am really looking forward to it.

Speaking of getting together with people, one of the people that my step-sister introduced me to, while I was still living with her, and I have plans to meet for coffee as well. She works at the Geffen Theatre and knows a ton of people. Sweet!

Speaking of knowing people AND getting together with people my step-sister introduced me to, another one of her friends whom I have loose plans to get together with at some point in time in the future brought me on to work a music video for a group called Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. It was a really good shoot in terms of meeting people on set who might be able to help me find more work in the future. So I am definitely going to keep up with them!

Something else is I had an interview for a company called Hydralux who does Virtual Effects. They are big. Click the name and see for yourself. The position would just be for the front desk, but I would take it for sure. Who knows what I could learn there. I got the interview because a friend of mine, Kristin, applied for the job several months ago (through the UTLA program for the University of Texas) and they just got back to her but she already has a job. So she referred me and I interview with them a couple days ago. Everything went really well. The only thing that hurt me is that I mentioned that I am not super interested in getting into VFX as a career (why would I say that?? Stupid...), and they are looking for someone who is, but regardless, they said I would be a good candidate. I await a reply.

And one last thing to update on, I worked a test stunt for Transformers 3! I have a friend named Andy who is a full time PA for them, and he gave them my info. It was a one day thing, and all I did was make boxes to land on (sorry, can't really go into details...) but I am now on their list of PAs for work in the future for Transformers 3. Score!

So I guess the rolling ball is starting to pick up a little speed. After six months in LA I'm not doing too shabby. Now all I need to do is update more often so I don't slam down a bunch of random things I've been up to upon you. Sorry that this is such a long post. I guess I gotta lot to say!

-What I've learned: Kinda knew this already, but networking is key. And even if only one in twenty will respond to your e-mails, it will be worth it to make another contact.

-Plans for the Future: Try and make more contacts and work more gigs. I was kinda unsure about sending the "cold call" e-mails, but I think I am going to keep that up. Keep on networking!

A Little Excitement

I am coming through on the plans that I made.

I am now living Sherman Oaks. It's an all around better situation here. I really did like living in West Hollywood but it was time to move. So now I am living with people my own age, the rent is cheaper, and I'm closer to my other friends (that's right, I have friends!) who also live in North Hollywood. So that's all good. I just feel more in control of my own destiny.

And I also started an internship. I know, right? It's nothing too special though... I'm working with a company called Quantum Releasing, a distribution/production company. The reason I got hired (along with several other interns, who also applied on craigslist) is to help them prepare to go to Cannes film festival at the end of May. They have us calling other distribution companies from all over the world to set up meetings during Cannes. So I started in Greece and finished in Portugal, cold calling these companies to see if they are interested in doing business with Quantum. It's definitely "intern" work, but I am considering it something to do while I continue to look for better things. The only bad is that there is no pay (free labor once again, what is wrong with me?), it's not the greatest thing I've ever done and I have to go in a 5:00 am... Wait a minute, 5:00am?? Yes. Very early. But it's because I have to be on the time zone of the countries on the other side of the globe (i.e. Greece and Portugal). I only stay till 11:00 am, so I have the rest of the day ahead of me, and I consider myself a "morning person", so it's not too terrible. Maybe I'll get into a habit of going to bed early and waking up early (just not 5:00 am early...). At least I am getting better at talking to people on the phone and maybe I will learn a thing or two (see, there is a little positive here!).

What I've Learned: Everyone is looking for free labor.

Plans for the Future: Find decent work!

Baby Steps

I'm knocking things off my to-do list slowly.

It was finally decided that I am going to move to Sherman Oaks, so I'm pretty psyched. It's cool because it's not in the middle of everything, but it's still pretty close. And it's cheaper than where I live now (that's what I'm mainly psyched about) and I'll be living with some people my own age who seem pretty cool (I know this based on the one time I met them for about 15 min, so lets hope this stays true...). Regardless, it will be a good change. Maybe just what I need to get the ball rolling. I am tentatively moving on April 18th.

I am also going to start reading "Save the Cat" to try and learn a little about screen plays. Maybe I'll post some of the more interesting/important/impressive/irresponsible(?) info in (take that, alliteration) the blog. Maybe you can learn something too.

By the way, I stumbled across this little master piece. This is the trailer to one of the films I worked on while I was at The Asylum. I present you: Mega Piranha

*The video is wider than my page so here is a link to the trailer on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruHT8ePAxEw *



Yea. I'm proud of that one...


-Things I've learned: Mega Piranha looks Bad Ass (emphasis on Bad)

-Plans for the future: Move, Get a job

Uncertain Times

Guys, I have a confession to make: I cannot predict the future. It saddens me to say this, but I am no better than the next when it comes to telling what is coming up around the corner.

Whooo.... Glad to get that off my chest. Besides, if I could predict the future, I definitely would not be sitting here writing this blog (I would be sitting somewhere much more fancy!).

I am going through such a big transition point in my life. Now that I'm done with school I really need to get on the ball and find some work. I've been out there and applying and interviewing, but its been slow coming. I am waiting to hear back about the History Channel gig, but they tell me they are in a holding pattern to see about the new shows they are making. Therefore, I am in a holding pattern. But they haven't even told me I have the job for sure, so that makes it even more uncertain (Ahhhh).

I also made the decision to move out of the place I am living in right now. I just need to find a place that is a little cheaper to live in. And as much as I like living with my current house mates (a married couple with a 6-year-old kid), I think I need to find some people my own age. Maybe I can even make some friends out here. I'm young, single and moderately attractive (ok... fair to moderate... give me a break.... I'm going to get back into working out, again. I mean it this time!) and living in Los Angeles. There is no reason I shouldn't go out and have a good time. So, I've been looking on craigslist for place that would suit me and I found a place in Sherman Oaks which would be perfect. A couple of guys my age who seem pretty cool. The only thing is they have a different friend that might want to live in the room I would take. I can't really compete with that, so they are going to let me know in a couple of days. Once again, a holding pattern and more uncertainty.

I guess I will just have to wait and see.


-Things I've learned: You just have to go with the flow. At this point in my career, I will probably be going from job to job for a while and nothing will ever truly be full time. I just need to keep sticking with it.

-Plans for the future: Wait to hear back from these people and keep looking for other jobs and a places to live.

Big Lessons from SXSW

The week of SXSW is pretty much a blur, as I think back upon it. But isn't that how most bad ass times in your life end up? Days pour into each other and the experience is remembered mainly as a whole, but an awesome whole none-the-less!

Lucky for me, there are a few specific things that I remember from that week and a half. Here are a few tidbits that I am taking away as lessons from the grand experience...

One of the cool things I got to do during the week was sit down for a "Mentor Session" with an established producer. I sat down for 10 min with Michael Peyser, the man behind movies such as SLC Punk and Speed 2 (I know, not the biggest movies in the world... but at least hes doing something...), and hear what advise he had for me. He told me that I need to get into the money side of the business, because that is everything. Once you know where the money comes from and where it goes and who controls it, then you can start working your way up into an important position. If you are in charge of the money, you can really have influence on the way things go. Kinda like the Golden Rule: He who has the gold makes the rules. So that is a place to start at.

I also had the chance to talk to another producer (who wasn't nearly as cool or important as Michael Peyser), John Something-or-Another, who told me to read the book "Save the Cat" and its sequels, which are about screenwriting. He said it is important to be able to recognize a good script when you see it. Makes enough sense. He basically said reading the books is as good as going to graduate school for writing. I'm not sure about all that, but its enough motivation to check it out, especially if it comes so highly recommended. I'll at least give the back cover a good once over.

Another thing that I came to learn is that you can't always take what people say at face value and even a sure thing is not a sure thing (a least in the entertainment industry). Allow me to explain. I met several people over the course of the festival whom I good conversations with and exchanged business cards. Many of them work in the industry and were people I considered to be "contacts" I had made that could help me find a job out here in LA. They were all very nice and open to the idea of getting together outside of SXSW. So when I got back to the real world after that crazy week and a half, I called/e-mailed all of them but have yet to hear back from anyone. I'm not bitter about it or anything (Grrr...) and I guess I really wasn't expecting too much to come from it all, but it does kinda suck that none of it worked out. Some had me believing we could be best friends. Like a beautiful flower. But now that flower will never come to be... (huh?)

One last thing that I took away from being at a festival like SXSW is to try not to do too much all at once. Every night there were probably 2 movies and 5 bands that I wanted to see. I would try to get to as many things as I could, but in actuality I ended up walking all over the city, only making it to a few of the things and going to bed exhausted at 3 am. It was still an awesome overall experience and I got to see a lot of the stuff I wanted to, but yea, don't try to do to much all at once. I'm sure that applies to real life some how...


Oh and a side note: I had an interview with a company called Flight 33 for a PA job. They make shows for the History/Discovery Channel. I want to make shows for the History/Discovery Channel, so this would be perfect for me. I really hope I get it! I think I'll find out tomorrow. I just applied for the gig off an internet posting on the website http://www.realitystaff.com and they called me in for an interview. Fingers are crossed!


-Things I've learned: See above.

-Plans for the Future: Pray I get the PA job, hope for a reply from my SXSW "contacts", look for other opportunities in the mean time.

SXSWhirlwind

South By Southwest has ended and now I, and many other people, am thrown back into reality.

But what a time it was! Walking down the streets of Austin you couldn't help to notice the chaos that decended upon the city; it basically transforms for a week and a half. People come in from around the world and the Austin Convention Center becomes a hot-spot for new ideas and collaboration, as the best and brightest share their passions and visions for the future.

Everyone comes to the festival for different reasons: Some come for the music, some for the film and some for the technology innovations. And many times there is not a singular reason to attend, but to come and experience all that SXSW has to offer. It's pretty safe to say that no two people have the same SXSW experience.

My experience is the same: Uniquely different.

This year I was a part of the staff and worked for a department called Studio SX. It was our job to bring in the interesting people for an interview which was filmed infront of a small audience for 10-12 minutes. We brought in everyone from film directors, producers and actors, to musicians, to the interactive keynote speakers. My specific job was Assistant Manager and I filled in where ever needed and made sure things were running smooth. I would help with the talent, ran the camera or edited (if needed) and at one point I even gave one of the interviews. We had a great crew and it was a fun job. In the grand scheme of the festival, Studio SX is pretty small potatoes, but the potential is really big and hopefully next year I can come back and make it better.

On a day-to-day during the festival, I would get off at about 5:30, and go explore. It was usually a mission to try and find the free food and drinks, and most of the time I usually came across something. When the night time rolled in, duing the first half of the week, I would go to a movie or try and find a film party to hit up. It was during these partys that I went to work trying to meet people and network. I did a pretty good job and met a lot of people who are producers and filmmakers that are out in LA, and may be able to help me in my career...

And During the second half of the week when the music got started I got off at 5:30 and would try to find free stuff, then figure out which bands I wanted to see. Every night I saw at least five different bands play and most of them I had never heard of, but were amazing I am now a big fan of. It's really a great thing to be apart of.

So, the crazyness of SXSW ended, but that doesn't mean that it is something that I am going to just forget it and move on. I will take everthing I learned and experienced and apply it to life beyond the festival. I think its OK to have a little SXSW crazyness throughout the entire year.


-Things I've learned: Too many things to list here. In future posts I will go more into detail of specific things I learned/experienced that will benefit my career. Just know that a lot was taken in and must be processed.

-Plans for the future: Contact all the people I met through networking and see what that leads to.

On to Bigger and Better things

You have to know when to recognize opportunity and when to draw the line.

So I decided to quit The Asylum. I had to. There really wasn't much else I could learn and I was tired of being used by them for free labor. So I left. Moving on. I am glad that I worked for them while I did, but I am glad I left when I did. I took away what I could from the experience, and now I am off to other enterprises. I was pretty expendable to them anyway; they didn't seem too sad for me to go.

So next is SXSW! I am super excited for this. Last year it was so awesome, and this year it will only be better because I have an idea of what to expect. I am going to fully take advantage of what I can.

Last year I enjoyed myself: I got to do some cool things, see some cool things and be apart of a really cool thing. The only thing is, I didn't really take advantage of all the people that are around for this epic festival. But this year I am changing my game plan a little. Instead of just partaking in the festivities, I am going to try and meet as many people as possible AND enjoy the crazyness. Hopefully one of the people I meet will be able to help me find a job.

I may have to come out of my shell a little and be more aggressive (but not overly-aggressive) but I can't let this chance slip by. Maybe when I come out on the other side of this adventure that is SXSW, I will have a job and actually move up a little in the industry.

-Things I've learned: You have to draw the line somewhere. I'm not sure I was benefiting from working at The Asylum. They were getting more from me than I was from them and I had to realize that. That's ok though, I will be better for it in the end. If not.... at least its a good story.

-Plans for the future: Go to SXSW and rock it like no one has ever rocked it before.

So, Whats new?

Where have I been? I'm going to have to get better about updating this thing...

Production finished on "Sinbad" and people are coming back from Belize. Guess who gets the honor of picking them up at the airport. ME!!.... Uhh, great....

But, its good that things are wrapping up on that production. Hopefully everything went well and there will be a halfway decent movie coming out of it. I'm pretty sure it was impossible for them to not get beautiful shots while down there.

The new thing around the office is the next movie we are working on "Airline Disaster". Again I was helping on the casting, but this time around things went A LOT smoother. I am definitely on board for a smooth casting process. I think I am going to try and make it like that from now on. Yea, that sounds good.

Other than casting, I haven't been doing much else for pre-production. The guys in the higher positions aren't really giving us much to do. We are going to hire other PAs but someone else has been in charge of that. Production is slated to start on Feb. 27 (a week from now) and I will be around for most of that, but not all of it.

That's because I am going back to Austin for SXSW. I am so excited! I talked to my old boss over there and he said I was in for sure. I will be working for this part called StudioSX, where we interview the big filmmakers and musicians and other important people at SXSW. I am just going to be an assistant, but it should be pretty sweet. There won't be any pay, but it comes with some awesome perks: free movies, concerts, and great opportunity for networking. I am going to hand out business cards left and right.

The goal is to make some kind of connection so that I can get a better gig than The Asylum. I have thought about quitting it for a while now and I feel like I have right reason to. They are not paying me to do a job that sucks, with no real opportunity for promotion, for a company that isn't the best in the world (and that is putting it nicely). But alas, I keep coming back. And I have the right reason for that too. Here I am, learning the process of making a film, not a very good film, but a film none-the-less. I am getting a ton of experience that I will be able take with me once I move on. After working at The Asylum, am I much more qualified for more jobs that many other people my age. And that is what keeps me going.


-Things I've learned: Look at the best of every situation. You will live on as a much better person for the experiences.

-Plans for the Future: Work for The Asylum for a couple more weeks, go to SXSW and do some kick ass networking, then come back to LA and The Asylum, but try really hard to find something else.

Oh, Belize...

Production has finally started over in Belize on Sinbad. At least it was suppose to have started on Feb. 2nd, but who knows what they are doing over there.

I really don't know the latest because I haven't been into the office for the past week. My job has been to drive all the cast and crew to the airport so they can get over there. It wouldn't be to big of a deal except their flights have been at 7 o'clock in the morning, they live all over the city and it is an international flight, so it's important to get there early. What that means for me is I've been getting up at 4 o'clock so that I can round people and equipment up. It's about as fun as you imagine it being. So I told them that if I have to wake up super early to drive people to the airport then I'm not coming in to the office. It only seems fair, and they agree. There isn't much going on at the office anyway.

As evidence by this post, I did not get to go to Belize (sorry Uncle Tony). But for a second there, I though I might get to go. Pretty much since they found out they were shooting abroad, they told us the PAs would not go, because there wasn't enough budget. Makes sense, no big deal. But then out of no where, the LA coordinator asks if I have a passport and says they might be shipping me out. I was taken by surprise as I definitely had the mind set that I was not going. Now they are saying they might be taking me to Belize. I didn't know what to think. I eventually came to find that there were two people who where supposed to go before me, but they didn't have passports and were waiting on a "rush order" for them. Who knew you could get a rush on passports? So if they didn't get it then I would go in their place. Well, they got them and I got left behind. Oh, well. I was a little disappointed, but at the same time I'm not really sweating it. I wasn't really expecting to go in the first place and I think it would have been a pretty big ordeal to go down there. Plus, I would have missed out on a lot of early morning drives to the airport (I am now an expert at dropping people off at LAX), and I would be crazy to miss out on that. Or is it the other way around?

Something else exciting is I might be in front of the camera pretty soon. There was a Craigslist post saying a company is hiring people to be extras in movies and TV shows. So I went in and had an audition/interview and they liked me. So now I am going to start receiving a weekly e-mail with productions they are casting and what kind of people they are looking for, and I can submit myself for small roles. It's nothing I'm going to take too seriously, but it will be fun and a little extra money. But who know, maybe I will get lucky with something!

Other than that, I'm still sticking with The Asylum, but actively looking for something else. I guess we'll see if anything comes up.


-Things I've Learned: Be ready for anything. Whether its going to a foreign country on the turn of a dime, or taking people to the airport at the wee hours of the morning.

-Plans for the future: Continue with The Asylum? Find other work? Be an extra on a feature film? Star in a feature film? Eh?

A little sanity at The Asylum

So things have really slowed down around The Asylum.

We finally had our last day (at least I hope...) of casting yesterday. After 6 days of reading people, I am starting to think that I could play some of the roles. I would probably be better than some of the people that came in to audition (it's ridiculous, some of the people who came in) . I guess its good that I got to go through all of the casting ordeals, because I feel like I am much better at judging talent than I was before. And now I know how to run an audition and am ready for the next time I have to do it. I know what to do and I know (a whole lot) what not to do.

So now I am just working in the production office and things are not very exciting anymore. I check the e-mail or call over to Belize to see if there is anything they need me to do. Most of the stuff is research or finding info on what ever random thing they need to know about (rock climbing place for stunts, body paint, fake teeth, shipping and customs, just to name a few). Every now and then I fill out some paper work or do other random things. I will tell you, they're really getting their moneys worth out of me (I don't get paid).

I would like to stay at The Asylum for the next film they are making, but I want to start getting paid. If they ask me to stay on it would be difficult to say no. This is a good place to work because I get a lot of experience in a lot of departments and everyone is really cool, but I kind of want to move on to bigger and better things. What those are and where I find them, I don't know....

-Things I Learned: the audition process, the work of an office PA (even if it's at The Asylum which is a beast unlike any other)

-Plans for the Future: Keep working at The Asylum while searching for other opportunities

Working in The Asylum

Yea, it kind of is like working in an Asylum. A little crazy.

So I have been working at The Asylum for almost a week now and it has been really cool. I'm glad that I got this gig because I am getting to do a lot of stuff. There are two other PAs with me and we have really been keeping things moving for the production.

Mainly what I have been doing is working on casting. The other PAs and I pretty much run the auditions we have been having for the past couple of days. It's actually a lot of fun. I am the one who has been reading the sides (mini scripts) with the actor during the auditions. They will come in and go through the scene once with me, then we will tell them if we have any notes or things we want them to change about their performance. They go again and if we like them, then we will have them read a second set of sides. But if they weren't any good we just say "Ok, thank you very much" and smile as they leave the room and put their head shot in the "No" stack. Sometimes the directors are in there and they decide if they like them or not, but usually it's us PAs who are deciding their fate.

This is because most of the production is taking place in Belize and the two directors and the producer are already there. And no, I am not getting to go... me and the PAs are holding down the fort here in LA. Oh, well. They send us an email from time to time telling us something we need to look up or an errand we need to take care of for them. But mainly we have been keeping busy with the auditions.

The Asylum keeps pretty busy as a whole. There is one production that is wrapping now, while this one is getting started. Everything they do here is low-budget, so they can really churn out movies. That makes things around the office kinda hectic. A bunch of people doing a bunch of different things. It was a little difficult for us because we had been working with the producer, but she left for Belize at the beginning of the week, so we were left by ourselves for a little while, trying to figure things out. We now have a LA coordinator, but it was a little crazy for a while there.

But overall it has been good. There is a chance they might keep me on for the next movie, which would be pretty awesome. I'm still not getting paid, but I am getting to do some cool stuff and I am learning along the way, so it is ok for now. I guess I would just be sitting at home doing nothing if I wasn't here...

-Things I've learned: To just go with the flow. Sometimes things may seem like they are going off-the-wall, but you just have to keep your head on strait and go with it and figure out a solution to whatever problem there is.

-Plans for the Future: Hopefully to keep working here and getting some more experience. I will keep look for the next thing, but I wouldn't mind putting some more time in here.

It all happened so fast...

Good and Bad news to report. I'll start with the bad. I didn't get the internship at Aid+Abet. It's ok though, because the good news is I got one a different production company called Asylum.

After my spectacular failure of an interview with Aid+Abet, I got back to the job search. I applied to several postings, one of which was for a production company called Asylum. This was on Monday. They sent me an email on Tuesday then called me and said I was one of the applicants they would consider for an interview and asked if I was available. I said I was and I went in on Wednesday and had a really good interview. This time I was feeling well and was on my A game. The Line Producer, who was interviewing me, seemed to like me, from what I could gather. She mentioned that she was looking for people to start as soon as the next day, which I, of course, am very much available and I told her I could start whenever she needed me. We talked a little bit more about the position and as the interview ended and I left, she said she would call me and let me know of any kind of decisions they made. Well I hadn't even gotten home (it's like a 30 min drive) when I got a call that asked if I could start on Friday. I was ecstatic. So excited that I had to call my mom. And she was ecstatic, too.

So it all happened pretty fast, but I go in tomorrow for my first Office PA job. It won't be paid, but that was kinda expected. But I am pretty excited to work for Asylum. They are... well... interesting. They specialize in making pretty off the wall B-movies and sort of copy cat movies. Some of their credits include "Transmorphers" "Snakes on a Train" and "Paranormal Entity". And another original that they are sorta famous for is "Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus" and one they have in production now is called "Mega Piranha". So needless to say, these aren't your run of the mill movies. They are so much more. The one I will be working on is tentatively called"Sinbad the Sailor".

From what I was told during the interview, I will be working on getting the logistics for the new production together, things like finding locations and hiring actors. It is going to be great experience for me. I have a feeling that I am going to learn a lot of new things that will prepare me for jobs in the future. And it is good because the company isn't huge, so I will get a lot of experience doing a lot of different things. This could be the beginning of a beautiful thing.


-What I've Learned: Be ready to do anything, anytime. If one thing doesn't go your way something else could come at you fast, so you gotta be ready.

-Plans for the Future: Get started at Asylum and learn my job as quick and well as possible.

Starting Back up again

I'm back in LA from the Holidays. I always a good time going home and seeing my family and eating till I can eat no more, but I was ready to come back and get to work. So let's get to work....Now.

I wish it was that easy. I don't really have anything to "do" at the moment. I did have my interview for the internship at Aid+Abet. I'm just not sure it went very well. I was sick (although I made sure I didn't look sick) so I wasn't on my A game. During the process I kept it together as well as a could and the whole thing lasted around 10 min. After I got home I, of course, thought up tons of stuff I should have said. I didn't sell myself as well as a could have. It's ok though. I think there are others that will be more qualified than I am. I would do a good job there and I still might get it but I still don't know. He said he would let me know some time soon, so we'll see, although I'm not putting too much stock in it.

I also have been following up on some leads that I was given. My industry connection gave me the names and emails of several people she knows who might be able to help me. I sent them all an email and now I wait. I also wrote the guys from the Jonas shoot to see if there is any opportunity there. That would be ideal, but I guess I can't put too much stock in that either.

Another interesting opportunity came up as well. One of the actors from the Joshua Tree Experience wrote me asking if I wanted to work the Golden Globes and to sent his friend an email. So I did. Once again I await a response, with little stock invested.

So I have a pretty diversified portfolio of opportunity. The market is down, but all I need is one hit and I will be back on top.

-Things I've Learned: That I can stretch to make a vague comparison of my job market to the stock market. Just have to wait for a good return. Put yourself out there and wait.

-Plans for the Future: Hope that something comes through.