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"And I wanted to share with you that I bumped into P. "my favorite teacher" M. and talked with him about our film quite a bit and he had really really loved it.
Also J. M., the head of directing faculty, thought it was great. And many of the directors in my class said they really really loved it. Like D. and J. I've always liked Soviet Union but now I totally love him: he said that had it been made by a famous director, it would be considered a master piece. ;) That's way over the top, I know, but hey, it's still a cool comment for us!
Taking risks rules!"
suddenly i was @ 02:07 am
(no feathers)
thursday, march 30, 2006
That was amazing.
My last cycle project was good. Overwhelmingly positive- but this team had something. It was like each of us just followed our the little tiny voices within which said, “this, this is good” and went with it.
The film had its flaws, like usual, but it was nice. The foley job done by Glinda and our editor was AMAZING. It was so well put together.
The crit wasn’t this wave of positive praise… it was… very interesting. There were no technical comments. Everything was, “I felt,” “I think,” “I thought-“ everyone described their own visceral experiences and EVERY single person had a different reading. Some people said it was too ambiguous, they wanted to know for certain, but that was such a perfect thing to say. We didn’t want anyone to know for certain! The beat sheet, later the script—we called them psychological tests and the film was no different. We had, “I felt sorry for the guy” and someone saying, “No, you’re wrong. He totally took the match box from her dress” to “No, the box just fell out and he was just looking.”
It was an actual discussion.
At the end, we were mobbed by the international students—did I not say it was our European Art Film?
EVERYONE: So European!
GLINDA (who is Finnish): That’s not strange because we’re not from this country.
ME: I’m from this country!
GLINDA: Oh, you’re not from this world!
Soviet Union, So. Africa and The English Editor were the biggest fans and just stood around with us after talking. It was great.
The wrap meeting was also wonderful. I’ve had the blood-on-the-floor of my first hellish cycle, the love fest of the second to this one, which was just a whole new level and I couldn’t think of a better note to end on. I just have such respect for everyone on the team and the very dynamics of the team. I wouldn’t trade a single person out and I only got to see the editor maybe three times throughout the project.
The faculty person said it was an extraordinary achievement, different from everything else we’ve seen (“very European” again) and she thanked us for being so bold as to try to do a project such as this.
Even after all the meetings, the team were all still buzzed talking about what could have been done on the film and for the FIRST time ever, our whole team went out to get milkshakes, because since we all live on the same wavelength, here was us after the meetings:
GLINDA: You know what would be great—
ME: A—
ALL OF US: Milkshake.
That milkshake date is planned for tomorrow! – because we got to the place and the machine was down.
But a great, great team. A film I can finally say I am proud of, we worked really hard and it fell short, but we really tried for something. We stuck with what our guts told us and it pulled the whole team through from start to finish. I am glad this is the project to end my cycle projects, we could not have done any better.
suddenly i was @ 06:39 pm
(no feathers)
tuesday, march 28, 2006
What a day!
I am so, so tired. This past week was a killer and I worked all weekend (see the cut). In the end I over budgeted all of my time worked for everyone, got everyone else’s work done and the screwed myself over 6 different ways this side of Tuesday. I didn’t leave time for myself and didn’t finish my own work. I crewed all weekend long and last night I had to write Glinda’s thesis, rehearse my acting scene and get out my feature pages—but I was exhausted since the night before I had only slept for an hour. I was so distressed. I just sobbed and sobbed and called home. It was to the point, when Glinda came over for a story meeting, I started to cry when I was talking to her. I was so embarrassed! I think I can safely say I have never done that before.
In the end I finished, as I said, everything for everyone else and screwed myself with my feature. No pages.
The acting thing, however—went great! I don’t know if I have talked about this thing yet, see NUMBER 2 down there for the details.
I was in this acting group with Adventure and a girl named P. P. wrote and directed a scene using Ad. and I as actors and lyrics from “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” for dialogue and OUT OF NOWHERE we did the best job in the class!
Ad. and I were a married couple who didn’t like each other anymore. In the end, while preparing his dinner, I poisoned his drink and killed him.
We ran over our lines SO many times, it was a joke. He came to school in a suit and I wore a little polka dotted skirt and an apron. All day we kidded around:
AD: I can’t believe you made this meal again.
ME: Maybe if I had some money from a husband who actually worked—
AD: Hey look. I peddle these underwear samples from door to door all day to get a pay check—
ME: Is that what you call it? That ten cents you waste on drinking?
AD: It’s better than anything I’ll find here.
ME: Daddy was right, I should have married Bill!
AD: This is my house!
ME: Funny you should mention that, since you’ve missed the last four payments.
AD: That’s it. I’m going back to work.
ME: That’s right go back to those old ladies. Sell them something they don’t want it.
AD: At least they put out.
ME: I knew it! Get out of my sight you BASTARD.
AD: B*TCH.
This is why we’re such good friends, Ad. and I.
The teacher actually liked our scene and it was considered the best in the class! SCREAMS.
Then he put a twist on… using the same dialogue (same song lyrics that is) we had to reinvent the scene and play it out like a hold up robbery.
P., Ad. and I scrambled. Ad. donned my apron and suddenly the scene became a Starbucks, Ad. as the server, me as the customer about to rob the joint. That scene was fun—but the best part? How did I better the man behind the counter? When he handed me my drink, I turned on him and threw it in his face!
Oh, and we kept it real.
It was a full glass of water and Ad. was soaked.
AD (quaking and shaking): Somewhere over the rainbow!
ME (in charge, now with hand gun): Bluebirds fly.
Haa! And I jumped the counter! That’s right! I jumped so I was lying across the counter.
We had great fun. In one day I got to kill and rob Adventure, so I considered it a success.
YAWN. I think I am going to float off into space, now, but here are some notes from when I was crewing.
P.S. I haven’t typed up in so long, does anyone want to hear about stuff? The screening for “Thanks For Smoking,” meeting the writer/director of “Monster?” …?
Hello dear friends!
Guess where I am?
Crewing!
Yes, I am writing to you LIVE from my craft table. I am talking to a cinematographer and explaining the ins and out of our trail mix.
ME: The strawberries are the best.
CINE: There are strawberries?
ME: Oh yes, let’s find one for you.
THAT’S why I’m in demand folks.
I realize I haven’t told you about every single detail in my life as of late.
Basically it runs like this:
My third cycle screens this week. I am writing Glinda’s thesis film. My script sucks!
Here are some fun highlights for you. These are more for me because they are sweet memories more than anything else.
1. The other day I found a caterpillar. This doesn’t sound like much, but it was a woolly caterpillar. Who finds a woolly caterpillar in the middle of Hollywood? I showed Adventure, as we were off to the grocery store for dinner and was quite thrilled. Later, we ran into So. Africa:
ME: There’s a fantastic caterpillar down the way, if you would like to go down there and look.
SO: Oh?
AD: I can’t believe you just said that!
ME: What?
AD: The fact you would mention a little tiny caterpillar like 900 feet away that you saw three hours ago—that’s amazing! I bet the caterpillar didn’t know that we three, at this time would be sitting here talking about it.
The next day, my acting group—something to be mentioned all on its own in this numbered list. No! It wasn’t the next day, it was three days later, we were going out to rehearse a scene in the grotto and I said:
ME: I wonder if the caterpillar is still here.
Adventure creeped over and started to look around.
AD: Was it here? I can’t remember.
ME: Yeah, it was right there.
P., the other girl in the group, joined our gawking.
P: What are we looking for?
AD: A caterpillar.
P: Oh, I don’t see one.
ME: I don’t think it’s here.
P: Maybe it’s a cocoon…
At this point I stepped back and looked on to both those people, 20+ in age looking for a caterpillar. It was so sweet AND I felt I was living a scene in my script, in which a 10 year old budding entomologist befriends a bully when he starts looking for a rare moth at summer camp.
CUE INSPIRATIONAL THEME MUSIC
YOU MIGHT JUST MAKE IT AFTER AAAAAAAAAALL.
(Jumps into air, freeze frame).
2. Acting class. We have this boss exercise. Basically, we are all in groups of three, two people act and one person writes a directs a scene, using song lyrics as the dialogue. This is to force you to not depend on words to convey the subject matter of the scene—and the further removed from the subject matter your lyrics are, the better. I’m in a group with Ad., because I only have one friend at AFI and P. Our scene is fabulous—uh, in theory. P. wrote it. It’s about a wife who poisons her husband and our song is “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” I get to kill Ad.! Yay. We rehearsed once, but those guys don’t seem to have a clue—I mean, I’m clueless, but they were, “well, we’re good” while I was sitting there saying, “this is terrible!”
It’s funny, but I don’t know what it is—don’t tell anyone, but it’s so awkward with Ad. sometimes! I remember the script called for the husband to come in and kiss his wife on the cheek coming through the door, he didn’t so we cut it, fine, that was awkward, so that’s ok. So P. asked if he could at least touch my shoulder or something and he did once… kind of… but not really and then spent the rest of the scene a good 6 or 8 ft away. I mean, I could be wrong, but what kind of loving husband comes home and just rocks around in the corner?
Hi. It’s Day 2 of crewing. So. Union is working! I love him so much and he brought me cake. <3 I was just talking to Ad.’s editor, who was my editor for my last cycle and she says London Girl and Ad.’s newest project is looking great. I am so happy! Both those guys deserve to win so much. London Girl has had two “bombs” as far as projects go—and you know Ad.’s history. I just want them to do well. I feel like such a nosey posey, but I keep checking up. It was pretty funny, even the editor said Ad.’s big problem was he thinks too much. Which is what I have said and what AdGf has said. So, I think it’s true. Speaking of AdGf—the other day I was giving Ad. a ride and he hops into the car, this was after our day of rehearsal:
AD: So my girlfriend says I’m no fun any more.
I wasn’t sure if he was serious.
ME: Are you serious?
But apparently the couple had a little blip. I feel for both because it’s SO HARD to work relationships when you are separated by time zones and countries and they are doing the best they can. AdGf is so young and this is her first relationship, so I figure it’s the first lesson of, “the honeymoon phase can’t last forever” and then Ad. always, up until recently because it’s so busy at school has always, always put forth the most positive attitude with her, so now that his spirit is compromised with work he really doesn’t seem like “fun” anymore when all he does is call her to organize plane times so he can visit her in the summer.
And I have no idea why I am talking about his personal life here, so I’m going to stop.
Speaking of people leaving. This summer is going to suck eggs. EVERYONE is leaving. So. Af. Is back to Africa. Ad. to Wales and Canada. Bday to Chicago. The first time I’m ready to stay put over the summer and I am all alone! I am so, so sad.
What else?
I am working on a thesis with Glinda. I am actually very excited about it! It’s a comedy, FINALLY. We got out all our European Art Film angst in the school projects… so we could have fun with the real thing!
For those who are curious—
P.S. This actor is SUCH an ass. I have my ear phones and he’s talking directly about me and my craft service, thinking I can’t hear.
ACTOR: You think they would have real cream. I mean come on, how gross is this? Last time I work for a student film.
ME IN MIND: “Last time I work for a student film.” I’m sure it was hard to squeeze in between all those studio offers. Please.
WHY WON’T HE LEAVE ME ALONE.
P.S. He’s an extra.
P.P.S. What kind of person tells Soviet Union, whose father was a political prisoner when the USSR was collapsing that such was, “cool?”
Yawn. I guess this is really all I have to report. I am exhausted and have called So. Africa an inordinate amount of times. I called this morning to coerce him into sound mixing for Soviet Union (didn’t work) and then later, on a run, I witnessed a head on car accident! The cars were demolished, but the passengers got out—the police had to be notified but it wasn’t exactly a 911 situation—so what did I do? Call So. Africa.
ME: Hi!
SO: Hi there again.
ME: I just saw
Jesus. The actor is doing “girl” voices now.
ACTOR: And then we just talked and we liked the same things. And then we just talked.
Now he’s making “gay” voices and harassing another actress.
KILL ME NOW.
suddenly i was @ 11:51 pm
(no feathers)
wednesday, march 15, 2006
I am in a lovely mood! I am also EXHAUSTED. I don’t even know how I am keeping my head up right.Well today we wrapped.
Backing up:
Day 3 was wonderful and lovely. Day 2, I never mentioned, we moved to our second location which was a grapefruit grove.
How many people have been in one of those?
RAISES HAND.
Day 2 was still just awful and even colder than our first heinous day. It was about 30 degrees when Glinda and I arrived on set at 6 AM. FREEZING. My hands went pink and swelled with numbness. It was insane, I used to walk with –25 degree chills! The rain came down again and we finally rigged a heater up so our little actress could keep warm. There really wasn’t much else to the day, just wet. Cold. Cold and wet.
ME: How are you?
CINEMATOGRAPHER: My jeans are too tight!
ME: I have tights under my pants!
CINEMATOGRAPHER: That’s why mine are so tight, I have a pair underneath!
Day 3, however, WAS AMAZING. No rain. It was just glorious sun and suddenly I appreciated being outside and the utter beauty of the grapefruit orchard. Big yellow fruits hanging from branches on this side—if you walked clear over here there was a bamboo forest—we were on a private ranch, absolutely lovely. We arrived at 5:30 or something insane. I was so tired. – But the sun came out and it was so warm. I pulled out my laptop and watched hawks soar along in the sky and little hummingbirds zip in and out of bushes with branches of red berries.
When lunch came my producer’s wife and daughter showed up with the food and the little actress came down from the shoot.
The sun was shining and we all were having such fun. Our actress, who was 8, was feeding Daughter because her wasn’t eating for her mom.
ACTRESS: Here comes the airplane!
DAUGHTER: CHOMP.
Then the three of us would play hide and go seek. “Make sure she closes her eyes!” the actress would yell, because Daughter would literally start counting and at two would take away her hands and watch the other person hide.
DAUGHTER: 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22. Ready or not here I come!
I would hold Daughter’s hand and we would whisper, “Where could she be!” then the actress would pop up and say, “Here I am!” Then the two girls told me to go hide, so there I was lumbering around like an idiot trying to find a place to hide around all my colleagues—
ME: Excuse me, I’m playing with children.
When the actress went back to work, Daughter and I went on a walk to “look at the farm” (aka, the garage).
DAUGHTER: And there’s chickens and cows and horses and a kitten and chickens! And when I was watching the Disney channel I would go, EE-I-EE-I-O. There was a dog who had a name—B-I-N-G-O.
We saw two bunnies, two lizards, one squirrel with an orange. We walked over a bridge and saw hummingbirds and threw a stick in the pond. Then we sat by the table where Daughter’s mom was with my producer’s roommate. Daughter wanted a straw for her lemonade, but we had none, until I had a remembrance of my childhood past and endless Albertson runs wherein Adventure purchased Twizzlers. I grabbed a red vine and nipped off both ends and plopped it into Daughter’s cup.
ME: Look, a candy straw.
DAUGHTER: (Gasp!) Mommy, Mommy, look at what her did!
I spent the rest of my time under the sunny leaves typing away at my laptop, trying to crank out some pages for workshop the following morning.
The day wrapped and Glinda took me home and all was lovely.
That was Monday. I got home and after doing the last touch up grocery shop, I finally got to my computer to proof my pages.
ME: Yay, time to read some pages!
(head hits desk until 2AM)
ME (at 2:32 AM after shower): Yay, time to read some pages!
I read until 4 AM and I was just so exhausted, my eyes couldn’t stay open and my head was so heavy, I just gave up the ghost. I had to get up again for crewing and class in t- three hours.
DAY 4~
I was more on call than anything. I showed up at 7 AM, set up my table and assisted as I might, ie provided child drawings and toys for our undecorated little girl’s room.
FACT: Apparently I am way more ambidexterous than I ever knew.
ME: I will draw with my left hand to make this drawing look like that of a child’s.
(draws)
ME: Wtf! Since when can I draw with my left hand?
At 10, I was off to workshop, sans pages for the first time in my life. It couldn’t be helped, I was exhausted to the point of delusion. I drooled through my lines in Adventure’s script and was almost made to cry when I realized I left my pencil at home.
During breaks from class and in between sessions, I ran down to check out things and restock items.
In my acting class I finally volunteered to go. Good news, I got to use my hulahoop, apparently for a long time (I didn’t notice! But it was a good 30-40 minutes) and now have every male writer commenting how much they enjoyed it.
ME: THANK YOU GENTLEMEN.
Also, I thought I really tried something. I don’t even want to detail because I want to forget I ever tried to do anything. For those who remember the Misanthrope, basically, I thought I could conjure up some emotion there and I did and it was terrifying I was so nervous and scared. Then I had to tell my whole class what my emotional back story was and it was so embarrassing. I felt so stupid. Now everyone thinks I’m just some stupid Little Mermaid preteen crush person. That’s part of the Bad News. I also think it did work, but my explanation of it didn’t so my teacher felt it wasn’t specific enough. I know it was, just because I didn’t explain it to the whole class doesn’t mean I didn’t know myself.
UG. I could just die, I feel so stupid. I wish I had never done it.
I stood in the hall telling this to everyone when I was tackled from behind, I looked down and there was our Little Actress.
ACTRESS: Gooooooodbye!
She was wrapped! It was so cute.
After class I zipped along to the stage and waiting for my team to call wrap. Daughter was there again, high has a kite on sugar from the cookies and candies of craft, her mom had to run an errand and her dad was producing, so I was watching her. She was fascinated with my “loopaloop.” She was also very busy playing doggie, so there was no Daughter, just Little Doggie. Really! Complete with food and water dishes. I helped her prepare a bowl of dog food (Cheezits) and later my producer’s roommate joined us and we became the Daddy Dog, Momma Dog and Baby Dog—also known as, The Kitten, the Big Dog and the Little Dog.
When the Roommate disappeared, we started mixing up some pink waters, this is how you do this.
INGREDIENTS:
Pink drink from vending machine which your Mommy bought with quarters
Bowls from Craft Service
Water from Water Cooler
DIRECTIONS
Fill bowl with water from water cooler, then pour in pink drink.
Go outside, dump in grass.
Repeat.
We did that about a thousand times, until her mom came and reprimanded her, which made me feel bad, because I had totally let her do it for about 45 minutes.
Somewhere, then, between making her doggie bed under the computer table and dumping out a massive pile of carrots onto a plate which I could feed to her with a spoon (with water soup) Daughter described to me in great detail her “leash.”
D: It’s blue and it’s a rope and blue, with a, two hooks and it’s my leash.
ME: So you don’t get lost?
D: Yes. Let’s go get my leash!
Her mom was gone at the time, so we couldn’t, but a little while later, after wrap was called, Adventure showed up and joined the fun, because he was getting a ride with me later.
Daughter, her mum, Adventure and I went out to the parking lot.
ME: Stay with Adventure, your mom and I have to pack the car.
DAUGHTER: Oh, but—
MOM: Stay there!
ME: Stay with Adventure, he’s really nice.
I came back 34 seconds later.
AD: Is the leash in here?
DAUGHTER: Yes! It’s blue.
Every time I came back, Adventure was further into the car.
AD: What’s it look like?
ME: I actually haven’t seen it… so for all I know—
AD: Does it exist?
DAUGHTER: My leash is in there!
Eventually, on one of the last errands:
AD: Is this it?
Adventure pulled up a blue bungee cord, you know the sort, a bit of elastic rope with a hook on either end, used by hikers for backpacks.
DAUGHTER: (GASP!) Oh yeah!
Her mom showed us how, to hook up the leash: put one hook through the belt loop of Daughter’s pants and let her away on all fours.
Once back inside, Adventure made out like a bandit with left over Craft and I walked my little doggie. I had to run to the stage, so I hooked her to a bench and said, “Ok, stay there little doggie, I have to go to the set, I will be right back. Stay there, stay… staaaay.”
I ran to the sound stage to retrieve my diseased hoodie and hug all my team members. Glinda and I did a little dance, my Cinematographer and I had a very meaningful hug—I don’t know if I have mentioned, but she was my first cinematographer (we ate lavender ice cream) from the Team From Hell. So it was quite poignant to have a good experience with her.
I went back up to gather my things and Daughter had a little present for me.
DAUGHTER: I want to give it to her.
MOM: Well it’s your purse, do you want her keep it?
DAUGHTER: Her can have it.
A little Hello Kitty purse! How cute is that?
I bid my farewells to my new 3 year old pal:
ME: Goodnight, Daughter!
DAUGHTER: No! That’s not me, I’m a little doggie.
ME: How could I forget? Good night little doggie!
DAUGHTER: Ruff!
And Adventure and I were off and my Cycle 3 film wrapped.
Kind of.
Before they sneaked back onto the stage and got off one last shot.
SHHHHH. Don’t tell, it’s so against the rules.
Today the writer and director of Monster came and talked with us and Adventure and I were driving all over the city, but this is a post about Cycle projects, so another time—
Good bye Cycles!
THE END!
suddenly i was @ 11:47 pm
(no feathers)
tuesday, march 14, 2006
As of today, I have officially survived AFI'S Cylce program.EXPLODES INTO GLITTER.
Details on Day 3 and 4 to come.
suddenly i was @ 10:40 pm
(no feathers)
saturday, march 11, 2006
I am wiped. Dead. Kaput.Let me sum up, quickly, how I feel the first day of this shoot went. My entire team was there today. I went to each and asked, “how does it look?”
These were their answers:
Producer: It looked.
Director: I slaughtered the script.
Editor: Mmm.
Cinematographer: We didn’t get anything fabulous.
Again, in brief.
We showed up. First thing: costumes. You know that red peacoat written into the script? The one written in CAPS, LIKE THIS?
Well, it came as a ruddy brown and white striped smock.
Which had dye which ran in the rain.
Because it was raining.
I ran to the store, purchased every red jacket I could find, but to no avail. So guess who’s wearing my favourite Eliot red hoodie?
That’s right!
Our little actress who spent all day vomiting in the woods.
In the rain and hail.
While I sat over there in the FREEZING cold and let my super happy special time of the month start, enjoying the fact that YEA, I was in the middle of park, next to nothing and could do nothing about it.
MMM-HMM.
Details:
I think we’re in the midst of a very bad film. Our actress has a sensitive stomach, a fact shared only after eating a multitude of clementines.
ACTRESS: My tummy feels funny.
DIRECTOR: Wh—
ACTRESS: (barfs up whole chucks of clementine)
And that was the day, a producer became a vomit wrangler.
At least, I tried to believe the mother when she said this, rocking the little girl in her arms. Saying to myself, it’s not a flu, it’s not a flu… because I had spent the entirety of the lunch hour with the little actress and my producer’s toddler daughter “exploring for monsters.”
That was actually a bit of light during the day. I love kids. I held their hands and we walked along in the woods. We played hide and seek, we looked for a squirrel, we walked up mud hill with sticks, ran down a trail—eventually we took to looking for monsters.
DAUGHTER: I want to find the monster and bite him.
ME: Bite him!
DAUGHTER: Bite him like this! (bites air)
ACTRESS: Once, in kindergarten I had a very close friend and once, and I don’t know why, but she was very angry at me and she just leaned over and bit me—right on the arm!
DAUGHTER: I want to find a monster and poke him in the eye!
The girls were very cute.
The day was horrifically cold. I am mortified to say so—remember in Chicago when I would walk to class in – 25 degree wind shield?
GONE ARE THOSE DAYS. 40 degrees and I am DYING. We were all bundled up, but it was wet and windy and I was just frozen solid cold. All my candies were hard and freezey… I’m still frozen and I’ve suddenly hit a wave of tiredness. I think I am going to fall asleep at my desk. Tomorrow I am leaving before 6 AM. So not yay. At least Glinda is giving me a ride there, <3.
I am just going to cut this short, I am exhausted. The long of the short of it is, I think our film is going to be WOEFULLLY mediocre, AT BEST, I’m FREEZING and…. I’m cold.
suddenly i was @ 11:17 pm
(no feathers)
friday, march 10, 2006
Oh, I am just bushwhacked I am so tired. This has been a long week! – The week before a shoot always is.AD: This looks like a bunch of 11 year-old boys wrote this thinking, “this would be cool.”
It’s not that they thought it was brilliant. They knew it fell short, but the team had a good time and they got to try out other things, e.g. green screen.
Anyhow, so they were written up and Ad. was terrified it would lead to his dismissal out of AFI. You may all recall his terrible Cycle 1, up until last week, he was very behind in his feature work and then this…
At the end of Cycle 1, students are evaluated and if you don’t make the grade, you’re cut. You have to be invited back into the conservatory.
I found all of this very upsetting because all the non-selfish reasons of seeing my friend upset but also for the selfish reasons: who would I get to talk to if Adventure left? I would be so sad, I enjoy that kid’s company.
It was a very sad day though! I was so depressed I gave Adventure his birthday present early, so he could be happy. (Remember the inflatable E.T., he said in October or so it was the piece he most wanted in his collection, buyakasha! Thank you, Nick of iloveet.com).
This angst and since cleared up. I really didn’t think they could throw someone out on the merit of their work, without actually LOOKING at their work and if he wasn’t truant or delinquent with anything else, this is what Canada Lass and South Africa though as well.
That was a good up. I had the longest conversation with So. Africa that night or so. It was after class and we just were talking, talking, talking… I was in my car and I just stopped halfway out of the spot and poor So. Africa kept having to bow over to see in the window, which must have been painful because he’s the BFG! Eventually he just got in and we talked about work and poor Adventure and our group and our teacher… everyone at AFI!
So. Africa is a good egg. I believe what he says and know he isn’t one for gossip or malicious words. He’s also very honest, jut says what he thinks and does it in a kind way.
What else? In the span of 15 minutes, both my director and producer have come by my place. MY TEAM IS IN A FLURRY.
Another up of the week, I finally got to have a class with Gill Dennis, the writer on Walk the Line. It was interesting… but somewhat lacking at the same time. All we did, was watch this scene from, “To Have or Have Not” and then we had to write it as we would a script.
Hmm!
Then speaking of a downer, James Mangold, the director/cowriter of Walk the Line is evil! He has absconded with Gill’s script! Walk the Line was Gill’s for years before Mangold signed on, yet he has since so forced it as being his, for those of you who watched the Oscars, Reese Witherspoon thanked Mangold for giving her such words to inspire her performance.
Not.
They were Gill’s words!
Poor Gill didn’t even watch the Oscars. If you could meet him, he’s helped on everything in the world, went to AFI with David Lynch and Terrence Malick, so he’s this older guy—I just feel awful. Apparently Mangold’s taking credit went over like a lead balloon. I hope he gets his!
HOMAHGAWD.
My producer’s wife just came by because my kitchen is being used as a base station for catering and she brought their 3 year old daughter. So cute!
DAUGHTER: Mommy says when I get big I can have a car.
ME: You want to drive a car?
DAUGHTER: Sure, when I get big. Sometimes I can crawl like a baby and when I was a baby I had no teeths and was bald.
ME: You were bald?
D: When I was a baby. Zak and Dylan are bald babies, but you can’t hold them up because they’re too big now. Zak and Dylan got a haircut! I got a haircut once too.
ME: You got a hair cut? Did you like it?
D: Yeah and I was beautiful when it was over but then I crawled like a baby.
Then she took my Swiffer and went around my apartment singing, “Cleaning, cleaning, mopping, mopping.”
I must say, however, I have a slight hesitation watching the sprite zip around and thinking off all my early nineteen hundred artifacts at her level… within grasp.
D: What are those?
ME: Those are very old.
D: Oooh, glass!
ME: Yes, we probably shouldn’t touch those…
We did bond, however, so she’s probably ok.
ME: Is that Spongebob?
MOM: Oh, she loves Spongebob.
ME: I have a Spongebob in my car.
MOM: Did you hear that, she has a Spongebob in her car.
D: Can I have it?
Basically, really all that is left to report, which is of any interest to anyone is was today’s fun Adventure.
Today begins my second round of Crafting for everyone and Jesus. I was set to run out shopping right after class when Adventure comes up and wants to know what I am doing for he wants to go grocery shopping. I say, “well, I’m going Craft shopping, you can come for that if you like,” and he says, “could my friend come too?”
His friend from the UK, by way of London I think, just arrived yesterday.
- And though I have no clue how to fit everyone, I say sure.
Adventure’s pal, heretoforth, UKPal, is lovely. A very funny person who I think Raedances would enjoy because he has her same type of job, but for Apple and likes Battle Star Galactica.
UK: I told Adventure, I don’t care, I have to get onto iTunes and download the episode…
UKPal, I don’t know where his accent is from, but it’s different from Adventure’s (who says his is a Dover accent, which is where he spent his formative years before moving to Wales) and it’s the sort which TWITS LIKE ME, find very infective and two seconds in of those two boys going back and forth with their “hey, mates” and I am all but biting my tongue, because I am totally getting an affected accent.
I let them lose in Costco-
ME: Have fun boys!
- and did my shopping.
We then went to Albertson’s, of course, where I proceeded to go over budget. GO ME.
Then I had to make a beeline home (not before taking Adventure’s things home, P.S. BrokenTrust, I told Adventure your tale and he said, “Well I’ve had similar things happen to me…” then I told him he was an ass too and then he said, “But I was too selfish to spend money on the other person I didn’t want to sleep with,” so coming from the DEEP SENSITIVE HEART of your favorite LJ Persona, there you go). The boys joined me… we were hoping to get out to see Capote, but I was supposed to meet my producer’s wife right before and didn’t want to leave her hanging. So we sat around my place and I made them a little lunch because were all starving. Adventure decided he wanted noodles, so I boiled them up. UKPal and he prepped their dishes, Ad. going through the most intricate, involved process of making sauce, stirring it in the pot and generally making a huge mess. We sit down, eat, eventually decide I can’t make the movie (the wife was running late) and so I go to take the boys back to Adventure’s. We stand up to leave and suddenly UKPal belts:
UK: What’s that? A lovely little arrangement there.
I come over and look at Adventure’s plate, and, well. Only a jpeg can do this justice. IT was more impressive even before I cellophaned it and turned it upside down on my scanner but here it is.
I don’t think he touched a single noodle.
ME: What!? Did you eat anything?
AD: I ate a few then I got full.
ME: A few? Three? Come on, you made me make the whole bag.
UK: Come on, mate.
ME: Do you want it in a tupperware?
AD: I’m full!
ME: So you put the noodles into a pattern?
AD: I told you just a little. It’s his fault for not eating more.
ME: Do you want them in a tupperware?
AD: Honestly, no.
ME: You’re going to waste all of it?
UK: You have some serious problems.
AD: You can have them!
ME: I don’t want your picked over, foul, touched, violated and arranged noodles.
I was a little annoyed, that was a whole meal to me! But at the same time it was kind of amusing, because you know, he is such a picky eater he probably totally didn’t like the sauce but didn’t want leave it all on the plate, so he spread it out—you know, like you used to when you were little. Really, it’s like having a two year old for a friend.
P.S. Adventure turns 25 tomorrow. Happy birthday!
After I got back home, the plate made me laugh so much, I scanned it in all its glory and sent it off in an email to Adventure.
SUBJECT: What the hell…
TEXT: … is wrong with you?
I got this response: One day, as the world ends, the noodles will make sense.
Until then keep the faith... in your fridge.
I should make some food myself now, but one last word, my HERO, Jack Wild, the greatest Artful Dodger to ever live, has passed away at age 53, a victim of throat cancer. He had a horrible, horrible battle and it just breaks my heart to think that’s how the Artful had to go out. Rest in peace, where ever you are Jack Wild!
suddenly i was @ 10:41 pm
(no feathers)
saturday, march 4, 2006
Well that was different!Guess what I did?
I went to party!
I never go out. Some of you may have recalled my last party-outing, Bday’s party, thus his nickname “Bday.” That was in September.
Today’s birthday was Shades’. He rented out the entire back of a famous Hollywood deli, Canter’s. I was so worried about getting there, it’s not too far from where I live, but I have such a horrid sense of direction! I was going to ask So. Africa, but I feel like such a leech when I do things such as that and also, I wanted to leave early and what if he didn’t?
I decided to take a nap and when I woke up and would know whether or not I would have to call for a ride.
When I woke up 2.5 hours later, I decided I would drive myself as it was 30 minutes past the party’s starting time.
I love driving down Hollywood Boulevard at night.
It’s ugly and dirty and plain in the daylight, but afterhours, I mean, I wouldn’t want to walk the drag, but driving, the lights are on, the interesting people are out—tonight there was a huge Oscars award party, so there was a red carpet and people snapping photos and Highland was closed off completely because they are in the process of building something for the actual Oscar ceremony. It may even have been the red carpet.
With all the hubbub, it took an age to get to Canters, but I made it—but not without the help of Adventure who was home writing.
ME (into phone): Hi!
AD (over phone): Hi!
ME: Is Fairfax after—oh wait. I think I just answered my question.
AD: Oh?
ME: Yeah. Yeah, I did. There’s Fairfax. I was going to call and ask if Fairfax comes after Highland.
AD: Yeah it does.
ME: Ok, I’m driving up Fairfax!
AD: It should be on the right hand side.
ME: Right?
AD: Yeah.
ME: Crap. I think I am going the wrong way.
AD: It’s just a few minutes past Hollywood…
ME: I’m going the wrong way I’m going to have to flip around. Why did I think this was good idea? I always get lost. It was sleep deprivation which made me think I could do this.
AD: Just go South, are you going South?
ME: Maybe. Look, even though you’re not in the passenger seat, you’re still my navigator.
Adventure, once I was flipped around right, was correct. I found Canters, parked in their lot (JOYS) and darted inside, right into the waiting person of So. Africa.
SO AF: You! I can’t believe you came!
He then gave me a hug as I ran up and said, “I almost was lost!” I then waited for him to park his car so we could go into the party room together. He came, we went and I would not see him for the rest of the evening!
The party was nice enough, very, very loud. Lovely music (BOB DYLAN), but my ears are really sensitive so they were ringing and hurting the entire time.
I first talked to R. I love her, she’s so kind. She played with my hair and told me how to wear it. Then I joined I. over at a table, I like him very much because we are very similar personalitywise, he also doesn’t care for the loud, crowded scene and preferred more intimate settings where you can actually talk. So we sat together and people came and went at our table, both my cinematographers, the Critical Canadian, Canada Lass, Canada Lad. I was so happy about two things, I. told me first, he had incorporated all of the notes I had written him about his script pages (I read his and So. Africa’s this week) and had saved a page of space!
I: If that piano wasn’t full of stuff, I would throw you down and make love, right now!
Ha.
Then! I. said he and Canada Lad said I was the best person to sit next to in our screening room because I can heckle the life out of anything and apparently I was being quoting today.
I: Bday said your famous Narnia line and just laughed for 8 minutes straight.
At midnight I decided to take off and made my way through the mosh that was the crowd around the bar so I could say goodbye and Happy Birthday to Shades one last time. I took his hand and thanked him and wished him well. I ran into Canada Lad, said good bye—over and over to everyone as I squeezed through. I even ran into poor So. Africa who had finally made his way over to talk to me again!
Everything was so tight up front. Literally, body to body, pressed together. I had just about made it, when who should I see?
The Creature.
Porn Guy.
Now, large crowds make me nervous and terrified in general. I get incredibly jumpy, enough so people like Writing Partner ask, “Are you ok? Why are you so scared?” so the LAST thing I can really deal with is PG. By the time he greeted me with his
usual, "Hey" (head bobble), I just couldn't hide my displeasure.
HIM: Where are you going?
ME: Out.
HIM: Oh yeah, where to?
ME: Home. Out.
HIM: Oh yeah, what are you doing there?
ME: Write. Hi P.
I turned to talk to this other writer, trying to let her know with my mind I was about to have a nervous break down. At some point I think PG touched my elbow.
I don’t know how I blasted out without him getting near me, but I managed.
Guys! I can’t stand him! I don’t know if I have ever disliked anyone less in my entire life. Everything about him makes me want to scream and stab my eyes out.
After I got out, I drove home and called Adventure back to make sure he was still writing. He was, I am going to really try to be a good support system because I think lots of people are beginning to lose faith and if he finds that out, he will in himself as well.
Now I am home and FREEZING.
Today on the whole though, even before the party was fairly delightful. We had our films in the morning, which were pretty subpar, I must say. Adventure and WP went and as Ad. said, “Our film looks like a bunch of 11-year-old boys wrote it. I wish we had been a little less, ‘this looks cool’ and a bit deeper.”
He was right!
After class I helped Glinda cast for our Riding Hood film.
Oh, if you guys could have seen these little girls!
We were casting for Riding Hood so we had a bunch of little girls ages 6-9. I was reading lines with them while Glinda talked.
They were hilarious.
The first girls were a set a twins. The first twin was a perfectly awful little girl, she copped such an attitude of arrogance from the second she walked into the door. She had her hair curled and was wearing makeup (like all good studio 8 year olds?). She clearly though she know more than both Glinda and I put together, and she probably does- but she doesn’t have to flaunt it! But she would start doing things before Glinda was finished instructing and was very, oh, just such a pill.
The next twin, however, was as sweet as the day was long. She didn’t have any make up and had long plain hair. Her presence and performance were stronger as well. Dude, she sang a song from “The Little Mermaid!”
It was sad, because you can just see right off the bat, how traumatized will the sweet twin be, living in the shadow of the snooty one? (We weren’t even supposed to see the sweet twin, she just did it for fun).
The next girl we saw was very good. She may end up with the part, not certain. She doesn’t have the look we want, she’s this strapping girl (who came in with all her girl scout badges), but she can bring about a good deep look in her eyes. That’s important… and many children can’t do it.
Glinda had asked each girl to bring in a song or poem to perform (thus the Ariel song up earlier). This girl recited a poem by Shel Silverstein. Abigail’s Pony, or something similar, about a little girl who wanted a pony and then died when her parents didn’t give her one. – But every time the little girl in the poem would ask for the pony, this girl would bust out a delightfully snooty British accent.
“But I want a pony!”
I almost peed my pants, it was so funny.
The last girl.
Oh.
My.
God.
She wasn’t human. She was a pixie, a sprite. A tiny, tiny little figure. She must have come to my knees. She wafted into the room, twirling and dancing and bringing us flowers. She was so small, she could barely read or focus. She had such a face though… I really hope we cast her. I think she is the closest to what I had in my head. Her “interview” was also hilarious. Try to image the tiniest, highest voice you have ever heard in your life, with a lisp.
GLINDA: Why do you like acting?
PIXIE: Mooooooooney.
GLINDA: Money? What do you do with money?
PIXIE: Iiiiiiiiiiiiii… what?
G: What do you do with money?
P: Keep it. I don’t have that much money yet!
G: Are you saving it to buy things?
P: What?
G: Are you going to buy toys?
P: I can go… I will buy my most favourite thing in the whole world!
G: Oh, what’s that?
P: A dog!
G: A dog!
P: I don’t have that much money yet.
G: Oh. I like your clothes.
P: I’ve have this dress for a loooong time, but I can’t remember how long.
G: Oh, well I like it very much.
P: Ah… what?
Haa.
After casting, it was Friday Shopping with Adventure. It was a good peer pressure shop.
AD: (picks up package)
ME: Doitdoitdoitdoitdoitdoit.
AD: Ok! You are a bad influence. I am never shopping with you again.
ME: Don’t say that, then all my trips will be boring and only last three minutes. Should I get some daffodils?
AD: DO IT.
Yeah. We both spent about 60 dollars. I don’t really care, I had to liven up my food life. I am so sick of the same 3 things I eat all the time.
Most importantly, I now have daffodils in my life. Lovely large ones. Now I have an army of flowers. Mini daffodils, large daffodils and yellow roses, all next to my tv. I love flowers.
YAWN. I am so tired, I think I might put my head down, but yes! Nice day.
suddenly i was @ 05:37 am
(no feathers)
thursday, march 2, 2006
TODAY was a most ga-lorious day.Class was cancelled.
And I had no plans.
And this isn’t the usual, “I should be doing this… but I will do nothing instead” sort of day either—I was really, really free.
I decided I would sleep in all day and catch up on my rest which I have been sorely deprived of these past few weeks. Initially I woke up at 10 in a panic, thinking I had overslept. I leapt from my bed, cursing and fumbling to the bathroom, “what do I do… what do I do…” when I realized.
Oh yeah.
No class.
So I went back to bed until 2 PM.
Mmmm, mmm.
I think just did a few quick errands, mailed back my defunct printer (I was sent a replacement unit!), picked up my inflatable E.T. (just in time for Ad.’s bday, I am very excited about this). Then I came home, went on a super long walk, came back and ordered dinner in for myself.
MMM-MMM. Goat Cheese and Pineapple pizza.
So today was lovely. Yesterday wasn’t too shabby either…
I had to turn in my beat sheet for Fargo. Does everyone know what a beat sheet is? Basically, you take a script and break it down into every tiny little moment.
1. Bob opens fridge, finds cheese.
2. Door bell rings, Bob goes to answer.
3. Bob gets the door and throws out the cheese.
We have a class and every week someone is assigned to make a beat sheet for a film, mine was “Fargo.”
I love Fargo. It appreciates with time. I ended up getting really into it, but the effort was well worth it because I became the first person to be praised for my beat sheet. Ha. I also found out I am a part of the AFI Rumor Mill®. I. came up to me and said, “Is the rumor true?
CANADA LAD: What rumor.
I: PG told her something in class.
CANADA LAD: What did he say?
So I told those two, who agreed it was foul. Then later, I got an email from another girl writer asking if it was true.
Nice. It’s making the rounds.
I. said I have nothing to worry about.
I: We got your back. … And all the other parts of you he’s after.
We had a couple of fun screenings, an editing panel and then, “Meet Me in St. Louis” with Judy DropDeadGorgeousInThatRedGown Garland. In the evening, I gave Adventure a ride home and had to give him a bit of pep talk. He’s having such trouble with his feature, he’s quite far behind, but it’s very frustrating. I know he has it all together and he could totally run with his story, but he gets so caught up in details and wondering if it will please people. I finally just told him yesterday he has to just WRITE. Write for himself. Don’t think of numbers, if people like it, write for himself, write from himself. If it’s genuine and real people will respond to it, whether they “like” it or not. People get realness. People respond to realness.
He’s so caught up in thinking people don’t believe in him—and for some cause, he asked our teacher if she would write him a recommendation letter a while back and she said yes, but then, just recently she turned about and told him she honestly didn’t think she could. Isn’t that awful? I mean, if you think a student is falling short of expectations, fine. Talk with them, but that’s really hurtful to a student who is really trying to please.
He’s also worried the rest of the workshop is beginning to doubt him and I know, though I didn’t say, they are all worried. Instead I told him to look at it from their point of view. I talk to him all the time, I see his planning, I’ve seen the movies he wants to pull from—our class? They’ve just heard he wants to start over and three weeks of character bios. I think that rather struck a chord, so then I told him, I know he can write, he has it ready to go and if I believe he can do it and he believes he can do it, that makes two people in our class who believe in him and that should be enough to go at it.
Anyhow, I hope he does start. He has it all there… I don’t know why he’s so afraid. He reminds me of a friend I had in Chicago, it was so frustrating, always was trying to make things better, but never went forward. I don’t want to see that happen to Adventure.
In the meanwhile I am watching a FINE PIECE OF TELEVISED CINEMA, “Disaster Zone: Volcano in New York,” courtesy of the Scifi Channel. I’m sure you can guess by its title, its destined to be a classic, revered by cinephiles for eons to come.
Oh, everyone, go to the iTunes store and download the free song of the week. Yay, Dolly Parton!
suddenly i was @ 11:49 pm
wednesday, march 1, 2006
Gross.Absolutely gross.
I am COMPLETELY traumatized.
Today was acting class.
I have two fears in that class. Both were realized. One is being paired with one of my close friends--- this acting class, remember, we sit around and make personal observations about each other—so say, Adventure. I don’t want to know what my close friends think of me because, if they were to say, ‘you are heinous’ it would mean much to me and hurt so much because I value their opinions, deeply. My second, more rational fear, is being paired with Porn Guy, because he’s a desperate gross perv who creeps me out on a daily basis.
Both were realized today.
I was paired with Adventure, but it was relatively painless. To be perfectly honest, I don’t think he wanted to be paired with me either. He said I have dry hands. Totally embarrassing, but whatever. They are.
But Porn Guy.
Shudders.
SHUDDERS.
I almost passed out.
We were paired. We batted about the issue.
PG: I want to pay you a compliment, but they’ve all been said.
ME: I can’t hear you.
And finally we boiled down to the essence.
PG: I want to make love to you.
What.
The.
Hell.
To my face.
My god,
I wanted to shudder. Scream. Run. I was so uncomfortable and it was so, so, so gross. Yet- I didn’t want to let any of this show through because I know he wants to see me squirm and I am not going to give him that satisfaction. My retort then came, “You don’t have my permission” which loses translates into, “you disgust me.”
No matter how we changed the topic, he would return to that.
ME: You have a loud laugh.
PG: I want to make love to you.
UG. The very word love spoils in his mouth and comes out rancid, it’s horrific.
When he left I sat back with R. and Adventure and I told them what he said. R. was particularly – oh. Remind me in my updates to educate you about R. and PG. She was particularly taken back.
R; He said that to you?
I just wanted to hold hands with the two of them and never, ever let go.
ME: PROTECT ME.
Then, later tonight, I had a meeting with Glinda and my new producer. I left, it was about 7, 2 hours after the last class of the day for first year writers. I was running up the stairs, when out of the corner of my eye, I see Porn Guy running up after me.
ME: Christ.
There was no where to go.
He caught up to me and started to walk.
PG: So, class today. Intense.
ME: Yeah, W. had it really hard.
I was still not about to give in.
I played polite, then he went away—but AG. Really, words can’t describe. It’s so, it makes me physically ill. I don’t know what to do, I might just have to marry someone else in my class.
Just to briefly run over some of the fun things which has been going on:
1. Porn Guy: Serial Stalker.
I went out to lunch with Bday and R. It was a lovely, lovely time. Bday and R. are usually so sarcastic and funny and are always joking, you never really get to see into them. See what they are like—this lunch, however, was different. We talked about everything and our work and stories—all jokes aside. I loved it. What wonderful people! I wish everyone could see them when they don’t have their humor defense up.
Anyhow. While at lunch, I don’t know how it came up, but R. made some ill favored comment about Porn Guy. Immediately my ears perked up. I asked her to detail. She launched into a story, so similar to Glinda and mine: he pursued her, she said no, he pursued her, sat by her, stood by her…
Not only this though— she let me know, one of the other girl writers, you guessed it. He was after her as well at the beginning of the year. When she shot him down, he turned around and talked smack about her to anyone who would listen.
SUPREME ORDEAL:
PG did, however, manage to get this girl’s friend (outside of AFI) to go on a date with him and she reported he was really aggressive and kept trying to kiss her, literally put his tongue into her mouth, even though she said no.
SEE why I must stress guys?
I want all the girls he stalks to form a support group. I can’t stand him. I need to get married by tomorrow.
2. Adventures with the girlfriend! I know I told you I got to meet Adventure’s GF, but I also had the pleasure of hanging out with her twice more. She’s so nice. The first venture out, Adventure called and asked if I wanted to join the two to do homework in the park. Ooh, said I for it was a chance to test out my laptop in the great outdoors. So out we went. They brought a sheet for us all to sit on, but I felt so awkward and knew I wouldn’t work if there were cool people to talk to within a 10 mile radius of my person, so I scooted off to a tree.
We all worked for about 2 hours when it suddenly dipped in temperature. We became so cold, which is ridonkulous considering between the three of us we had lived in England, Canada and Chicago, you know, the classic hotspots of the universe.
We took off to find a place where we could sit longer. First we tried the library, but it was no go. Closed. We considered a Starbucks, or similar, but that didn’t sound fun.
We deliberated until it finally came down to The Grove. There was really no logic to it. It’s a shopping center. Whatever.
It was, however, the first clue I got to AdGF’s innate goodness.
We walked out to the veranda and she pointed to a giant Cheesecake Factory restaurant and gasped, “CHEESECAKE.”
The rest of the day, we spent wandering around. I didn’t feel third wheel at all and more like I was just with two friends.
We even found a portion of The Grove we had never visited—if you’re ever there, turn left at the Farmers’ Market, It leads to this… food… market… I don’t know how to the describe it! – only that I felt I was suddenly within “Spirited Away” the sun was sinking and all these magical food stands were coming to life: taffy, breads, danishes—sushi, Brazilian food. It was amazing. Such colours, blue, red… every corner was a picture opportunity.
The sky finally fell and it was time to turn back homeward, but it was a lovely day. I spent more time talking to GF than Ad. She is so nice… and so YOUNG. Really. In everyway. I felt so old talking to her.
ME: When I got my BFA…
(ages)
ME: When I started my job for a year…
(breaks hip)
ME: I want a kitten.
GF: My parents say I can’t have a kitten.
(dies)
She’s the age of young friends I have and encourage, advising them about school and such… so it was strange to me. Especially considering Ad. Is older than I am. Still, a lovely match and I’m glad I finally get to put a person to the name!
The next time we all went out, we went to Costco. First, because, duh. It is the pinnacle of modern society. Second, GF had never seen one before and third, Ad. and I only ever grocery shop.
Costco was AMAZING. You know you are in fine, fine company when Adventure drops something into the cart and GF and I simultaneously say, “yaaaaaaays” in harmony.
We did a tiny shop and I bought GF a tray of muffins and Ad. bought her cheesecake—because when you’re sweet and kind and from out of town, you get to get treats!
After Costco, because I destroy everything that I touch, I needed a piece for my phone and the only place to find it was at a corporate Cingular store in Glendale. I felt bad because I didn’t want to torture Ad. and GF, but they both came along and I was happy for it. GF found the street to turn on, we piled out, I bought my phone piece and then—guess what? We went to GIANT thrift store.
By the end, poor GF got the AFI cold and could barely stand. I sat with her and we waited for Adventure to reappear. It made me laugh because her impersonation of him was right on.
GF: Now where’s Adventure?
ME: Mmm.
GF: You know he’s just in a corner somewhere going, “Tsk, you know. This only costs a dollar, but if I sell it on eBay…”
ME: Ha, you even go the “tsk” thing down. He does that every time he thinks about saying something. He does it all the time in class. He didn’t believe me, but now that his girlfriend does it…
GF: In class? I would kill him!
Ad. ended up buying a lot of random items and I bought and AMAZING Brik-brak cup with dancing frogs from the 1970’s.
GF left Sunday, I didn’t get to say goodbye because I was working, but I’m sure she’ll visit again someday.
3. Hustle and Flow.
These are the things I really have to write in the moment otherwise it fades, but whatever, I can make a note of it here. Last Wednesday we had a screening for Hustle and Flow. I. Loved. It. The ending was a bit lame, but it was just such fun to watch. I can’t even put my finger on it. All I know by the end, I was looking up songs like, “It’s Hard Out There For A Pimp” and “Whoop That Trick” on iTunes.
Oh, P.S. when you watch this film, I want you to pay special attention to the monologue about walking the walk and talking the talk. Pay special attention, then look to the first and last shots of the film.
What do you notice?
Pretty cool, heh?
I totally enjoyed the film but the seal on the envelop was the director/writer who came to talk with us. He was great. It was one of the best Q&A’s we had had all year long. At this point, I can’t even remember what was said, but you know. You watch this film about African Americans in a literal ghetto, then this white as all white bread guy walks out talk. I tensed up, thinking he might be some sort of fake, a hip-hop fetishist, but once he explained his deep connection to the film—it was amazing. All the little pieces of his life which bled in and were stitched together to form a narrative. A dead father, needing the neighbors to be quiet while they shot a film—just watch it. Every scene has a connection to reality. The whole idea came to the director one day when he was sitting outside in Memphis. It was about 3,000 degrees with 2oo percent humidity, so things are heavy and hot—when out of no where this low-riding monstrosity of a 1970’s car rolls by… ever so slow, with a pimp eyeing the director, with a blonde girl with cornrows sits in the passenger seat.
See the movie, you will get it.
I thought it was a neat though, I wonder where that pimp and prostitute are now in life? Will they ever know?
The director talked about the troubles and preconceptions he had to get past to make the film. The only phrase I can remember about the whole film made me laugh. He was talking about Memphis and how the South works:
HIM: We’re the sons and daughters of Confederates and slaves. Neither of us feel like winners. Come on.
Haa. He was a good guy. I will buy his film.
4. This weekend was my final Cycle 2 crewing day. THANK GOD. Who wants to see pictures of the production? Here ya go. In case you ever wanted to know what’s it’s like being on an AFI shoot! There are no pictures of my regular people there... only Bday. Which one do you think he is? He was the only writer on-set and that’s just because it’s his project. Oh wait. The Critical Canadian is there as well. Who do you think he is? I’ll give you a hint—what did we do together all through for my Cycle 1? Well, nothing has changed. P.S. I’m not in any photos.
This set was pretty chaotic. It was run by my Old Producer, who is always so scattered. On Friday I was to go shopping for Craft with London Girl (who is photographed in that album), but something came up with her car so I had to go alone. I was very stressed and very, very tired, but I ran to Costco and started to shop—when who should call me? But the Producer I helped out last week!
This is why it’s good to help your peers. She heard I was alone and said, “You helped me out so much last week, let me help you.” And she came and helped! Isn’t that amazing? It was so kind. Then! Then—I got a call from London Girl, she was back with a car and we were to load up her trunk with the food. We did the exchange and afterward, she took me to Jamba Juice. I just couldn’t believe how nice. I like London Girl, she’s super funny and I want to help she and Adventure on their Cycle 3 film (an adaptation of the Twits, btw) because both are so terribly enjoyable.
Here’s a very tragic story though—on Sunday I was working at home when I got a call from Adventure asking about the police station we went to, he wanted London Girl to report a theft.
“What!?” I said.
Apparently, someone had been robbing her bank account—over 4,000 dollars had been taken from her! They were smart criminals. They didn’t have her card or anything, yet had visited ATMS around the city thieving small amounts. Isn’t that god-awful? If anyone knows anything about how to go about – fixing that situation, let me know. I told her she should report the crime then ask her bank about fraud insurance… the money can’t be gone forever, right?
Right?
And that’s about it—I have another grocery store story, but perhaps later. Today I just had class, you heard about that and during lunch I sat with Canada Lass and Adventure who lay out in the sun. Now, I have to finish my beat sheet for Fargo and die on my face because it is so late.
Otherwise, “Walk the Line” came out on DVD today. I totally purchased!
suddenly i was @ 12:13 am