Dance in the Sun, Sing in the Rain.

Today I saw rain for the first time in almost a year, and let me tell you, I was overjoyed! I honestly never thought I would say that because for years rain has always been a damper to my life. I never wanted to walk to class in the rain, I never wanted to venture out anywhere in the rain, let alone work in the rain which I have had to do many times. However, now living in a place where rain is a extremely rare occurrence has now altered my perspective on my youthful misgivings about rain. In my wise and soulful twenty four years I want to proclaim that rain is truly a beautiful phenomenon. Sometimes it takes going without something for a really long time to realize how wonderful it really is, and because of my new found (current) passion for rain, I am using it as a metaphor for life. I have always been a firm believer that sunshine is better and far more superior to rainy days. I mean what's not to like, bright sunny days, no clouds in the sky, warm warm weather. (Except when you're in LA and it's warm when it rains too). Sunny days always make everything better and happier, or so I thought. When you have endless sunny days you begin to see that there are better or different things in life that you are missing out on. I cannot tell you how many times I have told my friends back home that I am dying to hear and see a thunderstorm again. I never realized how enormously I enjoyed those until now. Don't forget about the wonderful things in your life that you haven't appreciated lately. Just because they haven't been around or you haven't thought of them lately, doesn't mean they aren't still there. Whether it's people, places, things, or memories, it could be anything at all. So never take anything for granted, because it could be a long time before you realize what it meant to you. So to all my friends and family, Dance in the Sun, but Sing in the Rain. That's my heartfelt message for the day! :) xoxoxo


Stand By and Stay Tuned...there's more to come.

Cherish Who You Are

You are unique. You are precious, you are unforgettable, and you are without a doubt the most incredible person. There are moments in life that define you. Moments that make you smile, moments that hurt you, moments that lift you up, and moments that you remember forever. Through all those moments, the challenges, the triumphs, the pitfalls, and the surreal, remember exactly who you are and how precious you are. I have had many moments that define my life. There was the Miss Congeniality moment that defined my career choice (and total admiration for Sandra Bullock) there's the moments when I'm on the phone with my parents and they remind me how incredibly much I'm loved. There are moments of my past that remind me how much stronger I am and how much I've already overcome, and there are moments where I dream of what I still want to accomplish.

Cherish everything you have in your life, everything you want to have, and everything you've been through. Because of those moments, you are exactly who you are supposed to be. It takes courage to grow up and turn out to be who you really are. It takes courage to face the things that have hurt you, and to move on. It takes courage to move across the country in search of your dreams. How will you know what you are capable of if you don't challenge yourself.

Life is all about these moments. Ones we remember, ones we don't. Ones we save for later, and ones we hope to happen. Our lives are defined by so many. Through everything in life, just remember that you are unique. Your life is meant exactly for you, I do believe that. Embrace it, cherish it, and remember it all for later. You are unrepeatable, there is a magic to you that is all your own.

Stand By and Stay Tuned, there's more to come.

What Matters Most

What I've come to find in life, and in my life especially, is that the people you surround yourself with make all the difference. They comfort, they amuse, they support, they listen, but most importantly, they love unconditionally. I've learned the hard way which people to trust, which ones to befriend, and which ones are loyal. However,  I've also learned in my 24 years, that when you find the ones that matter, the ones that make all the difference, you cherish them and make sure they know how much they mean to you.

My family is always first and foremost with me. We're incredibly close and I would not be whole without them. I know they love me, and I love them, but I get enormous satisfaction in doing little things to make sure they know. Or even just to make them smile one more time that day. I have special little traditions with each one of them. I leave notes, I leave surprises, I send my Mom flowers without a reason, because she matters that much. You never need a reason, you never need an explanation for doing those little things. Even if they know it, it never hurts to remind them daily, weekly, monthly. Plan a surprise night out, go to dinner, go a play, plan an unexpected outing. They won't question it, they'll know you were thinking about them when you put it all together. My Dad keeps telling me that sending cards in the mail is going out of style these days, but I absolutely love sending cards. I do it all the time, just because I can.

Don't take for granted the ones that you have in your life that love you unconditionally. Sometimes in this day and age with all the technology and distractions available to us, we overlook what, and who we have in our lives. I may be guilty of it occasionally, but I've tried to fix it because I would be lost without my family, my best friends, my circle of people who I couldn't live without. They show me that I matter with the smallest things they do, so why not show them too? Because of the advances of technology and the world today, there's so much more you could do and plan. The possibilities are endless these days. Take advantage of that and do something special. Do it often, and do it because you want too.

I love sending flowers and cards to my Mom with no other reason then because I just want too. But even better then that, is the baffled phone call I get from her, asking why I send flowers, because I can hear the absolute joy in her voice. It's the least I can do for one of the most important people in my life. And if I weren't so far away,  I would be doing a lot more. What matters most in life is not what you achieve, but those who are standing next to you as your dreams come true.

So I hope I'm doing something for all of you and reminding you of the little things. And if anyone's wondering I like flowers too, or cards in the mail ;)

Stand By and Stay Tuned, there's more to come....

Beverly Hills Adventures

It's been a while guys, I know. I haven't kept up only because all my energy has been going into work lately. I get home each night and literally collapse on the couch, but I'm going to be better about it again. So much has happened in the couple months I've been working. But first, can I just say how much I love Beverly Hills?! What a cool part of LA and I love that I am able to be there every day and explore new parts of it. Working there every day motivates me even more to achieve all that I want too and more because it would be awesome to live there too one day. Plus the celebrity sightings are no hardship either. I was at Starbucks this week and this man came up to stand beside me as he waited for his coffee. I happened to glance up and I thought "Hmm that guy looks a lot like Kelsey Grammer." I looked again, very subtlely of course, and thought "Nooo that can't be him, I'm just imagining it." Then the barista asked him a question and as soon as he spoke I knew I was standing right next to the legendary Dr. Frasier Krane. I'd recognize that voice anywhere. I wanted to tell him how much I love Frasier, but as I was standing there grinning stupidly to myself about the whole thing, I decided just to keep it to myself and not bother him. Just standing next to him was enough, I'm actually still smiling about it haha. Although if it becomes a regular thing, you can bet I'll start chatting with him!

Another cool story that happened recently from another morning also occurred on my way to Starbucks (I'm sensing a pattern here, is that just me?) I happened upon a movie set on my way there - Imagine having a sort of movie set radar, because that's what I believe I have. I can spot them from 10 blocks away and I immediately zeroed in on the prop truck, so I knew I had indeed stumbled upon an actual movie set. (As opposed to an imaginary one? I don't know where I was going with that, but just roll with it) Well as I started toward the movie set, because it was taking up the whole street and of course I'm not going to go around it. I wanted to walk right through it. (Side Note: When you've worked on movie sets before, you learn how to do that so that no one questions you or what you're doing. I'm afraid I can't tell anyone how that works or I'd have to kill you. Wait, what?) Back to my story, so I'm walking through the movie set and all of a sudden I see a couple guys I recognize. It turns out part of the camera department from this movie (which I found out was a Steven Soderbergh HBO movie) also worked on Hunger Games with me, so I had tons of fun catching up with them for a bit and getting to see them again.

Of course when I got back to the studio (coffee cup in hand, I did eventually make it to Starbucks amid all the excitement) I was telling Janice Dickinson about my movie set adventures and low and behold she jumps up and decides she has to go talk to Steven Soderbergh right then and there. She strides out the door yelling over her shoulder for me to follow her, so we head back there and I get to see my Hunger Games friends again while Janice takes pictures with the crew and tries to find Steven. We never found Steven since we didn't have a lot of time before we had to start her morning show, but I did see Matt Damon! So it's a success in my eyes even though I was running around like crazy trying to follow Janice around. (She has really long legs, it's harder then you think...)

Anyway those are a couple adventures I've have lately. As you can see I'm really enjoying this new chapter of my life and the experiences I'm getting to have. I'll post more updates in a more current fashion from now on I promise. For all those who were worried about me in the last few months, I'm doing really great now.  I'm enjoying this next phase and the opportunities that have become available to me and what I'm doing. I don't know if I'll ever become one of those people who are no longer star struck, it happens to the best of us, but sometimes I still can't believe I'm here in LA. One day it'll sink in, but for now I'm loving every minute. I'd like to give a shout out to everyone at FilmOn, especially Kato Kaelin who is awesome and has given me a segment on his show! Much love to all my friends and family. I miss you all more then you know. Stand By and Stay tuned, there's more to come.

The World of Live Shows

So it's been about a month since I began working at a TV station and what a whirlwind it has been. Initially I didn't know if I had what it takes to be a part of running live online talk shows. It's extremely different then working on movie sets, which is all I had done before this. But with a lot of practice, and encouragement from everyone who works there, I learned the rhythm and I am now completely comfortable with the job. Of course I'm doing fifty million things at once every day, but that actually suits my personality quite well.  (For those of you who know me well, when am I not running around and doing fifty million things??)

Some people are still asking me what exactly it is that I do there so I'll go into detail for you guys. Earlier I had said I help run the control room during the shows, which is the short answer. The long answer is that I run the photos and videos, that go up during the show. All the while running the teleprompter, the skype calls, phone calls, and getting people to sign the release forms, before, during, and after each show. Sounds like a lot doesn't it? Well it is a lot, but again, I prefer to be running most of the time then sitting still, so I don't mind. And again, it's all live so you have to be on your toes the whole time. Tuned in, paying attention, and anticipating the hosts and what they'll need next. On average we do about 11 shows a week. I know that's actually quite a bit, and it does get a little hectic, but the rest of the crew that works there is fantastic, and we all pitch in to help each other when it's a high stress day, or during any crazy moment. I'm really grateful to be working with such fantastic people.

The hosts of the shows are pretty fantastic too. I'm lucky to say that in a month I've become good friends with Janice Dickinson, Kato Kaelin, and Natalie Nunn and many more. We have many other hosts, and a variety of shows, so it's a pretty fun environment. We have live bands, and football players that come on the show. Bachelorette's, and 2012 London Olympians. It's something new every day, and I'm thrilled to have learned about this new aspect of film and online TV that I didn't know about before. I'm also quite thrilled to know that I can handle it and work there as confidently as I did on a movie set.

So that's an overview of what I do and what's been going on. I'll do more regular updates, I've been a little lax lately as I've been getting into the rhythm of working, but stay tuned, because as always, there's more to come.

People

Airports are a cool place. I love all the different people and the mix of cultures. There's the families who travel together as a pack. I'm familiar with that, as I spent most of my life doing that with my own. There's the single business men who move through the airport as if they were forever on the motorized walkway, phones glued to their ear. The business women, who move a little slower then the men, but at their lighting speed I think they actually still notice what is around them. The tourists with cameras still strapped around their necks, T-shirts exclaiming how much they love the city they are departing from. Then there's the people like me, who neither fit into the business person nor family category. The one who closely watches everything going on around them.

Sometimes I want to stop the business men who travel at their warp speed and tell them to slow down. Life isn't always about rushing around. We all need to remember to find the joy and peace that life can give us. Now if I'm running late for a flight of course I go into warp speed myself and the only thing I'm aware of is the vague bodies of people as I go sailing by...but on days like today (when my flight's been delayed) I'm allowed the chance to stop and observe the comings and goings around me.

I like to smile at the tourists who cannot contain their excitement about how big the airport is or how many different selections there are at the food court and surrounding shops. I like to smile at all the families, at the laughter and arguments that always happen during traveling. It makes me think of my own and wish for the days when we used to all travel together. I see couples who are so completely in love, that they only see each other, and I wish for the day when I'll have person in my life too.

I even smile at the foreigners, because it makes me think of Europe, and being surrounded by so many types of people over there. I love the mix of accents, the clash of cultures, and the ability to see so many different people in one place. Airports really are the best place to people watch. You see love, you see sadness, you see people working, people relaxing, people hurrying, and people strolling. So as I continue to people watch (since my flight is still delayed) I'll leave you with this quote from Love Actually that I think sums all this up.

"Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaking suspicion... love actually is all around. "  - Love Actually


Stand By and Stay Tuned, there's more to come.

The Journey Continues

Six months ago I moved to this big, brand new city. You've probably heard of it. It's called Los Angeles. Bright eyed and bushy tailed I literally packed up my entire life and moved here. Along with the masses, I had a dream and nothing was going to get in my way.

Well it ended up that a few things got in my way. Like the thousands of other people looking for a job and wanting to work in the film business, the insanity of gas prices, and expenses in this city, as well as rent of course. So I exhausted all my contacts, met new contacts, and pounded the pavement. I'm not going to lie, I got a little discouraged along the way. All the coffee and meetings, and lunches, and dinners with people led to nothing. All my existing contacts led to nothing. Hollywood's a harsh reality when you tear away all the glamour and gloss and sparkle of it all. But I never lost hope, I never stopped believing that there was something waiting for me. Even when I missed my family beyond belief they showed up here and helped me through it. And you know what? There was something waiting for me, and I finally found it.

As of this week, I now work full time at a small production studio named FilmOn in Beverly Hills. They do 10 live online shows a week. It's a little different then what I'm normally used to doing in a production studio. I've had to adjust and learn new things, but I'm slowly finding my way and my place there. The crew is fantastic as is the cast. It's a really cool group of people. I help run the control room during the live show as well a  few other random things. It's a new experience that I'm welcoming and embracing. Plus, I'm really loving being in Beverly Hills every day. That in itself, is really fun. Yesterday Stephen Baldwin stopped by the studio and I got to meet him. He's a really awesome guy.  I'm sure there'll be many more of those moments to come, and I'm looking forward to them.

So thank you to everyone who believed in me and thought of me, and helped me along the way. All of that lead me to here and I'm eternally grateful for such a wonderful support system. It hasn't always been easy over here, but I never stopped believing. That's what I hope to pass on to all of you who read this. During many points in your life you'll have periods that get you down, but never give up hope. The sun will always shine again, the days will always get better. Don't get down in the dark periods, chase the light instead.

Stand By and Stay Tuned, there's more to come.

Let Me Entertain You

It's been a while since I have updated you on my journey of taking over of the world...oops wait, I meant impact. I'm updating you on how I'm impacting the world, because why would I want to take it over? I mean if I did take over the world that would mean I could have anything I wanted at all times, and why does everyone always make that sound like a bad thing?? That actually sounds kind of awesome! Although then your friends leave you because you're bossing them around with all the power you have from world domination... and then that makes it hard to buy new friends because they talked to your old friends, so maybe I should rethink this whole taking over the world thing....what was I talking about again?

Right, impacting the world. Well if my taking over the world tangent doesn't open any doors for me, or at least make anyone smile at the absurdity then I guess I should come up with a Plan B. In my case, I think that's probably what I've been doing in the film industry. Although it doesn't seem as appealing now as taking over the world. Maybe I should hire an assistant and then when they assist me and bring me things it'll feel like I'm king of the world, when in reality I'll just be king of the snack table. Oh... King of the Snack Table, I like how that sounds. It's powerful, like Cake Boss, which is another powerful title. I love watching that show, although it makes me really hungry and then I usually have to run out to the store and buy a cake, which is terrible. It is absurd that Cake Boss has that much control over me, maybe he should be King of the World instead, or Snack Table. I've lost my point again and now I'm really hungry.

Maybe I should hire an assistant just so he or she can keep me focused. Then I could be King of my own Thoughts, although that would be a boring job. My thoughts aren't all that exciting, unless you count the one about being king of the snack table. That one was actually quite appealing. But for a normal person, having thoughts that constantly revolve around junk food would probably be irritating so maybe I don't want to be king of my own thoughts. Maybe I just want to be me. And since I'm being me, I hope you've laughed and enjoyed this comical post because I certainly have enjoyed writing it. Not everything in life should be serious, I like things that make me laugh at least once a day. So my mission today was to make some of you laugh, which I truly hope I have succeeded in. Smile, laugh, be happy, and find something you can be king of, if only just in your mind.

Stand By and Stay tuned, there's more to come.

King of my own world, my own life. That's enough for me.

Surprises

Life is full of surprises. I know that we sometimes love that and hate that about life, and while we will never understand the mystery of life, it's the people in our lives who go out of their way to surprise you that matter and make it all worthwhile. Two weeks ago I got the surprise of my life when my Mom showed up here in LA. I was shocked to find out that my family had kept the secret from me of her visit for a month (if any of you know my family, that is quite exceptional of them...Europeans can't keep secrets!) and it wasn't until she was on the plane out here that I learned she was coming. It was the most wonderful, amazing, thrilling and much needed surprise. She knew I have been a little homesick over here and there was nothing more I could have asked for. It made me realize how lucky I am to have such a wonderful support system like that. It also made me realize the lengths she would go to just to make sure I am ok. We need to be like that for the people we care most about in our lives, and remember to show them how much we care. Whether it's a big surprise, or little surprise, or even just something that will make them smile, do something every once in a while to lift their spirits and remind them they're important to you.

I had ten wonderful days with my mom around LA and it was some of the best days I've had over here!  I truly believe that people are one of the most important parts of life. Don't take them for granted. You could have the best job, the best car, tons of money, or the biggest house, but for me that wouldn't mean anything unless I had the people I loved most around me. Show the people in your life how much you love them, remind them of that, or surprise them because not everyone is so lucky. Live. Laugh. Love.

Stand By and Stay tuned, there's more to come.

Just Be You

In our world today we have so many different types of people. This world is filled with numerous cultures, nationalities, customs, and traditions, and I never take that for granted. I love being surrounded by so many diverse groups of people. There's just as many types of people on TV and in the movies, and it's really easy sometimes to fantasize about being someone else. I've done it too, we see someone on the screen and we think they have a better life, and most of the time, they do. But you know what they don't have? They don't have all the amazing qualities that make up you. You are just as special, you are just as worthy, and if a camera followed you around all day, there would be just as many people wishing they could be you too.

I feel that we lose ourselves sometimes in this world. We listen to other people who say we're not good enough, not pretty enough, not smart enough. Nothing ever seems to be enough for some people, I've been there too. I've felt my heart being battered and bruised by society and people in my life who didn't think I was enough, but it was that feeling that made me stop and evaluate. Who are these people to judge me, and tell me I'm not worthy? They're not. I've gotten where I am today, gotten this far, by being exactly who I am. I'm the person that smiles all the time, that almost never gets mad, I work incredibly hard, and I always think the best of people. And yes I get disillusioned sometimes by people who set out to prove me wrong about my mentality of people and life, but I just keep going.
Use that feeling to prove them wrong. There's a reason you are exactly who you are, you were made that way. At some point in your life you'll find certain people who absolutely love that about you. You'll be surrounded by an incredible amount of love, and it will be those people who know you are more then enough for them.

I think it's worse in the film industry sometimes, whether you're in front of the camera or behind it. There's a lot of judgement that goes along with being in this business, but you can't let it affect you. Up to this point in my life, I've had great work experiences, and I've had absolutely terrible ones. I've had people who believe in me, and people who throw me under the bus. I got through it all though, and I'm stronger today because of it. That doesn't mean I've changed myself to be what people want me to be, I just keep being exactly who I am, nothing more, nothing less. You can't change what people think about you, but you can change how you feel about yourself. You are incredibly talented, smart, capable, gorgeous, worthy, and most importantly, you are who you are.


Stand By and Stay Tuned, there's more to come.

Before the Cameras Roll

I've told you all before what happens behind the scenes on a normal shooting day....but what I haven't told you before is how the process works on days before the camera is even there.

Once Upon A Time... there was a TV show. So many things happen behind the scenes on this TV show that no one even knows about. Two weeks before the cameras roll on a new episode, preparations are under way. First come the meetings with all the department heads, directors, and producers. Then the table read with the cast, and the writer's in LA, and then everyone gets to work.

Once everything is decided in the meetings, the production designer meets with the set decorator and the director to design and create any new sets that are going to be built. Then once it becomes finalized, construction comes in and starts building the set. For the next couple days it's a whirlwind of carpentry, paint, saws, and a familiar rhythm of hammering. They work quickly and efficiently and usually within three days the set is built. The rigging department works after they are done putting in metal beams above the sets that gives the electric department the ability to hang lights from, on the shooting day. Then the set dressing department comes in with furniture, curtains, lamps, picture frames, rugs, couches, desks, and anything else the environment needs. No detail is overlooked when it comes to set dressing. They put files in the file cabinets, medical equipment in the hospital rooms, they put up decorations when theres a party, and many other things.

While all this is going on, the prop department is shopping for the props that will appear in the episode, just as wardrobe is doing the same for each character's costumes. Days before the episode begins to shoot the prop and wardrobe departments do a show and tell for the director. Things are approved, things are added, things are taken away. From then on it's a mad dash to find any other items that were added, age any of the props, etc. In the prop department it's also very important to have multiples of almost all the props, especially the ones that the main characters use or handle. That goes for letters, teddy bears, backpacks, medical items, and many other objects.  On Army Wives we had doubles for all the character's cell phones, on Hunger Games we had multiples of Katniss's bow and arrow.

Then just a few days later, the shooting crew comes in, along with the cast, and the cameras begin to roll. Everything now on the set, is what you see on TV when it airs. That is the magic of TV, the hard gritty, glamour of it all, and now you know what happens before, once upon a time.

Stand By and Stay tuned, there's more to come.

Army Wives - Behind the Scenes

While I've gone into detail before about Hunger Games and a couple other features, TV shows are a little bit different. I really loved working on Army Wives for a whole season, I was very lucky and blessed to be welcomed into such a fantastic cast and crew.

Army Wives was a different environment because essentially they are a family. Most of the cast and crew have been together on that show for six years now so it is a wonderful group of people.

You still have the same departments on set, the production crew, Electrics, Grips, Camera, Props, Set Dec, Greens, Paint, Hair, and Make-up. That never changes. You'll have those same on set departments on any feature, or TV show, with maybe a couple more thrown in like Specials Effects, or Visual Effects, or Construction depending on the nature of the production.

The cool thing about a TV show though is everything is mostly in one place. Near the home stage will be the rest of the departments, Accounting, the Production Office, Casting Office, Transpo Office, and each office of the on set departments. On Army Wives though, with the show and characters always growing and expanding, we have another stage that we film at pretty often too but unfortunately it's across town from the home stage.

Most of the locations for Army Wives are on sound stages. Of course we go on location once a week or so like any production, but the best days are when we are at the stages.  You learn pretty quickly the fastest way to get through the giant building quiet as a mouse. If the cameras are rolling, you learn how to have conversations without really speaking. You learn where to find each of the departments at any given time, and you learn the best spots for playing on bikes, skateboards, scooters, etc. (Not that I ever did that...too many times)

Aside from the playing around, I truly did love working on this show for many reasons. Because it's a TV show, it's constant and fairly steady. The schedule doesn't really alter too much, there's almost never any night shoots, and there were never many surprises. I made some wonderful friends that I really miss. I wish I could have done another season there but life is funny sometimes. I made tons of memories though, that I'll never forget! So with that said, enjoy the pictures  :)

On the set of Army Wives...

Michael came to visit one day.

The view from my office, pretty amazing right?

Fun with the "SWAT team" on set

Hope you enjoyed the pictures. Stand By and Stay tuned, there's more to come.

Film Noir

About this time last year some friends and I submitted an application for a mini grant of $10,000 from the South Carolina Film Commission. Amazingly, I am very proud to say that we were one of the lucky winners! Now a year later, the film is being accepted into numerous film festivals.

This film (Scattered City) was such a joy to work on and to film. After just finishing Hunger Games, I was thrilled to jump onto something that allowed me to be so creative with complete designer control. I truly love that side of film making, I fell in love with it years ago.  Sometimes I still can't believe that I get to design multiple sets and make them look like they've always been there. Then there's also the decision of what tone I want the environment to evoke, and what that character might have in their surroundings. I don't even mind all the researching that goes into it either, because when you find each piece that will complete the set as a whole it's the most fantastic feeling.

My other favorite part of art department is the aging of props and set pieces. Of course everything you buy for a film is going to be brand new, so you have to make the pieces and props look older and more weathered depending on the scene. From spray paint, to sand paper, to baby power, and many other products and tricks; those are just a few of things things I try first when I'm aging and distressing any props.

I particularly loved aging this bucket. I pretty much had free reign with it and since it appears in an alley way in the film I could make it really dingy and old looking.  This is the rest of the alley below, what it ended up looking like.

Fun in the Alley.

Another thing we always have to consider when making a film is labels and brand names. So for a bar scene we did, I had to find something we could use. Luckily my Hunger Games bosses are pretty awesome and they gave me some fake bourbon labels they used in "The Social Network" Here's how it turned out.

I could sit here and talk about this movie all day, and probably many more. I love what I do, and I think I'll always love working in the art department. There's so much that happens even before the movie begins to film, so much preparation, and dedication but it all matters, and it all makes a difference. 

Hope you guys enjoyed my overview of Scattered City.  I'm so incredibly excited about this movie. It's about to come out on DVD so let me know if anyone wants a copy! It was made with a fantastic group of people, and a whole lot of love. It was a truly amazing experience. Here's the newest poster, enjoy!

Stand By and Stay Tuned, There's more to come.

Behind the Cameras

I thought today I'd go into some detail about what happens behind the scenes on a movie set. It's been a little while since I've done a movie related post, which is surprising since that's what my whole life revolves around most of the time.

A normal work day lasts about twelve hours or longer, and quite a bit can happen in that amount of time. You could lose the director several times, you could have sword fights, you could eat your weight in snacks, you could get run over by a golf cart, you could run a 5k marathon going from one side of the stage to the other, etc. All that and more has happened to me in any given day.

One thing it never is though, is dull. There's always something going on at some point during the day, and that's one of the things I love. The rhythm never changes either. It's like a finely tuned clock. When we arrive at each new set, we always have rehearsal first, the actors go through their lines, the director blocks, and then madness ensues. The actors leave to change, and the rest of the crew descends. Electrics put in the lights, Set Dec touches up the set, Grips set up the camera equipment, Props lays out all the things we'll need for the scene, and so on.

You would think that with the number of people in one area, we wouldn't be able to move let alone work, but it goes so smoothly. You know when to move out of the way, and when to side step, and where to be.  I also love the days on set where Audio blasts music while there's a set change, because then everyone sings along while they work. Those silly moments are some of the best. I remember a day on Hunger Games where we were in the apartment set in the Capitol. My Props team was covering all the fish dishes from the dinner scene before we went to lunch and Audio was blasting "Landslide" My bosses, and the rest of the group were all yelling and singing along, and it still makes me laugh when I think of that today.

My favorite moment on set though, the one that will always be my favorite, is right when the camera begins to roll. Everyone knows we're about to start filming, and the whole crew gets really quiet. There's a hush that falls among the people, seconds before the director yells Rolling, and then Action! It's that instant when the camera rolls that I know I'll never love anything more. That's the moment when we make someone's vision of this movie into a reality.

Stand By and Stay tuned, there's more to come.

Connections

Look at us, running around. Always rushed, always late. I guess that's why they call it the human race. What we crave most in this world is connection.


Connection with other people, with loved ones, family, and friends. Connection with what we are doing in life, our duties, responsibilities, and achieving the goals we established for ourselves. Connection with the world around us. The sunrise, and sunset each day, the breeze that softly crosses your face. So much of who we are is part of a connection.  


We rush around so much of the time  that we forget to see what's around us. We forget to see the beauty in life, the wonder of it. I am guilty of it too sometimes. Lately I've been trying to stop more, take a breath and see what's around me. Connect with the Earth, and this world, and all the people that are around me each and every day. And you know what? Now that I've made myself aware of my surroundings and what I do during my day, I started to see the most amazing things. 


I see the flowers that are blooming, radiant with color, and the sun brightening up everything around me. I see the ocean water dance and sparkle, and I feel the breeze around me. I see a mother helping her child, and a husband putting his arm around his wife. I see a newborn baby mesmerized by everything around them. We should remember to be mesmerized too sometimes. Not all the time of course, that might be creepy, but we should remember to stop and take a look and see the beauty in life. I encourage all of you to try and see if it makes a difference, because I truly think it will.


Look at us, running around, always rushed, always late. Guess that's why they call it the human race. But sometimes it slows down just enough for all the pieces to fall into place. Fate works its magic. And you're connected to someone else.

Every once in awhile amid all the randomness, something unexpected happens and it pushes us all forward. And the truth is, what I'm starting to think,  and what I'm starting to feel, is that maybe the human race isn't a race at all.

Stand By and Stay Tuned, there's more to come.

All the small things

In previous posts I talked about following your dreams and making the choice to make them come true. While I still believe everyone should do that, I think it is also important to focus on the smaller dreams too.


It's all in the little things each day, the small things that make you smile. Sometimes fate steps in, and something wonderful happens during a terribly bad day that makes it all better, but sometimes you have to make those little things happen yourself.


Think to yourself, what makes you smile? Is it receiving flowers, or the smell of cookies (that's a personal fave of mine) watching a new movie, getting a massage, or reading a new book? Those things that personally make us happy don't have to be rare occurances. We have it in our power to make it happen for ourselves.


I feel that we get lost sometimes in the day to day duties, responsibilities, and burdens of life. It's not hard to do. During a particularly rough week though, buy yourself some really colorful gorgeous flowers, or go get a message, get your nails done. For you guys out there, buy the expensive beer you've been eyeing for a while. I'm not saying do these things everyday, or every single week, but remember to do them for yourself often enough to make you smile. YOU are worth it too.


Make a list of the things that make you happy, I think you'll have fun thinking of so many things! Then on a bad day looking at the list will not only make you smile but it will remind you to do something for yourself.


I think everyone should have a list like that, 100 things that make you happy. I'm going to make one too! I'm going to title it: 100 things to make you happy...(genius) So here we go:


100 things that make me happy (remember it doesn't always have to be things)


1. Chocolate... in any form! (can you blame me? Girls you understand haha)
2. Having a family that loves me no matter what and knowing that they will be there for me when I need them. (On days you're feeling grateful and loved, skype your fam!)
3. Buying any book that I want, whenever I want to
4. Being given a compliment, particularly when I’m feeling down
5. Watching my favorite movie
6. Fresh flowers
7. The smell of sunscreen (the smell of summer!)
8. Going out and enjoying a gorgeous day
9. Going swimming
10. Ice skating
11. Curling up with a book during a thunderstorm
12. Roasting marshmallows
13. Realizing that what I thought was so hard years ago, didn’t turn out to be so hard after all.
14. Seeing fireworks
15. Knowing that no matter what, I will figure things out
16. Dressing up.
17. Watching Ellen
18. Cake
19. Finding something I want on sale. ( I think that's a universal one)
20. Curling up with my dog


That's what I have so far. I hope it inspires you guys to make a list of your own. This list is different then my bucket list, but the sense of satisfaction is still the same. Work hard at making the big dreams come true, but work just as hard making the small dreams come true on a day to day basis. You'll be better off if you do. I'm a firm believer in always being happy. (Those of you who know me well, know this to be true!) I believe that nothing good is accomplished if you're miserable, so why not just be happy? We all have our bad days, but don't let them get you completely down. Keep in reserve a healthy amount of optimism and happiness that you can pull out on a bad day. Remember that what you do have is extraordinary, and that you've worked hard for it. If all else fails, keep these words in mind: You is kind. You is smart. You is important.


That's one of my favorite movie lines of last year. (from The Help) So make your lists! Always smile, and always remember that somewhere, at any given moment, something is thinking of you and wondering how you are.


Stand By and Stay Tuned, there's more to come.

Surviving in Hollywoodland

A day in the life. Since I moved out to LA I've been doing a lot of writing, which of course is fantastic. What isn't as fantastic is how hard it's been to find a job. I've had high points and I've had low points, but what hasn't changed is my desire and motivation to make a difference. I don't want to be one of the numbers, I want to be one of the exceptions and I will continue to work just as hard to make that happen. 

Fade In..... on a girl.

With a hunger for fame. 

And a face and a name,

to remember.....

EXT. HOLLYWOOD HILLS - DAY

A twenty something year old girl gazes at the age old Hollywood sign. The tall and weathered majestic white letters symbolize more then just the city it is named after, but generations of dreams that millions hold in their heart. The girl sighs.

YOUNG GIRL

And I'm just one of the millions....

She looks up to the sun and blinks at the brightness. Up in the hills the world is quiet. Quiet at least for LA. She can actually hear the birds chirp and the breeze blow through the trees...with the occasional car honk and shout. 

YOUNG GIRL

Time to head back to reality.

The girl walks down from the hills into the heart of Hollywood. Hundreds of people crowd the streets, awed by the city. The girl has lived here long enough for the sparkle to diminish in her eyes. She mutters amid all the people and car exhaust. 

YOUNG GIRL

Don't they know it's not that glamorous?

She squeezes through the tourists crowding the streets as they gape and gasp along the Hollywood Walk of Fame and sighs as she's jostled and pushed along. Pulling out her phone she stops to check the time and doesn't see the person running behind her. The next thing she knows she's suddenly knocked over. She sucks in a breath and ungracefully slides along the famous stars. Rubbing at her knees and elbows which took most of the brunt she looks down to pick up her phone. She smiles when she notices whose star she landed on.

YOUNG GIRL

One day...

Picking herself up from Sandra Bullock's star, she straightens and brushes off her clothes before  joining the crowed once more and disappearing into the mass of people.

*********

This is not really anything I'm officially working on, rather something that just came to me when I sat down to write my next blog post. A friend of mine suggested something along these lines when I was asking for more blog ideas. (If any of you ever have any ideas for me, please let me know anytime! Or if there's something in particular you'd like to know about, don't hesitate to ask)

I don't know if I'll continue the story....but if you guys happen to like it and want to know what happens next I can most definitely come up with something!
I just thought I would show you guys how I spend a lot of my days, writing made up stories, that will hopefully get somewhere, someday, and make a difference. 

Stand By and Stay tuned, there's more to come.

Let me know if you like it and want more!

Superhero's Assemble!

In light of The Avengers (and how incredibly amazing it was) I thought I would make this post superhero themed. We all love them, we've all grown up watching them, believing in them, and wishing to be them. So why can't we think like them?

One of the greatest thrills of superheroes is of course their super powers, but the other best part of them that we sometimes overlook, is their goodness. Their ability to fight for what they believe in, for what is good, and their mentality that they are invincible.

While we can't adopt their super powers (don't you just hate that?) I realized we can adopt their mentality about themselves and about life. Why shouldn't we believe that we are invincible, and that we can do whatever we put our mind too? Why can't we conquer all?

Well you know what? We can.

We should take all the best qualities about each of them and put them together for a super outlook on life. Like Iron Man's intelligence, Black Widow's determination, Captain America's innate goodness, etc. Together like that, with super powers aside, you see how even more incredible they are. They stand for the things that we should stand for on an every day basis. They face hardships just as we do, of course ours aren't on a worldwide destruction scale (be thankful for that) but it doesn't make our problems anything less then what they are.

So believe that you will defeat anything that comes in your way, every challenge, every mistake, every trial.  Fight for your own life, your dreams, what's important to you, and remember that good will always conquer evil. You are the good in this world, and THAT is your own super power. So with that in mind....Assemble.

Stand By and Stay tuned, there's more to come.

May the Odds Be Ever in Your Favor

A lot of people still ask me about Hunger Games so I thought I would touch on that today. Filming the Hunger Games wasn't quite as grueling as being in the Games themselves. Instead of impending violence and death, we faced daily thunderstorms, wild bears, and poison ivy.  (Well the poison ivy was primarily just me....unfortunately)

We shot the District 12 scenes at Katniss's house the first couple days, and that's where I stumbled upon poison sumac. Until that day I had no idea such a thing as poison sumac existed and it wasn't until days later during the Reaping that I discovered I had it. (Or rather was covered in it) Needless to say, the reaping was just as miserable for me as it was for Katniss and Peeta. But a steroid shot later, and other steroid pills, and I was good to go!

The cast was incredible, and there's probably not a lot of movies where the majority of the cast is 25 and under. From practical jokes, and singing on set, to crazy golf carts, and never ending snacks, we all managed to have quite a bit of fun. 

Another funny story is one of my bosses was also named Monica and it took the crew 3 months to come up with nicknames for us. They ranged from:

Poison Ivy (that was Special Effect's name for me the entire shoot)

Itchy Monica (again poison ivy related...they wouldn't let me live that down!)

Monica Junior

Monica D.

Fun Size Monica

Little M

Smiley

and finally the winner: Little Monica  and my boss was Big Monica.

(although she's just as small as I am, that's the one that stuck) haha

So those are some of my Hunger Games stories. Hope you enjoyed them because I probably won't go into detail again. I'll post some pictures, and that'll be the end of the Hunger Games. 

Oh and as a side note, you can now follow my blog through email notifications. Just look to the right sidebar and you can enter your email if you want too. 

Stand By and Stay tuned, there's more to come. Happy Hunger Games!

My mother also wanted me to point out that because of this movie, I have left my first legacy to the world.   :)

Concept or Reality

"Either we have our dreams, or we live our dreams."


I believe in that quote because I feel that it's the simplest form of truth. Every day we make choices in our life. Mine usually consist of how many cups of coffee do I have today? Or how many cookies? Regardless of our choices, why not also choose to follow our dreams. (After a few cups of coffee and maybe a couple cookies).


When I was fourteen years old I was at a sleepover at a friends house. We watched a silly romantic comedy that night that I had never seen before, but it was that night, right after that movie, that I fell in love  with film. It was the movie that started everything for me. While it was definitely not an oscar winning film, I was captivated by the story, and the pure magic of movie making. I wanted to know how it all worked. About the cast, where they filmed, how they made the movie, and thousands of other questions I immediately looked up the answers too. I know everyone isn't as lucky to figure out what they want to do with their life at fourteen, but if you have a moment like that, where everything falls into place, listen to it. Unless you really feel that an entire chocolate cake is calling to you....that's when I wouldn't listen to that inner voice of yours.


I'm still continuing my journey, but sometimes on a hard day when I'm frustrated, I stop for a moment and look back on what I've done so far. I almost can't believe how far I've already come. Don't just dream, dream big for yourself. Unless you dream of being a super hero, and while I encourage that, it is setting the bar a little high for the rest of us...


I know I've made the right choice, because in the last year I had the pleasure and opportunity of working with the propmaster who also worked on that movie I fell in love with at fourteen. To me, it was a sign that I am heading in the right direction. The funniest part of the story is when I told her that movie was my favorite movie, and its what got me into film, she looked me right in the eye and said, "Hmm you need to watch more movies then."


That still makes me laugh really hard even today. So that's what I'll leave you with. And in case you're still wondering, and dying of curiosity, the movie I fell in love with at fourteen, was Miss Congeniality.


Stand by and Stay tuned, there's more to come. Keep dreaming.

Journey to a Dream

HELLO WORLD.

My name is Monica. I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to leave a legacy with you. How? Well I'm still working on that, but this blog will document my journey. I work in film, I imagine your eyes lit up at that fact, but dial down the excitement because it's not swanky, or glamorous, or any of the things everyone imagines it to be.

This is what the audience sees:

Fade In:

A dark theater stage slowly illuminates. Shimmering and glowing in a multitude of colors, the stage radiates light. From off stage left, a stunning young woman walks out in a glimmering red dress. The spotlight centers on her and the audience is captivated.

Here's what you don't see:

Fade In:

In the wings of that theater, there's me. Running around like the tasmanian devil after all the extras making sure they have the appropriate props, making sure they are where they need to be, and making sure they are using the props correctly. (That's a big one, because why would you even consider that an extra doesn't know how to use a hammer??)

Still think it's glamorous? I don't. It's hard, it's dirty, it's gritty, and it's 12+ hours on your feet every single day. But you know what? I absolutely love it.

But I also love this. I love writing, so I'm taking you on this journey with me to discover how I'm going to impact the world. I don't think it'll be with props, although who knows at this point. But, however I make it happen, with my wit and written word, or boundless amounts of energy on set, I will leave a legacy. Stand by and Stay tuned, there's more to come.