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.