Late at night, Feelin' right

Okay, so I'm feeling rather loopy right now, as you might have guessed from the title. It's currently 1:49 AM west coast time, and I'm up late trying to write my screenplay for the second night in a row (4:30 AM was last night's bedtime). I'm thinking about just making it an all-nighter. I've managed to make it all semester without one of those (shockingly), and maybe if I stay up all night I can actually do something fun for once. Plus, I just bought a new bag of Sumatra, and I'm rather addicted.

Again, I really shouldn't be writing this and instead writing my screenplay. I'm 6 pages from my quota for the week, which should be easy enough to write, but I'm just not feeling it right now. I sort of realized I was writing something completely unnecessary, so I need to get refocused. Maybe Terror of Mechagodzilla will help. Not the whole thing, just the super awesome intro.

I've been loving my job at Lin Pictures more and more. I'm loving the feeling of really being known there and seeing the work I've done this semester actually helping. I'm sad I only have one more month here.

That said, I do miss home. I'll be happy to enjoy one more classic Christmas at home. I'm just so excited about things to come: I have so much to look forward to and so much just to do! Life has become truly living and working toward the things I want to accomplish rather than certain hoops my educational institution wants me to jump through.

I'm really not focusing well right now even on this, so I'll cut it here. Sorry I haven't updated lately. Things have been crazy busy, but that is a good thing.

Let the Shooting Commence

So today was the first day of our HPW project. Lighting issues aside, it went pretty well. Hopefully the lighting can be corrected, but I don't know. It's a bit sketchy. I'm doing dailies with the director this evening to see if we need reshoots. Hope for the best!

Tomorrow will be easier. Our first shoot is inside, which will provide a much more controlled environment. I wish we had window gels for the massive windows, but hopefully our lighting will compensate. After that, we have a short shot on the front porch. Hopefully the sound environment will be kinder and we can get everything done expediently.

Overall, I think the film will turn out well. We're getting the comic tone so far, and on top of that I think it will be a fun little story. Our actors are all complimentary of the script, and I'm having fun making it.

In other Movie News, my internship has continued to get progressively better. I had a somewhat crazy week this past week, but it all worked out for good. There are some exciting things going on there now, but I'll withhold too much detail for the moment.

I'd like to tell you all much more about what I've been failing to fill you in on, but I've got loads of work to do, so I'll have to leave you here.

On the rebound

Well, I finally found an affordable replacement for my laptop. I thought about fixing the old one, but instead I got a newer one for $500 more. It's a late 2008 unibody MacBook Pro. I'm really liking it so far. A lot of things have been reworked so that they look, work, and feel a lot better. On top of it being a good price, it has all the latest hardware (as far as graphics cards and bus speeds go), and it comes with two years of remaining AppleCare warranty. Therefore, instead of spending $800 on a laptop that could break again next week, I spent $1300 on one that I can have repaired for free if it breaks again next week. Or next month. Or next year!

I missed a meeting with my mentor today. That made me feel bad. Hopefully it's the last hiccup in rebooting from this computer catastrophe. I rescheduled, and this time it's in my phone so I won't forget! I hope, anyway. I was also supposed to go to the Price is Right today, but I had a lot of work to do and sleep to catch up on, so I passed. Still, I'm sad I missed the opportunity.

Work is still awesome. I've been lugging a monitor to and from for the past two weeks, but I can finally end that ridiculousness, and with style! Still waiting on getting back together with Marc Webb, but it'll happen. I almost missed the meeting because it was scheduled during a class period, but fortunately it was rescheduled. I've been in a lot of great meetings lately, and more are still to come both later this week and early next.

The weather has been all over the place lately. First it cooled off. Then it rained for several days. After the rain, it got super hot again. Now it's pretty temperate. Kinda funny, I just realized the crazy weather coincided with my computer craziness. It's weird how everything seems to go all off balance at once.

I quick word to the viewers at home

It's raining today! I got to walk across the lot to pick up a misdirected package, and I was so happy about the rain that I didn't even take an umbrella. I hope it keeps raining so I can get my car rinsed off on the way home. It gets dusty quick around here, especially with the ash from the wildfires.

I ordered a new Macbook on Saturday. Well, new to me, anyway. I'm still waiting for the guy to ship it. He told me it could take up to four business days, which I think is bull, but whatever. As long as it's pretty, it works right, and I don't have to keep lugging a monitor to work, I'll be happy. I should probably think about getting a job back home when I get back.

I can't wait until tomorrow night: Where the Wild Things Are employee screening at Warners! A full two days in advance! It's going to a great time for the LINeage crew (the name me and the other interns at Lin Pictures like to go by).

I'm running the phone for Steve today for the first time. All those semesters answering for Sue are about to pay off... if anyone actually calls. I'm about two and a half hours in and not a single call for Steve. Maybe everyone is out enjoying the weather?

A dream becomes a nightmare...

Los Angeles has truly been all I've been wanting it to be. I've been having the time of my life, as I've said so many times on this blog. However, everything has turned into a nightmare in the blink of an eye. It's only a temporary setback, but I've had about all I can take the past couple days.

I was already having a bad day Thursday. The night before revealed to me that I had no idea where to go with my villain in my screenplay for class, and I needed to give an outline of at least act two the next day. I eventually gave up, hoping I'd have more luck in the morning. After my morning class on Thursday, I decided to head over to the library for a quiet place to work. It was a bit far to walk, so I decided to longboard with my laptop in tow. I've carried my laptop in my bag a LOT while longboarding, and since the sidewalks are so flat here there's usually not much risk involved. Also, I was carrying it in a new shoulder-style backpack that I got at Office Depot for just $5, which is much more comfortable on the longboard, but doesn't offer as much protection as my other bag. Anyway, you can see where this is going.

I was literally right in front of the library when I hit a rough patch in the sidewalk. The concrete was patched with some asphalt, and the contrast covered up a very deep gap between the far side of the asphalt patch and the concrete sidewalk beyond. I had no time to react as my longboard came to an abrupt stop and launched me forward. I'm okay, just a few scuffs and scratches. It was my laptop that took the damage. Really, it didn't feel like that hard of a hit. I wasn't going very fast, so the fall was just a little bit more dramatic than simply falling forward. However, that direct hit to the corner of my laptop was enough to obliterate the screen. I'm able to type this story for you courtesy of a monitor I borrowed from the center, and I'm very grateful to have a way to keep working.

That was the hardest part, really. It's really high stress out here, with classes and internship. I'm in the midst of a huge project at my internship, and it's getting down to the nitty gritty in my screenplay writing class. Thursday was probably the pinnacle of stress for the semester, and this whole ordeal just pushed me way over the edge. I've really just kind of shut down the past couple days. I figured that I would sleep it off and really get into fix-it mode this morning, but I was still wound really tight. So other than just getting a list of places to get an estimate tomorrow morning, I've done no real work today. I went to see the Toy Story 3D double feature at the El Capitan, and the trip down memory lane was very therapeutic. It brought me back to simpler times, eating Little Caesar's pizza in the old house at Pin Oak Circle on a sunday afternoon as we watched the original Toy Story all together for the billionth time. I also watched Wolverine at the bi-weekly Film Geek Night at the center, which exceeded my expectations.

At the moment, I feel that I am finally at ease. It was a long process, but I'm getting back into the swing. Fortunately, I came into this semester with a good emergency fund earned over a summer of roofing, but I was hoping I wouldn't have to use it on something so extraneous. In fact, I was really hoping I wouldn't spend it at all so I could put it into the "law school" fund. But whatever. It's just money. It think this is all just another lesson from God that my bank account should never be the source of my stability. It's a call to put my faith in him and trust he'll provide for all that I need no matter what trials and setbacks come my way. So that's what I'm going to do now. Just pay what I have to pay for my mistakes and move on. I think I'm ready for that.

I haven't said it yet on here, but I know my target audience is reading: Thanks for all the birthday cards! It was great to hear from all of the family. I feel so far away from everyone familiar at the moment, but I know I'm not alone out here. Computer headaches aside, things are going great out here. God is doing an incredible thing in my life at the moment, and I think big changes are still to come.

No rest for the intensely excited and invigorated!

Wow, I remember a time when I was so good at keeping this blog up to date. Look at me now! I'm so ashamed. You, my fans, deserve so much better. And so, here is a series of great stories to satisfy this eleven day update hiatus I've put you through.

First of all, I finally have my own project at my internship. I'm going to stay tightlipped at the moment for confidentiality's sake, but one of these days I'll let you know all about it. I'll tell you that I'm watching a lot of films and doing a lot of research in putting this project together, so I'm almost endlessly busy. While this is quite exhausting, it feels great!

Monday and Tuesday on the lot were two very good days. For one, I got a lot of work done. Also, on Monday, I was eating lunch with Dave, who just happened to show up in the Commissary, and lo and behold, three very familiar faces were sitting at the table across from me. The first one I recognized was Jim Parsons, who I loved in Garden State for the small but hilarious role he played. Then I realized that the three of them were from Big Bang Theory. It was a cool celeb sighting. I got back from lunch, and I had a meeting request from Dan, my boss. It was for a meeting on Tuesday (the next day) with Terry Rossio!!! Now I will explain my exagerated use of the exclaimation point: while you may not know the name, you definitely know his work. Among others, he has penned all three Pirates of the Caribbean films, Shrek, National Treasure, and Aladin. And now you share my enthusiasm.

Tuesday was a quick but tiring day. For most of the morning I did a lot of research. When the afternoon rolled around, I was asked to deliver something to another building on the lot. As I walked through the Commissary, I saw the Big Band guys again, but this time all five were there. Must be some heavy shooting going on. I came back, settled into my office, and worked in anticipation of the meeting to come. When 4:30 rolled around, I heard my supervisor say, "Hello, Marc!" My heart skipped a beat. I recalled last Friday when my supervisor asked if I wanted to go to Marc Webb's house to give him tickets to a Dodger's game. I really wanted to, as Marc directed 500 Days of Summer, the last movie I saw before leaving Bristol and one which I happened to LOVE! However, it was way out of my way in Friday night traffic, so I let another intern take it. So here I was (back to Tuesday), wondering if it was really him. I was called into the office, and sure enough, it was indeed Marc Webb. I shook his hand, introduced myself, and managed to suavely hide the wave of excitement that pulsed through my body as I told my name to a director I admired for the very first time in my life. And then Terry came in. We all sat down, and Terry began telling us about screenplay structure. His advice was solid gold. I could see his experience from writing so many great films coming out. The meeting was fantastic. It'll definitely go down in the books as one of my most incredible experiences in being here.

I wish I could divulge more about what has been going on, but my mind is a blur beyond last Sunday. Oh, last Sunday was my birthday, which I celebrated by helping a friend shoot a video for a project. It was a good crew, and I really liked the actors he chose. Afterward, some people got wind that I was in fact turning 22 that very day, and I got the sense that they were scheming. At 8:30, everyone gathered at the hot tub for what was apparently a weekly ritual that I was unaware of. Afterward, we went up to a friend's apartment. I can't really say I was surprised, given how many people came with us who didn't even belong in that tower, but anyway, we go in, and there was a small party planned for me. There was even a Funfetti cake prepared for me with my name written in chocolate chips. Well, phonetically it was my name, but it was spelled "Andru" due to spacing issues. I loved it. It was a great birthday!

I have seen some great movies lately. First of all, "Zombieland". Kids, if you haven't gone yet, go. It's zombie comedy at its finest. I won't give anything away, but the writing is phenominal, and the entire theater I was in was constantly erupting with laughter, cheers, and rounds of applause for the characters. In the end was a standing ovation, which was something I had not yet seen in LA even in the most elitist of theaters.

Next, "Whip It!", Drew Barrymore's directing debut. While I'm not a fan of the way she directed some scenes, the material was solid and fun. I mean, how can a movie about a bunch of tough girls in roller derby not be fun? It was another great trip to the theater.

Well kids, I've got to get back into the pile of books that is my homework for tomorrow. The weekly academic grind begins again, but at least it ends just as abruptly in about 24 hours. I hope I won't keep you hanging so long next time around.

Lost, but not forgotten

Wow! I can't believe so much time has passed since my last update! Two weeks? It just flew by!

Needless to say, I've been very busy. As far as free time goes, this is the least I've had since I started college, I am sure, except for maybe one of my Humanities semesters. That said, I'm loving every second, because my days are filled with experiences that are helping further define me as a person, as Christian, and an aspiring filmmaker. So let me go ahead and post the disclaimer that if this blog goes another two weeks untouched, it's because I'm having so many great experiences that I have no time to post about them.

My internship has been great! Pace has been building over the past few weeks. I've been getting a better feel for the company I work for, and now I feel really comfortable there. Today I got my first big project! I'm really excited, because it's kind of a thing I just decided to pick up and run with. I'd tell you more, but you know, confidentiality and all that. It's why I can't tell you most of the amazing things I get to do at Lin Pictures. Here's one I can tell you about, though: last tuesday, I was walking across the lot toward the parking garage, and I noticed a lot of commotion by the Commissary. I decided to check it out. I rounded a corner, and before my sat the most amazing vehicle I've ever seen: the Tumbler. You know, that really awesome new Batmobile from Batman Begins and The Dark Knight? I don't know if it can really transform into a motorcycle, but I don't care. It's every bit as impressive in real life as in the movie, perhaps even more so because you realize that this thing is real. Honestly, it was like seeing an X-wing Fighter right in front of me (Star Wars, fyi). Okay, so maybe not that cool, but closer to that than I would have thought initially.

I'm really getting cooking on my screenplay for class, which is good. I haven't started writing yet or anything, but the story itself is developing. I'm getting to know my characters, getting a good feel for how I want my plot points to play out, and I know exactly how I want to end it. I've got a really epic third act in mind, but it requires a good set-up in the second act, which is now my challenge. I haven't really said much about it on here, so here is a short and sweet synopsis: A man starts dreaming about dying, comes to realize he is part human and part Guardian Angel, goes around saving people, realizes there are demons trying to take over the city, and sets out to save it. Does it sound like Constantine? Maybe so. But I plan to make my story better than Constantine, so don't throw the rotten tomatoes yet, please.

Here's a few great movies I've seen lately:
Chinatown - read the screenplay and LOVED it, and Jack Nicholson gives another solid performance as Gittes in this noirish '70's classic.
Garden State - a movie people love to hate, but I loved it, partly due to the phenomenal soundtrack. However, it's deeper than that: despite an somewhat existential worldview. I really connected to the characters. In a way, I felt like I had walked in the shoes of both Braff and Portman's characters. The ending, when "Let Go" by Frou Frou comes in, is burned into my memory like those red spots on your retinas when you look into the sun.
Swimming with Sharks - a lot of my peers hated it, but I like it. It wasn't really finessed, but it hit some solid points and really made me think. If it makes me think, then the film succeeded, at least in my book.
The Orphanage - one of the greatest horror films I've seen, chiefly because it doesn't approach the genre as an end in itself, but rather uses it to convey meaningful message of hope. I was delighted by the ending in many ways.

Okay, so it's super late on a Friday and I'm wired from the coffee I drank to keep me up through Solaris. Problem is, that movie is so slow paced that even coffee didn't help. I'll just have to finish it tomorrow. I just hope I can get to sleep now :/

Two days of awesome busyness

So finally I get to make a new blog post. Yay! Two days full of classes and homework gave way to a long but awesome day at Lin Pictures followed by another long day in Malibu shooting a film. Tired as I am, I'm really enjoying it.

Wednesday, we finally received our HPW part assignments. I was a bit disappointed that my script wasn't chosen, but it's great that I can use it for my senior project next semester if I so choose. I may have something better to write after screenwriting this semester. Anyway, I did get Director of Photography on my friend Nathan's script, a clever noir-ish comedy about a detective midget. Fun! I've seen a lot of his work, and it always comes out pretty good. That night, a bunch of us went out to the Santa Monica pier for its 100th Anniversary celebration. It was a cool event, and a lot of fun for all involved. We saw an incredible sunset, listened to a cover band, walked along the ocean, and watched a very long fireworks show. It was worth putting off the homework.

Thursday, we watched Cinema Paradiso in class. I thought it was pretty good. In the evening I had screenwriting, where we had to pitch three ideas. I realized halfway through that I didn't write my pitches right. Basically, I had three concepts with no real story attached. However, after refining them, I'm getting them into a more workable form, which is encouraging. I'm excited to actually get to learn some useful stuff in that class about something in which I have no formal education.

Friday at work was really awesome. I really can't say why, but my internship is turning out to be all that I hoped it would be. I'm really grateful for the level of professionalism with which I'm treated. I'm given a fair amount of responsibility and I'm not treated like a complete moron, which motivates me to work even harder. I'm hoping my responsibilities will grow as I go along and prove to my supervisors that I'm capable. But even if I don't get anymore, I'm pretty stoked about what I do already.

Today was long, but rewarding. It started at the ungodly hour of 6 a.m. I met Bethany at her tower at 7 and we headed to Malibu for her MPP film project. We spent the morning at Leo Carrillo Beach shooting in a cave, and I got to have a lot of fun there collecting B-roll footage. Next we went to a doctor's office that made an AMAZING set! We spent the early afternoon there. In the evening it was back to her room, which ended up taking a long time because her roommates were also shooting in there. However, at the end of the day, we got a lot more footage than I had anticipated, and tomorrow we only have to get one quick scene and that will be it. My weekend planning worked out much better this time around, evidenced by the fact that I'm able to go both to church and to Prayer & Praise. Now, into the Weekend Read (scripts etc. I have to read from the office).

Who needs money?

Yesterday marked the first day of my internship, and in it's own sense, the start of my Hollywood career. What did I think of my first day as an unpaid, 10.5 hour day intern? AWESOME! My job is so incredible, it never occurred to me that I should be paid for my work. The experience in itself is very rewarding.

I'm sorry if I'm a bit too cryptic with my description, but I signed a confidentiality agreement that I fully intend to uphold, so forgive me for withholding too many details. My job is at Lin Pictures, a relatively new shingle on the Warner's lot in Burbank. I was shown to my temporary desk when I first arrived. It was positioned against a wall of scripts and optional materials that made me very VERY excited! I took a tour of the lot, which was really cool, and I even saw Alexis Bledel between makeup and the set. I also did a lot of copying, but nothing like the stuff I used to have to do at King Pharmaceuticals. They threw me a screenplay to read that was actually very good. The coolest part of the day was the two production meetings we had, where I had the opportunity to throw in my two cents on ideas, concepts, director recommendations, etc. I really loved it! I can't wait to go back on Friday.

I was pretty wiped out at the end of the day, so I chilled with other LAFSCers at the hot tub and then watched The Shawshank Redemption. This morning I went to the Writer's Guild Library and read the first half of Chinatown, which I really got into. I'd have stayed and finished, but I had a meeting with Bethany at Starbucks to talk about her MPP project this weekend. I'm getting really excited about working with her on it. I've got to get her storyboard done by tomorrow night (Thursday).

Anyway, I'm trying to decide between going to see 9 tonight and watching Solaris in the room. Or ET. Or one of my Netflix movies. Good to have options, I guess.

Student films, John Williams, and... DAVID LIEBE HART?!

So my large coffee purchased for the sake of parking validation is kicking in, and now I can't sleep. Not good, because I'm helping Seth with his Motion Picture Production class film in 6 and a half hours. But caffeine is both addictive and potent a drug, so what can I do but blog?

The majority of today was spent as Audio Tech (i.e. boom operator) for Brandon's MPP project. It was a long shoot, but not overly hot or frustrating, so that is good. Plus, everyone I worked with was really professional and did their jobs well. I could see the experience that Justin and Brandon had working together. I hope Seth and I develop that cohesion tomorrow (I believe we will do so quickly). The actors were pretty talented. I'm anxious to see the finished product, because I have a feeling it's going to look very nice.

After the long shoot, we went to the Hollywood Bowl to see John Williams playing "The Music of the Movies." It had a really cool opener with a Harry Potter theme. This took up the entire first half, but it was really cool with a film accompaniment and everything (how can one not enjoy John Williams and the LA Phil, anyway?) After the intermission, he did a medley of film classics both of his musical authorship and others. He did some bits from Catch Me if You Can, Witches of Eastwick, and Casablanca. The last bit was the Superman March, which was pretty epic. It was a nod to WB heroes, which made me happy since they are in fact my new employer. After exiting the stage, he followed up with an encore of Yoda's Theme, the Star Wars Main Theme, the E.T. Theme, and the Imperial March. Very "suite" encore, indeed!

On my way out, luck and fate placed me in the presence of an unexpected muse. From a distance, I spied a man crooning with a raggedy dog puppet perched upon a trash can. Closer inspection revealed him to be none other than the legendary David Liebe Hart of Tim and Eric fame! I got an awesome photo with him and gave him a buck at his request. I was ecstatic!

On the drive home, Luke revealed to me that last Sunday we were eating lunch across from Buster from Arrested Development. WHAT?!! Why didn't anyone tell me? I was quite disappointed for having missed the sighting, but he is apparently a deacon at my church out here, so I'll be keeping an eye out for him on future Sundays.

Classes and Internships

Well, we've finally started classes. I finally feel like I've got a few assignments to work on! I'm not gonna lie: I liked the time off. It's been great to see the city and all of its wondrous offerings. However, I'm here to learn, so I'm pretty psyched about what is to come. I've actually got a number of papers to work on, so I hope I don't forget about any of them!

My first screenwriting class was yesterday. I'm really excited about it. Our instructor, Kris Young, seems like he'll be a really good help in this process. The book we're reading has also been very helpful, so hopefully I can pen out something a bit more compelling than last springs amalgam of personal struggles and borrowed conversations. Maybe I learned something of myself from that screenplay, but its biggest lesson was that I can do better. I've got a great idea in the works, but I hope it won't require too much research on the first draft. I think I can put out the basic story, and then morph it into a form that gives more nods to the timeframe in which it takes place.

I had my internship interview today. First of all, a producer's office is pretty small. There were four people in the "receptionist" area, all at desks. I waiting around for about 15 minutes (I was early so as to be on time). Seanne Winslow is the name of the woman who interviewed me, and I really liked her. She reminded me of actress Elizabeth Banks. She seemed pretty impressed with what I had to say, so I was pretty hopeful for getting the job. She gave me positive feedback afterward and said she'd call in a couple hours. I wasn't sure how to take it, so I decided it was a good sign. Well, only an hour later (if that) she called back and said, "Welcome to the team!" I was very excited! Unfortunately, this meant my roommate Sean didn't get the job. I felt really bad about that. At the same time, picking Lin as my first choice was hard, so there are plenty of other good places out there, and I really believe he'll find a good one among them.

Today is my last day off before a long weekend of endless shooting. I'm trying to get on the ball with assignments and movie watching so that I'll not feel too pressured come class time next week. I think it'll be okay, though.

One Day. Four Beaches.

Today was more or less a day off for me, so what better way to spend a day off than exploring the coastal region of this new city I'll be living in for the next three months?

I started with Manhattan Beach. It was certainly a very nice and beautiful area. There were plenty of shops and nice restaurants, and the houses were some of the nicest of seen in terms of decoration. It had a great boardwalk, where I was able to do some longboarding. There was also a bike path that seemed to go a long way. The surf looked pretty sweet, too. The pier was very nice, with a sort of glorified snack stand at the end on a platform. I'll definitely be back there for another day trip.

Next, I went just up the coast to Dockweiler. The bike path continued on from Manhattan. There wasn't much to see or do there apart from strictly beach oriented things (no restaurants or stores). However, you can make fires on the beach, so it looked like a great place for parties and big get-togethers.

After a healthy lunch of XL Slurpee and two hot dogs, I set out on the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) toward Malibu. It was a very beautiful drive. I arrived at my third beach: Zuma. It was very scenic and looked like another good all around beach. It didn't have the convenience of facilities like Manhattan, but it wasn't barren like Dockweiler. I saw many dolphins there, and they did flips and tricks of all kinds. It was a very awesome sight.

My last beach was Leo Carrillo, on up the PCH. Of all the beaches, it was definitely my kind of beach. It had little pockets of small beaches cutting into a rocky coast, much like many of the beaches in Hawaii. The water wasn't the best for swimming on some of them, but the beaches definitely gave you a feeling that you were in your own special place by the ocean. I found an excellent rock there for sitting, thinking, and praying (all three of which I did). It's a bit of a drive, but definitely worth a return trip someday.

After all this, it was time for some fun away from the traffic. I turned onto Mulholland Highway. It looked scenic and seemed to be a fun road. It got even more fun when I saw the speed limit: 55! Keep in mind, this is a twisty turny road, much like the small mountain roads back home. Needless to say, I had some fun in my front wheel drive Mini. She hits the turns like she's on rails!

After my little break from the bustle, I was back in it on CA-101. The traffic was a real bummer, plus it was 105 out by Reseda, a full 20 degrees warmer than La Brea! I got back, bought some groceries, went for a swim, made a pizza, and now here I am, updating my blog over at the school. I'm about to have a friend read my screenplay. Here's hoping I hit the jackpot.

A Sunday to Remember

Church yesterday was a really cool experience! It took place in a neat old theater. There was such an eclectic group of people there. Back home, you can usually stratify churches based upon some demographic group, but at Ecclesia Hollywood, there were ALL kinds of people. It was really exciting! The worship was great, and while I wasn't wild on the message's presentation, I like the message itself a lot.

We went to a mexican grill for lunch, and I got a superb mexican pizza. On the way out, I met a homeless man named Richard. It was a hot day, so I gave him my coke and talked with him a little. He had a bunch of bags with him and wore one of those yellow vests cops wear when they direct traffic. He was a neat character, and I hope I see him around.

We went to Venice Beach in the afternoon. We got held up at first by a flat on Jess' car, so I had to come to the rescue with my tire changing expertise. Of course, all of the tire shops were closed on a Sunday, so we took the Mini instead. I was worried everyone would be too crowded, but they seemed content. We had a really great time on the beach, even if finding a parking spot was a very difficult ordeal. I'll definitely be heading back there sometime soon. I also found a really neat Arbor board shop. I was familiar with their longboards, but the have a really nice line of snowboards with woody textures that I really liked.

We got back and went to Prayer and Praise, a worship session started by Ian and Colin, also students at LAFSC. He did a great job putting it on, and did a great job making a small apartment into a worship space. I'm glad to have something like that here. It reminded me a lot of Vespers back at Milligan. Afterward, Dave talked me into IHOP, and Esther decided to come along as well, despite her habit of following the crowds in social situations. We had a good time getting to know each other better. I learned a lot about Bethel University, as well!

I've already made it through my 'To-Do's' for today, so now I'm just chilling out contemplating what I'll do for dinner. While working on some homework at the cafe, I met a very interesting individual named Joseph. I've seen him there before. He's about my age and has a big purple dot on his forehead (Hindu, maybe?). He wanted to ride my longboard, so I let him. He said he really liked the feel of it. We started talking, and I found out he really loves the drums. He calls it his passion, though he feels like one day he his destined to be a guitarist. He also talked about his quest to dodge rent payments. He's up to two months now! He described his life like "Catch Me If You Can" with Leonardo DiCaprio. I recommended a job, but he's convinced that he's doing what he is meant to be doing at this point in his life, so I didn't argue with him. Anyway, I'll probably see him around the cafe in the future, provided they don't catch him first.

I just finished my interview for internships with Chris. We decided on Lin Entertainment as my top choice. They're working on Robert Rodriguez's new movie and Sherlock Holmes. If that falls through I'll do Alcon or work at ICM, which is one of the biggest agencies around here. All of them sound great, so I just kinda hope God takes me where he wants me to go.

"And the Oscar goes to..."

Yesterday's trip to the Kodak Theater was really awesome. It's definitely a worthwhile tour while you're in LA, in my opinion. Believe it or not, that theater they hold the Academy Awards in is located in a big mall with coffee shops, clothing stores, and restaurants. They dress it up come award night, but any other time you might look right past the theater. Outside their are columns marked from 1927 to 2071, each one marking the best picture for its respective year. Inside, it is very atmospheric. There are photo cells along the wall featuring pictures of past winners hanging in front of the shiny material they used to make the "silver screen" out of. When they brought us out on stage, my breath caught. It was so big! Plus, it felt really cool to be on the stage where many of my favorite filmmakers and actors have accepted their awards. Looking out into the audience was a different story. It was beautiful, to be sure, but much smaller than one might think. It's amazing what can be done with the right camera angles. There was certainly a neat feeling about the whole tour.

After the tour, we went to In-n-Out Burger again. That place is great! We then went to the pool for a couple hours and watched some twenty something guy try to hit on the girls from our program. His name was Ephraim, so I'm assuming he was Jewish, and apparently he liked to talk about his family and how successful they were. I'd never actually heard a guy use this tactic before, which further highlighted how different this place is to home.

In the evening we all went to Rebecca's for a barbecue. She has a really cute house that I recognized from Brad Eastridge's video from last fall when he was here. Dinner itself was superb: barbecue chicken, sesame green beans, mashed potatoes, cornbread, and Italian salad. Jess, her roommates, and I checked out after dinner and went back to watch Lucky Number Slevin. I was really pulling for Requiem for a Dream, but I got voted down again. Dave joined us for the movie as well. Steve and Gabe showed up later and caught a little SNL with us, but it was the John McCain episode, which wasn't really one of my favorites.

This morning, several of my friends and I are going to Ecclesia Hollywood, a church where a lot of people from our school attend. Jess has been before, and she says it's great. It takes place in an old theater and apparently has a really good worship service. She also told me that the pastor there is the voice double for Jack Black. That could be interesting!

"We erase crime!"

The meeting with Doug Jones was incredible. He's such a great character, and I can tell he is really into what he does. It's great to meet someone so passionate about his craft. He has been in a lot more roles than I was initially aware of, to my own great delight. He was that big moon head guy in the old "Mac Tonight" ads for McDonald's, which means I have an action figure of him on a skateboard somewhere at home. He was also Billy Butcherson from Hocus Pocus. You know, that zombie with his mouth sewed shut. I can remember being a kid and thinking what a good job I thought the actor did in such a small part. Who knew he'd be the first one I'd meet in L.A.? Of most excitement to me was the discovery that he got the bit part of Pencil Head in Mystery Men! I cheered when he said this. His career is really taking off now with his involvement with Guillermo Del Toro and his familiarity in the world of movie monster creation. His future may yield yet more great roles, including Frankenstein's monster and certainly some part in The Hobbit.

Yesterday went by way too fast. We had an Expectations sessions where we met for the first time in our mentor groups. We mostly talked about what we wanted, what we were afraid of, and what our plans are. My mentor is Rebecca Ver Straten-McSparran, director of the program here, and she really encouraged me to continue pursuing my JD and MBA degrees, particularly the law degree. Apparently, JD's are made of gold in Hollywood.

In the afternoon, I watched Godfather Part II, which I found good but not better than the first as many have said. I guess that contributed to the short feeling of the day. I went for a swim to cool off, ate a quick dinner, then worked on my screenplay. Tory and I tried to see District 9, but they were sold out, so we just roamed The Grove with a group of friends who happened to be over there already. We bought some ice cream, went back to Jess' apartment, and put in a movie. Unfortunately, that movie was I Am Legend, which I've seen twice (two times too many), so I went back to my room to watch Brazil with my roommates instead, a film I am a much bigger fan of.

We're about to head off to the Kodak Theater, home of the Academy Awards. I don't think I'm allowed to take pictures, so if you want to see what it looks like, you'll just have to look up the website.

Things are about to take off here, so I just ask everyone to pray for me. It's a fast pace around here, and I can imagine it will be easy to forget why I'm here and who I am representing. My prayer has been for success, but only one defined by subservience to the will of God in all I do. No matter how well I do here, I don't think I could ever be content if I didn't know that I was doing what God wants me to do.

Hot day in L.A.

Today is by far the hottest day we've had so far. The high is 102! I won't lie, though. I've been enjoying the warm weather. Sure, it's pretty hot in our room given the lack of air conditioning, but we have the pool just down the street if we really need to cool off, so all is well. It has also had a nice impact on the performance of my longboard bearings, which is always a plus. I went for a nice ride down Wilshire today, took a look a the tar pits, got a little better feel for the area around the apartments, and finished it off with a Blue-Red-Orange Slurpee!!

We finally finished up our 3-hour internship orientation sessions. This morning we just had a two hour session by Jim and Karen Covell about being Christians in Hollywood. They wrote a book called "How to Talk About Jesus Without Freaking Out", and we each received a copy. I'm anxious to crack it open! They were a big encouragement, as they have been married a long time and raised a family here in L.A., and their sons are as gung-ho about being Christians in the industry as they are. It's good to know that it can be done!

Tonight we're hearing from Doug Jones, a Christian actor with such credits as Abe Sapiens from the Hellboy films, the Silver Surfer, and the faun and the weird eyes-in-his-hands creature from Pan's Labyrinth. I'm anxious to hear what he has to say, particularly as an actor with a guaranteed role in all of Guillermo Del Toro's films from here on out (The Hobbit inclusive!)

I've also started my first short film script. I'm about two pages in, and I'm feeling pretty good about it. It's due in a week, and I already know what I want to write, so I plan to spend a lot of time refining it after I get it all out.

Still no internet in the apartment. It keeps me from wasting my time, but it takes a while to get used to not having a world of knowledge at your fingertips. Still, I can't complain: I'm in Hollywood!

Coverage. Lots of Coverage.

In-n-Out is officially my favorite west coast burger chain. It'll hold me over until I get back to Pal's. Very yum, and not too expensive.

I read my first script last night, and it was quite laughable. I really hope it's the worst one I'll read while I'm here, but I have a feeling the worst is yet to come. What was ever worse was trying to write the coverage for it. If you don't know, coverage is kind of like a synopsis/commentary where I discuss my feelings on the script. In an internship, I'd turn it into my boss who would use it to decide if it should become a film. After all, I'm part of the target audience. It's all done, though, and it wasn't too painful.

Jess made me realize how southern "Fry me up some [fill-in-the-blank]" sounded. Maybe I have a distinctively southern way of speech after all. I guess you've got to get away to really see how your own culture has affected you. I've got the rest of the day off, which is nice. My toughest decision is what I will "Fry me up" for dinner. Or bake. Or boil. Or microwave...

Stay on Target

Yeah, other than the obvious Star Wars reference (well, maybe obvious to those who have memorized every line of A New Hope), the title of this post really only refers to a trip I just made to Target.

Last night we had a very long orientation meeting, which seemed even longer considering we were packed into a room with no A/C. That gets ridiculously hot with 50 people for 3 hours. Thank God for popsicles and their corny joke glory! We mostly laid down the community law and ironed things out among our roommates considering food, parties, visitors, music, etc. Everyone was ready to leave, and I even took a shower when I got back to get all the nasty sweat off of me. My roommates popped in The Royal Tenenbaums, which I really wanted to watch since I haven't seen it in years, but I already made plans to watch Edward Scissorhands with Jess and her roommates. They have a much nicer room than we do. Not fair.

We had another orientation this morning pertaining to internships. It really got me excited about getting started. We played a really neat game called BuFaBuFa (I think) that taught us about perceptions of other culture in a really neat way. I'll not spoil the details in case anyone here has yet to play it, but as strange as it is the end result is pretty cool. A/C made that meeting much more bearable.

After a lunch of tuna sandwich and carrots, I headed to Target to get some supplies. I found velveeta, eggs, bacon, and macaroni noodles, so there are about four or five decent meals I'm prepared to cook now and two or three more I can do with a quick trip to Ralph's. Sounds like the plan is for In-and-Out Burger tonight, which I'm pretty excited for. I'll be doing that once I finish up the equipment lab that starts in half an hour.

I'm once again blogging from under my tree by the cafe since we still have no internet in the room. I'm sipping on a triple layer slurpee from the 7-Eleven across the street where I met some kid named Daniel who's brother allegedly works for Loaded Boards. He said he could get me some sweet deals, so I took down his number. Not that I can afford another Longboard at the moment, but it's always good to network in Hollywood.

The Sound of Settling

First of all, internet access has been intermittent and not quite up to snuff with Blogger and Facebook, so you'll have to wait a bit to see the pictures I've taken the past few days. There are some cool ones coming, though, so stay tuned.

I'm just about settled here in Los Angeles. The Park La Brea area is really nice and is certainly deceiving about what life in the city must really be like. However, this is a transitional experience, so why take it all at once? My apartment is nice and roomy enough. I wish we had a bit more furniture. Air conditioning and internet would be nice, as well. Even though we don't have cable, I think the internet could make up for that. Right now I'm just sitting in the grass under a nice little shade tree updating this here blog, and it's quite nice actually. However, I'd hate to have to come all the way down here every time I want to check my email. They tell me it'll be fixed soon enough, so I'll take them at their word for now. The RD seems like the sort of woman who gets that kind of thing done.

Dad helped me move in yesterday, which was much easier than moving into Milligan since I had so few things packed. We then went out to eat with Bob Hayden at a really interesting Jewish deli called Canter's. Apparently it's been there since the 20's or something! We then went over to check out the school, which is really nice. It has a really good hi-def theater, nice edit bays with FCP3, and an excellent student lounge with couches, tables, a blu-ray equipped TV, and a wall covered in DVD's. I'm not going to be bored.

After Dad left for Sacramento, I met the rest of my roommates and then went to the dinner planned for the students. It was a typical getting to know you sort of thing. Afterward I went with 8 other friends to see Inglorious Basterds at the ArcLight theater, which was an AMAZING experience. Everyone there really loved movies, and they clapped, laughed, and cheered at all the right places. The screen was huge, and I was probably in the worst seat in the house (which wasn't bad at ALL). They even gave out free soundtracks to certain people. Seth, my roommate, was sitting to my right and got the first one! There was a lot of crazy stuff (all of it kosher) that happened that night, but it all turned out okay. We got back at 3 a.m., which left us about 5 hours of sleep before our meeting the next morning.

We had a breakfast over at the school at 9:30 followed by worship at 10. We also heard interesting stories from various alumni at the program, which pretty much reminded us that Hollywood is a tough place to work. After that, I got a few groceries, then headed back to the room, and now I'm here. It's really a much better story with pictures, but let me assure you, it has been awesome so far. I can't wait for more!

Arriving in Los Angeles

This entry is going to be postdated, so here it is:

8/22/09 8:37 AM

Now we can get on to the good stuff. Yesterday was our last day on the road. We left St. George with a hearty McDonald’s breakfast. There was still a lot of interesting formations to see, but the landscape was beginning to flatten out into a bare desert. We had a few too many close calls, as well. I almost sideswiped a guy who was in my blind spot; especially large given all the luggage I have in the back. About an hour later, a guy almost sideswiped me as I dodged a truck tire. We also stopped at a particularly scary rest area that Dad and I were both happy to leave behind us.

Rolling into LA, I learned quickly that driving here is going to take some learning. I think my apprehension was similar to what I would feel swimming with sharks. The GPS wrapped us around downtown a little, but with a little intuition we found the hotel. The first room they gave us was on the Penthouse floor, but we never got to see that room because there was already someone inside. They gave us another about halfway up the building, and fortunately that one was actually empty.

We headed on to the Dodger’s game, which fortunately required no freeways to reach. It was a very nice stadium, particularly for its age, and Dad and I were glad to find that they had very good hot dogs (or Super Dodger Dogs as they call them). About halfway through, Jess and David showed up. I hadn’t met David yet, so it was good to get to know someone else from the program. After the game they had Friday Night Fireworks, where they let all the fans come down into the outfield and watch the show from there. It was a fun little event.

I’m just about to move into my apartment. We’re packing out of a hotel for the last time in our long journey, but I’m excited to know that the journey for me is just beginning. I’ve got a lot to learn about this big city, and I’m ready for the lessons to begin.

Welcome to Zion

While Jess decided to head the whole 12 hour trip to L.A. from Grand Junction, Dad and I made plans to stop in St. George, Utah and visit Zion National Park. After a good breakfast at the Marriot and some Starbucks, we headed out. I was surprised with a call from Justin! The road ahead ended up being just as beautiful as the evening before. There were so many bluffs, gorges, canyons, and mesas all along the route! Dad and I stopped at every view point. There were probably ten in all.

I finished up No Country for Old Men. It made the movie make much more sense, and also included more detail that fleshed out some of the characters much more. I put in the Hobbit to listen to for the remainder of the trip, though I doubt I'll finish it.

When we hit I-15 in Utah, we saw so many control burns. It was like the mountains were all on fire! (Oh yeah, I guess they were). The interstate became much less steep there and much easier to drive on. We took the Zion National Park exit and headed to the small town of Springdale to park my car. We took Dad's into the park. All along the way the cliffs rose higher and the landscape became more and more impressive. The park itself was its own kind of wonder. The cliffs were very high and quite impressive to look on. The sun was setting, so we got to see some really amazing light and color play. On the way back out of the canyon, we saw so many animals, mostly deer (including bucks with huge racks) and turkeys. We stopped and took a quick two mile hike with what light we had left in the day. The trail ended at the Zion lodge, where we sat down for some dinner. It was a great finisher. At the end of the day, I was once again very ready to hit that hotel bed.

Today is our last leg. We'll be shooting across Nevada, through Las Vegas, and into California to catch the Dodgers-Cubs game tonight at 7:00! Hopefully we'll make it in time to drive around a little and get familiar with my part of the city. It all begins tomorrow!!!

Colorful Colorado

As Dad and I were about to leave Hoyt, Kansas, I got in contact with Jess, who was leaving from Ohio for LA the day after we left Virginia. She ended up only being an hour and a half ahead of us, so we decided to meet up at a rest area. On the way, we saw the beautiful Kansas plains, many fields of sunflowers, and a lot of other random sights. Dad started worrying about his oil level when his console was telling him that it was too high, but we eventually agreed that it was just the higher elevation causing the oil to expand.

When we met Jess, she had been driving for about 24 hours straight! I was duly impressed, but she was willing to go four more hours to Grand Junction, Colorado with us. Fortunately, other than Denver traffic and some scary trucks in the mountains, it was a delightful and very beautiful drive. I had finished The DaVinci Code, so I put in No Country for Old Men, which I have been amazed to see how faithfully the Coen brothers preserved it in their film version. We timed it out perfectly, as we pulled into the hotel right at sunset. We went to a neat restaurant for a dinner that was a bit too big for any of us. We went back to the hotel room and enjoyed an awesome night of sleep in big beds with LOTS of comfy pillows. It was welcome rest, probably for Jess in particular.

Today, we've got a short trip over to St. George, Utah, where we plan to visit Zion National Park, which we missed out on when we were vacationing here in the summer of 1999. The trip from there to LA isn't too bad, either. I just hope I can finish No Country and The Hobbit in those two trips!

I don't think we're in Kansas anymore...

Actually, Kansas is exactly where we are: Hoyt, Kansas. After another long day of driving, Dad and I got here just before midnight last night. Our relatively late start from St. Louis didn't help our arrival time, and neither did our extended stop in Kansas City. That's not to say it wasn't worth while. We stopped by the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum to explore a little history. Dad read the David McCullough biography and knew their was some interesting history surrounding our former president, and after our trip there, I agreed. He seemed to be a principled man, intelligent, and most of all, genuinely concerned about using his position to better America instead of just as a grab for power. He had some pretty great quotes and seemed to be pretty witty behind the podium.

Since we hadn't eaten lunch, we decided to get a genuine Kansas City steak dinner. We used the wonderful power of Blackberry to find a highly regarded restaurant. We settled on Jess & Jim's, a long standing family owned restaurant on the edge of town. It was certainly worth the trip out of our way! Dad and I both got a huge ribeye and an amazing (and also huge) twice baked potato. My stomach was hurting afterward, but in the good "I just ate a big dinner" way.

Our last leg of travel seemed pretty long. Most of it was after dark, which always makes travel a little more boring. However, as we neared our destination, we began to see lightning in the distance. Also, we came over a hill and saw a see of flashing red lights in the distance. It took us a long time to get to them, and all the while I wondered what they might be from. Even as I was in the midst of them, I was still at a loss as to what they were from. Then the lightning flashed, and it was at once a beautiful and yet haunting sight, kind of in that way that nightmares come in mysterious flashes. Against the flashing lights of the sky, I saw the silhouettes of hundreds of wind turbines spinning in the stormy night. It was certainly one of the most amazing sights I have ever seen. I think it will stick in my memory for years to come.

Meet Me in St. Louis

After a long morning of vehicular repair and maintenance, Dad and I finally got on the road. We went down I-40 through Nashville, then north up toward St. Louis. Originally we were going to stop by my grandparents' house in Vandalia, Illinois, but they were in Chattanooga, so we went on the extra hour to St. Louis. Apart from on and off rain and hail storms, relatively rough road conditions, and a late night close call with a coyote, it wasn't a bad drive. The worst part was getting in at 2 a.m. to our hotel after about 10 hours of travel. However, we made it all right with the help of McDonald's coffee (though I swear mine must have been decaf.)

This morning we went to the Mini Cooper Service Center here in St. Louis to get my brakes fixed. We're just waiting around now until that gets taken care of. We may go by the arch museum or Harry Truman's home.

Tonight, we were going to go to Kansas City, but we may go on to Salina, KS to take a bit off the drive tomorrow. We bought Dodger's tickets for Friday night, so now we've got a deadline. It should be easy so long as we don't have any more trouble...

(101) Days of Summer

I figured I'd be on the road by now, but since I'm not, I might as well update my blog.

We brought Dad's new car in to have them look at the faulty A/C system. Fortunately, it was only a problem with the freon charge. We decided to get the Mini looked at while we were stalled anyway. It needed an oil change before the trip and some silicone to pin down that annoying piece of trim that keeps flapping and hitting the top of the car. The mechanic discovered I needed new brake pads all around and new front rotors. I guess that explains the "Check Brakes" light that's been on the past few weeks. They're about done with both cars, but I'll have to go without fresh brakes for a while. I may stop in one of the dealerships in the towns we're staying at, or I might just have a new friend drive me to a dealership in L.A. I guess we'll just play it by ear.... or I guess by total brake failure. Nothing I'm not used to.

My semester's belongings are in a heap at the base of the stairs. I can't believe I can fit it all in the Mini Cooper! Normally I have two van-loads. It kinda feels good, though, this whole living light thing. Maybe I'd have been better off if my college were too far away for multiple trips.

I'm just biding my time now, listening to the (500) Days of Summer soundtrack and that really awesome Coheed cover of "Under the Milky Way". I really hope they record that; it's beautiful! I'm looking forward to getting on the road. I've got five books on tape, plus the entirety of my iPod. I can't decide which I should start with: Wicked, No Country for Old Men, or The DaVinci Code (yeah, i didn't read it when it was big. I wanted to evade the hype.) That (500) Days soundtrack has me thinking I should definitely pick up a Regina Spektor album on the way, as well.

I guess that does it for the posts from home. My next should be from somewhere between here and LA, provided my hotels have free internet.

T-minus Seven Days

Work is finally done. Friday was my last day on the roof, so this week is entirely devoted to preparing for my journey to L.A. I went to Milligan this morning and wrapped up the last bits of paperwork necessary for the semester on their end. The were installing a big buffalo statue, which surely spells certain doom for that poor thing. Buffalos don't last long at Milligan.

I still have yet to do any packing. Over the next couple days I'll probably just straighten up my room and other things around the house. I have washed my car (well, the outside, at least), but she still needs a trip to the shop. I hope we get that done in time. Dad and I are going to Banner Elk to pick up the new car he bought on eBay. It's a pretty slick Mercedes 500 SL. He figured the convertible hard-top made it the perfect California car, so he and I will be forming a two-man caravan cross country.

It's funny: up until today, I was really bummed about not being at Milligan for my final fall semester. Thinking about past falls made me miss the fun and adventure I had in them. However, being on campus today, the thought of being there again almost turned stale for me. There were a few things I still missed: the familiar smell of Derthick Hall and the prospect of warm evenings on the longboard. But as for the rest, it seemed to much like I was trying to recreate my past, which is always a disappointing endeavor: it's never as good the second (or third) time around. The real adventure lies ahead, 2300 miles west of here and everywhere in between. The journey begins in one week.

Every Saga has a Beginning...

So I finally did it: I started my L.A. experience blog. Yeah, so it's all a month away, but things are starting to take shape. First, I'll get you up to speed if you're out of the loop. This fall semester, I'll be studying feature film production in Los Angeles, right in the heart of Hollywood. The program is more or less an extension of my studies at Milligan (that is, I'm still a Milligan student: no transfers or withdrawals required). I'll get 16 credit hours taking courses in making movies, writing screenplays, and interning at a production company. Great, right? I won't be doing any on-set stuff in my internship, but I'm hoping to get a good opportunity to meet people and get into the Hollywood pulse, maybe even find some future job prospects. I've been waiting for this semester ever since I discovered the program senior year of high school.

I've started getting information on the program: room listings, travel directions, book lists, etc. I've even got a homework assignment. I'm still anxious to find out where I'll be working, but I won't find that out until I arrive. For now, I'm trying to figure out how the Mini is going to hold all of my things and what Dad and I are going to do on the trek across the USA: visit the Grand Canyon (again)? swing by my birthtown (unlikely: way out of the way)? Anything goes, really. It's whatever we want to do and whatever will help us recuperate from endless driving.

In a months time, it will all begin: my adventures in Hollywoodland!