Lights! Camera! Traction!

And… so it begins. I got a gig, y’all; an honest-to-goodness Hollywood gig. I say, “gig” because it isn’t long term. In fact, it ends on Friday… but (if I play my cards right) it could/might lead to more. I landed the job because I knew the right people and those people (sweetly) recommended me. Which, as I understand it, is how things work in this town… mostly. There are a MILLION things I want to tell you guys about what I am doing, but I have been up (and running on my feet) for over 17 hours and even my fingertips hurt… I hope to have a little more time/energy on Wednesday to write a post about it for Thursday… so, please forgive the brevity of this one. I will however tease you with a few pictures of the last few days.

My official job title right now is “Production Manager”…which is a glorious combination of everything… I’ve gotten all the props and done the set dressing… but I’m also handing out payroll. I handled breakfast catering but also painted over the blood-stains on a prosthetic zombie arm. In the several days leading up to today (which was the first day of shooting) I was really nervous that I wouldn’t be prepared, or as experienced as all of the other more seasoned people around me… that maybe I couldn’t hack it in the Hollywood professional arena. My worries were for naught as today was a culmination of everything I do/have done- I was so prepared! Crafts, people/time/business management, organization, comedy… it was all coming together. It was pretty awesome… and exhausting. Again, I want to get into all the gory details, but right now, the back of my eyelids are calling.

So, what are you looking at? One of the cool things I got to do was drive all over town combing through thrift stores for props/set dressing. I was trying to stretch the budget as far as possible (though even having a budget is something that goes against all my previous guerilla filming/performing background). On the left was a t-shirt I found on a Goodwill rack. I’ve always wondered where those old-homemade Price Is Right t-shirts go. On the right is a picture of my car after I loaded it up after the first day of shooting. You would think that having a grocery cart in the back of your car would make it easier to carry everything… and you would be wrong.

The picture on the left is of one of the shots of a comedy short we shot today. I’ve done legit stuff in my past… but this was super professional. Call sheets, boom operators, craft services, wardrobe, assistant directors, hair and makeup, A CLAP BOARD (take 4 *clap*)… whenever I had a free second (which wasn’t often) I just watched this machine– and all it’s moving parts– operate. It was wild. Anyways, the picture on the right is of an erect bee stinger that I crafted. Yes. You read those words right. Its for a comedy bit for tomorrows/todays shoot. I just thought you might get a kick out of my “cheesy Fabio-esque romance” set dressing (including a wig I bought) on the left and something I crafted on the right.

The last collage is towards the end of the day when we moved up to the bedroom. I knew this was going to be a fun gig when I looked in the back of my car and saw cheap satin sheets, a grocery cart, a squeaky fish, and 6 cases of Red Bull. We are filming four different comedy shorts and the variety of tone and content in each one is staggering. Like I said, todays was a spoof on “the perfect lover.” Amiright, ladies?!

Anyways, I have got to be up in a few scant hours… we’re filming a The Wire-esque expose on the underbelly of the honey industry. But, I just wanted to keep everyone posted! Thanks for the love and support. Zzzzzzzz.