Who invented the Summer Vacation? Who decided kids should be granted a three month period dedicated to their running around in undies, playing in the sand and screaming through sprinklers? Whoever it was, was a complete and utter genius. In my point of view - everybody should have summer vacation. (see HOLIDAYISM) OK, so we're not all going to run around in our underwear, but the idea of giving everybody three months for the grown-up equivalent, is simply necessary. It's a time to wind down, a time to take things easy, and a time to do stuff you could never do when you're working. You could do a lot of cool and interesting things in the summer. You can also do a lot of nothing. But most likely, whether it's sitting on the couch and catching up with the latest episodes, or climbing Mt. Everest, you're going to enjoy the whole thing.
I did a lot of cool and interesting things this summer. I also did a lot of nothing this summer. It started out with my final shootings of my short film "Mikey". (see Short Film) After that was done it was QUICKLY OFF TO THE EDITING ROOM! Ok, so not so quickly. In fact, so slowly, I should penalize my editor for being such a slug. (Oh wait... I'm the editor, damn!) I think I got 15 seconds done in two weeks. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fast editor - but the summer laziness set in and it wouldn't be for another few months before I even got close to getting the rough draft editing job done. I hate editing - at the same time, I find it hard to put my project in the hands of another person. It really does put me in a bind.
At the same time, I was finishing off "Hero". A film I produced that Antoine Le wrote/directed. I was very happy with the way it turned out. I like the way Antoine tells stories. He has a knack for clean, simple storytelling. I feel that I lack that - simplicity. I always want to delve more and more into side plots when I write/direct. You can say that Antoine's storytelling is like a firm thick-trunked tree, while my storytelling is like a tree with massive branches that weigh it down. There is nothing wrong with either one, but I suppose I'd like to learn to balance out everything - to create a giant oak - plenty of branches, but a base that could withstand anything.
Among a few other things, my trip to LA would have to be the highlight of my summer. First, while driving down I met up with Scott West, my old High School buddy who goes to Cal Poly SLO. We went to Thai food, walked along the beach barefoot, then snuck into a hotel nearby to bathe in the fizzing jacuzzi. We talked about a lot of things that night. Namely - what the future holds for us, and girls. (But of course!)
He sent me off in the morning with a full belly after eating at Margie's Diner to what would become (I guess you could call) the very-beginnings of my professional career in film. I headed down Highway 101 towards LA and arrived where I would stay for the next month - at my Aunt's house. Seeing my little cousins was totally cool! We did a lot of interesting things together including sight-seeing Hollywood and going to the beach.
My Aunt has a friend named Liz Ludwick-Bax, who happens to be a script supervisor. My aunt had previously asked if she and I could get together to talk about her work. Probably being the extremely nice person that Liz is, she offered me a chance to see a real live production that she was in-progress with! I was totally stoked about it when I found out. My aunt said that I'd probably get to be on the set for two, two hour blocks in two days. I was so excited - after all of the student films I did these last years, I was now going to see how the professionals did it.
The first day of watching the production was only a few days after I had arrived. I was nervous but very attentive. My aunt joined me that day and we both drove over to the Studio, nicknamed "The Lot". I met Liz there for the very first time. She showed us around the lot and the different soundstages. She showed us the different sets. It was so amazing to me. The phrase "Movie Magic" kept popping up in my brain.
She then brought us to the set that they were currently working on. The camera people and all of the grips were already hard at work. I felt like a fly amidst a colony of bees. Everybody seemed to be doing something, and everybody was doing it at such a fast pace. She introduced me to a few of those busy bees, including a camera assistant named Jay Levy. It was awesome to see everybody work. When Jay dropped what he was doing to show me around the immediate set, I was thrilled and honored.
I then met another guy named Chuck who is a stand-in and actor for the movie. He showed me around some other sets. I tried to ask him as much as I could before they started filming.
Once filming started, Forest Whittaker (director) came in. I was told to sit down in a seat JUST A FEW FEET FROM THE DIRECTOR'S CHAIR. At this point I REALLY felt out of place. The rest of the day went very well. Despite a few problems, including the fact that Forest noticed me and asked who I was (and nobody knew), things went well. I had the chance to watch these people in action, the director direct, the actors act, and all of the busy bees that surrounded them. And the chance to watch professionals at work on a movie was an invaluable experience.
I got to spend nearly 6 hours on the set that day! But I would soon learn that that was nothing. To make a very long story short, Liz called back and offered me a "day" internship with the camera department. Basically, I'd get to hang around and help get the camera set up and filmed okay for a day. I was nervous, but I met some very cool people on that first day that helped me through it, including Lisa Guerriero, Kirby Washington, Katrina Szeto, Mike Cruickshank, Chris Harhoff and Jay. This group of camerapersons were such an awesome bunch! I could not believe the things that they showed, taught and let me do. I was so stoked that I couldn't imagine doing anything else with my life. By the end of my day, I asked Jay if I he would mind if I stayed, he said sure, and for that week and the next, I got to intern with the camera department for the movie "First Daughter"!
Aside from seeing Katie Holmes and Michael Keaton in person, there was plenty those weeks with First Daughter provided me. I learned so much while interning, not just the technicals, but most importantly, how the professional film system works. I also made some great friends with the crew. I really hope to keep in touch.
When I had to leave, I was sad to see it go. I knew though, that one day, I would be doing this as a living. And that there was plenty of it to come in my life. This idea helped me part.
The rest of my time down in L.A. was with Antoine Le. We did all sorts of stuff; including preparation for a new movie Antoine wants to direct called "Corporate Thugs". I wished I could produce it, but I was going to be going back to Davis pretty soon, and I didn't want to produce the movie without putting my full effort into it. Antoine, the writer of the piece (whose name is Jay) and I had a few meetings too. We discussed what should stay and what should go in the screenplay. We also went to a film showcase called Films 'n Focus at the kotton klub in L.A. where Jay gets a lot of his inspiration. It was a lot of fun to meet these other film people trying to get their foot in the door. There is a lot people like this have in common, conversations are unlimited. At the showcase they had a casting director speak as well. I forget her name, but she's worked in a lot of good movies and helped in the discovery of Selma Hayek. The next day, Antoine and I met with the director of "Pastime" or "One cup of coffee". I had met him at my aunt's church and asked him if I could do something with him. He was also a cool guy, and was really interested in finding Production assistants. After coffee he took us to his office and showed us his work (mainly commercials). He also showed us Pastime, which seemed like a really cool movie.
When it was time for me to leave L.A. it was kind of like parting with a good friend. There was so much I had done there, and so many people I had met. Getting back in Davis was nice, though. It was good to be back to my friends.
The rest of the summer mainly consisted of a move. Moved to a nice house three blocks from campus!!!!!! It's great! My friends and I also did some San Francisco trips. And at the end of the summer, was Band retreat. This, in a way, started off the new school year! In the fall, the classes I would be taking: (1) Molecular Biology, (2) Japanese, (3) Directing Theatre, and (4) Filmmaking commercials.
Who invented the Summer Vacation? Who decided kids should be granted a three month period dedicated to their running around in undies, playing in the sand and screaming through sprinklers? Whoever it was, was a complete and utter genius. In my point of view - everybody should have summer vacation. (see HOLIDAYISM) OK, so we're not all going to run around in our underwear, but the idea of giving everybody three months for the grown-up equivalent, is simply necessary. It's a time to wind down, a time to take things easy, and a time to do stuff you could never do when you're working. You could do a lot of cool and interesting things in the summer. You can also do a lot of nothing. But most likely, whether it's sitting on the couch and catching up with the latest episodes, or climbing Mt. Everest, you're going to enjoy the whole thing.