Film School is my LIFE

I’m going to have to echo Emily a little bit: film school consumes your life, too!

Tomorrow night, I start on my third set so far this semester. By the end of the semester, I will have been on five.

My first set was a graduate thesis film called “Eli Vs. The Rope.” It’s cute comedy about an 11 year-old kid who decides that the way to win the girl he loves over is to climb the rope in gym class. As I mentioned a while ago, I got to be the 2nd 2nd Assistant Director on this film, which meant I was in charge of the extras. This got particularly tough on the weekend that we had 13 kids under the age of 13 – I was in charge of being aware of exactly where each of them were at all times… and kids run. A lot. But it was a really amazing film to be a part of, and I learned a ton on set.

My second set was another graduate thesis film (tentatively) called “Little Men.” This set was completely different, and totally ambitious – it’s a war epic set in the 50’s, and set in both Korea and in the U.S. It was really hard and really exhausting, but very rewarding to be a part of. The director and producer comprise an award-winning team, and there’s talk that this will be a Sundance film. I was an Art Assistant and PA on this film, which meant that, along with running countless errands (I really know what the term go-fer means at this point in my life), I helped the Art Director to completely reset a house so that it looked like it was in the 50’s, dress and equip soldiers so that they looked like they were really at war, and build a hut which both needed to be strong enough to actually have people inside of it and also be exploded. The explosion was realllllly cool to be a part of.

Tomorrow night, I start on my third set. It’s a dark comedy called “Soulmates,” and the script is really good. I’ll just be a PA on this set, but I’m really excited anyway – it has a totally kick-ass crew, and once again, I’ll be working with an award-winning team. I’ve definitely been attaching myself to the right projects. I’ll also be experiencing my first complete night-shoot tomorrow – It’s a 6pm-6am shoot! I’ve done one that was 12:30pm-12:30am (though I ended up having to be there until 3am), but this will be through the night.

I’ve spent the past week preparing for the other two sets I’ll be working on this semester. For the cycle film (a step below a thesis film, so a pretty big deal here), I’ll be working as the Line Producer, which means I have a ton of responsibility – I’m in charge of getting food, finding locations, scheduling, and budgeting for the film, among other things. So far, I’ve been location scouting in Newport Beach and Laguna Beach, among other wealthy Orange County towns. That’s been pretty cool, though I have yet to find a place that will work. I’ve also been calling around to local restaurants and such to ask for donations and discounts. That’s been humbling.

Finally, today I got to go to Los Angeles to help the last film I’m working on for the semester (as a 2nd 2nd AD again) – another grad thesis film called “Suppressant,” which is a post-apocalyptic film. Casting was interesting, and LA wasn’t really what I thought it’d be. But two rumored things are true: the smog is gross and the traffic SUCKS.

Anyway, the social scene is still pretty cool here, though now that we’re all so busy, we go out a lot less. I told you guys about how my friends and I were called the “producer girls” – and I’m glad to say that this is no longer. First of all, Christina (the one I didn’t really like) now has a boyfriend and doesn’t hang out with us that often anymore… which is pretty much fine by me. Rachel has become my best friend here, and Ashley, my roommate, is a really good friend of mine, too. The three of us hang out all the time, and usually it’s with a bunch of other people. I love all of the other people here. Everyone is really chill, excited about film, and passionate about what they want to do with their lives. They’re also just a lot of fun.

Ryan, the boy I have fallen completely head over heels for, is who I spend the majority of my time with. We are somewhat inseparable and act like we’re in a relationship. Everyone else thinks we’re in a relationship, too. Somebody just needs to tell Ryan that he’s basically a in a relationship, because he’s a little slow on the uptake. Or something. I’m pretty sure he likes me (I mean, how could he not?), but he came here thinking he didn’t want to be in a relationship and I don’t think he knows what to do now that he finds himself in what could really be a pretty perfect match.

Any thoughts on the matter? I’m having trouble making something happen.

Anyway:

PLEASE UPDATE! Mollie, I’m dying to hear how grad school is. Amanda, how are all of your lessons going?! Amanda and Drew – what’s going on with Plum stuff? Allison – how is school? Rose, let’s hear some detail on Germany! Justin – how are your arm and job search progressing? And Rachel? Seth? Boston! Jess, I know I talk to you all the time, but not everyone does. And anyone else that still reads this – you too! I want to see you guys updating. Seriously. I miss you all too much to know so little (aka, nothing) about what’s going on in your lives. Don’t you guys want to stay in touch?

Love. Lots of it. I’ve really been missing you guys lately.