Movie Sets, COBA KATs and Realizations

This is one blog post that i've wanted to write since the day I got back from my first day of shooting the movie i'm helping with. Time wasn't in my favor, spring break intervened, but tonight after taking the coba kat, it reminded me of how much I now truly despise business and would love to be elsewhere...like back on set.

My first day on set was a week from last Saturday...so the third. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect since I hadn't really been on a movie set before, but I was very excited to find out. We have now already finished our second weekend of shooting and thankfully the experience hasn't let me down or not met up to my expectations...or hopeful expectations at least. Anyway, some of you might be wondering what it is that I exactly do on set, well I will tell you. My official title is PA, production assistant. I guess it really varies on which production and who you are working for as to what you do, but basically, whatever anyone on production needs you to do. I will start off with day one and kind of just run through some of my tasks as of yet: making sure props are on set and with the correct actors, for 2 of the 3 locations we were shooting in the first day I had to jump in as an extra, make sure the actors are either on set or notified to be on set, being an actor stand in while the cameras are setting up the scene with camera placement and lighting, in charge of the slate ((See picture above) I keep track of which scene/take we are doing and writing it on the little board that I hold in front of the camera before the scene is shot), holding up the lighting board for outside scenes (to reflect more sunlight on the actors for better lighting), and just whatever anyone else needs in general. I know this might sound like an odd job aspiration for some people, but I am honestly loving it. (And when I say job aspiration, this would just be entry level, post-graduation, most feasible job i'm looking for.) It's true there are long hours and the long running joke on film sets is "ready, set, wait" since there is a lot of sitting around and waiting, but I really don't mind. To be honest I quite like the long hours. I know it is mainly because of the company I keep during these long hours, so I am fortunate I like everyone else helping out with the movie. Both the crew and the cast have great attitudes and work ethics and we actually have been working ahead of schedule most days, which is always nice. I really hate to go back to Glee here because i'm sure you are sick of me mentioning it, but it just popped in my head. On the pilot episode Rachel told/asked her teacher, "Being part of something special making you special, right?" And I kind of feel that. I like the feeling again of being part of a team, working with other people to produce this project that we can be proud of, that we know took time and attention, but together we made it happen. I think I will always remember one day after lunch I was sitting in the classroom and Tommy, the director of photography, and Eric, the other camera guy walked out of the room and I was still just sitting at the table listening in on another conversation and Tommy asks if I was coming...I didn't know that he wanted me to, and he said yeah, we're a team now! So Tommy, Eric and I went outside to set up the scene and it is just little things like that that make me want to do this so badly. After that first weekend I knew for sure that this was what I wanted to do. Leaving set, although yeah, I was a little tired, but I was happy. I had a day full of laughing, feeling somewhat productive, being a part of creating this movie, and just hanging out with fun people. I actually couldn't believe some people did this for a living. Now, I know you can't really make a living off being a PA because since they are at the bottom of the totem poll on any film set, they don't get paid great, but i'm ok with that and I am also ok with getting by with very little and even picking up a part-time job to keep it going. Well, I was going to mention the COBA KAT tonight and my business classes and how I honestly could care less, but given the fact of what I have just written about my experience on set so far, I guess it all could go without saying. I know this whole business thing has been something I've been feeling for a while now, so it is not new, but it just makes me more and more thankful with every class and test I take that I was able to find and latch onto something that I truly care and am passionate about. Whenever I had to sit through those finance, marketing, and now strategic management classes almost all I could really think about was, I honestly didn't care. I had/have no interest in finance and I don't think I could even tell you what in the world was on that COBA KAT I just took. I can't. I just can't get into business. But what I can is film, and i'm so glad it finally made its way to me. I can't wait again still filming again on Saturday, but then again, the sooner and more we film the sooner it will be done! ...hmm, maybe someone is making something in April I can out with! :)

The Semester Is Coming To A Close...Or, Glee now runs my life.

Well, when I came on here to update I realized it has been over a month since I have last updated. I'm trying to think about what I have been doing over this past month but I don't even know. Not too much. I guess last update was a couple weeks before Thanksgiving break which always tends to be when the mid-term paper and tests occur. But I think what has really kept me from updating, apart from the fact that I have absolutely nothing to say, is that I have pretty comfortably settled into the "senioritis" season of the year. Especially now more than ever, i guess, I find procrastination and any work whatsoever having to do with school is almost lost with me. So, one might wonder what I have been doing whilst I procrastinate and dread almost any form of homework and writing papers. TV. It is very sad yet true. I think it is official that TV has now taken over the largest chunk of my life. Keeping up with all the shows I love takes a lot of time! And not only the shows I have always loved but new ones as well. Here is the breakdown: Tuesdays- Glee and The Biggest Loser. Wednesday- Modern Family. Thursday- Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, Parks and Rec, Bones. Sunday- The Amazing Race. I believe those are all the shows I follow on a weekly basis. (But, luckily for me, Glee had a nice 3 week hiatus in there and Grey's Anatomy's last episode of the year was like, 3 weeks ago so...that's that.) However, Rizzoli and Isles just returned this Monday for 5 new episodes this season so, that will be taking the place of Grey's while they are out. Back at square one.

So let me just talk about my latest obsession at the moment and if you ever see my updates on Facebook you might be aware: Glee. I had casually been watching the show off and on since its first season but I haven't seen every episode. For some reason I decided to follow some of the cast on Twitter a while back and then found myself (maybe at the beginning of the school year?) watching a lot of cast interviews and whatnot on youtube. I decided I would watch season 3 when it returned and it's been pretty good, some episodes better than others, but the more I watched their videos the more I fell in love with this cast. So, I recently decided I would start from season 1 episode 1 cause I realized I hadn't even seen half of season one and I have only seen probably less than half of season 2. So I just got done with season 1 and I have got to admit, I ended up loving it a lot more than I thought. Like, some topics that Glee addresses (and a few back in this season and the end of season 2) I found to be a little ridiculous and maybe not handled in...well, i dunno, the best or most encouraging way. I thought the show had always been like this but in season 1, they really did have some great lessons and as whole I can see why it was such a successful and moving show, especially when it first came out in season 1. It encouraged people that it was ok to be different, or who you are and accepting of everyone and that bullying is just, well, annoying. It showed its ok to stand up for yourself and stand up for your friends and fight for what you believe in. It showed that friends and relationships are important and being part of something greater than just yourself is so rewarding. It made me miss being on a team. A place where a group of people gathers where you can lean on each other and you are all working together to achieve a goal. A team where everyone is friends and no matter what, you still have each other, memories, and a good time. I know no one I know gets into tv shows like I do but, it takes me away to how things were or how I want things to be and gives me hope. Maybe I don't have that group of people or team atmosphere in my life anymore, but at one point I did and in the future I hope to have it again. So now, whether anyone else thinks it's annoying or likes it or not, I am invested in these Glee characters and this club. It sounds cheesy and like i'm a complete nerd (cause I am) but i've gotten addicted to this show and I just can't stop! (You are lucky I am writing this now instead of already starting season 2!) Yea, the show is reeeally ridiculous sometimes and Matt Morrison (aka Will Shuster) gets on my nerves most times than not, but I love it. I get to be apart of that little group at McKinley and live out the person either I never was or I kinda wish I could be (mainly because I can't sing at all, however I love singing so, this is unfortunate) Anyway, I have now been able to write however long on my love for Glee while I still have a 5 page African American History paper to write and the final exam/essay for that class to think about. Like I said, TV has taken over my life. So, that being said...off to join my friends and start season 2. If you need me on Tuesday nights at 7, I can be found watching season 3. ;)

Guys, update. I am just watching episode 1 of season 2 and I forgot to mention also how much I love watching their musical numbers :) They are actually really good. I mean it's like, a combination of my 2 favorite things, tv and music. What is not to love?? Rant over.

Internship season is in full swing and you know what that means!

Well, well, well. It has been quite some time. This good ole blog and I got to know each other quite well this summer, but I seem to have abandoned it for the past month. (Actually, come to think of it, I think my last entry was EXACTLY a month ago today...or at least that is when I was flying home from Regina. Man, how time flies.) Anyway, I would say I could fill you in on what has happened within that month but, i'm sure most of you have seen my Facebook at least once in that time and pretty much are caught up...for the most part.

As you could guess (well, unless you followed this blog way back in February-May) I tended to always update when I was interning. Last semester I'm sure it might have been frowned upon, but this semester at this internship, completely different story, so I don't have to feel bad about it! For those who might be unaware, I am interning this semester for a music supervisor, Rick. I go into some offices for a mastering company where Rick has all his cd's kept in their basement, and just enter the cd's into iTunes, just that simple. Yea, I might not be learning to much but, in all honesty, i am learning just as much here pretty much than I have at 2 of my other internships so, i'm not concerned. Also, there is something else i've kinda been working on. Let me inform you.

When I was searching for internships for this semester, I heard about Ten Out Of Tenn looking for an intern and thought that would be great. Well, I sent in my stuff, never heard back, end of story...so I thought. Well, I get an e-mail from the girl last week asking if we (whoever sent stuff in to intern originally I guess) would still be willing to help out. Since I have a lot of free time now (which I am most certain I will talk about in a future entry) I told her that I could still help out, even though I do already have another internship. So she was grateful and said she would hook me up with another girl that could delegate tasks out...Sarah. So I get an e-mail from Sarah, e-mail back and forth, and she gives me some stuff to do in preparation for the tour that is coming up in a week or so now. She then says their tour manager will most likely be needing some help and she was going to give him our e-mail addresses. So last night I get an e-mail from him, end up going over to his house and met up with him, Sarah, and another chick to work on some stuff in preparation of the tour (he has just gotten back from being on the road with David Barnes) So anyway, we are over there until around 11 or so and didn't quite finish everything (well, I finished my part, then went on to help the other girl, haha) so I ended up finishing the rest of what didn't get done last night today after class. I'm glad that they over at TOT ended up reaching out and I decided to help. It is not only some more contacts that I get but it also has been keeping me a little more busy...which is always a good thing. Not sure if I would be able to add this as an internship on my resume, but I think looking over contracts and putting together tour books is good experience. So anyway, that is what has been going on intern wise lately...which I think no one knew about...up until today when I filled my mom in. So the tour managers name is Seth and I know he is crazy busy right now, but I think I might ask him if he wouldn't mind telling me when it gets a little less hectic how he got started and whatnot, cause I still think tour managing would be interesting...I mean, a lot of work, but fun nonetheless...at least that is what I guess. I also realized more tonight during my marketing of recorded music class where I want my future career to head...or not head, but I will spare you for now and save that for a later post, haha.

Well, not sure if anyone cares or is even going to read this but...it's kinda been good reacquainting with my blog. Thanks if you made it this far! Man, you are one of a kind!! haha.

Update:
Also, I want to change my title of the blog for this semester. Any ideas are welcomed.