The Seminoles

Currently reading: The George Carlin Letters, The Permanent Courtship of Sally Wade

Listening to: The Naked and Famous- Young Blood

What has happened in the last few months? Well, let’s see…

As far as work goes, I have read at least 200 scripts, sent over 1,000 emails, listened in on hundreds of calls, and scheduled, cancelled, and rescheduled A LOT of meetings. I feel like a completely different person than when I first started. I have more confidence than I even know I possessed and have learned so much just 3 months time. It is overwhelming to say the least-- I didn’t realize how much of an effect this new job would have on me emotionally, and physically. Now that I am settling in though, I am doing much better. Kelly has taught me so much, she is a wealth of knowledge and I plan to take full advantage of everything she has to offer me. There are so many people in this business, and somehow she has managed to navigate through and make sincere connections along the way-- and people respect the hell out of her. There is always so much going on-- between the 2 shows we have on the air and a dozen in development, there is never a dull moment. I get to go to Comicon with PSYCH at the end of July, and shooting starts for MAN UP in the beginning of August. I am in a really good place right now, ad have a lot to look forward to.

What else? Well, I turned 23—and my birthday weekend was better than anything I could have expected. Erin and Robert came down, which was amazing. Alex spent the whole weekend with us, and my new Seminole crew was so much fun, and made my birthday very special. Ahh yes, the Seminoles—where do I even start... I moved to Venice, got Char back (thank god) and now am officially in a Florida State bubble… and it’s really not so bad. In fact, I love them… yes all of them… yes, even Tyler. Little did I know when I met them for drinks 2 months ago how much they would mean to me, in such a short amount of time. These guys are the best, I mean the absolute best. There are 8 good looking--yup I said it, good looking guys all from Florida-- West Palm and Tampa to be exact and 3 of them are my roommates. During the few months I have lived with them, here are a few things I have learned:

- the meaning of the word “beast” and the correct way to use it in a sentence, see: regal?

- how to pop bottles

- “The Show”

- how to tell the difference between West Palm kids and Tampa kids

-“I don’t want to go to the Brig” means we will for sure end up there

- guys either take 2 minutes, or 2 hours to get ready to go—nothing in between

- never go to Home Depot if you don’t plan on spending hours looking for nothing and NOT asking for help, ever.

- the name “Alex Baker” is supposed to mean something to me

- when in doubt, say something vulgar or racist

No matter how stressed out I am from work, or from financial bullshit, there is always the crude comment or ridiculously inappropriate stunt that makes me laugh and pulls me right out of my funk.. I am thankful to have them in my life. On the weekends, I drag them to the farmers market (which I think they secretly like) and in the afternoons we head to the beach. I love Venice, the people, the atmosphere, all of it. This weekend for the July 4th I am going to the Entourage wrap party—oh how my life has changed.

I know I am right where I belong and can’t wait to see what’s next.

Peace and Love always.

tagline pictures.

Currently reading: Bossy Pants- Tina Fey
Listening to: Breathe Me- Sia

Where do I even begin? In these last few months, my life has turned upside down… yet again. After Criminal Minds wrapped in Jan., I jumped onto No Ordinary Family. From there, I worked on 3 pilots back to back- Common Law, My Life as an Experiment, and Man Up!-- all wonderful experiences. I had the chance to work with Jack Black, Donald Sutherland—and Modern Family’s director Mike Spiller. Doing 3 back-to-back pilots was a lot of work, but trust me it was all worth it. While I was working on Man Up as the set PA, I met Kelly. Let me just say this lady is the most badass executive producer I know—and she’s my boss. :)Basically, we met and the stars aligned. It was one of those surreal moments that you realize you are exactly where you belong at the exact right place and time. Everything happened so fast—in just 15 minutes my whole life had changed.

I miss PA’ing—all the different actors, locations, and the excitement of being on set. Most of all, I miss my team- especially Jason. But soon enough, we will be working together again and we both know I am right where I need to be. I no longer work 18 hour days, no more coffee runs, and no more walkies. My days are now filled with scheduling pitches, sending emails, reading LOTS of scripts, and rolling phone calls with agents/writers/producers… you name it. Kelly does exactly what it is I want to do, and she is great at it. This is the opportunity of a lifetime for me and I plan to take full advantage. At first, I was completely overwhelmed but I absolutely love my job and every day I get more and more confident. Just last night Kelly took me to the screening of Bridesmaids—our company represents Annie Mumolo who co-wrote the movie with Kristin Wiig. I got to meet the director Paul Feig (he directed The Office and Knocked Up, and created Freaks and Geeks). It was awesome!

So that is my work life…and I don’t have time for much else. I am moving closer to work, and closer to the beach- Venice to be exact. This is great for 2 reasons: 1. No more hour and a half commuting to work every day, and 2. I GET CHARLI BACK. I am moving into a huge house with 3 guys- all hilarious and wonderful in their own unique way… I can’t wait to move in!

Being away from my family and friends isn’t getting any easier—but they are super excited for me and I call them as much as I can. I am going to Vegas with the girls this weekend and I couldn’t be more excited. Erin is graduating in a few weeks and I am so very proud of her. I can’t wait to see what she is going to do!

So life is good, really good. I am trying to keep my feet on the ground and take everything one day at a time. If I have learned anything in this business, it’s that anything can happen—anything.

Peace&Love

edit mode.

Currently reading: Personal Finance in your 20's for Dummies

Currently listening to: I'm Good I'm Gone- Lykke Li

Well, the show has officially wrapped and I am adjusting... well doing the best I can anyway. I have a lot more time for myself now, which has been both a blessing and a curse. I have been able to catch up with friends, read, see Black Swan, (and yes Natalie Portman totally deserved to win)workout, etc., however, I am still practically a stranger here- and I've been a little lonely at times..BUT, now I have a movie to edit! Thank god! Through one of the directors on the show I was able to meet a fellow aspiring filmmaker. I get to edit her short film and today I got to go to the shoot. To my surprise, one of the shooting locations was at my boss's boss's boss's boss's boss's boss's boss's(the executive producer) house. It was the most beautiful place I have been to in LA! They even had horses! And, according to "The Secret", it is important to surround yourself with success- and lets just say today I was swimming in it, even better shooting in it. It was a nice reminder that all this hard work just might pay off someday... So for now I am editing, and even though I have been doing it for a while, each project presents new challenges. Each time I edit I learn something new, the craft is always evolving and the possibilities are endless. Even though I absolutely loved my job as a set PA, I have been craving some sort of creative responsibility. I need to be a part of the creative process, and editing this short is letting me do just that! It came at the perfect time, and I am excited to be a part of the team. I was also presented with the opportunity to PA on an upcoming pilot which I couldn't be more excited about! I will be working with a great group of people and I am counting the days until it starts! I will brag about it more once the pilot officially starts and I know more about it!

I leave you with 2 video links, both are great in their own way. The first is a sizzle reel of Criminal Minds Suspect Behavior, which is the show I just wrapped. A friend recently told me that during the filming of Vanilla Sky, after locking up Times Square so it was completely empty, (an incredible shot) Tom Cruise went on the walkie and thanked the PA's saying they wouldn't have been able to get the shot without them. Even though its a small part, we definitely do our part and when I watch this trailer I feel so proud to have been a part of this amazing experience! The second video, is for anyone who is interested in transcoding footage from a 5D or 7D through a program called MPEG Streamclip (which is free to download online) so that you can edit it in Final Cut Pro. It is a really important step in the process and if it isn't done right- it can screw up the whole project. I found this video to be very straight forward. The only thing I do differently is that I use Apple Prores 422 to covert. So if anyone cares, anyone at all, this little tutorial is for you. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=913MYPAZ6jw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxo5YWz7_dw

oh yea, one last thing! i am officially on IMDb and it is a wonderful feeling! Life is good.

PEACE&LOVE.

"If music be the food of love, play on..." William Shakespeare

Currently reading: No More Tomorrows by Schapelle Corby
Listening to: Pursuit of Happiness- kid cudi cover by Lissie

Right now, I am in a weird place. I just returned home (LA home that is) from a 2 week break in Northern California (my other home). I split my time there between the Bay Area, Tahoe, and Sonoma. I felt at home and completely at peace up there. I have the best family and I am so thankful for them, they are so supportive and I wouldn't be where I am without them… not even close. I was able to see my closest friends whom I love and adore. My friends have my heart, and unfortunately thats in Sonoma. When we get together, its as if no time has passed, and we pick up right where we left off. And then there is Char.. I am better when I am with her. This is the first time we have been separated since I got her 3 years ago.. We are so close it is hard to describe. I never knew it was possible to have such a strong connection with my dog, but that little bearded ball of love really is my best friend. Leaving was hard this time, harder than usual. For me, my work life is in LA, but the rest of my life isn't. So I guess its just a weird transition for me trying to figure how to balance these two completely different worlds.

For two weeksthere was no mention of set, first team, background, the bucket, or call sheets, and then as if no time had passed I jumped right back into it, and I was happy! I absolutely love set, every part of it. I know that this is where I belong. As hard as it is to leave my family and friends, this is where I need to be right now, this is where I thrive. We are approaching the last week on CMSB and that honestly scares the shit out of me. I have grown attached to the cast and crew, and this life is all I know here in LA. These people had faith in me and gave me a chance to be a part of something incredible. Film and television have the ability to remove people from their lives and take them somewhere else, another world, one that I helped create. It's pretty magical really and it is exciting to be even just a small part of it.

So thats where I'm at right now.. and I am not gonna lie it's a little overwhelming. I need to slow down and take it one day at a time. AND, I also need to accept the fact that even though I do my best to be positive and happy, not everyday is going to be a good day. It's okay to have bad days too, thats just the way it is. I'm doing the best that I can, and I really do plan on giving LA a chance. So far, its been good to me. I know I have a lot to look forward to as I plan my next move. And as soon as I figure out what that is, i'll let ya know…

Peace and Love

Timing is Everything

Currently Reading: Rebels on the Backlot by Sharon Waxman
Listening to: Home- Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

Set life is hard to explain.. It is a world where everything is pretend, staged, and covered with hairspray. Everyone speaks a certain language and if you don't stay focused-- even for a second, you could miss something important. I have finally mastered military time, and am learning about everything from props, to location scouts and production reports. It is hard for me to believe it is already December... the past few months are all blurred together and as we near the last few episodes of Suspect Behavior it still hasn't hit me that this life will end for me soon, and a new adventure awaits. People in this industry are used to bouncing around from show to show, or jumping at exciting new job opportunities. But for me, this crew is all I know, and I have become quite attached to them. I spend close to 70 hours a week with these people, and they are all I have here. I keep reminding myself this is only the beginning and there will be many crews and people to connect with. I am so thankful to have met some pretty wonderful people in the short time I have been here... oh and speaking of wonderful people, there is Alex. I met miss Alexandra Adams on my first day at work.. we both moved here for this job and are all each other has in this crazy world we have thrown ourselves into... We bonded right away, and have become really close over the past few months... She knows the real me and loves me anyways, she has taught me a lot about myself and gives some of the very best advice. We have each others backs on and off set, and we want what is best for one another, always. My best times in LA have been spent on her floor by the fireplace listening to good music and laughing about something funny that happened at work that day. I miss my friends back home, and having her here has made the adjustment to my new life much easier and I will always be grateful that she came into my life when I needed her.

I am living alone for the first time which has also been different. No Kels, no Erin, and no Char... that definitely took some getting used to.. I love my new place- I feel safe and independent, and have started to settle in and feel at home. I am using my GPS less and less and am not as homesick anymore. This is where I belong, and I know I made the right choice coming here. I have realized that at the end of the day, you can only really count on yourself to be happy. I have started trusting myself and my decisions more and more.. it is important to live in the moment... When I spend my time worrying about the past or future, I accomplish nothing and I miss what is happening right in front of me.. There is always going to be something negative to focus on, but at the same time there is a lot of beauty in the world and I try to do my best to appreciate it every day. Some days it is harder than others, but life is too short. Do what makes you happy, and when your not happy anymore, do something about it.

I am looking forward to the holidays, time off, and seeing my friends... there are a couple projects in the works as far as my future is concerned, and I am not too worried about it. I have a feeling it is going to work out great.I am excited to see what happens next...


PEACE&LOVE


All I need to make a comedy is a park, a policeman and a pretty girl. -- Charlie Chaplin

Zen wrapped in Karma dipped in chocolate.

Currently reading: I Am Not Myself These Days

Listening to: Lay Me Down- The Dirty Heads





The last month has been quite a whirlwind to say the least... Life in Hollywood moves fast, very fast. I love it though. Yes, I am saying it, I LOVE LA. This city has more to offer me than I could have imagined and in just a few short weeks here, my life has become something I even have a hard time recognizing. I am working as a set PA on a couple different shows, and enjoying every minute of it. What have I learned? The question is, what haven't I learned. Each day is a new adventure and a learning experience. I have finally mastered the walkie, and now know it is not okay to say more than 5 words on channel 1. I know how to change a battery in under 5 seconds, and can fly sides like its no ones business. I am always alert and am constantly paying attention to everything that is going on around me. I also learned that when someone does something nice for you, you don't fight them on it. You say thank you, move on, and return the favor some day.. Lets just say I will be returning a lot of favors in the future.

Although people are on a much faster pace down here, I am finding myself slowly but surely beginning to keep up, and it feels good. I have so much to be grateful for and am so fortunate to be where I am right now. I don't take one minute of it for granted. I try and venture to a different area of LA every weekend and am continuing to take as many pictures as I can. So far my favorite place is a small bookstore I found called Sam French Theater, every book in the store has to do with film. Can you believe it? And another store I really like is called Little Buddha, it just opened on Melrose and I have to be careful when I wonder in not to spend my whole paycheck at once.

I miss my friends and family but their support is almost tangible. I love them very much and being away has not been easy.. Kevin is here and he is wonderful, I don't know what I would do without him at this point, and I am not looking to find out anytime soon.

Lets just say life is good, no life is great. I will try and write more often, I want to keep track of everything I am doing and learning... Stay posted.

Peace&Love.

Hellllo Hollywood :)

Currently reading: Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas
Listening to: If It's Love- Train

The past 2 months of my life have led me to a couple of realizations. First, for a lack of better words, I am domestically challenged. Second, I know above anything else right now I want to make movies, or tv, or anything for that matter. So- I left. I left everyone and everything behind to start my life in LA... and well, so far so good.

I start work on the set of Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior tomorrow and I can't decided if I am more nervous or excited. Whatever it is, it is good, really really good. Everything has been falling into place for me, and I am thanking my lucky stars. It seems as if I was almost fighting fate by trying to stay in northern california. I am proud of myself for making this decision- no regrets, ever ever ever.

I am so grateful for all the support from my friends and family, there is no way I could have done any of this on my own. But now that I am here, it is up to me to prove myself and be the best PA anyone has ever seen.. well at least try to be. I am confident in myself and I know this is where I belong right now. Life is good- and I am not taking a single minute of it for granted. I also recently decided that I want to remember each and every day, and because that is virtually impossible I am going to document it. I am going to take a picture every single day, starting 3 days ago (August 20). So wish me luck on that one!






PEACE AND LOVE