Pawnee Visit//Oakwood Goodbyes

My last official week of Grady LA was perfect! I was truly amazed to see how much of a routine I had built only to see it come to an end.

Monday I had my internship. It was bittersweet as my time was coming to a close but I got a chance to work on a treatment for a new show which was fun. I felt very official! After that I went to the annual women's summer white party held by C3 Silverlake/Hollywood. Now most of my friends that know me well, know that directions and driving can give me great anxiety and the parking situation in LA can be quite confusing and stressful. But alas, I ventured out and found myself parked and waiting exactly where I needed to be! The party was fun and I was really glad I went. I cherish the connections I was able to make in the place I may one day call my home!

Lovely C3 Summer White Party at NoHo.

The message was beautiful. We referenced the verse often used for young ones on the precipice of an unsure future:

For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for well-being and not for trouble, to give you a future and a hope. - Jeremiah 29:11

- You can't doubt God's promise.

- Compromise comes when the promise can't be seen in our current position

- Determination with desperation and without submission leads to compromise.

- God isn't looking for a stand in or replacement in your life
-- your his plan A NOT plan B


Tuesday we went to the Dodgers/Braves game. I'm not a big sports aficionado but the experience was fun regardless! The Stadium was beautiful. I wore blue so as not to reveal my allegiance, as I technically had none. It will always remain a mystery, which team was I rooting for? Wouldn't you like to know? Technically, so would I...haha.

Dodgers.

Dat field though...

After that we went to a very well-known karaoke bar called "Dimples." It's very famous and many famous people go there to have a good time. But alas we went on a night where famous people there were not. Except for one America's Next Top Model contestant Don Benjamin (and groupies that sang way to well for a karaoke bar)! I freaked out, he sang "I'm Too Sexy," and it was perfect!

Wednesday I continued my research for my internship and when I came home we watched one of my favorite films Pride & Prejudice, which I can quote word for word (much to my roommate's dismay). It was a sweet night.

Thursday was the day I'd been literally waiting all summer for. The day we went to visit the set of Parks and Recreation. All I have to say is many pictures were taken and many freak outs were experienced. And with one of these pictures I pulled a joke on my friends back home that was worthy of applause...

Welcome to the Parks Department.

Council Members.

Conference room.

Pawnee Mural.

April and Andy's living room.

That evening we screened our group projects that we filmed and they were hilarious! We had no idea that each one of our separate films made one giant film as a whole...it was a masterpiece. And as I watched all the different portions of the films edited together a wave of nostalgia rushed over me. It was the sweetest thing to see all the personalities and humor of so many of my classmates. I loved it! Our evening concluded with a group dinner to Umami Burger and a game of superlatives that got all too real too quick. Funny but really real. And then I went with some of the guys to an evening showing of Guardians of the Galaxy which was quite possibly the best summer film I've ever seen! I was blown away. My expectations were high and I'm happy to say they were all met.

My awesome Guardians of the Galaxy poster.

My last day of my internship was very sad. We never truly realize how attached we've become until we reach the end. I'd grown to love all my co-workers and the fun work environment they'd created but alas my time was done. They surprised me with cupcakes and a card. I'm gonna miss A Smith & Co. I am I am....

Sprinkles cupcakes from A Smith.

Saturday, the last official day of Grady LA, started very early and was literally the day that never ended and the day I got to be a soccer mom and cart people around all day. Don't get me wrong, I loved it, it was just a long day. I took a friend of mine to the airport, stopped my Chick-fil-A for breakfast, went the car rental to pick up a friend, got blocked in at Enterprise(it was a mad house), the friend I came to pick ended going back another way but I managed to pick up 3 other friends instead, and I came back to the apartment at 10AM only to find out that we had to move out by 10:30...Our morning became a mad dash to leave Oakwood and after a call persuading them to change our departure to noon we were out of our summer home at 12:30. Then after some car shuffling and confusion we used some Universal tickets procured in various ways(we won't get into that) to spend our last day riding rides and spending time together at Universal Hollywood. It was a lovely day that ended all too quick. And after playing about 20 mins of Ellen's game "Heads Up" (prolonging the inevitable) we said our goodbyes in the Oakwood guest lot outside the gate. Yes, tears were shed.

This summer was incredible. I had a wonderful time experiencing so many great things and spending time with so many amazing people. California has truly stolen my heart!

My musings from Grady LA have ended. But the musings of a post-grad have only just begun.

So until we meet again friends...

West Coast//East Coast

This week. I changed coasts over a period of days. It was kind of crazy but I feel so incredibly blessed that I was even able to do it in the first place. All right, let's get on to my crazy week in LA/GA, shall we?

This week my internship started and ended bright and early with continuing my research for their future projects. Although the work has remained the same I've been extremely thankful for such a chill work environment that makes me feel comfortable and appreciated. Places like that are hard to come by sometimes...Thanks A. Smith!

Tuesday we had class which was composed of our pitching sessions. It was really cool to see how diverse our projects were. They ranged from intriguing dramas to chilling American Horror Story-esque mini series' to complicated stories of futuristic romances, very entertaining. However, I pitched a potential documentary following a girl or guy who willingly chooses not to pay for college housing by moving from building to building living "on campus" but for free. Crazy? Maybe. But if I could find someone passionate enough it could definitely be interesting. After that we got the chance to be part of a studio audience again at Chelsea Lately...once again not very glamorous waiting in line BUT we did get to sit quite close which was super exciting for my roomie Emily. And all too soon it was over and we were leaving. It's amazing how quickly a 30 min show will go by. I swear I blinked and it was already over.

Chelsea Lately!

Later on, a friend and I went to a hang-out at a park for a church called C3 Silverlake. And this church was just so incredibly welcoming that if I do in fact move back to LA I think I would definitely consider making C3 Silverlake my church home. Crazy to think about but exciting! The message I heard the first day was something very powerful all about being rejected because of choosing to follow Christ. We studied in 2 Corinthians 5:16-17.

From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.  

- Sometimes you will be rejected because you're not what people expected AND sometimes you'll be rejected because you're not what they remembered.

AMEN!

All I have to say is finding a place where you belong in such a big place can be hard but nothing is impossible when you're where God wants you! When I got home me, my roommate Jenna, and our honorary roommate Sam watched The Phantom of the Opera and sang the night away(we all knew the words by heart). Though the songs we sang were not entirely audible or on key it definitely stands out as a highlight out of my many evenings in LA, it was adorable and I loved it!

Wednesday I interned in the morning and came home to pack up for my trip back to GA. It was sad because I didn't want to leave or miss anything but GA called as one of my best friends from college was getting married....So I began to pack...it was an odd experience to pack knowing I still had one week left in LA and to realize truly how fast time had gone. To give you a visual aid....here's a pic of all the tickets and papers I've accumulated from events in the past few weeks...

My junk. My memories.

My flight from LAX was at 6:48 Thursday morning and when it's typically advised to get to flights a couple hours early...guess who set an alarm for 3AM? And guess who woke up 20 minutes late? But alas all things worked out. I've always been leery of plane flights since after this trip I can count on one hand how many times I've actually flown in a plane. However, my bags got checked, I got through security and I touched down in good ole GA at 2:15, greeted by the first rain I'd seen in weeks! It never rains in California. Of course my day was shot due to the time difference but I got a chance to not only get some of my favorite southern fast food at Zaxby's but to also visit my second family and my best friend for the evening. And even though my visit was brief I loved seeing them!

Friday evening was Jodi and Jeremy's rehearsal dinner. It was brief and lovely. Then I went to Zaxby's for a second time to see my dear friends and meet my best friend Mae's Corgi Cap n' Chubs (aka my nephew)!

Church friends and Cap n' Chubs!

Saturday was the big day! I saw my best friend of the past 3 years marry her best friend. We met at community college and all I have to say is, "Never overlook those transitional periods in life. Just because you don't think they're great doesn't mean God can't use them regardless." Anyways, the wedding was beautiful! It was outside at a country club and it was sweltering at the beginning but once time passed by the sun went down and it was relatively cool (I mean we live in GA) for the wedding! It went by in a flash, tons of pictures, great friends, and all in all just a happy day! Congrats Jodi & Jeremy!

My bridesmaid bouquet.

Then all too soon I was back in LA ready to embark on my last week! My roommate picked me up at the airport and then after a quick nap we were off to LA's warehouse district to polish off filming for our group project....it was great fun! After all of that was done we went to Santa Monica to have dinner with my roommate's cousin who was in town. He was the lead singer in the band "Collective Soul." It was super cool and I think I speak for all my roommates when I say we totally felt like groupies hanging with all these musicians for the night and it was SUPER cool!

No words. This is insanely gorgeous. Seriously.

What would a silly group project be without a fun picture, I ask you?

Front Row//Future Planz

Here we go a couple of weeks left and so much still to do...

My internship is still the same. The show ideas change but the Youtube hunts continue. But I love youtube and have been an avid youtube watcher for a while now. In a sense, I've been training for this internship my whole life!

Tuesday we went to HBO (no big deal). The office was AMAZING. But sadly, no pictures were allowed...they even had a little POP version of Eddard Stark sitting on an iron throne. We screened The Normal Heart  and then had lunch with the film execs for a Q & A. Then after that we talked Jenn out of class in exchange for double class time Thursday and spent the day in Santa Monica.

Santa Monica was beautiful and overcast. There was a glimmer of rain but alas we live in California so it was simply a glimmer and nothing more. After some beach time we went to the Third Street Promenade for some shopping and lunch. Our day concluded with a guy yelling at us advertising free ice cream sandwiches from an Old Spice truck. So it was a pretty perfect day.

Santa Monica Pier.

On Wednesday my roommates and I got a chance to be a part of the studio audience for So You Think You Can Dance! And let me tell you, being a part of a studio audience isn't as glamorous as people might think it is. We had to be at the studio by 7:45 to wait in line for the taping of the opening routine. Somehow we got to sit in the front row! Unfortunately, a lady in the back complained and actually asked me to sit down because I was blocking her view. Ohh the trials of being tall...then after that we were free to gallivant until we came back for the taping of the show live for the East Coast. We went to brunch and then The Grove, never knew you could go to The Cheesecake factory and just order a strawberry lemonade and sweet tea but we did. Then we sat in line on the pavement in the hot sun for a few hours....when we finally got in we were seated right behind the judges which was pretty cool. During the show I was simply in awe of how smoothly it ran as a live tv show. As someone who is intrigued by production it was insane how well choreographed the crew was during filming. In the end even though it was a tiring day I wouldn't have passed up the experience to see these talented dancers perform!

Opening chess piece dance routine at So You Think You Can Dance.

Thursday we had class and after class I decided to peruse the internet for a little-known film called Snowpiercer. I had been invited by some friends to see it the night before but unfortunately because we were heading back from the show I couldn't go but since it had such great reviews (and because I'm me) I had to watch it for myself. It was amazing. I've been describing it like this: If Hunger Games and City of Ember had a baby it would be this film. But now I think I'll also add The Raid because of it's structure in defeating each train car as they move to the front of the train to defeat Wilford, the one who runs the "eternal" engine. All you gotta know is it takes place in the future, after a failed experiment to end global warming the world has been sent into a second ice age, the only thing sustaining life is a train where the rich live at the front and the poor are forced to live at the back, and one young man incites rebellion to change it all...it was a crazy two hour ride I wasn't expecting but it was extremely original and although it left me squeamish and anxiety ridden through the majority of it I enjoyed it nonetheless. Beware, it's not a film for the faint of heart. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

After my internship on Friday I went to see the film Boyhood in theaters. I saw the trailer back in April and it blew me away and after I got to experience this amazing feat in film history in theaters I was blown away yet again. This film was shot over a period of 12 years and follows the life of a young boy through his childhood. It's as simple as that. It's beautiful in it's simplicity and shows life in it's truest form as the actors never change. This type of continuity has never been attempted and words simply cannot express how in love with this film I am. Time goes by so smoothly and effortlessly that even as I watched the film when he reached 18 asked, "Where did the time go?" It was beautiful. Just watch it.

Boyhood pictures at Arclight Cinemas.

Sunday was the UGA Alumni mixer at Yamashiro in Hollywood. Tried sushi for the first time. SO GOOD. Talked to some UGA Alums which was super intimidating...the only way I could think to open a conversation was to say, "Hello sailor." Luckily, I didn't say that. Overall it was a super swanky and fun night. No complaints and I even made a few contacts. I guess I know how to mix...

Yamashiro in Hollywood.

Also, for all who are interested in my future and life's goings-on. You who may be wondering, "Are you going to move to California? Are you coming back home? Do you have a job lined up for fall?" The answer to those questions are, "Yes. Yes. No." My plans for the future are something I've definitely prayed about and given some very careful consideration. Right now, it's not feasible financially for me to move to LA (even though I really want to). So I'm gonna move back home for a year to save and hopefully by this time next year I'll be moving to this place that I've fallen in love with in a few short weeks. Sound good?

Movie Walls//Mini Pies

The end is nigh dear friends I literally have one weekend left before one of my best friend's weddings on the 26th. I'm freaking out. So for now no more time talk. Onto my week...which is what I know you all want.

I started off my week right with an informational with Helen Caldwell (Script Supervisor, Breaking Bad). And you dear reader might be wondering how did I get in contact with such a cool person? Literally, the most typical way for anyone to get in contact with anyone in this industry a friend of a friend knows her and gave me her number many moons ago before I came to LA. It was fantastic! She's such an amazing person and had an incredible amount of wisdom to pass on. And an apprenticeship might be in my future....fingers crossed.

We went to TBS/TNT on Tuesday to chat with people in the industry to hear how they entered into the industry and what their current jobs are. Yet, another inspiring experience to add to the myriad of talks we've had while in LA. The common factor in most of these talks is that one key experience/connection that catapults their careers and in this industry there's only one direction to move and that's up! I think I can do it. I just need to find my one experience. That's what I'm praying for.

Movie wall at TBS/TNT.

On Wednesday, right after my internship I was off to Beverly Hills to the Paley Center again but this time for the premiere of the new tv series Manhattan. I don't think I'll ever get over how cool it is to not only go to premieres but to see famous people. There was a reception beforehand and as we walked into one of the rooms to get free drinks as I looked around I realized there was a ton LOST relics and that's my show. Needless, to say I was sufficiently entertained even if the premiere had been canceled. Luckily I got the best of both worlds. The main person I was excited to see at this premiere was none other than Olivia Williams who's not only been in some Joe Wright (aka one of my favorite director's of all time) films but also played Jane Austen in BBC's Miss Austen's Regrets and Jane Fairfax in Emma. And after screening the pilot for a fantastic show that I'll definitely be following from week to week there was a gift table. One thing I will never turn down is free stuff. They were handing out gift bags with free shirts and boxes with mini, baby pies. Too cute!

Paley Center.

LOST relics.

John Locke's casket.

Remnants of Oceanic Flight 815.

We did some shopping in on Fairfax on Thursday after class. Shopping here is fun and a different experience, let's just say that. Also, shopping trips initiated by boys are sure to be interesting as well.

I've begun to look down as I walk because of the cool sidewalk art!

Saturday was the we had the Writer's Guild Workshop which was interesting. I was excited to hear from the writer of Castle which I'm pretty sure I'm the only one on this trip who was. I swear that show brings out my inner middle-aged stay at home mum. Who cares? I love it anyways! Afterwards, me and my roommates ventured to Fat Sal's for lunch. Yet another food outing that has left my life changed. The food was pricey but delicious. The amount/variety of things you can put on a sandwich makes its namesake well-deserved. Next time...I wanna try a Fat Shake.

Fat Sal's Glorious Grilled Chicken Sandwich.

Internship this past week was the same. I watched Youtube videos....so many Youtube videos and I continued my research. However, at the end of the week I got to sit in on a creative meeting that lasted over 2 hours during which we watched over 10 minutes of vine videos. Kind of perfect if you ask me, sitting in a conference room watching vine's on Youtube. That's our industry folks and it's pretty sweet.

Ended the week with another visit to my favorite neighborhood hipster church Mosaic. I wouldn't be me unless I gave Jesus a shout out on here and plus the lesson was really good. So here's what I got for you friends...

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding... - Proverbs 3:5

Trust is an essential element to a relationship with God.
- If you don't trust people you won't trust God.
- And the prerequisite to a relationship with God is to say "yes" no matter what.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. - Galatians 3:28

- God wants to move us from being a person to a people.

Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!" - Exodus 24:7
- Do and obey seems redundant but it's not an accident. Trusting the Lord before we understand.
- Literally meaning we will say "yes" and then understand. Order of do and obey is not an accident.

Last but not least remember to trust God no matter what...

Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him. - Job 13:15

Well that's all I got friends. Until next week...

P.S. Shout out to Zach who told me not to blog...in class (I didn't listen) and gave me verses to look up...in class. Thanks friend.

Guardians of the Galaxy//IMAX

A few weeks ago I heard that Marvel Studios would release 17 minutes of footage from Guardians of the Galaxy as part of an exclusive first-look event in 150 IMAX theaters across the U.S. and Canada.  And as I currently live in the city I do there were about a million theaters showing this exclusive first look. We chose the Chinese theater, which was an amazing experience in itself! The footage I saw was incredible and it slightly kills my soul a bit that our departure date and its release go hand in hand. But let's get technical for a second...after I watched the footage in IMAX, as part of their promotion, I thought about this marketing approach and I was impressed. Honestly, it was genius. This not only satisfied the fans hunger for more footage but also gave us a chance to experience the film in the most expensive format. Now that we've experienced "the best" the transition back to standard seems unlikely. I know I'm gonna see it in IMAX 3D after yesterday. So basically, we got a free treat in exchange for a hefty return on the non-existent investment. Well played higher powers that be, well played. I feel sufficiently manipulated, in the best possible sense (of course).


Source: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/guardians-galaxy-get-imax-preview-715415

Viral Plague//Teen Wolf

Let me first say that this week did not feel like a week at all...and it wasn't. I went to internship one day, toured the FOX lot, was out sick/stayed home for my second day of internship, toured the Teen Wolf set, went to Hermosa beach for the 4th, and topped of my weekend binging Teen Wolf and went to The Grove.

On my one and only day of internship I continued research and youtube video watching which resulted in my new found obsession with Scientology(I know...I have a problem) and got to experience the loveliness of food from a place called Cabbage Patch. I had a grilled veggie sandwich that changed my life, believe me. Plus, it's fun to say, "I ate a cabbage patch."

On Tuesday we went to the Fox lot which was pretty cool. We toured the lot and got a chance to see the Modern Family sound stage. The lot was super nice and I loved the murals on the side of each stage building! While, I've only seen a few episodes of Modern Family it was still neat to see the trickery of sets. Everything is smaller, the plants aren't real, and the fridges hold fake food. After our tour concluded we adjourned to the commissary to watch the World Cup. What an experience. Boys like their sports, they do....they do. Even though US lost I think it's pretty cool that I can say I watched the World Cup US 2014 game on the FOX lot. I mean, not many can say that, am I right?

FOX lot.

Seven Year Itch mural.

Modern Family set.

Wednesday was my sick day. I woke up an incubus of viral plague and called in sick to my second and final day of internship this week. And with a cup of Emergen-C I stayed home, slept, vegged, and watched a TON of free movies On Demand. In the end my sick day film list included: Jumper, In Time, bit of Avatar, my personal favorite Oblivion, Place Beyond the Pines, and Beasts of the Southern Wild. It was a good day.

Thursday, we went for a little set visit for Teen Wolf. This was a particularly new and unique experience because we got to see the behind the scenes offices. As we toured we got to see concept art, storyboards, floor plans, wardrobe trailers, and then the sound stage. While seeing all the cool sets I was impressed at the sheer size and scope, even though I had no idea what the locations were. After my tour I took this as the perfect opportunity to binge watch the show...and now some delayed fangirling is happening. Typical for me. I love how I was taking pictures of things I didn't know and now I'm recognizing things little by little as I watch and it's too much fun. Nothing like a set visit to put a binge watch in motion.

Teen Wolf art.

Stiles' jeep from Teen Wolf.

We rented a party bus to go to Hermosa and after a sparkly, hot, sweaty ride(the AC did not work) and hour long commute, we arrived. And there we stayed. The sun was hot, the water was cold, and the company was fun. Spent 5 bucks on a lunch that never came. Watched fireworks on the beach and a house performance that'll leave my life forever changed...pop music and celebrity impersonators. Guys, I saw "Miley Cyrus" and a wrecking ball! Life changed. The ride home was eventful. The party bus had a pole and let's just say there are things that I'll never unsee nor would I want to. It was a fun, weird 4th that's for sure.

Saturday I finally got to experience The Grove. Fountains with synchronized music and stores with high prices. It sure was a pretty place though.

The Grove.

Community//Yahoo

Yesterday, I first read on a not-so-reliable source that Community had been picked up for it's sixth season by Yahoo.com, which was a bit of a wild card. There was some dispute as to whether or not if it was true but then other reliable sites started to report on it too. I have to say (personally) I'm ecstatic! This show holds a very near and dear place in my heart as I too went to a community college prior to UGA. And while my experiences weren't nearly as exciting or unique, surprisingly, a lot of things about this show mirrored my experience in a special way. The show's pop-culture and film references, homages, and witty dialogue are a thing of beauty(I don't exaggerate). There are some references that I didn't even understand until I went to university, which is crazy since the show is about community college but I digress...

Community's cult following is the chief contributor to keeping this series alive.

In the article Joel McHale is quoted saying, " 'The reports of our cancelation have been greatly exaggerated.' — Mark Twain (The other version of this quote has been wrong for years). #SixSeasonsAndaMovie is real. Thank you Sony. Thank you Yahoo. Thank you Dan Harmon. And thank you to the greatest f%$#ing fans in the history of the human race. It’s the internet. We can swear now."

This series has been through a lot from characters leaving, schedule changes, and now the transition from television to internet. However, as a fan, it has been an incredible ride because of how much that has actually worked out even amidst all the drama. I think this transition and unique journey for this show will make history. It's sad when such good quality shows have to go through so much to get shown but the dedication to making this show happen makes it all worth while.

All I gotta say is #SixSeasonsandAMovie might be closer than we think....

Source: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/community-returning-sixth-season-yahoo-715857

LA Ciné//Golden Men

Well, goodbye June it's been great. I can't believe I've been here a month now. I'm finding myself slowly becoming acclimated to this town and the fast paced lifestyle. I use to be so intimidated by new things and venturing out of my comfort zone but it's not so scary anymore...and don't tell my mom but I think I could see this place as home!

This week was pretty busy. We started off with a documentary panel, went to the season 2 premiere of The Bridge, a screening of the film 25th Hour with director Spike Lee, ventured to Huntington Beach, went to see the film Edge of Tomorrow, and finished off the week with a Grady Alumni dinner.

The documentary panel was really interesting. The panel was comprised of only women which was inspiring to see so many talented women promoting their hard work. The two documentary projects that stood out the most were the one's about an eccentric company that does a lot of recycling and repurposing in artistic ways and the other was a documentary following a woman's battle with cancer as she was passing away, which looked both beautiful and heartbreaking. The event was held at a little hipster movie theater that reminded me a lot of my favorite theater back in Athens called Ciné. And come to find out (after I followed them on twitter) I found out that they're part of some little hipster theater family which is kind of adorable...

Friendly neighborhood Los Angeles Ciné.

Lovely ladies speaking for the Doc U Panel.

Next, we went to the Season 2 Premiere for The Bridge at The Paley Center in Beverly Hills. I may have fangirled slightly getting the chance to see Demian Bichir (again..after LAFF) and Diane Kruger so close or as she's affectionately known in the Rowe house as "that chick in National Treasure." I had originally planned on binge watching the first season in preparation for this premiere but didn't....so I watched the second season premiere not knowing at all what the recaps were referring to. HOWEVER, I did enter a contest for a chance to win the first season on DVD and found out today that I won! So I guess now I have no excuse. My reaction to the season 2 premiere was positive. The setting and subject matter of the show reminded me very much of Breaking Bad, which I happened to binge watch this time last summer. It kind of reminded me how much I miss it. Now I think I'm ready to jump in to The Bridge!

Cast of The Bridge.

Last event of the week was the screening of the Spike Lee film 25th Hour starring Edward Norton, Rosario Dawson, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. It was such an incredible experience to not only screen a film at The Academy of Motion Picture of Arts and Sciences BUT to also hear Spike Lee speak, which is apparently a rarity. I felt honored. Spike Lee was an interesting character from his abrupt entrance(that caught even the mediator off guard) to his short responses for his questions, it was an enjoyable experience. And on top of that....he sat literally two seats away from me on our row through the beginning credits which was CRAZY! It's really insane to think that his film Do The Right Thing was one of the first films I watched in my early film classes and now a few years later I not only saw one of his films at AMPAS but also got to hear him speak. I'm a little star struck, can you tell?

I like my men gold.

This past Saturday me, my roomies, and friends went to Huntington Beach. The beach was surprisingly overcast which was terrible for sunbathing but perfect for taking pictures! My lovely roommate Ali took pictures of us on the beach, we went out for lunch, and ended the day with some ice cream. It was kind of perfect.

Me and the roomies.

Sunday was a lazy day. I woke up around 11:00, made some breakfast and vegged with my roommates and then low and behold at 1:09 I was invited to go see Edge of Tomorrow at Universal at 1:50. This is the problem when guys plan. Anyways, after arriving at the movie about 10 minutes late and sitting on one of the front rows, I'm pretty sure this film stands out as one of my favorite summer films this year. I described it to a friend as kind of like the film Source Code but way better. The editing in the film was perfectly executed. The film replays the same battle over and over again and surprisingly I never got bored. And if I need to further explain how invested I was in this film...I brought a bottle of water and I didn't end up opening it until the credits. That's how into this film I was. Just see it.

That evening we had a Grady Alumni dinner where previous Grady graduates talked about their lives in Los Angeles and their current jobs. It was super encouraging and inspiring to hear from students who were in exactly the same place as us many moons ago and now they're making it. I don't know, it just makes me hopeful that I can do it too.

The search for youtube videos continued for my internship on Monday and Wednesday. However, the week ended with me getting the chance to sit in on a meeting where potential new shows were pitched and I got to give my feedback on another potential show. Oh my gosh guys, my opinion matters. Who'd've thunk it?

Star Wars//Rian Johnson

I'm gonna write my blog post on what everyone's writing their blogposts on...the recent announcement that Rian Johnson will be the writer and director for Star Wars: VIII and IX.

I, for one, am extremely excited! He wrote/directed films like Brick, The Brothers Bloom, and Looper.  Even though I liked all, the one exception being Looper, each film lacked nothing in the narrative department and all were superbly filmed.

In the article it says,"He knows his way around sci-fi, but more key, he brings fresh ideas to tired conventions, and the thought of him being able to work in the universe of "Star Wars" for two big sequels is pretty terrific. We're sure he's pumped, too."

Although he was more interested in developing new original ideas for films rather than taking on pre-existing projects I think that is the very reason why his two installments will be great! I'm confident that he's sure to create a much more original fantasy sci-fi than your typical adaptations or continuations.

And now as I hear all the new casting choices with people like Lupita Nyong'o, Gwendoline Christie, and Adam Driver I'm getting extremely stoked. I feel like all of the choices for this film, though uncharacteristic, are extremely interesting and different. These films have such potential.

In the end with Abrams directing VII, I think this next trilogy installment is going to be insane!


Source: http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/hell-yes-rian-johnson-lines-up-star-wars-episode-8-and-star-wars-episode-9-20140620

Stars Hollow//Hipster Churches

I've successfully completed week 2 of my internship, which is slightly insane for me to wrap my head around. Time is flying by but I'm enjoying every minute of my LA adventures! Since my last post we got to go to a a little intimate sit-down chat with  Max Borenstein (screenwriter, Godzilla) in the back of a comic book shop which was pretty cool, went to see 22 Jump Street with some Grady kids, and on Sunday we got to tour Warner Brothers studios!

The sit-down chat at Nerd Melt was cool. It made me think of films and writing in a different way. While I didn't like Godzilla (shhh don't tell), I loved Max Borenstein. He posed a good point of how lots of screenwriters don't even like the films made from their screenplays. Sometimes we have a very small view of film and think that it's the writer's fault if a film is bad but it's so much more than that. The writer isn't entirely responsible for visual story but rather the narrative.

22 Jump Street was fantastic! The best way for me to describe it is...it's the film industry! From its self-aware dialogue constantly poking fun at the structure of sequels and budget of the film to my personal favorite the credits that completely exploited our film industry's blue prints for films/marketing nowadays. It was perfect!

Our tour of Warner Brothers Studios was amazing. As we drove down all the streets I was in complete awe of how many sets are re-used in both film/television! I feel like I've been watching the same film my entire life! However, the worst and best part for me was the chance to see Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls because it has now been taken over by Pretty Little Liars! Luke's Diner is now some hip coffee shop, the gazebo no longer stands in the town's square and Stars Hollow High is now the home of Rosewood High School. Don't get my wrong it was still fun and I did get the chance to see the church, Ms. Patty's Dance Studio, and Lorelai's house!

Stars Hollow church.

Ms. Patty's Dance Studio.

Lorelai's shed.

Lorelai's house from Gilmore Girls.

And we got to check out the set of Friends...

Me and my roomies at F.R.I.E.N.D.S set.

My internship at A. Smith is going well. Right now I'm still working on researching a show and looking up videos for a sizzle reel for a new show. It's funny because most would assume looking for videos on youtube shouldn't be too hard right? I assure you, it's not a simple task by any means. It's not until you're searching for ONE SPECIFIC THING that you realize just how much junk Youtube's accumulated. Oy vey. And I assure you nothing in life as a post-grad will be funnier until you get into the real world and are actually told to use Wikipedia as a source for research, life is a funny thing.

Also, my life is most definitely a weird string of happenstances that I will never understand. The other day I was at my internship and my co-worker approached me about something I tweeted on twitter. There's a comical video on youtube in which a comedian is on a search for not just any tea but specifically Celestial Seasonings Tension Tamer Tea. Well whilst I was doing my Friday night grocery shopping I found the tea and thought it'd be fun to take pic and post it...well it just so happens that I actually work with their manager! He actually handles the social media and favorites BUT the comedian actually replied! I don't know, it's just insane to me that in this HUGE world/industry it's still a pretty small place.

Last but not least, if you are wondering what the "Hipster Churches" in my title is referring to I'll tell you. On Sunday evening my friend Eric, my roommate Ali, and I visited a SUPER hip church called MOSAIC here in the heart of Hollywood. This church was pretty cool...and insanely hip which is no exaggeration. There were swings in front of the church, mason jars hang from the trees for light outside, balloons were bounced around during worship, and the bathrooms made me feel like I walked into Anthropologie (ladies...the tampons were kept in vintage suitcases on the counter). However, let's put that aside. The lesson definitely fed my soul. We delved into Luke 5:27-30 and 14:7-23 talking about how we, as Christians, never need to hide behind the safe, conservative confines of our church and how we're here to serve others! And we're called to die to ourselves in the name of bringing others to the Lord!

And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, “Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” - Luke 5:30

- He's not looking for someone who's perfect. He's looking for someone who knows he's not!

- When you meet someone who changes your life you want to invite them to all of your life!

- God's standards are so low that he invited me into his tribe because that's how much he loves us!

- Being holy doesn't mean being isolated from the world.

- Don't come to take the place of honor instead come to serve.

- Not inviting the people who I need to know BUT the ones who need to know the One that I know!


Welp, no more ramblings from this chick. I leave you until next week...

LAFF 2014//Actors Talk

While perusing The Hollywood Reporter I found a good 'ole article on the coffee talk that we went to but a few days ago. So why not write on that, shall I?

First of all, I have to say that aside from Alfred Molina I wasn't really familiar with the panel of actors I went to hear speak on Sunday. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the wisdom they all had to share. Sometimes I tend to get a little high and mighty when it comes to what parts of the industry that I want to be a part of, but in the talk/article Olivia Munn made an extremely good point saying, "...work as hard as you can, keep your head down, say thank you as much as possible. Nothing is ever too small … just be part of something great."

This industry is tough and sometimes that means working on projects I might not be passionate about. However, who knows what doors those opportunities may open OR what lessons I may learn from those experiences. For me, hearing these little bits of wisdom from talented people who've made it in this industry just furthered my zeal/passion for my future career. They taught me to never look down on any opportunity that comes my way. I'd hate to overlook an opportunity that I deem too small that could be my doorway into my future...

And just like Alfred Molina said, "The moment that you hear action, it doesn't matter if there is $200 million behind the camera or $250,000 or whatever … the moment is the same."


Also, is it weird that when I read  a sentence that referenced how the actors..."all regaled the audience with stories about their acting experiences." I was like, "That was me! I was 'the audience'!" Is it weird? Because I still think it's really cool!


Source: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/laff-2014-olivia-munn-demian-712013

Here for a second//Gone in a flash

I am here. I'm in LA! Never thought I'd be saying that. However, now that I'm here I'm so incredibly glad that this is the path I've chosen. I opted to take the road less traveled(aka the long route) to California. We left June 2nd from Georgia and arrived in Los Angeles, CA on June 7th.

One of my millions of pictures of the road...

Oh the things we saw...Of course, I packed a million things to do on the long road there. When one thinks of a three or four day journey one would assume boredom would rear it's ugly head. However, as the trip progressed I found myself just staring out the window and just taking in all the broadly diverse landscapes as we crossed each state line. I gotta say me and my roadie made some good time. The 1st day we made it to Texas, 2nd day we made it all the way through Texas to Tucson, Arizona and chilled there for a bit, hit up the Grand Canyon on Day 4, and Day 5 we were in California!

View from our digs in Tucson, Arizona.

The Grandest of Canyons

I started my internship at A. Smith & Co. June 8th, and after a little elevator drama I found my way. The company I'm working for does unscripted show production. The most notable things they've been responsible for are Hell's Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, America Ninja Warrior and also my guilty pleasures from back in the day The Swan and The World According to Paris (don't judge). I really dig the work environment and getting the chance to meet new people. I've done some odd jobs here and there including: research for a potential new show, watched sizzle reels and took notes, and organized spreadsheets.

While I've been in LA I've gotten a chance to experience some pretty cool things. We spent an afternoon in Beverly Hills and walked down Rodeo Drive, went to The Laugh Factory, spent Saturday in Venice for some beach time, and last but not least we went to some pretty awesome film chats at the LA Film Festival on Sunday.

I took notes on my phone like a nerd....here are some quotes that inspired me from each of the chats!

Whatever happens, love this job and eventually it'll love you back.

The thing you least expect might lead you to somewhere else...

Write great stuff whether you're inspired or not.

When you finish a script it's kind of like when you have a new baby. You think it's perfect and there's nothing wrong with it. You need to keep the people with you that'll be truthful and tell you it's ugly and still love you.

The moment you realize you're not done, yes you can enjoy the oxytocin in the end, but then you can enjoy the process.

Cleverness is the enemy of truth.

Actors panel at LA Film Fest 2014.

Now starting today, I got a chance to brave the busy, traffic laden streets of Los Angeles where turn signals are merely warnings to fellow drivers. And honestly, if you don't almost get into an accident at least 5 times in one day you're doing pretty well my friend. Better than me, that's for sure...so for now my friends I'm just here for this incredible two month ride and can't wait to see where I end up!