no kissing for me any time soon

I burnt my lip. Not like, "oh crap that soup was too hot ouch" burnt my lip, but like "I have small blisters on my lip" burnt my lip. It hurts. Thankfully, it doesn't look gross or anything (hallelujah!) but it still hurts. How does one do such a thing? Well, I kind of ate fire. Ha ha. Yep. A bunch of us decided to go to the beach last night and have a camp fire and roast hotdogs and marshmellows (but not together). I love it -- having a night at the beach in November. :) Well, anyway, I decided to roast a marshmellow.... I was doing so, when it caught on fire (as they tend to do). I whipped the marshmellow up towards my face to blow it out.... and, well, I overestimated the amount of space between where the marshmellow was and where my face was.... so I ended up kind of sucking the fire into my mouth (which put it out... ) and planting the burnt marshmellow right on my bottom lip. Needless to say, hot burning marshmellow is not that comfortable on a lip, especially when it sticks there. Fun times, fun times.
It was thanksgiving here in the US of A. Kind of odd celebrating thanksgiving so late.. but it was a really nice break. That is a great thing about US thanksgiving -- they get a four-day weekend. We had a big thanksgiving dinner with about 20 of us that stayed behind for the holiday, it was a fun time of food and fellowship.. and food. Yum yum.. so much food. Over the rest of the weekend we went to the fashion district, Universal Citywalk, beach twice (both times were rather chilly.. but c'mon, it is november) and hung out with friends. It was a lot of fun. Wanted to get to Disneyland, but me thinks that that will not happen on this trip. Maybe next time.
In other news, I have become addicted to The Office. The American version, not the British one. Not because the American one is better or anything, but only because I don't have access to the British one. I really can't afford to be addicted to anymore shows. But seriously, the show is hilarious and if I were to enjoy a romantic relationship vicariously through TV, Pam and Jim's (as frustrating as it can be) would be near the top of my list. Acutually, it might be at the top of my list. I want a Jim. :)
I will be home in less than two weeks. Eek! Very weird to think about.

*sob*

I am going to miss LA.

a film, an autograph, and a song.. oh yes and clothing

Another busy week! We've been working like mad on our final film -- "Hiding an Egg. Seeking a Friend", which means that my weekends are NON-EXISTANT. We filmed for another two 10-12 hour days on Sat. and Sun. so it ends up feeling like Tuesdays and Wednesdays are my weekend.. which are the days we have class so even then it's not all that much of a break. Still, class takes up much less time than filming does. It's looking good though. Looking good.
In other exciting news I got to meet some really cool actors from the Christopher Guest movies. I went to a preview screening of "For Your Consideration" which is Chris' newest movie. I wasn't able to see all of it, but seriously. These people are geniuses of comedy. I came in halfway through the movie, and within a couple of minutes I was laughing, not even knowing what was going on. After the movie, there was a Q&A with Fred Willard (the travel agent husband in Waiting for Guffman -- a man that I find HILARIOUS), Jane Lynch (the lesbian lover in "Best in Show"), Jennifer Coolidge (Reese Witherspoon's friend in "Legally Blond", the one that ends up marrying the UPS guy), and Harry Shearer (I don't know him as well because he's in "This is Spinal Tap" and I haven't seen that one yet). So I got to chat with them and get their autographs! :) Eek!
I'm also VERY VERY excited because I am going to see IMOGEN HEAP in concert!!!! :) YIPPEE!!! She is seriously one of my most favourite female vocalists. It's probably between her and Sarah McLachlan.. so I was on her website and in the spirit of tours (Josh Groban starts his in Jan!) I decided to look at her tour... and low and behold she's doing a concert in LA on Dec. 1!! So I press Buy Tickets -- and even better, the tickets cost 25$!!!! Wahoo!! So I phone up my friend Sarah and ask her if she wants to go.. she says yes. So we ordered the tickets and now we're going!! Fan-flipping-tastic! I'm so excited!
Funny, everything I was wearing on Tuesday got complimented on by random strangers (except my flipflops, which are in such a state of disarray that if anyone complimented them they would have to be demented)... despite the competitive nature of this business, people here are very willing to give out compliments, and do so quite regularly, especially in regards to clothing or hair.. it's materialistic, but somewhat gratifying. It makes you feel good. People should do that more often.

bambling

I'm sitting here in the edit lab, waiting for my project to write to Quicktime... and playing with the toy dinosaurs that my sister sent me. Seriously, I got THE COOLEST package today from Trish.. it included a SpongeBob pen that lights up, an eatable candy watch that lights up, toy dinosaurs (so I can pretend to be Wash -- "We shall call this land.. this land" -- which is what I'm doing right now), a smilely face flower, a finger puppet hippo that makes dinosaur like noise (it's a dinohippo) and food of the candy variety! Yippee!! I have one of the best sisters in the world!!!
In other news I went to a silent movie theatre the other day. Totally cool experience. I watch The General... a Buster Keaton film. Fun times. The coolest thing was that the soundtrack was done live by a guy who was playing the music on a piano as he was watching the film. I was in awe.
Josh Groban's new CD is out!! And he is going to be in LA at Borders in person to sign CD's!!!!!!!! OH MY GOSH!!!! I need to go. That's what I need to do. I will go buy the CD and go to Borders and meet Josh Groban. And then he will fall madly in love with me and I will come home married! Yippee!
My script is being made into a movie for our Hollywood Production class so that's exciting. It's looking really good too. We have a great team and they do a really good job. It's really cool to see my words come to life on the screen...
Tonight I'm going to see Marie Antoinette (or however you spell that) with my wonderful friend Tabitha. I'm looking forward to Sophia Coppola.. I'm not really looking forward to Kirsten Dunst. But we shall see, we shall see.
In other fun and exciting news, I found out a couple days ago that two years my family will be taking a vacation in... Prince Edward Island!!!! YAHOO!! I am so excited. The thought of spending a vacation in an area where the pace of life is so relaxed is sooo wonderful, especially while living in BUSY BUSY LA. And I've always wanted to go, and now I'll get to go with my whole family -- so awesome!
Also, I found out that my sister and parents and I are probably going to "The Phantom of the Opera" in February!!!!!!! OH MY GOSH!! I've always said that I want to see "Les Miserables" and "Phantom of the Opera" before I die... and now I'll get to!!! Well, Lord Willing of course. It's playing in Toronto in February and we're going as a family weekend type deal! My life is so exciting!
Alright time to go home and eat some French Toast. mai oui!

He's no Elijah Wood...

But he's Joshua Jackson... and he's hot! :) I went to the preview screening of Bobby tonight at Film Indepedent. Also in attendance were Christian Slater, Emilio Estevez, Brian Garaghty, and Freddy Rodriguez. It was fun times.

love love love

JOSH GROBAN HAS A NEW CD!!!
AWAKE -- NOVEMBER 7. BUY IT KIDS.

People in the news

I've seen a lot of interesting people in the last week.
This past weekend was the City of Angels Film Festival, which is run by the director of LAFSC and some of our professors. So I went and saw The Nativity Story (the new movie coming out in December about the birth of Christ) on the Friday night, and then I volunteered on Saturday and Sunday night. The guest of honour for the festival was Randall Wallace -- the writer of Braveheart and writer/director of Man in the Iron Mask and We Were Soldiers. He was such a sweet man!! He said that I was pretty.. :) I got a picture with him which was cool.
Then today I was at Film Independent's Filmmaker Forum... which is a two day event geared towards indie filmmakers. My dept was working the event so I spent the whole day there. It was really great. The whole day consisted of eating and listening to panels. I got to meet some really cool people there too -- Faye Dunaway was there, which was really cool... she's a really beautiful woman for her age. I also got to talk to the Polish brothers (two indie film directors who are starting to become more well known), and the directors and the people who filmed Wordplay.... also there was Stephanie Allain (producer of Hustle and Flow), Lindsay Doran (producer of Stranger than Fiction, Sense and Sensibility, and Nanny McPhee), and other producers of big name projects. It was a really fun day and I learned a lot about filmmaking!
There was also this guy who came up to me and asked me where I was from. When I said I was from Ontario, Canada, he told me that "Wow, there are so many beautiful people that come from that city -- and you continue to prove that"... oh my gosh. smooth buddy. smooth.
On that note, he is probably the fourth guy in the past couple of days who has told me that I'm beautiful. My poor ego -- I think it's definately suffering.... :)

And now for the creepy people

Elaine (my Malaysian roomate) and I shot my last five minute film this past weekend.. It was a lot of fun becuase it was just her and I and we walked down and around 3rd and Fairfax writing words on the sidewalk with chalk --- but we also met a bunch of very interesting males on the streets of LA. Must have been becuase we were just the two of us, and my shirt was a little low. haha
The first weirdo was about early to late 40's and he had a little bit of an accent. Elaine was kneeling down writing some words on the sidewalk when he came up to us.
Creepy man (speaking to me): Hi, is she (speaking about Elaine) Asian?
Me: Yes! She's from Malaysia.
CM: Wow, she is, she is beautiful.
Me: Yes, I know. That's why she's in my film! (kind of joking)
CM: Is she yours?
Me (slightly taken abake): Is she mine? Uhhh.. like, mine? Huh? (Seriously --- is she my slave or something?)
CM: Is she your girlfriend?
Me: Oh... no. No she's not.
CM: (with a hopeful look on his face) So does that mean she's available?
---- Yes, Elaine is still kneeled beside me like a foot away from this man ----
Me: No. She's not available.
CM: Are you positive?
Me: Yes. Yes I am very positive.
CM: Ohh... but she is so beautiful..
He then went on to ask me about my film, etc. A little while later, he found us again in the Grove and asked us if he could help at all; carry anything for me.. I was grossed out.
Then we were filming a bit later and another man of about 40ish was biking past. I said hi because some people are a little put off by filming so I tried to come across as nice.. He said hi and then told me that he really liked what I was wearing. I said thanks.... and then went back to filming. A couple minutes later he was back....
CM2 (speaking to me): Excuse me, but do you think that there's any possibility that I could take you on a date sometime?
Me (slightly shocked): Umm... no. Probably not. I'm only here for a couple of months..
CM2: Oh really? Oh I'm sorry.
Me: That's okay. I'm from Canada so I'll be going back there soon.
CM2: I'm sorry. You just looked so good in your outfit. Did you have a good thanksgiving?
Me: Yeah! Thank you! Goodbye.
Gosh. We also got numerous honks and a couple of whistles out of cars. One guy whistled at me out of his car and then kept raising his eyebrows at me and saying stuff to me which I obviously couldn't hear because he was in his car.

Being a young female in LA can an interesting experience.

I love the little piculiarities of this town...

-- a woman got on the bus this morning and hollered out to the whole bus: "I want you all to know that Jesus loves you! Jesus Christ loves you all and he wants you to go to heaven!" Then stood in the middle of the bus completely silent for the rest of the ride
-- A highly made-up (she had a lot of make up on) European woman who didn't speak very good english had quite the little hissy fit in the middle of the sidewalk while a young girl who might have been her daughter looked on like there was nothing wrong
-- walking home from work today I passed by a Starbucks. At one table sat a woman with a little dog on her lap, at the next a man talking to himself and writing a screenplay of somesort, and at the third there sat a homeless man -- it was like a representative of hollywood all in one coffeeshop
-- on the bus ride home this really weird guy talked to me most of the ride about how I should really do some work as an extra, and was I raised by timberwolves since I'm from Canada (he thought that one was just hilarious)? When I went to leave, he said, "awww.. you have to go? Well, see you later you cute canuck!" And then he laughed to himself again at how funny he was..

I am thankful for Six Flags

I LOVE ROLLERCOASTERS. Oh my gosh. I am a rollercoaster person!!! I never knew!! This past weekend was our minibreak -- appropriate since it was thanksgiving back at home.. But instead of eating turkey dinner and admiring the fall colours, I spent monday at Six Flags: Magic Mountain riding rollercoasters and basking in the beautiful sunshine! Not a bad trade in my opinion... :)
Though I definately missed my family and the turkey, I couldn't have asked for a better day!!! So far it was probably the best day of the whole semester. I was kind of nervous going becuase the last time I was on a rollercoaster it was ThunderRun at Canada's Wonderland and I was in my early teens. I definately thought that I was not a rollercoaster person. But when I heard that we could go to Six Flags for 15$ if we wanted to, I thought well I can't miss that experience! So I went. And I couldn't be happier I did!!
When we got there a whole group of us started out around the park together. Surprisingly enough I ended up staying with this group the whole day despite that there was around 10-12 of us. Our first ride was Goliath. Oh my gosh. What a way to start.. The first hill on the ride is 255 ft high and the coaster goes 85 miles-per-hour. People black out on this ride. And the last ride I rode was ThunderRun 10 years ago!!!!! I honestly freaked out the entire way up... and it was long way up. And then we went down... and around.. and all over the place. And then it was over and it was the most awesome thing that I had ever experienced!!!!!! I screamed the entire way and I actually put my hands in the air!! :) Look at me go!

Once I did that one I was hooked.... we ended up riding 8 rides through out the day.. and three of those 8 we did twice. The best ride was SCREAM.. it was just a really great ride. Then there was Tatsu -- it flipped the chairs forward so that you're hanging on your stomach through the whole ride, almost like you're flying! So cool.. But the scariest ride was Deja Vu. This ride pulled you back up a tower then drops you into a complete vertical 20-story free fall.. you go through the ride (including a 102 ft tall loop and 110 ft tall butterfly turn) and the end of it rockets you up a 200 ft tower (Yes I'm getting all the numbers from the website).. you're suspended there for a couple seconds and then it lets you go and you do the whole ride again -- except backwards!! OH MY GOSH. I just about died. Myself and three other guys waited in line a little bit longer so that we could be in the front of the ride. I don't know what on earth possessed us to do that. It was the scariest thing I've ever done in my whole life!!!! The first tower that they pull you up.. since we're at the front there is absolutely nothing under you except the ground. I was sooooo freaked out I had my eyes closed through most of the ride and I screamed like there was no tomorrow --- and I almost thought there wouldn't be!!! And yet I came off the ride and thought it was so exhilerating!! What a rush!

It was such a special day. The amusement part atmosphere was so much fun, I ended up loving roller coasters more than I ever thought I would (even though I now I have a soar throat from screaming on every ride), and I spent the day with people that I really wanted to spend the day with -- even if they're giving you statistics about the number of deaths on rides as you're going up the first drop...... haha these people are so great.

This is James McAvoy

He played Mr. Tumnus. And here he is with me.

My question for Robin Williams

Keep your eyes peeled for when Robin Williams appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live -- because you will see yours truly on the show as well!!
Last night, myself and three other friends from LAFSC went to a taping of Jimmy Kimmel Live. Robin Williams was on the show promoting his new movie, Man of the Year. So the show decided to hold a mock press conference as if Robin were actually becoming president. While we were waiting in line we were given a card and asked to write down three questions that we would ask Robin if he were becoming president -- they were supposed to be serious questions about politics and current issues. Well, seeing as I know very little about American politics, I thought I would ask "What are your views on the Canadian/American relationship" -- because, well, that's the only thing I knew to ask. And I got picked!!! I was one out of 6 people who got to ask their question to Robin Williams on camera! :) It was so cool.... They briefed me on my question and what I was supposed to say about 5 or 6 times.. and then I waited for my turn. I went up to the mike and I was like "Hi, my name is Stephanie and I'm from Cambridge, Ontario" and Robin was like "Oh you're from Ontario, eh? Welcome" or something like that.. and I said "Thanks! My question for you is: what is your views on the Canadian/American relationship?"..
Then he responded and it was mucho funny. And the whole thing was on camera.. including me asking the question!
I would relay what he said but I don't really remember it too much and I know I would butcher it if I tried (becuase I already tried once and I definately butchered it).... so you should just wait and see it on the show!
I got to talk with Robin Williams!!!! We interacted on camera!!!!! :) hahaha
I know, you're thinking that well, duh, Steph, it was on last night and it's Jimmy Kimmel LIVE, so I would have missed it. Well, no, not to worry. The part with Robin Williams was taped, but it didn't air last night.. they are airing it another night closer to the release of the movie.. everything else on the show was live -- Anthony Anderson and a mini concert by Ludacris.. but Robin Williams will be showing another night.
I don't know what night that is yet though so keep your eyes open!

Last King of Scotland preview screening

I just met Mr. Tumnus!! I totally met and chatted with Mr. Tumnus!! EEEK! And I got a picture with him too!!!! mmmmmm I also got to see Forest Whitaker (Garlick from Good Morning Vietnam), Kerry Washington (Ray Charles' wife in Ray, and also in Fantastic Four and Mr. and Mrs. Smith), and director Kevin Macdonald.
Very cool. Very cool indeed.

good day for me

God was good to me today. Seriously.
Despite the fact that I was really tired, I had a really good day. I was at my internship today.... I am really starting to enjoy it there. The people are just so wonderful. My supervisor is just the biggest sweetheart and she's so lighthearted. The other employees in the Development department are so fun. They're fun to be around and they are really nice. One of them has a YouTube blog -- she is so beautiful it's not even funny. And her personality matches her beauty. I'm also starting to get to know people from the other departments as well -- today someone told me that they liked my style (Oh my gosh --- this is coming from someone who lives in LA -- these people are walking fashion!) and that I am a very approachable person. Then my boss told me that many people had told her the same thing (my style?!?!? I just about lost it!!) and that I am very friendly and that I carry myself well. Ray would be delighted to hear that last one, I'm sure. All my theatre is paying off! But that was a huge compliment -- I was walking on air!!
This guy also told me that if he was thief he would choose me to rob.. I guess that makes me a little too approachable.. but he was only kidding.
At lunch I went for a jaunt down the street and went into Blockbuster -- they were having a 4 DVD's for 20$ sale... so I got 4 DVD's! I bought Before Sunset (I actually thought I was buying Before Sunrise, which is one of my favourites.. but when I was showing the DVD's to my friends, I realized I had got Before Sunset.. the sequel to Before Sunrise and a movie I've been wanting to see for a very long time.. so that was exciting!!), The Village, A History of Violence, and Vera Drake. I haven't seen Vera Drake before but the cashier girl said that I can exchange it within 30 days so if I don't like it than I can exchange it for a different one! Yippee!
But to top the whole day off. Seriously. You guys are going to freak. So there's this movie called Bobby and it's coming out in Novemberish. Let me give you a list of who's in it: Emilio Estevez, Laurence Fishburne, Heather Graham, Anthony Hopkins, Helen Hunt, Joshua Jackson, Ashton Kutcher, Lindsay Lohan, William H. Macy, Demi Moore, Martin Sheen, Christian Slater, Sharon Stone, Elijah Wood and Freddy Rodriguez. No word of a lie. All these people are in it. Well, today I found out that I have a very good chance to go to a screening of this movie in which around 10 of these people will be present. OH MY GOSH!!!! I don't know which ones..... but I have the potential of seeing Anthony friggin Hopkins or Elijah freaking Woods!!!! Or Helen Hunt!!! I was freaking out. I don't know how much I can say because it's not set in stone yet, but I am sooooo excited!!!
And now I think I'm going to work on my storyboard for Sunday --- I have two actors!! Praise Jesus!!!! I just need a location!!!

hugging trees

One of my friends told me that I was a free spirit and that he is having a hard time figuring me out.. he then asked me if I consider myself a hippie or a tree hugger.
I love it.

My life this past week:

MONDAY:
9:00 -- leave for my internship
10:00-6:00 -- work at my internship -- I met this guy named Tyler who works in my building and wanted to hang out sometime --- Seriously, people in this city are really friendly.... some random stranger gave me a calender of Rotwiellers on the bus the other day.. too bad I left it at Ralph's (a grocery store, not a person's house). I also went to this Sept.11 memorial area and lit a candle for Joshua Scott Reiss. I don't know who he is, but he died in the Sept. 11 tragedy so I lit his candle.
7:00 -- get home and get a call from Michael (one of my profs) telling me that my script has been one of the five that was chosen for production for Hollywood Production Workshop (one of our classes). Everyone (48ish people) had to submit a script and then five were chosen to be made.. one of those is mine!!! I was really excited/surpised... but it also meant that I had to boot it over to the centre for a meeting
8:00 -- screening of Finding Neverland
11:00ish -- finish, check my email, and stuff.. go back to the apt
12:00/1:00 -- go to bed

TUESDAY
10:00-12:00 -- Theology in Hollywood class
12:15-2:00 -- Meet with the people who have been chosen to direct the Hollywood Production Workshop scripts and pair up...
2:00-4:00 -- Hollywood Production Workshop class -- read the scripts to the class and begin finding a crew
4:00-4:30 -- keep talking to people about crewing up -- I become producer on my script...
4:30-3:00AM -- edit my film

WEDNESDAY
9:00 -- go to the centre and keep editing my film until class
2:00-4:00 -- Motion Picture Production -- presented my first film! And it didn't get torn to pieces!
4:00-6:00 -- did some running around.. I got asked by these two creepy guys if I needed a ride anywhere (an example of the other side of the really friendly people), I went to Staples, Ralph's, the Post Office.. fun stuff.
6:30 -- meet up with Karin and we make our way to Homeless Karoke. Homeless Karoke is this night that my church participates in... they meet at this mission house on Skid Row and they have a night of karoke with the homeless.. Skid Row is so nuts. There are tons of tents lining the sidewalks, all holding homeless. So we went to go to this.. but we got rather lost. So we didn't end up going.
8:00 -- finally get home, then go to the hottub to hash out some ideas for a friend's film. The first time my body relaxed for the week.
12:00/1:00ish -- go to bed

THURSDAY
10:00 -- get up..
11:00 -- realize that the bus system doesn't work the same way for 11:00 on a thursday as it does for 10:00 on a friday. Crap. Beg Christy to drive me -- she does. She's wonderful.
12:00-4:30 -- work at my internship
6:00 -- get back home (I took some time to check my mail and talk to people at the centre)
7:00 -- go back to the centre for a meeting for all producers and directors.
9:00 -- leave the centre and go directly to Sarah and Patrick's house (they are our Resident's Advisor and Tech guy, respectively... they are SO awesome. I love them) for a book study.
1:00 -- leave Sarah and Patrick's, go to bed

FRIDAY
9:00 -- leave for internship
10:00-6:00 -- work at internship.. run into Tyler again.. he invites me to screening of his 16 minute short.. I decide I probably shouldn't go but tell him thanks.
7:00 -- get back to the centre for meetings with students for crew positions for the film that I wrote and am producing
9:00 -- go home and then go downtown LA to a little cafe there
1:00 -- go to bed

SATURDAY
9:00 -- meet up with Alisha and Caleb to shoot her film
9:30-3:00 -- shoot her film
3:00-7:00 -- go to LA Fashion District with Christy and try to go to Pink's Hotdogs (supposedly the best hotdogs in the US) but the line was too long...
7:00- now -- Making supper. And I'm burnt so I'm tired. Getting ready for my shoot next weekend. Trying to do all kinds of Producer type stuff. Talk to people on the phone.

My first film. Is not quite done.

I have just finished shooting my first five minute film! Go me.... how stressful. But now that it's over, I'm sitting in my living room with two of my roomies, watching the blinds gently move in the breeze, and relaxing. It's sooo wonderful. I just finished watching Ikiru by Kurosawa.. it was really interesting... Christy has been reading a book that we used in my shoot yesterday called "Teenage Romance, or how to Die of Embarrassment"..... it is so funny... it looks kind of like a kid's book but there's some rather...uh.... interesting stuff in there. It's keeping us entertained.
Friday we went to a taping of Brad Garnett's (the brother on Everyone Loves Raymond) new show "Til Death". It was really fascinating to watch how everything works and to see the actors go through the scenes. Brad Garnett is super tall. Crazy really. It kind of made me think that acting for tv is not really all that hard. I mean, it is, in a sense... but seriously... they do so many takes and they have alot of cameras so they can hide screwups.... but I guess it's not really a matter of whether it's hard or not...... it's a matter of who you know.
Saturday was spent helping my friend Tabitha on her shoot. She needed a party scene, so a group of us went to where she was shooting and spent the day there. We met a LAFSC alumni who has been on the last two seasons of Star Trek and has done some other stuff.. nothing major, mostly little stuff... but it was still cool. Then Sat. night we went to the Hollywood Bowl to see John Williams in concert. The Hollywood Bowl is huge... it's this concert space that is outside and built up the side of the mountain. Artists perform under this big dome like structure at the bottom. It was so cool. I was sitting there thinking: "I am sitting at the Hollywood Bowl, under the Hollywood sign, listening to John Williams conduct the Star Wars theme -- it doesn't get much better".. He did some more obscure stuff at the beginning but he also did Fiddler on the Roof, Jaws (they showed footage of the movie to go with the music and I screamed when the shark came out of the water.. everyone around me made fun of me because the screen is so far away..... I hate sharks!!), Star Wars, Superman, Jurassic Park, Memoirs of a Geisha, and Indiana Jones... it was so great.
Sunday we went to church at Ecclesia, the church I'm calling home while here in LA, and saw both Tony Hale and Danny Bonaduce so that was kind of fun. But the worship and the sermon were sooo great. The pastor preaching that day (there are 5 pastors and they switch around) was so completely excited about what it means to forgiven by God. She just made everything so fresh and new... it was so refreshing. After church, me and some of my roomies got everything together and from 3 till 8:30 we shot my film! It was nuts. It was so new to me, but thankfully the people helping me out knew quite a bit so they were helping me out. I had so many things go wrong with this first film it was crazy. But that's another story for another day. Let's just say that even though I have now a week to edit it, this is the first time I haven't felt completely stressed out roughly since I got here... this first film was such a weight! I would have shot it today since we have today off... but one of my actors actually had to go to his internship today.. so sunday it was.
Anyway, I'm on my roomie's lappy becuase my internet card isn't working (my life in a nutshell .. I don't know why everything messes up for me) .... so I should let her have this back.
Maybe I'll go watch another movie or hit downtown LA... there's an amazing music store here that I still have to check out.

intern-ing

I have an internship! Yippee!! I am the new intern at Film INDependent. I met with my intern advisor person on Monday, she let FIND know that I was interested, they called me on Monday for an interview... I called them back on Tuesday (I didn't get the message until Tues.) and then had an interview today and they hired me on the spot. So that's cool.
Check out their website. They're cool. And the people I'm working with are really cheerful and outgoing so that's really great. It's also a small atmosphere so that's wonderful.
I'm not going to get really cool opportunities like some other internships where you can go on sets or something like that, but God obviously has a plan for me at FIND so I'm just going with His plan. And I get to go behind the scenes at an Indie Film Festival so that's really cool.
So yeah, good news. And I am supposed to be filming my first film this weekend while also going to a sitcom taping and a John Williams concert. And church. I'm really excited to go to church. sigh. I feel like a baby that's just thrown into the pool and expected to swim...

week one: week crazy

My first celebrity has been spotted............... Jada Pinkett Smith!!! Oooh aaaah. I know. Things are just so cool here in LA. I didn't meet the woman or anything, but we happened to turn down the wrong street coming back from church (something that has been happening frequently -- we have a hard time with directions here) and she was talking to some people on the sidewalk! It was pretty rocking. The church we went to was so great -- the worship was rocking (a lot of musicians in this place) and there were so many people who were just out there -- tattoos and the like -- but with a passion for Jesus. It was so encouraging for me to find such a thriving Christian community here!!! Please continually pray for the ministry here in Hollywood -- I have been more exposed to on-fire Christians in the last week here than I have in a long time. It's so great.
We've been really touristy this past week... we went to Hollywood Blvd -- toured the Grauman's Egyptian Theatre, went to the Chinese Theatre (where celebrities have put their hand and feet imprints in cement), a wax museum, and the Guiness Records museum... We also went to the Getty Museum which is this beautiful art museum at the top of a mountain looking over smoggy LA. Tonight we are talking with Tony Hale -- he plays Buster on Arrested Development. I just finished Season One ---- this show is HILARIOUS. So good ---- too bad it just got cancelled. Yet another amazing show that Fox has ousted. Stupid Fox.
This week I'm being thrown into everything. I start filming my first short film on Saturday --- EEEK!! I just learned how to work a camera on thursday! :) I am supposed to be getting a call for an interview for my internship --- Chris (our awesome internship contact person) is calling Film Independent to see if I can get an interview there. They do the LA Film Festival and do alot of workshops and stuff like that for independent film makers. So I'm really excited about that. We'll see where it goes!
I am really starting to feel at home here. I'm loving LA, even though it's rather overwhelming.
Also --- hurrah for Mariska Hartigay for winning an Emmy!!!!! Hooohaw!!!!

CALIFORNIA: new home

I have arrived in the city of Los Angeles Unscathed and Unharmed and Unbothered by big bad VISA people. For those of you praying for my entry into the United States as a student, I thank you – God really does want me here! On Thursday night I got a call from the director, where she said “I just got a call from [the Point Loma guy], and they have just issued you an I-20.” “You're kidding me.” (that's me sitting at the computer stunned).
“No, he is taking it to the post office himself and sending it overnight!”Friday afternoon around 2:00 I got a envelope containing my I-20!!! The day before I have to leave. Seriously. God's providence? So confusing but so great.
So I have arrived with little to none hassle from the government. The flight was rather uneventful... I watched The Sentinel. Fun times.So then I got there and got on the shuttle.... and the shuttle guy wanted to (instead of dropping me off) show Hollywood to me personally, with the hopes of getting lucky. Which he repeated to me multiple times. I couldn't help thinking, “What the HECK am I getting myself into here?”But since he wasn't getting lucky I guess he just decided to drop me off at the wrong place. Which he did. So I was in the middle of Park LaBrea apartments complex (which is HUGE by the way.. we have gotten lost numerous times already), carrying a huge traveling backpack, a laptop bag, another normal sized backpack on my front and wheeling a suitcase around Park LaBrea in all the hottness and such. Gross. When suddenly I see a face that I think I recognize --- it's Nicole, the girl who was supposed to be my roommate but is not longer! Good ol' facebook... so her and her nice family helped me get to where I needed to be and then they helped me get my stuff up to my apt. Nice. My roomates are really nice girls. The two girls I thought I would get along with really great are not living with me... but it's okay. Everyone's kind of spread out through out the park so that kind of sucks --- there's three apartments in my building that are occupied by LAFSC students, but the other apts are in other buildings, some of which are a little walk... but we're making do. Things since then:I am now settled in somewhat. The phone in our apt isn't connected yet so you can't call... and since we don't have a phone we don't have wireless in the apt yet.. so going on the internet is random. We are also hugely busy these two weeks as we do all kinds of touristy things. I have not seen a celebrity yet... but I know for sure that I will, because we are living in the HUB of things here. Don Cheadle (of Crash and Hotel Rwanda fame) actually lives in Part LaBrea so we will probably see him. And across the street from Park LaBrea is The Grove (where we went today)--- a really ritzy shopping area where many celebrities chill out. So the chances of seeing someone is pretty good. Last night a whole bunch of us went to the Santa Monica Pier but we didn't leave until like 9 at night and didn't get back till 12. According to my body it was 3 in the morning.. so that was interesting. But Bekah and I stuck our feet in the ocean (my first experience of the Pacific Ocean!) and we watched some people catch things with their fishing poles. One guy caught a stingray which was pretty cool... and then another guy was reeling something that seemed quite big..... turned out to be a bra!! Only in LA.Today we went to The Grove and The Farmer's Market (a really cool place just FULL of ethnic foods and all kinds of fun stuff) and then bought some groceries. Seriously do not like American moneys. Just not pretty.The next two weeks hold many classes and whatnot. BUT we are also going to The Egyptian Theatre and all the cool places around there (and there are really cool places around there..) as well as going to the Hollywood Bowl and watching John Williams conduct his own music!!! John-freaking-Williams!!! So awesome. Should be fun.Now I should go try and find ice to put on my swelling lip. I smacked it on a fire hydrant..... don't ask. Oh yes. The second day here and Steph is burnt. Way to go.