Los Angeles. Those two little words beckon Hollywood starlets, International tourists, wannabe superstars, porn stars, country stars and other starry eyed, foolish dreamers wanting something bigger than what their hometowns offer.
And I am now officially one of them.
My flight to L.A. is an eclectic mix of old timers, moms with kids, families probably headed to Disney Land and other oh-so-cool hipsters like myself. The direct flight is about five hours. Five hours of sleeping, listening to music and dreaming of what the Golden Coast has in store for this simple suburban kid from Maryland.
I’m taking this trip in the middle of what I consider my summer of film. I already produced and co-directed a short film for the Baltimore 48 Hour Film Festival. I already checked out and read countless books from the library and attended film screenings, workshops and networking events. The result? A brain full of camera shots, directorial camera shots and flawless rolls of credits.
Ever since I was a kid, movies spoke to me. While writers may recall being able to think of story ideas, characters and settings, I was able to do all of that plus think of appropriate soundtracks and music scores for each scene, camera shots that zoom in on the main antagonist at the right moment and montages that would look great as a trailer.
I ran from pursing film the same way a shy lover runs from his interest, knowing that more than anything that person is exactly what he wants, yet he wants it so bad it scares him so. I was always afraid that if I did try to break into the film industry and failed, it would crush me. I held on so dearly to that dream for so long, it has to be nothing short of perfect.
But perfection doesn’t come easy.
That’s why I went against the grain a bit in the way I started my path down the world of movies. I read books and magazines and spoke with industry experts. I attended boring lectures and joined screenwriting groups and practiced, practiced, practiced. Not everything I write is gold, but I’d like to think it is.
So why L.A.? I am blessed to live outside of Baltimore, a city that is no stranger to the film industry. Barry Levinson and John Waters are two hometown boys from Charm City who made it big as directors and even Jodie Foster chose Northeast Baltimore to film her holiday classic, “Home for the Holidays”. “The Wire”, “Homicide: Life On The Streets” “Roc” and “The Corner “ were all very successful television shows that were based out of and filmed in Baltimore. And who can forget film gems like Hairspray, Pecker, Step It Up 1 and 2, The Diner, Avalon, Sleepless in Seattle and Liberty Heights. Even Runaway Bride was shot partially outside of the City.
I was blessed to find a good way in to Baltimore’s film industry. I met a fantastic group of film crew and actors who are excited about making it in the film industry and have become a student member of the Creative Alliance, an arts center in Baltimore that rents out film equipment and hold special screenings and events for those interested in all aspects of the arts.
But I travel today 3,000 miles from home so that I can find out what the West Coast has to offer in the way of film. Despite Baltimore’s dalliance in the industry, it is true what they say. It’s easier to penetrate the Hollywood machine if you’re working in some aspect of the industry in Southern California. I don’t know, maybe I will apply to film school in Los Angeles. I am excited about the short film workshop I will be taking in San Francisco and will walk away with a finished product and knowledge and experience eof working on Final Cut editing systems and working the camera without a film crew. But I want to keep learning and keep making movies and writing scripts. I was bitten by that bug as a kid and now it has fully infected me as an adult. Today is that day that I continue along that path and there’s no turning back now.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
Prepping for L.A.
T-minus 5 days before I leave for Cali and the documentary film project. I am excited, nervous and a little worried that I will get lost among the jaded sea of hopeful Hollywood stars. I have no clue how to use the subway system in L.A. and I am literally on my own at the hostel. I feel almost like I'll be backpacking in Europe except everyone will have prettier smiles and there are In-n-Out Burgers on every corner. Hmmm...In-n-Out Burger....First stop I'll make once I land.
Even more cooler is the fact that my documentary is actually coming together. I spoke with Keith "K-Dub" Williams, a pro skater who lives out of Oakland and L.A. I will be covering his team of urban skaters as they journey from the Bay area to the X Games. I also will be attending an exhibit on Black and Hispanic skateboarders. Sweet! I hope to get good footage and really learn how to shoot better angles and edit on Final Cut.
Cool stuff
Check out K-Dub's work here:
http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0XbywwoJJY.
Even more cooler is the fact that my documentary is actually coming together. I spoke with Keith "K-Dub" Williams, a pro skater who lives out of Oakland and L.A. I will be covering his team of urban skaters as they journey from the Bay area to the X Games. I also will be attending an exhibit on Black and Hispanic skateboarders. Sweet! I hope to get good footage and really learn how to shoot better angles and edit on Final Cut.
Cool stuff
Check out K-Dub's work here:
http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0XbywwoJJY.
Friday, June 18, 2010
48 Hour Madness
Well, I survived the 48 Hour Film Festival....it was a great weekend that was exciting and frustrating all at once. Pre-production went a litle more smoother than production. One of the hardest things of making film is dealing with people and so many personalities--especially when they're all screaming at you at once. No fights broke out, so I guess it was a good day. I fired three people. I like this whole being the boss thing. Post-poduction was way too rushed and took too long for me, but we got the finished product turned in with six minutes to spare. That's all that matters. I also found five bucks on the ground. I treated a homeless woman in Baltimore to McDonald's with it.
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