Oh, P.S.

Dear Boys of Self Storage

Ya'll looked super cute with your goofy gross mustaches

but I am glad they are gone.

Why?

Because now we can see all your beautiful smiles

Unclouded by historic facial hair.

Welcome back to the 21st century

you handsome devils

Love,

The Costume Mistress

Clean Up

11 am--FCLO: I return all of my rentals... but I forgot the hat... goodness sakes... 

So I'll have to go back to return the hat

11:30 am--Buffalo Exchange: I sell things--$22 worth of things. so that's a third of my overbudget deficit 

12 pm--art from the Penniless Writer for "Still"

6 pm--stuck in 101N traffic... in the rain... and the dark... ugggggggggg

7:25 pm--Cop Prop Shop: drop off all of the Riot Police gear... something Production Designer should have done but since it is her birthday, it is a labor of love. Thankfully we're not nailed for a late fee. They don't care. Why? cuz they are amazing people

I am doing post-Self Storage clean up

and I feel like life is going back to normal:

a birthday cake for my roommate Larissa

linner with my little brother since we need to catch up on life

a clean kitchen thanks to Jerelyn

all of us together watching Darjeeling Limited, having a good time

It's back to "Still" now

I feel so good. so. so. so. sooooo good.

Now to get back the remaining $42 that I owe Production Designer for covering my butt at the Cop Prop Shop... ending in me covering my own butt. I have put a lot of my own $$ into this film, but it's okay. I just hope the film turns out amazing.

On the latest gossip:

UPM and Key Grip are back together... as some have anticipated

For myself... well, that's all secret business ladies and gentlemen....

Until post production,

much love

The Costume Mistress

Filming Day 6: THAT'S A WRAP!

"That's a wrap!" Boss Man yelled.

We all cheered and applauded. 

We hugged and kissed and smiled and laughed.

We took an all-crew, all-cast photo.

We toasted and drank to our good time and success.

We thanked each other

And then we inhaled Chipotle burritos as if we had never seen food before.

It was a great day. A great long day.

I hope all the boys went home to shave off their nasty mustaches

I hope our feet ache only with the satisfaction of a job well done

I hope our thoughts turn to our God, the fountain from which we gain all inspiration and strength

I hope our hearts are endeared to one another

I hope that the premiere is not the next time we see each other

Good night SS crew

May your dreams be sweet and your morning lacking in stress

-Felicia Heykoop

The Costume Mistress

Filming Day 5

Well I started the day off right by getting to set a whole hour before my call time. Unfortunately, with Makeup Mistress being my roommate, she came too early too. When 1AD asked me why I was so early and revealed to me that I was not called until 8:45 I told him not to tell Makeup Mistress. I broke it to her myself.

"I am going to kill you," she said bluntly. "I could be still sleeping." 

I apologized profusely. She settled for a nap in my car and was in a better mood when I got her at 9.

Other than my scheduling mistake, it was a good day. Really good.

Some details:

worked on shirts for the Guy and Zoning Officer characters until 3 am

3 hour nap until 6:45 am

on set early, not feeling well--when I don't sleep I feel sicker

And feeling sicker

and sicker as the day wears on because the food on set is not good for you

Green Rockstar #2 which tastes like utter poison

my non-nitrate diet means I cannot eat neither lunch nor dinner (tomorrow I will pack my own, just in case this happens again)

UPM his minor hysterical breakdown so I spike her Diet Coke with Kava extract--the new ambrosia and nectar of my filmmaking career

BTS girl is here! Oh my gosh, where have you been?

An amazing set--kudos to Production Designer and her kick ass team. I feel like hippies really do live here

A round of "happy birthday" for Production Designer (24 on Monday) and Steve (Guy character, 57 as of today!) as well as delicious pink cupcakes

A gracious Starbucks run by The Not-So-Penniless Writer for a latte that warms my aching cold bones and clears my foggy head

An ahmazing conversation with Makeup Mistress that reminds me why I love where I live and with whom I live. (I am blessed to live in a house full of love. We really do genuinely care for one another. We take time to sit and listen, give advice, bear one another's burdens. We have family meals, we host our friends, we dance and laugh and clean and jump on the trampoline. Makeup Mistress... wow do I love her. She is a part of my sanctuary on set and at home. I love her very much and thank the Lord for bringing us together at long last).

Wrapping an hour late and being unaware because of such wonderful conversation. PTL!

Tomorrow is the end. Hallelujah. I will miss this wonderful crew. I look forward to these fostered friendships, new and old and the return to normalcy in our relationships. It has been a privilege to work beside and learn from such a wonderful group of people.

gone to the dark side

There is a reason that things that you shouldn't ingest taste horrible.

Mother nature has been good to us.

So why am I drinking this HORRENDOUS stuff?

Musical Inspiration

I have been listening to a lot of Daniel Johnston, Bright Eyes and Muddy Waters while working on these costumes.

I am adding "Four Winds" by Bright Eyes to my list of Self Storage songs

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

[oi. marry me]

Days left of shooting: 3 (almost done!)

Costumes needed: 1 (almost done!!!)

let's talk about stress

boy can I tell you the stories.

The Production Designer saved by sorry stressed butt today by initiating a run to the Cop Prop Shop, a prop house run out of the home and garage of a lovely couple from New Jersey who were so gracious to us. Armed with cups of coffee and a yellow legal pad, we made a shopping list, fine-tuned it thanks to lack of budget and walked out of there an hour later with everything we needed. Even worse though, she had to spot me some of her budget to cover everything. I am so embarassed. I told people I would go under budget and I would have if the film did not get shoved around so much, we didn't recast, I had adequate contact information and kept better track of all my money and better contact with the whole crew. It is a two-way street. I am learning. I must exercise forgiveness for myself... and everyone else.

In the broad scheme of things: it really isn't that big of a deal.

Self Storage is not the end of the world.

Now the only costume I have left to worry about is the shirt I am making The Penniless Writer. That's it! (Poor guy. I hope he does not find this blog for a while. I can't imagine how it would be to read about how what was a fun story has become an agent of stress for the people making it, though I guess that is to be expected at any rate. Still. I feel horrible about it myself.)

Time spent with the Production Designer was great and much needed. I was reminded that before we did all this movie crap, we were friends. We danced together, laughed and swam and joked and picked on each other. We were normal. Now we are THE ART DEPARTMENT HEADS. What in the flip. She's not even really my boss. We both feel we have learned a lot from this past weekend and vow to be more on top of it this next weekend. Saturday we have 20 set ups, Sunday we have 30. This weekend is going to be hell. Lady Producer is working on finding us a second makeup artist since we will have a full cast and I'm still worried about it. The last thing I want is for the production to be held up for makeup and wardrobe. I would be mortified.

After family dinner for two hours with half of the "Still" crew, Key Grip and I went to the Self Storage Dept head meeting for two more hours. Now let's talk about stress. I can't even convey how badly my head hurts right now. I am trying to shrug off the mistakes. I am trying to release the anger. I am trying to refresh my mind. I am trying to finalize my vision. I am trying to keep on the same page as everyone else. I am trying (god, desperately trying) not to panic.