This film is going to be the death of me

Self Storage gave me a nice swift kick in the nuts last night.

Worst of all, I know that it's no one's fault in particular

But here I am, losing my last real work day because of a conference Mr. Supe and I are going to in the AM and filming SS starting at 5. I am in deep trouble. And when I say deep, I mean I need some googles soon.

So I'm off to Saver's now so that I don't have a panic.

I love challenges--I really do, but there's a difference between feeling you can't do something and knowing you CAN do it, you just don't have time.

I am of the latter bent.

But today has been blessed: the long lost Cribbage Boo, the One and Only Chimes Gossip Blogger and I reconnected. Package to London soon. Many stories. A happy Costume Mistress.

Sometimes Thrifty Ice Cream is the Only Cure

seem longer

Still and Self Storage

Yesterday we shot a promotional video for "Still" at my house. The middle of the day, the A/C off, the grumbles of empty, coffee-rinsed stomachs--all added up to what I feel as an intense amount of focus. The interviews turned out great though I think Mr. Supe and myself come across almost too serious.

After Mr. Supe left (lunch + continued rewrites dialogue) I hopped back in my car to do some shopping for today's Self Storage photo shoot. I needed full flashback costumes for Maxine and Guy characters for an old photograph in the office scene that opens the film. My excitement is mounting. I love the pressure.

Though, I still have frustrations.

See--this is the realities of my job:

1. Drive the Whittier, put $30 women's boots on reserve at Melrose

2. Drive to Fullerton and buy men's boots at American Vintage (on sale, PTL) and loafers at Buffalo Exchange.

3. Drive back to Melrose to buy women's boots and tiny orange shorts for the Ramon character

4. Saturday morning, go to estate sales and purchase a pair of shoes for 50 cents that could have worked just as well as the women's boots

Fact: you live and you learn and you move on with life

There is no use in beating yourself up about these things.

Today's shoot went well, btu it took too long. I didn't mind. I stayed behind at the production center and achieved my year-long dream of talking to the Writer for hours. Now I can die.

Days until shooting: 6

Costumes left to get: 25%

So it begins

Yesterday was big fat shopping day for Boss Man and I. 

First stop FCLO for rentals. Faye was glad to see us again. It was good to see all the women there too--oddly enough I felt like I was returning to an old love of some sort like when you revisit your elementary school as a teenager. Back again in the sweltering attic, laughing and tripping over everything and smelling like cedar. 

Second was Melrose in Uptown Whittier

What is great about having the Director tag along on costume runs is the fact that we have a riot poking fun at things and just dinkin around. I enjoy his company, especially on what could be otherwise tedious excursions such as this one.

Today I went back to FCLO and tomorrow I return to Fullerton to check American Vintage and Stray Cat and whatever else just to make sure all our ducks are in a row for a fitting on Saturday.

I am so glad we're finally doing this. We're really doing this.

Days left until filming: 10

Costumes left to get: about 50%

Announcing

It is my great honor to announce that the empty position of hair and makeup (Makeup Girl had a commitment as 2nd AD on a project shooting the same dates) has been filled by none other than my roommate Lex.

Welcome Lex

We now dub thee: Makeup Mistress

Welcome welcome

Trash and Treasure

So yesterday was really productive, I feel. I did so many things I didn't want to do. 

I went to bed early

I got up early

I got in the car without sunglasses

I didn't eat breakfast

But let me tell you--the booty I came home with at the end of the day is worth bragging about.

From the yard sales, I picked up

• a vintage bolo tie for Les
• a late 60s pants suit for Maxine
• a shirt for Constance that I'm gonna TRASH. It looks like it's late 60s as well
• pink clip-on earrings for Maxine
• a white blouse for Maxine
• a white clutch for Maxine (which I'm still debating using)

Then! Production Designer and I went the Golden West Swap Meet to dive through the dumpsters. While waiting for her and her father, I wandered around and found a stall that was all used books, most for a dollar each. I got a bunch of books I am so excited about

• What to Expect When You're Expecting (for "Still")
• "On Wiriting Well" (so I can stop using my mom's copy and write in it at whim. Why do other people not do this with their books?)
• The Childless Revolution (helpful for "Still" rewrites?)
• A book I am sending to the Chimes Gossip Blogger (a.k.a. the Cribbage boo) about the wildlife of Britain (she starts her semester in London soon)
• Tales from the Medicine Trail (another for "Still" but I saw in the TOC that there is a chapter on Kava extra, my new herbal obsession thanks to my housemate LB)
• A Complete Encyclopedia of stitches (yes!)

Then from the dumpsters I pulled tons of awesome stuff that has no relevance to Self Storage except or the white gloves and white tote I found for Maxine. It was a good day for her character, this was for sure. Better yet was calling the actress to get her measurements. I have a hunch that she's gonna be a delight on set.

Sketchball

The production meeting on Wednesday did stress me out, I admit, only because it came before a "Still" rewrites meeting and the weight of all I have to accomplish hit me like a pile of couches. And the fact that I was not going to be able to get my way on some things was frustrating. But at the same time, waves of excitement have been washing over me for days.

Best yet!

It was an all-crew meeting but I was surprised to see The Penniless Writer there. Now, only a few people (like Lady Producer, for one) know that I have been wanting to get to know TPW since... forever. Like, I feel listening to him talk would be the most interesting thing. I asked him at the meeting if perhaps he had made any character sketches. He hadn't! I was surprised since he is a cartoon artist (with a great portfolio on facebook, I might add) that he hadn't made drawings of his created world. I guess I just assumed he would have.

But low and behold--what's this in my first class inbox? an email from The Penniless Writer not but a few hours after our meeting adjourned with an attached batch of sketches of the Self Storage people! I laughed out loud at my computer screen and with overwhelming giddiness, wrote him back. In the words of Ross the Intern: "Now I can die".

Through a series of emails, I have discovered that not only has Mr. Soup told TPW about "Still" making it as the Biola film, but TPW has also been reading my director's blog! (productiondiary.wordpress.com) I was overjoyed to hear this! TPW is graduated--but he found my blog! And he told me it was really well written!

Wait.

now I can die.

Throw me a bone

Not to be a meanie about things

but I really need Self Storage to help me out here.

I feel minorly torn

It's not that I have better things to do, but now that I'm directing the Biola film, I kinda... do....

I am tired of playing he-said/she-said/he-said with this crew. Tired of all sorts of lost emails. Tired of the budget cuts. Tired of the frustration it's causing.

Why am I still on this? I tried to evaluate it the other day. For Production Designer, it's strictly a reel thing now. For me it's not even that really. But if there were to be a condition for me to leave it would be not believing in the crew. Because I'm friends with Boss Man now, I feel--not obligated--but compassionate to the project. Especially now that "Still" has hit the rewrites stage, I feel that I can sympathize with him a lot. AND, I feel that being on this set gives me an opportunity to learn from some of Biola's best filmmakers. I know that Mr. Supe especially will be able to point out things that I need to be paying attention to since he will not be with me during production (at least not in an active role on set).

Lord have mercy.

Mr. Supe and I will be running from the Self Storage meeting to our own dept head meeting tonight. Kava and tea for sure.

Still

So after much stress

and worry

and scratching of the head

and a stellar pitch--the best, Lisa said, Pre-Pro class has ever seen

and now I am the director of the Fall Biola Film: "Still"

Mr. Soup and I sport huge grins, shake many hands, hi-5 many peers

I feel as if I have made a large journey

In reality, it is just beginning

and Self Storage hasn't even begun to shoot yet

oh goodness, I need diligence like none other