As has been pointed out to me, this blog was to be my journal of my adventures here in Hollywood, but so far all the posts have been about movies I’m not at all connected to. That ends today.

Due to several unfortunate events, not least which the writer’s strike, I haven’t been able to secure a job. Hollywood is one of the last great apprentice-based systems left in the modern world. There are no backdoors or easy advances, everyone starts at the bottom, and so that’s where I’m at. I’ve been trying to get a job as a PA — a Production Assistant. PA’s are the bottom rung on the Hollywood ladder, but everyone has to start there. The nice thing about the industry is that everyone, somewhere along the line, was given a chance by someone in industry, and there’s a deep seated belief that it’s expected to do the same for other people. Unfortunately, this doesn’t necessarily apply to first-time PAs. The problem is that there’s an incredibly high rate of first-time PAs coming on set, and going, “HOLY CRAP! I have to work HOW many hours?!?” And, then walking off the picture. Not really very professional, or smart for that matter. Anyway, because of that Production Managers are a little wary of first-timers.

Now that you have the necessary info under your belt, we can begin my tale. I received a phone call from my cousin — my “in” in Hollywood — a little over a week ago. He was like, “you busy Tuesday the 18th?” I was like, “no, I’m unemployed.” He was like, “cool, how about an interview at 10:00am?” I was like, “yeah, I can do that.” And, he was like, “alright, call me when you get close on Tuesday.”¹

So, today, I set my alarm for 6:30am, and was out the door by 7:15am. Arriving at Disney Studios in Burbank, CA an hour early, I judiciously decided to cruise down Alameda Street to Starbucks and give my cousin a call. He told me to come on into the studio and he’d introduce me to people and maybe get me into interviews sooner if people had time. I drove down and parked across the street from Walt Disney Studios. After a little snafu with security, they let me in and and met one of people who works under my cousin, I call him: Dave from Accounting².

Dave from Accounting met me on the ground floor of the Frank Wells building just inside the Disney lot, my cousin was on a conference call, so he asked Dave from Accounting to show me around the production offices of Race to Witch Mountain and take me to the people I was interviewing with. He introduced me to the 2nd Assistant Director, and I had a five minute meeting with her, and then to the 2nd Unit 2nd Assistant Director, and I had a five minute meeting with him. Dave from Accounting then took me back to my cousin, who was off his conference call. I thanked Dave from Accounting and said good bye to him. My cousin and I chatted for a few minutes and then I was off.

I headed back to Riverside, and upon arriving back around noon, promptly went to Riverside Thai Cuisine, because it’s really good, and I was really hungary. I ordered the Pepper Steak Lunch Special, number five, with soup and and a Thai Iced Coffee to go. While waiting for my food, my cousin called and was like, “hey, so the Holler Sheet was just printed and guess what.” I was like, “What?” This is where I’m going to insert a little text for suspense and clarification, but mostly suspense. First of all, the Holler Sheet, this is the “industry” name for the movie’s call sheet, it’s phone directory. Anyway, that’s enough suspense, he was like, “well, I just opened it up and low and behold your name and number are in here.” So, I was like, “Really?!? Wow! That’s great!” And he was like, “yeah, I talked to the 2nd Wnit 2nd AD and he was very impressed with you.”

So, my that is my update. I am an alternate PA for Race to Witch Mountain. So, I’m rather excited. Also, now that I’ll have a movie on my resume, it should be a lot easier to get work, so be expecting frequent updates!

¹ For those of you who know my cousin, you’ll know this doesn’t resemble a conversation with him at all. Those of you who don’t know, well, now you do. I only mention this because those of you who know me, might assume this was an accurate recreation of the conversation.

² I call him this because his name is Dave, and he works in accounting.