The People I Will See

You know I'm getting lazy when I post these kinds of blogs...

So, we had another screening at the Fox lot the other night, and I usually find that the movies I don't like have better turn outs than the movies I do like. Our newest Movie of the Week (MOW) stars John Corbett, Sarah, Paulson, Karen Allen, and Sam Elliott. And three out of the four showed up to the screening with Sam bringing his wife Katharine Harris of The Graduate fame.

Sometimes these events are surreal. The actors stay in the corner getting their picture taken while the faithful approach for a benediction...or something. I'm never quite sure. Nine times out of ten, the actor is also dressed 100% better than everyone else in the room. "Oh, there's X." Hair done. Make-up done. It's very lookie-loo. As for the actor, s/he looks terrified or completely remote. "Please, don't come over here." But this time, they roamed around, talked to people, and pretty much acted like everyone else. Which was kinda cool. Karen Allen kept getting lost in the crowd. Seriously, unless you knew she was an an actor in the film, she just looked like a really pretty and put together woman of a certain age. As for John and Sam, well, feel free to chat 'em up! John was especially genial. Too bad I had to leave early or else I would have probably been doing shots at the bar with him.

Hmm, on second thought, maybe it's best that I did leave early. Especially since I SAW HUGH LAURIE! Oh, I'm sorry, was I screaming like a little girl? As I walked up the stairs to parking level two, I looked down and right into the face of House himself. I tried to find a reason to slow my gait and get a better look at him, but all I had in my hands were my car keys and it was really cold outside. Oh well.

I think the next screening is on the Fox lot again come January. I'm totally losing 50lbs and bringing a clutch that I can spill at a moments notice carrying a change purse that doesn't snap quite right and business cards. Lots and lots of business cards! Hugh Laurie is British, those people are oh-so-proper. He would total stop and help me pick it up, right? Hey, a girl has got to have a plan...

The Places I Will Call

On a recent House episode, House calls the CDC in regards to a theory on small pox. He poses as a screenwriter. "Hi, I'm writing a screenplay. Is it possible that the small pox can survive for 200 years in a sealed glass jar on the ocean floor?" House holds up the phone and the guy on the other end says, "Well, theoretically, yes, it could..." House promptly hangs up on him. This sequence made me laugh because I make phone calls like that at least twice a month. "Hi, I'm calling from a movie production company in Los Angeles. We're working on a film and I have a quick question that I hope you can answer...."

Today, I made a phone call to Scripps Institute of Oceanography down in San Diego to ask them how to pronounce "Marianas Trench." We're in post-production on a movie and suddenly everyone's wondering if the actor said the word right. This has become part of my job. For some unknown reason, I am now the girl to go to if you have an obscure question that needs to be answered.

On Wednesday, I called Sunset Beach Town Hall in North Carolina to ask them about the Kindred Spirit mailbox. Mary said that she didn't know the history of the mailbox, but Judy should. But Judy was at lunch. When Judy called me back, she gave me Bill's home phone number. I called Bill yesterday. Bill is the Chairman of the Bird Island Preservation Society and did indeed know the history of the mailbox and also gave me the number of the person who put it up and tends it. I'm saving that information for the script process.

I also called the American Physical Therapy Association in Virginia to find out if a person with a MPT (Masters of Physical Therapy) would have the title of Doctor since our Art Department on one of films thought it was appropriate to put Dr. in front of a character's name, followed by MPT. APTA confirmed one can get a doctorate in Physical Therapy, but would have to complete a DPT (Doctorate of Physical Therapy). There's going to be a lot of CGI'ing on that one...

Back in August, I called the USO to find out what was served at the USOs back in WWII (whatever they could get donated). I called the Atlanta VA Medical Center to find out what volunteers are able to do at the local VAs past filing and making copies of files (yes, they can read to the vets). I called the L.A. Naval Recruiting Office to find out how old a chaplain can be (they top out usually at 42).

For the same project, I called the Atlanta History Center who directed me to the Kenan Research Center in regards to where Navy troops would have shipped out from Georgia for the Pacific theater. Mark said that they would have been put on a train to the west coast where they would have been shipped out from San Diego. So then I called the Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth and spoke to Jeff about the path the train would have taken from Atlanta to San Diego and exactly which ones of the Atlanta area train stations are still around today (none, but Jeff could tell you the number of the train and what track it went out on!).

In the spring, I called a farm in Rhode Island to find out if local farms could be both a Christmas tree farm and a fresh produce farm (they can). I called the Salt Lake City school board to ask about integrating homeless students into public schools in the 1980s. I called Macy's in New York to ask permission if a character could work for them, and I called Amherst college in Massachusetts to ask if a character could go to their school (yes and yes). I called Century 21 about how real estate agents get their listings.

I used to hate making these phone calls. I used to scour the internet looking for answers before picking up the phone and just calling. However, I don't mind as much any more (unless it's a truly trivial question in which the answer is pretty evident). Why? Mainly because people are really helpful. Most people, when getting an out-of-the-blue phone call from a production company in Los Angeles are excited to answer whatever ridiculous question I can ask. And by the end of it, I'm usually getting invited out to wherever the person is. Which I think is pretty nice. "Make sure you call me if your ever in North Carolina," Bill said yesterday. "Stop by the farm if you're ever passing this way," invited the Rhode Island farmer. Amherst wanted me to send me a sweatshirt. Century 21 sent the set a real golden blazer and name tag with the character's name on it (we used it in filming). Macy's wanted to know if I could send a copy of the movie to them for their archive (which is interesting, especially if you've seen their new commercial in which they use clips from TV and movies with characters saying "Macys" -- our film did not make the cut). I won't go so far as to say that people are nice in general. My years as a cop taught me that they're not. And if I just called up and asked, "how do you pronounce Marianas?" I probably would be hung up on. But for the most part, I think people like to be useful.

At the end of every conversation, I tell the person the name of the movie, the month and station it will be broadcast on. Not only is it good marketing for the film, but because I know that it means something to people to see their contribution pay off. Even if it is only a farm that has both a Christmas tree lot and produce gardens.

Making a List

Just last night, I emailed a bunch of family members and parents of godchildren to gather the Christmas lists. I'm like Santa Claus only on a restrictive budget. In hindsight, I don't know how my single mother did it. Two kids, one paycheck? And yet Santa was very generous every year. I think lay-away had something to do with it. Anywhooo...

What I really love about getting the Christmas lists is to see who these kids are turning out to be. Sarah loves art projects and at seven is currently becoming a label shopper. Which Cracks. Me. Up. As so was her mother once upon a time. Sarah is into Justice. I had never heard of it before, and quite frankly, other than the sequins and the glitter, I kinda don't get it. But at least it's not adult-wear cut for kids, if you know what I mean. It's very conservative. Which I find interesting as her mother was a very conservative dresser, too, back when we were teens (still is; she has this adorable cardigan with sheep on it). I was also told about Sillybanz. Have you seen these? Honestly, what is it about kids that they suddenly all need the something at the same time? Reminds me of when I suddenly had to have a Cabbage Patch Kid when I really didn't care about them a month before Christmas. Sarah's sister Kathryn, however, is a Momma's Girl. Totally loves her baby dolls and Barbies. Which, hello!, BARBIES! I get Kathryn. I bought her a baby doll last year, however, and her mother says that the dolls are getting a bit out of control, so I'm not allowed. Kinda breaks my heart a little. But only a little as my sister has shared with me that her one-year old is showing up at Mommy & Me classes and ganking other little girls' dolls. YAY! I mean, not for rolling Mommy & Me classmates, but giving Auntie an opportunity to buy a Christmas doll! I'm waxing and waning between Itty Bitty at 15" complete with book and teddy bear and Corolle Calin at 12" made with low toxic plastics and machine-washable body. Decisions, decisions!

There are only three boys on my list this year: 6, 3, and almost 2. I do not find boys fun to buy for. It's all lights, noise, and hard plastics. I think I'm suffering some PTSD from Christmases past when my cousins used to wheel their lunking toys around and somehow I always got smacked in the head. ("Dump trucks don't fly, Jason!" Oh, sorry, flashback.) So, far it seems like it may be a Very Lego/Duplos Christmas for these fellas.

All in all, I think I'm just excited about Christmas in general as I didn't take a vacation this year (I bought a car instead. *Sigh* I'm still not over that injustice), so I'm really looking forward to getting away for a little while even if it is only going to Connecticut. But Connecticut certainly has it charms. Snow, ice skating, hot chocolate that actually warms up your insides on a cold, wintry day...not to mention some pretty adorable kids who are going to love me when I show up with Barbie shaped Sillybandz!

Shiny, New Hope

What did I say about my book getting rejected? Uh, yep. I also got a formal phone call from Disney telling me that I did not get the job, which I thought was nice of them since they kinda informed me the week before that I wasn't going to get it. And while last week I felt bereft, disappointed, and rejected, this week, I've got a little perspective and can actually feel -- what's that? ahh, yes -- gratitude.

The thing is, everyone who rejected me did it very gently and kindly, and in fact, offered up hope. According to Disney, the Senior Vice President liked me a great deal, but felt I didn't have enough experience, and in another year or two, who knows? In the meantime, they'd like to consider me for other positions, if that's OK? Yeah. Yeah, that's fine. I'll take that. And the agent who rejected the book stated that it took her awhile to make a decision as she really liked the concept and it worked for the most part, but the execution was a bit old fashioned. While I had left my heroine an avatar for the reader, today's picture book market requires a protagonist with a fully formed personality, warts and all. In fact, the agent sorta suggested that I use the kind of voice that I use in my adult humor books. Huh! Who would have thunk it? Neither one of the these rejectionists had to give me much past a "thanks, but no thanks" leaving me to wonder if I was a loser with bad breath and a neanderthal I.Q. (What can I say, I'm very hard on myself), but both actually left me feeling pretty good about myself. As someone who writes reject letters once a month, I know the difference between a brush off and a considered response, and I am grateful for the time and thought these individuals put into rejecting me. Who knew that was possible?

It's funny what a few days can do. Last week, the sky was falling and it was all rejection and dejection. This week, it's all rainbows and butterflies and self affirmation. Next week, I'll probably pick myself up and start the process all over again with shiny, new hope.