Flipper! Flipper! Faster than lightning!

So yesterday at Lionsgate was actually great - one of the best days I've had there thus far just because I was constantly busy, which I enjoy. My boss didn't actually show up today... He was at a meeting somewhere and he gets so busy that he forgot to leave me things to do. At first, I thought I would be able to go home, but then the other people in our little section gave me projects. One girl, Sivan, who is 24 and super sweet, had me scan business cards that her boss (who does marketing) has received and send them to her. The card scanner thing I got set up scans the card and then can take most of the info off of it and make it a contact in your mail, except that sometimes its didn't read it correctly. It was sort of tedious work, but it kept be busy, which was FAB. After that, this guy, Bruce, wanted me to watch The Cove, an Oscar winning documentary about the dolphin slaughter in Taiji, Japan. He wanted me to watch it and then pick out 1-5 minutes clips to possibly upload to YouTube. At first we couldn't find where the DVD was, so he had me look through some drawers in the office. The draws looked more like the $5 bin at Walmart, complete with Barney movies, Fraggle Rock DVDs and so-so comedy and horror DVDs. It was very odd. Anyways we found the movie and it is so wonderful, I highly recommend it to ALL of you.

So yeah, that was a great day, just because I was incredibly busy. I actually find it funny that the most work I did at Lionsgate, I did the day my boss wasn't there... Actually, as I was in the elevator leaving Lionsgate, some younger blonde guy turns to me and says "You're Hillary, right? The new intern for the department?" I have never seen this guy before, but I guess everyone in the department knows who I am now. Haha. I guess news travels fast.

Right now, I am at the casting agency and there is not much going on, although more than last time. I got to sort some mail which was kept me busy for all of 30 minutes, if that. Now I want to do more busy work. I hope I hope I hope.

If anything eventful happens, I will write again. Oh and just as a side note - my cousin is graduating from Preschool today. I feel so old.

Boba Boba BOBA!

This weekend was a great one, actually filled with more stuff than the other weekends. First, on Saturday I went to brunch with D and Sarah at this place called the Saddle Ranch. The building was modeled after an old saloon (complete with fake hookers in the fake balconies) with a mechanical bull in the center. The craziest thing about this place is not the atmosphere, but the plates. I ordered a breakfast burrito that came out on a plate that had to be at least a 2 foot long wooden platter. The burrito itself was about the width of my calf. Crazy.

That night I went to a movie with Sarah in this little theatre in Culver city. We decided to see Letters to Juliet since we didn't have a very extensive selection. Needless to say it was bad. Like it could have at least been a cute cheesy movie, but instead it had really awkward diologue (like a touching moment where the grandmother starts brushing Amanda Seyfried's hair and just says something like "one of the greatest pleasures is getting your hair brushed". That's it. No words of wisdom, no touchingly cheesy line, just that. It could have been such a guilty pleasure, but instead I just feel guilty for spending my money.

Sunday I went to the Grove where I got Korean BBQ and a bubble tea. This is a problem. I think I'm becoming addicted to Boba, and it doesn't help that there is a Boba Time 5 minutes from my house. PLUS it is only $2. I want one right now. Oy.

Yeah, I watch movies for a living...

Well it's been a while. I can't believe its been almost a week since I've last posted. Even though I don't know if I have any particularly exciting stories to tell. Hmmm lets see...

Oh, Tuesday. Okay so Tuesday I went to Lionsgate for only the second time, although I'm starting to feel like I've been there longer. I got there at 9:30 like I was told, unfortunately, my boss went into a meeting before then and didn't leave me anything to do, so I got to read Fahrenheit 451 for about an hour and a half. Anyways, after he came back, I was told to watch some webisodes and one movie and then summarize them for him. Since I didn't yet have a computer to watch them on, I was brought to this locked room in the office. So, one might think that this "viewing room" would be all nicely decked out or at least very office like - on the contrary. This little room had a large flatscreen with every sort of device on which to play a movie or video game. It had boxes stacked up in the corners, guitar hero (or rock band, whichever, i don't know video games) and the most interesting piece of furniture - a fuzzy leopard print fouton (or as my boss called it "a casting couch"). It was just odd that in the deep recesses of Lionsgate is room fit for a college dorm.

Not much happened at the Casting Agency on wednesday. I did some random work around the office and got to know some of the girls a little better. They are all very nice, but for some reason it is just taking me longer to get out of my shell.

Thursday was pretty great at Lionsgate, actually. I had a slight repeat of Tuesday (meaning my boss came in like a half hour + after I got there), but once he did arrive, he gave me an awesome task. He wanted me to rent movie on YouTube (you can do that!) and then report on the process and quality (since Lionsgate is one of the first Studios to participate in this rental thing). So basically, I got to watch The September Issue at work, write a summary and leave by 1. It was awesome. OH! Also, I was not only given my own computer/cubicle, but I officially have a Lionsgate email address!! Its so crazy! I feel so official.

Friday I had the day off and I just sort of hung around the house, nothing spectacular. Babysat for my cousins that night. Wow I sure know how to live!

Note

Oh and just as a funny side note: So i went to the casting agency wearing black skinny jeans, a decently nice red top and leopard flats, and when I told the girls at the agency (who dress VERY casual) that I basically dress like that all the time, they were SHOCKED. I thought that was funny. Just wait until I start showing up in my dresses and skirts all summer. HA.

Back to Work!

It is 5:30 on a Monday and I am still at work at the casting agency, but somehow, that doesn't really bother me, although I wish I had a project to work on or something. I am actually pleasantly surprised. Last time I was here, they had nothing for me to do and I stayed for a total or 2 hours. Today, I thought I was going to leave by 2 but here I am, still at work!

Well, before I get into my workday, let me talk about my weekend. Friday, I went with Sarah and D to this thing called "First Fridays" in Venice Beach. It was totally happening. Except I stupidly ate beforehand. Why is this stupid, you ask? Because little did I know there would be tons and tons of street food, including at least 3 Korean BBQ trucks, and we all know I am a sucker for Bul Kogi. Anyways, that was a fun night out, although I so wish not only was I 21 and could go enjoy the bars and whatnot, but also that I didn't have to drive everywhere so I could still enjoy the bars.

Saturday day was pretty uneventful, but Saturday night was fun. I went with Sarah to the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, which is like Church Street in Burlington VT for those of you who are familiar with that. Mostly its just stores and street performers, which I LOVE even though they make me feel bad because they are such freaks and rely on this odd act that they probably aren't very good at. Although I did see some people with like religious propaganda set up which I did NOT like, obviously.

So back to work. I video taped a casting session today! It was so fun. I was in with Lisa who is very cool and we got to audition a bunch of feisty black women (auditioning as feisty hookers) for the new Katherine Heigl movie. I loved mentally critiquing the actresses, because I always do that, so to be able to do it for a purpose was great. It was also awesome to finally see a real casting session, which was not as intense as I would have thought (although maybe it differs from agency to agency). After that I did some office work and went to lunch. I decided to eat at this coffee shop (since everyone was out of the office) and try and follow the walk of fame as far as I could get, which was hopefully Grauman's Chinese Theatre. Well I started walking and they just stopped. I was confused but later figured out that I was going the wrong way, so on Wednesday at lunch I will walk as far as I can, and hopefully reach the theatre. YAY.

After lunch, I was invited into one of the offices with everyone to have cake for Sara's Birthday (a girl who works in the office whose real name is Saraphina which is just cool). The cake was lime cake with cream cheese frosting. It was soooo good, and apparently healthier, since literally EVERYONE in the office is on a diet. I think they are all doing it together. Oh, LA. Anyways, after that, apart from all of a sudden feeling very sick, I didn't really do much. Ran a few errands which stunk only because I had massive blisters on my feet. Too bad, those shoes are sooooo cute. Also, there is a W hotel right next door to us and I had to go inside it to get to Bliss, which is a store and a spa IN the hotel. They have all of these nice stores and spas and whatevers INSIDE the hotel. Ooh it was sooo swank I wish I could stay there! Ah, dare to dream.

So that was my day. In the celebrity news department (if you can call it that)...

It turns out that my cousin Stacey is friends with Beth from The Real World and all the other shows that came after. And by friends I mean BFFLs. For those of you that don't know who that is, she was the older sort of crazy blonde one. Apparently that is all an act, Stacey says... I don't know cuz I only met her for a second. But even though she is apparently very very nice in real life, it somehow makes COMPLETE sense that she is so close with my cousin. What a match, them two.

Okay that's all. More on my movie watching day at Lionsgate coming tomorrow.

First Day, Big Studio, Lots of....Poop?

Today was my first day working for Lionsgate and I was NERVOUS! Like woah nervous. Like I haven't been that nervous in years. So instead of showing up at the office like I normally would have done, my new boss thought it would be a good idea for me to sit in on this meeting. Well this wasn't just any meeting; this was a meeting at this swanky hotel with the ENTIRE Home Entertainment Division of Lionsgate, being led by the COO. So here I am, this little inexperienced intern that really has no familiarity with much digital media sitting in a room full of many high powered people at Lionsgate hoping I don't do anything embarrassing. I was so irrationally nervous that my phone would go off (even though I was 99% sure I had turned it off), or I would somehow fall out of my chair, or I would yawn and be rude or whatever. Needless to say I was scuuurrrrrreeedddd. So anyways, the meeting ends and I go back to the offices with my boss' new assistant (new as in it was her 3rd day on the job), who originally came out to LA to be an actress, which didn't work out (further making me realize that I could never cut it as an actress out here or maybe anywhere), and just watched material all day. I watch one sample Anime movie which was TOTALLY not my thing (although Amy, if you're reading this, I think you would really enjoy) and then watched some YouTube clips from YouTube stations such as Mondo Media, The Station, and Lisa Nova (check them out). So that was my day. Oh and plus I was able to use my boss' office which was SWEET since he is like a BIG WIG at the company. How often do you get to sit at a president's desk as an intern? Not often, I'm sure.

So I realized that Thursday was, as odd as this sounds, a shitty day. Not in the sense that is was bad, but literally had lots of poop in it. Poop you say? How foul, Hillary. Disgusting. And, yes. It is, but let me explain because it is quite odd (I think). Okay first, the Anime movie I watched revolved around a world that revolved around people pooping (seriously, I'm not kidding). Second, I was pleasantly surprised when I walked into my house after my stressful day and realized it stunk. At first I thought the dog who had been sitting in the doorway had just farted really badly when I realized that she had not farted, but pooped all over the living room floor, smelling up that entire section of the house. Poor thing was obviously embarrassed but still, it was gross. Third, my 6 year old cousin almost pooped her pants stuck in traffic on the way home from swim class where; fourth, 5 minutes into their swim lesson, a kid pooped in the pool canceling all the lessons for the day. Lots of poop. Poop filled day hence shitty day.

I apologize if this last paragraph offended anyone but, I'm just telling it like it is (or was). I'm not normally such a shitty writer. HA. Get it? Shit... poop... okay moving on.

So yes, that was my first day working at Lionsgate, where I still have a hard time believing I got an internship at.

Also, I've decided I need a hobby. I don't know what to do in my free time, and my life isn't interesting enough to blog about all the time. Maybe I will pick up a craft. Then I can write all about my trials and tribulations of like, basket weaving, or finger knitting, something like that. Wouldn't that be exciting? Just another exciting day in the life of Hollywood Hillary...

First Day, Casting Agency

Today was my first day of work in California EVER. Woah. I could not believe this came so fast. Not only that, but the fact that it actually came through and I am truly doing it. So, I am actually at the agency now, having already organized tapes and having nothing else to do. I feel sort of guilty just sitting here doing nothing - I want to be busy and like being busy. Right now, I just feel like an obstruction. But I guess its not my fault. So walking in today was incredibly nerve wracking, starting with the fact that I could not figure out what to wear and got a late start, so I was stressing the whole ride here (which took me a little under 45 minutes). Not only and I very overdressed, but I sort of feel like a Grandma, with my black dress pants that I found in my closet (probably either thrift or my mother's from the '90s). I just want my skinny jeeeeeaaaannnssss! Oh anyways.

So even though I've only been here a little over an hour, seeing some of the actors come in for auditions or just hearing what goes on to cast a movie totally makes me not want to really pursue any sort of acting. With the incredible physical demands and the competition, it just doesn't seem like its for me. Although it is interesting hearing them talk about certain celebrities that they've worked with, since that whole world is so foreign to me. Well anyways, I don't know what else to say now, since I only have an hour + of "work" under my belt. More on the life of this new-found Cali working girl later, if there is anything eventful....