Drive-Thru Fiction

"Reality" TV

2004-03-10T11:42:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to post a quick memo to all your reality tv show fans out there. This is an actual job listing I found while searching for possible future employment. In all fairness, I have included the contact information and everything...feel free to be "real." lol Just tell them you found it on Craig's List:

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Actors needed for reality show

Original URL: http://losangeles.craigslist.org/tfr/25156607.html
Posted by: customcasting@yahoo.com
Posted on: 2004-02-25, 5:03PM

4 actors needed for promo for new reality show shooting on Saturday March 6th.
Shoot should only take half a day. Need one Rockabilly/greaser mechanic type,
one midwestern all american boy type, one cute all american girl and one vixen.
Must be able to seem natural and not like you’re "acting". Knowledge of cars
and automotives a plus. $50 for the day + a copy of the finished reel.

E-mail headshot, resume and contact info ASAP to:
customcasting@yahoo.com

Compensation: $50 for the day + a copy of the finished reel.
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So now if you're one of those people that doesn't believe me when I rant and say that reality TV isn't real...here's your proof! Thought you might get a kick out of a little bit of actual Hollywood reality. It certainly made me smile.

Wheez...huff...Wheez....

2004-03-05T13:51:00.000-08:00

So today I decided to start working out more regularly again. Summer's around the corner, and I need to get my beach volleyball bod back in action. This morning was my first day or running again...I decided to start with 2 miles (being that I used to be able to run 3 miles no sweat...operative word: USED) at a slower pace. Oh my GOD...I must be getting older... Maybe it's because I haven't run regularly since November...but, dear God was I in some pain!

I thought all that biking and rollerblading would keep me up to tip top...I guess not!

Now, I sit here at the production company...my ass is throbbing, my legs are burning, and I feel awesome! In fact...I can't wait to get up and do it again tomorrow...

A friend is coming in from the east coast tonight...I hope she doesn't mind. ;)

Golden Statues and Donkeys

2004-03-03T13:22:00.000-08:00

What a wild couple of days, eh? Or maybe not so wild...

The Oscars were good, but not all that exciting. Seems like the glamour glow of Hollywood has been washed away with our latest rain storms. If you're reading Kent's blog Life Without Erika, you'll notice his slight rant about the Oscars. Keep in mind, I found the ceremony to be entertaining...but I was kind of bored. As much as I don't want things to be completely outrageous, it's nice to have something to talk about. The part I really didn't enjoy was how poorly I felt it was directed. There were so many moments when the camera would just be staring at the ceiling with silence...like an awkward silence. My roommate and I laughed a lot at those. Congrats to Lord of the Rings though! 11 wins, tying Ben Hur and Titanic! Very cool!

Yesterday was Super Tuesday... John Kerry takes it! This makes me pretty happy. I really think he has a good chance of beating Dubya in the next Presidential election. I'm not the biggest liberal (shhhh...don't tell anyone in the entertainment biz that!), but I'm definitely NOT a Bush supporter. I'm not going to get into politics on this site, but I will say that I don't think any party has it right. Kerry though, in my opinion, will be good for the country.

And to anyone who may read this regularly, sorry I haven't been around...it's been busy and boring lately. The main show that this production company produces only has a few more shows until the go on hiatus for three months, so things are hustling around the office.

There have been other personal developments in my own little world of film making, and I'll be posting them soon. So, c'mon back!

2004 or...1984?

2004-02-26T16:57:00.000-08:00

Well, kiddies...get ready to move back in with your parents. No offense, Mom and Dad...you know what I mean.

Big Brother is growing up! I was reading the Hollywood Reporter, an entertainment trade magazine, this morning at the office, and right on the cover something caught my eye. Media giant (can I get a beanstalk and a dude named Jack with an axe, please?!) Clear Channel has pulled Howard Stern's radio program from at least six different stations owned by them in an effort to "clean up the airwaves."

Here we are, the only Super Power in the world... The supposed model country, and we freak out when we see a bare breast on television? I'm pretty sure all of us, male and female, have seen that before. So, why was everyone so crazy about this? Did none of the mothers breast feed their children? Are they really that ashamed of their own bodies? It's not like we all blasted our pants the second it happened and suddenly started fornicating in the streets.

"Clear Channel drew a line in the sand today with regard to protecting our listeners from indecent content, and Howard Stern's show blew right through it," C.C. CEO John Hogan said. OK, thanks, Dad... But I'm all grown's up now! I'm perfectly capable of changing the channel myself, damnit! I have never been a big fan of Stern's show, but I was glad he existed. It was a step towards America maturing and learning how to deal with things that are "offensive" without running to the governMENTAL parents.

Censorship is an issue that I feel VERY strongly about. The FCC was never created to censor the airwaves, they were created to make sure we didn't have bandwidth issues. Back in 1977, George Carlin aired a little monologue on the radio defining the "Seven Deadly Words of Radio Broadcast." A young boy (jerk) called the FCC and complained, thereby creating a famous lawsuit in which the FCC won. That gave the FCC the power to censor (FCC vs. Pacifica Foundation) broadcasting. If you don't feel like reading legal info, here's a great version of the tale as told through the mind of a college student. As you can see, this power came 44 years after its creation in 1934.

Why is America so hell bent on staying in the 1950's? Has ANYONE out there seen Pleasantville? The 1920's were more publicly exciting than things are today.

I really can't wait for the next social revolution, when we finally say..."OK!!! Chill the hell out!!! This is supposed to be a FREE country, remember?!"

Another Day, Another Auto Repair

2004-02-24T13:07:00.000-08:00

One of the most important tools a production assistant has is his car... (I was going to supply photos with this, but I'm still having the linking problem) I drive a 1993 Ponitac Grand Prix. It's kind of a cool car for what it is. Nice and powerful, big and fast. But DAMN do I have to repair it a lot!!! I've easily dropped 2/3 of the totally worth of the car on repairs (i.e. transmission, high pressure hoses, FULL replacement of rear brakes...yeah...ET-F'n-CETERA!). Now my car has decided to start sounding like a squeaky bed, in other words, can I have a set of rear struts, please? Then as I was going through the car wash the other day, it took out one of my headlights...Then there's the weather seal on my window that's putting drag on the power window which can break the motor....Did I mention my CD player decided to stop working?

My poor car... :(

I seem to be hanging on to this money-sucking beast like it was a dying child! Why do I love it so much? What's with guy's and our first cars? This is my first car...I packed it full of my crap and drove out here in it...It's got my Weezer window decal on the rear window...My ass groove in the seat...I know exactly where the passenger side is so I can freak people out when I speed REALLY close to walls and stuff....

It's old...It's falling apart...It's not exactly an eye catcher... I wash it a lot, and today I'm going to extensively clean the interior after I put my new headlight in. Yet the only car I think I could easily pass "Whitey" up for would be a 1966 Pontiac GTO (actually...1965 - 1968...If it has to be 1969, gimme the Judge, but the '66 is tops). Even then, there would probably be many a tear shed...

Anyone else psycho about their old beat up ride?

p.s.--> If anyone wealthy is reading this and is feeling generous...Click that GTO link and think Rob. ;)

Back to Work...

2004-02-23T14:30:00.000-08:00

To get you all up to date, my current position in the entertainment biz is "corporate production assistant." Basically, it's entry-level, but man is it hard to get! Once you actually do land a job as a PA (this is not my first), you suddenly find yourself being everyone's bitch. :)

This job is pretty much the easiest gig in the world, and they pay you an average of $100 per day. Not too shabby.

Oh! Since I'm going to be as truthful as can be on this here blog thang, I am going to omit the names of people and production companies that I work for. Every once in a while, I may let it slip about a particular film or show that I have worked on in the past, but this is a fickle biz...And you gotta stay cool. (In other words, if I don't know you very well...don't email me and ask me for details, you're not getting them. ;) )

Currently I'm working with a production company in West LA, and I guarantee you that you know their claim to fame show. The job is pretty sweet, I make that $100/day plus mileage. And I get to travel to many different studios and offices around Los Angeles. This is definitely a great way to find out where businesses are located since many are so hush-hush about their locations.

Here's my day: I get here around 9:00am. Another PA and myself take care of general office duties in the morning (starting coffee, going on a mail run (aka going to the post office), stocking the kitchens, filling the copiers, etc.). Then for the rest of the day, we just run things all over LA. Either that or we're answering phones or doing general repairs and such.

Yes, Yes! This is the glamorous life of production! In fact, I'm writing this at work, and now I have to go on a run...So, see you soon!

p.s.--> I was going to post some pics on here, but as you can see from the broken link at the top next to "Drive-Thru Fiction" blogger isn't allowing them to load. I'm working on that problem, and hopefully will have it fixed soon!

Our Broken Record Has Been Mended!

2004-02-21T16:08:00.000-08:00

Something new is being disseminated across the airwaves since the beginning of 2004. Popping up all over the country are revolutionary radio stations. These stations are dedicated to broadcasting a mainly non-mainstream format as an alternative to the millions of KROQ's out there.

I can remember being a kid in Erie, Pennsylvania and hearing fabled tales about the "World Famous KROQ" radio station. It was supposed to be the station that defined mainstream rock. In my mind, I pictured KROQ as the station that played every new artist on the market...that every time I turned it on, I would be surprised and delighted (or disgusted) by some new gem that I have never experienced. Man, that was about as accurate as a George W. Bush statement!

It turns out KROQ is one of my most hated radio stations. I only listen to it to remind myself of what shambles the music industry is in right now...well, that and the occasional episode of "Love Line." They are so amazingly repetitive and play the worst music. Enough with the rap/rock garbage!!! Once in a while they drop a good tune, but that's about it.

So two Sundays ago, I was driving home from a poker game with my friend Adam and he was listening to some really killer tunes. I asked him what CD he had in or if he burned it, and he told me it was a new radio station! I couldn't believe my ears! Not only were they playing old alternative hits (the good stuff) from the early to mid 90's, but they even played a little off of Clarity by Jimmy Eat World, some Madness, the Specials, Death Cab For Cutie, Interpol, Johnny Cash, etc... It was all really good stuff! The Best part about it? Indie 103.1 FM used to be an all dance party music (ya know, crap R&B stuff) station!!! Let the people rejoice! The airwaves are finally ours again!

Turns out, these "indie" radio stations have been popping up all over the country. They keep their advertisements to a minimum, and usually are DJ-less or with only one or two with VERY short programs. The DJ's they do have stick to the topic at hand: music! It's a music lovers dream come true!

On the menu to the left, I have linked to Indie 103.1's website and below it if you click on Indie 103.1 FM: Listen Live you will open up their live webcast without having to search around their site for it. Check it out, if you dig good music!

Hope you're all having a good weekend!

2004-02-20T18:53:00.000-08:00

Ya know...

I just thought about this a bit today...and I wanted to warn you all... More than likely, I'll be diving into other topics as time rolls by. But my main focus will still be the career climbing thing...you know life!

So, check it out...leave some comments (I JUST figured out how to do that)...and hopefully I'll be posting photos taken secretly with my cell phone throughout some days. I'll actually show you the world from a low-res perspective!

Losing My Blog Cherry

2004-02-20T13:33:00.000-08:00

Well...I always said I'd never do this, and here I am...I've created a blog.

Let me explain the main reasons for me doing such a thing: First of all, my best friend Kent has a blog about his girlfriend being away in Uganda for school credit. Like a good friend, I've been reading it regularly and really get a kick out of it.

That got the idea rolling, except for the fact that I wasn't sure what I wanted to write about. Then it hit me! I just need to talk about this crazy life I've begun for myself.

Background: Almost three years ago, I packed my white 1993 Pontiac Grand Prix to the gills with as much of my crap as possible, picked up my friend Tony (Munky), and just started driving west. Mind you, I had this planned for years, but I like to tell people that I just packed my car, pointed it west, and stopped when I hit an ocean. I left EVERYTHING behind: A great home with really awesome parents and killer dog (Miatuk), all my best friends, a pretty kick ass little production company that I started with said friends, and not to mention one of the greatest girls I've ever dated (I'm still kicking myself for that one), all for the chance at making my dreams come true.

To be an ACTOR!!!! ...lol...yeah right. I may have been a hell of a waiter, but damnit...I'm no actor. Some would say I can ham it up pretty good, but I pride myself on knowing that I'm not movie star quality.

So now here I am, living in Venice, California (for those of you who don't know, LA is split up into a bunch of little "cities"), and working all around "Hollywood." NOTE: From now on, I will only refer to Hollywood as in the physical place, since there is plenty of production work in West Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Burbank, etc.

This blog is going to be all about what it's REALLY like to come to Los Angeles with NOTHING, and fight your way up to NOTHING. It's pretty amazing. ;) I'm going to dip a little bit into the past as I write these, but I'll mostly try to stay as current as possible.

Talk to ya soon!