Episode 1

So I moved out here on September 5th with the help of my brother-in-law Kermit.

Holed up in my apartment in Van Nuys, I've stayed glued to my computer screen looking at porn for work. Mandy.com and craigslist have become my default go-to websites for filmmaking work. Work which is not yet coming although I have had one response for some free editing work, but who knows if it will actually happen, or not.

I have scored some work through my friend Trish, editing a few comedic shorts in a series of shorts as well as paid work helping her edit her documentary. This, as well as shooting a web series (possibly editing and scoring as well) that she and my roommate have created, should help me get more paying work soon.

For now though, things are up in the air and so I'm taking all this free time to write more short films and compose music. Should be meeting my friend John Murphy soon, but that's up in the air as well, since he's a very busy guy.

It's nice being out here. I've moved on past being homesick and have found some fun things to do out here. The big, fancy theaters are not above showing some independent films and Kevin Smith's Smodcastle is out here, which is a blast to go to.

Speaking of Kevin Smith, I got to work on his horror film Red State yesterday. It was free work, but definitely worth it. It was incredible getting to stand next to the guy as he called out "action" and getting to actually geek out with him over a movie he showed at Smodcastle. Incredibly friendly guy and is not above talking to the lowest person on the food chain as long as the conversation includes talking about movies and/or comic books. He even took the time to thank us background actors. Nobody does that. I have two more dates that I work on the flick and I'm really hoping to talk to Kevin some more as well as meet John Goodman and Michael Parks (Sherriff Earl McGraw in the Kill Bill films as well as From Dusk Till Dawn).

So far I've learned some pros and cons to living out here.

Pros:
Filmmakers who share the same passion for film that I do
Beautiful sights to see
Any cuisine you can think of
You get to meet stars and directors that you look up to
Collaborative "I help you, you help me" atmosphere
Kevin Smith. Seriously. I can't say enough good things about the guy.

Cons:
Traffic
Parking
Scientology and Tom Cruise

I wonder what else I'll learn once I get to working.