ThunderCougarFalconBird

3rd October 2011

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Sooo

For my class I have to write a monthly blog about my internship (not on tumblr, I copied this over from the original blog) I like my first post… I hope you do too

FIRSTLY

 Let’s see… what superlatives can I use to describe my time so far at Partners Film…

Wild, Crazy, Fun…

Theres some more…Tired, Hungry…

Out of those five I’ll stick with the first 3 as an apt description.
 

SECONDLY

 “Can you write a haiku about your time there?” You ask?

“Why not.” I say.

“I work hard for free

Sometimes I get food at Craft

Production Assistant ME”

Since being here I’ve been able to be on set with 3 productions. Rogers, Kohls (USA), and Garmin. Each time I’ve been juggling roles, both as a PA and as an intern. The lines between the two are blurry sometimes. So I’ve developed a checklist, thats helped me. If you find yourself wondering if your interning or, just PA’ing ask yourself these questions.

Am I bringing food to clients on set/in the office? YES - NO = Then your interning

Am I driving people/things around, or doing manual labor? (if those actions don’t apply- Do you see a package truck? Is there a large group of males sitting on the lift?) YES - NO = Then your probably PA’ing

Last week with the Kohl’s shoot these lines became very blurred- as I was a driver for the Clients/Agency aswell as a PA. I would pick them up at the Ritz Carlton, then drive them to the location. Occasionally stopping for coffee or food. Other wise, I had a big ol’ cooler of goodies in the back of my Sante` Fe (they had me in a town and country originally, but the director got that one…).

Once I got to set I would be juggling duties as a driver and PA. Setup tables for lunch, help the grips, clean myself and the car up, pickup a client, drop them off, get back, see if the garbages are full, get a coffee, have a cigarette, clean up, get the clients in the car safely, don’t miss my exit on the highway… etc. Lots of fun times, lots of scary times. (Driving at 11:30pm after a 14hr day, and the windshield wipers don’t work with clients in the car is one I can recall…)

So that was last week, for 4 days, then after 4hrs sleep, I jumped on to do a day with our Garmin shoot. MY GOD, that was fun. Trying to keep your body from falling apart after that much lack of sleep, and manual labor (or Manuel Labore as some of our Spanish speaking classmates may call it) is a task. But, that beer at the end of the day, the re-assuring comments from your peers, and the amazingly fun, quirky people you meet on set make it all worth while.

Tomorrow, I help a director move out of his house into a new one. Then, Weds and Thurs i’m on set with a Dove shoot which happens to be only a bike ride away from my house. So, no more leaving the house at 5:30am, and getting back at midnight because the location is in Oakville. WOOHOO.

Anyway, thats it from me.

BUT, those of you who have worked with me as an AD on one of our projects, knows I like to end things off with a quote. One that loosely applies. Today’s quote makes me think…
 

It makes me consider; why I am putting myself through this? Through these long days, through the dirty looks, the assumptions that as an intern I know about as much as the common door knob-door knobs are very intelligent if you just give them a chance, by the way.-

Why can’t I just turn my brain off? Why can’t I be content flipping burgers? Dear GOD- I wish I could be content flipping burgers and making minimum wage. IGNORANCE IS BLISS. IGNORANCE IS BLISS. IGNORANCE IS BLISS.

Ignorance is also damnation though.Damnation to never be aware of what and who is around you. Damnation to never find out what it is your good at. Damnation to never have a passion.- But for some, Ignorance is the ultimate drug. 
 

I’d like to suggest a change to the Timothy Leary era phrase that defined that generation, and apply it to our generation and possibly the ones to come-
 

“Turn OFF, tune in, drop out.”
 

So, turn off if you dare, and be prepared for eternal nothingness, cause ignorance is bliss- if you happen to be dressed for it.