Hey Everybody,
I thought I'd give you an update on what's been happening in my so-called life as of late. I know that I haven't been keeping this blog up like I said I would, but it's not because I've not had better things to do.
After finishing up a long weekend on a film shoot as first AD, and during one of the days having an excruciating migraine headache, I finally got to sleep in a little, and I was happy. That is, until 6am when I woke up with crushing chest pain and extreme shortness of breath. I almost called the Hospital right then, but I was so tired, I suffered through it, since I was sure I wasn't having a heart attack, I figured it could wait.
I went to my noon class and about half way thtough it, I was getting winded very easily and so I called the school's clinic and they said that I should go to the ER. In retrospect I should have refused to go, since it was very expensive and took 7 hours and numerous tests to find out that it was nothing more than a viral case of Pericarditis, which is inflamation of the sac around your heart--the only thing they can do for it, is have you take anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibueprofen or Motrin and wait it out. What a waste of money.
However, it was good to find out that it wasn't serious, but I'm not going to follow up like they wanted me too, because it's just a waste of money.
Since then, I've been taking it easy--on Tuesday I stayed home all day and worked on the computer, and fortunately for me all my teachers seemed cool with it.
On Wednesday my group from Cinematography class headed down to my church in Cambridge... the Bishop had been kind enough to let us use the basement which houses a pool table for our lighting project. The shoot went well other than a small hiccup--the Bishop gave me the wrong key to the building so i was unable to get in... we had to call the ward clerk to come and let us in. But thankfully it all worked out and the project is going to look great. I'm getting the film back on Monday, I'll let you know how it turns out.
Thursday I returned to class, and I delievered my final edit of my sixty second commercial for the Filmspotting Competition. I had to edit a 60 second commercial for a real or imagined product using only footage from Little Miss Sunshine, New York Stories, and Old School. It was really fun, and I made an ad for DQ. Eventually I'll post a copy for you to check out.
The great part about this competition is that only 6 people of the initial 15 entrants actually completed the project and turned it in on the deadline. There are 3 prizes! I've got a 50% chance of winning a prize (1st-Avid Xpress Pro, 2nd-250 dollars, 3rd-100 dollars). And I know I'm a good editor, so there's a good chance I'll win first or second! But I won't find that out until April 12th.
The other great thing about this competition is that I now have an established relationship with a Boston Post-Production house. I met the owners, Noreen and Barry, (Barry has edited every single Olive Garden Commercial on TV, they have that account) and got some great advice and contacts out of the whole event. It's just awesome. Noreen even complimented me on my sense of timing... she said she could tell I was a real editor!
Awesome.
So now I'm importing Sound Effects for my Third audio project for Intro To Audio Production. It's kinda a tedious process, but I'm working through it and I should have something pretty sweet by 2pm or so. I guess that about does it for this edition of Ezra's Ramblings 2.0! Twice As Fast As Your A$$
By the way, BIG AWESOMENESS to my little sister who just recieved a 6,000 dollar a year merit scholarship from her school in Chicago--Way To Go!
Friday, March 30, 2007
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Wow. Time Keeps On Slippin'
It's been about two weeks since I've posted because I've been that busy.
Life is going swell here in the Big Cranberry. Just kidding, that's a retarded nickname for Boston. But as I was saying, I've got more editing projects than I know what to do with. And as luck would have it, my G5 started having major issues with it's logic board (known as the motherboard on any other brand of computer) and so I have been without my G5 for almost a week. Hopefully, if all goes well, I'll be picking it up today.
I've got a sound project due next tuesday, a fine cut of a film due tuesday (after I got a week extension), two short videos for Jake Sasseville due this thursday night, and a commercial edit due for the Filmspotting Competition due Thursday at 6pm.
Great time to have your computer conk out, really, the best possible time.
Nonetheless, it was under warranty, so I don't have to pay for anything--I have that much to be thankful for.
I'm also 1st AD on a film, all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday, leaving me just about zero time to get any of these projects done. My cinematography project needs to get filmed a week from today, and we still haven't storyboarded... we have equipment pickup at 9am next tuesday.
Wish me luck, because this is getting ridiculous.
Life is going swell here in the Big Cranberry. Just kidding, that's a retarded nickname for Boston. But as I was saying, I've got more editing projects than I know what to do with. And as luck would have it, my G5 started having major issues with it's logic board (known as the motherboard on any other brand of computer) and so I have been without my G5 for almost a week. Hopefully, if all goes well, I'll be picking it up today.
I've got a sound project due next tuesday, a fine cut of a film due tuesday (after I got a week extension), two short videos for Jake Sasseville due this thursday night, and a commercial edit due for the Filmspotting Competition due Thursday at 6pm.
Great time to have your computer conk out, really, the best possible time.
Nonetheless, it was under warranty, so I don't have to pay for anything--I have that much to be thankful for.
I'm also 1st AD on a film, all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday, leaving me just about zero time to get any of these projects done. My cinematography project needs to get filmed a week from today, and we still haven't storyboarded... we have equipment pickup at 9am next tuesday.
Wish me luck, because this is getting ridiculous.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
New York City, Half Way Through The Week I Check In
I'm currently sitting in the Battery Park apartment of a friend of Jakes importing a lot of his Africa footage for editing. He needs to have a bunch of little segments that he can have to show to people like executives and producers (like at Sundance Channel) to help get finishing funds. Sorry if that was a run-on sentance, but I'm simultaneously capturing footage and watching Scrubs.
So far my trip to New York City has been so-so. I have pretty much figured out the Manhatten bus and subway system, but I still have no idea where the stops are. So I often have found myself hitching a ride on the nearest bus until it passes a subway stop.
When I arrived on Saturday, it was practically balmy. I didn't even need a jacket it was so warm. Jake met with me and we headed to Marymount Manhatten College for his Edge writers meeting where I met many of his writers, shooters, editors and his director, David Sonkin. I had actually came to NYC running on only 3 hours of sleep, so I actually laid down in a cubby like bench in the hallway during a break in the writers meeting, and I fell asleep! It was kinda funny because I was awoken by Jake about 1.5 hours after I laid down--I had slept through the rest of the writers meeting.
After that we headed to Jake's home in Astoria, Queens, NY. It's a beautiful large (for New York) and inexpensive. This is largely due to the fact that it is over a half a mile from the nearest subway. It's remarkably quiet--when I woke up on sunday morning I could hear the birds chirping and singing... I thought I was back in the suburbs.
Sunday, Jake took me on a little tour of NYC. We sort of walked around, visited the apple store, walked up the south side of central park over to Columbus Circle where we visited a Trump tower (they are like everywhere). Visited a Samsung store and almost got kicked out for sitting and watching HDTV for too long. We had lunch off the hot bar at Whole Foods, and after that we proceeded to Times Square. Took some photos for ourselves and others and tired to find a public restroom--it's harder than you think.
After that we split because Jake had a meeting, and I continued to explore, entering Macys and doing some more wandering around, visiting Grand Central Station. Then I tried to meet up with Tarabeth who goes to NYU, but she was busy, so I decided to check in later in the week.... still need to do that... ;)
On Monday I wandered through Central Park, checked out the Bethesda Fountain (featured in Godspell and Angels In America among many other films) Passed the Dakota apartments where John Lennon was shot down, and then headed south to check out the Latter-Day Saint Temple in NYC--it was closed, being monday, but was interesting to see nonetheless. Then I proceeded to Ground Zero where I walked around the perimeter.
I feel bad, but I didn't really get much of an emotional response out of it... it has become a construction site, and a tourist attraction now... I just didn't feel like it was real. That was what made me feel bad... but you'd never believe the enormity of the site until you visit. I, for one, had no idea that they have already rebuilt WTC7. Unbelievable... but then again, it was 6 years ago... A lot can change.
After that I headed home because I was cold and kinda tired, but I decided to head out the next day with one very specific mission--get standby tickets to see The Colbert Report. I showed up outside the building in 10 degree whether (less with wind chill) and waited with some other kids until we were finally able to sign up for a standby ticket... I was 6th in line. They told us to come back at 6;10pm to see if they'd have room for us. To make a long story short, they let in everyone in front of me. I was turned away. It was really sad. I was positively freezing at this point, and I even went back and practically begged to be let in. Of course I was turned away.
After that I found the nearest bookstore to crawl into and warm up, reading for about half an hour before they closed and kicked me out. Then I took a bus anyway, (turned out to be downtown) just to get warm. I passed B+H photo, and I got off hoping to go in, but they had also just closed. So I walked east and passed a Loews/AMC and decided that I might as well see a movie. I saw Reno 911 Miami. It was very funny, but no funnier than the TV show.
I also visited an urban K-mart which was an odd experience. Its probably the most confusing place ever, with three floors, none of which are of the same shape or size.
Then, after that, I headed to meet up with Jake, but due to confusion, we missed eachother and I was freezing and had to walk home alone.
But the next day we rose at the crack of dawn (6:45) and headed into Manhatten to Battery Park City (Just southwest of the WTC Site) to do editing for Jake's Africa stuff. And so here I am now, editing in his friend Joe's apartment, Wild.
That's all but I'll give you more updates soon. Later!
So far my trip to New York City has been so-so. I have pretty much figured out the Manhatten bus and subway system, but I still have no idea where the stops are. So I often have found myself hitching a ride on the nearest bus until it passes a subway stop.
When I arrived on Saturday, it was practically balmy. I didn't even need a jacket it was so warm. Jake met with me and we headed to Marymount Manhatten College for his Edge writers meeting where I met many of his writers, shooters, editors and his director, David Sonkin. I had actually came to NYC running on only 3 hours of sleep, so I actually laid down in a cubby like bench in the hallway during a break in the writers meeting, and I fell asleep! It was kinda funny because I was awoken by Jake about 1.5 hours after I laid down--I had slept through the rest of the writers meeting.
After that we headed to Jake's home in Astoria, Queens, NY. It's a beautiful large (for New York) and inexpensive. This is largely due to the fact that it is over a half a mile from the nearest subway. It's remarkably quiet--when I woke up on sunday morning I could hear the birds chirping and singing... I thought I was back in the suburbs.
Sunday, Jake took me on a little tour of NYC. We sort of walked around, visited the apple store, walked up the south side of central park over to Columbus Circle where we visited a Trump tower (they are like everywhere). Visited a Samsung store and almost got kicked out for sitting and watching HDTV for too long. We had lunch off the hot bar at Whole Foods, and after that we proceeded to Times Square. Took some photos for ourselves and others and tired to find a public restroom--it's harder than you think.
After that we split because Jake had a meeting, and I continued to explore, entering Macys and doing some more wandering around, visiting Grand Central Station. Then I tried to meet up with Tarabeth who goes to NYU, but she was busy, so I decided to check in later in the week.... still need to do that... ;)
On Monday I wandered through Central Park, checked out the Bethesda Fountain (featured in Godspell and Angels In America among many other films) Passed the Dakota apartments where John Lennon was shot down, and then headed south to check out the Latter-Day Saint Temple in NYC--it was closed, being monday, but was interesting to see nonetheless. Then I proceeded to Ground Zero where I walked around the perimeter.
I feel bad, but I didn't really get much of an emotional response out of it... it has become a construction site, and a tourist attraction now... I just didn't feel like it was real. That was what made me feel bad... but you'd never believe the enormity of the site until you visit. I, for one, had no idea that they have already rebuilt WTC7. Unbelievable... but then again, it was 6 years ago... A lot can change.
After that I headed home because I was cold and kinda tired, but I decided to head out the next day with one very specific mission--get standby tickets to see The Colbert Report. I showed up outside the building in 10 degree whether (less with wind chill) and waited with some other kids until we were finally able to sign up for a standby ticket... I was 6th in line. They told us to come back at 6;10pm to see if they'd have room for us. To make a long story short, they let in everyone in front of me. I was turned away. It was really sad. I was positively freezing at this point, and I even went back and practically begged to be let in. Of course I was turned away.
After that I found the nearest bookstore to crawl into and warm up, reading for about half an hour before they closed and kicked me out. Then I took a bus anyway, (turned out to be downtown) just to get warm. I passed B+H photo, and I got off hoping to go in, but they had also just closed. So I walked east and passed a Loews/AMC and decided that I might as well see a movie. I saw Reno 911 Miami. It was very funny, but no funnier than the TV show.
I also visited an urban K-mart which was an odd experience. Its probably the most confusing place ever, with three floors, none of which are of the same shape or size.
Then, after that, I headed to meet up with Jake, but due to confusion, we missed eachother and I was freezing and had to walk home alone.
But the next day we rose at the crack of dawn (6:45) and headed into Manhatten to Battery Park City (Just southwest of the WTC Site) to do editing for Jake's Africa stuff. And so here I am now, editing in his friend Joe's apartment, Wild.
That's all but I'll give you more updates soon. Later!
Friday, March 02, 2007
Good Things And Bad Things
Good Things:
Sold my pickup truck for $650 dollars--I'm badly in need of cash.
Will be getting a new phone courtesy of a buy one get one free deal from my grandmother.
Going to New York City for Spring Break
Working on getting my patriarchal blessing
Probably going to watch the Wizard of Speed and Time with friends tommorow
Bad Things:
Probably going to face some sort of punishment from Housing and Residence Life for being in a video on the internet where a college policy was violated, (even though I was not actually the one breaking the rules)
I'm going to have to sleep on the floor or couch while staying with Jake
Very Tired
Not posting like I should
Not getting the work done that I should be getting done
Sorry it's short, but I'm going to bed. Peace.
Sold my pickup truck for $650 dollars--I'm badly in need of cash.
Will be getting a new phone courtesy of a buy one get one free deal from my grandmother.
Going to New York City for Spring Break
Working on getting my patriarchal blessing
Probably going to watch the Wizard of Speed and Time with friends tommorow
Bad Things:
Probably going to face some sort of punishment from Housing and Residence Life for being in a video on the internet where a college policy was violated, (even though I was not actually the one breaking the rules)
I'm going to have to sleep on the floor or couch while staying with Jake
Very Tired
Not posting like I should
Not getting the work done that I should be getting done
Sorry it's short, but I'm going to bed. Peace.
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