A Cali Tale

(http://globalcalifornia.blogspot.com/2014/04/california-journey.html)

In honor of Ted 2 being released this past week, I thought I would write a about my adventures in the form of a fairy tale.

"From Georgia came a little black boy

His upcoming journey to California brought him much joy

So he hopped in his Nissan

Giddy almost without reason

He substituted the deep fried South for the land of kale and soy

 

The journey was long, treacherous, and exhausting

Endless roads, the pavement laced with black and yellow frosting

Interstates crossed

Sanity lossed

There's no telling how much this trip will end up costing

 

But the journey was worth it, once every state was crossed

The roads in Cali were strange though, and quickly the little black boy was lost

Burbank to Hollywood

This land was as foreign to him as Bollywood

A new insight was required, and all previous knowledge was tossed

 

Soon the black boy settled, and his new life began

A job was his next mission, unemployment being synonymous with a rape van

Internships he began working

Executives and networking, he began lurking

opportunities fall off from the proverbial drip pan

 

Now the little black boy has settled, but this is not where the story ends

Life has forever changed, in entertainment the world is viewed through a camera lens

There is work to be done

Through youth the challenge will be fun

As the little black boy looks into the unknown of the future he grins"

 

-Cam-

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dinner With The BigWigs

(http://frankielizabeth.com/project/executive-dinner-parties/)

I know what you're thinking. Man, Cam just had a 5-star meal with some top level executives where he probably ate duck with roasted mango salsa with a side of kobe beef washed down with the finest champagne imported from the southern coast of France. All of this is untrue despite the fancy picture I illegally obtained for this post (please don't tell on me). I did however have the opportunity to have dinner with co-founders Nathan Kahane and Joseph Drake of Good Universe the other night for their annual "intern night" and what an experience that was. The fictional 5-star meal was substituted with Mexican cuisine, and it should be noted that the Mexican food here in Los Angeles is at another level due to its proximity to Mexico, which more than sufficed. Their candid responses, positive attitudes, and humility were really what struck me about my dinner with the "big shots" of the industry.

First off, despite my big talk and occasional braggadocio, I had never been in the same room with two individuals who had the pedigree of the two men that sat in front of me prior to this summer. To make matters stranger, their entire purpose that night was just to answer our questions. We literally could ask these guys ANYTHING! That kind of opportunity only comes every once in a blue moon. In other words, it took everything within my being not to geek out like a fan girl who had just seen Adam Levine flash his abs. I kept it professional though and I asked questions about the marketability and viability of their business model and where they projected it being in the next five years. Yes, you should be very impressed. Without really being able to get into the specifics of all that was discussed that night, just know that I learned more in a few hours than I had learned in the 4 years it took me to get a college degree.

Something that really struck me about these two men was their very humble beginnings. Joseph Drake actually started as a mortgage broker and decided he wanted to join the "movie biz" due to a very random encounter with a client. He used his transferable skills to get into international distribution which eventually lead him to Lionsgate and the rest is history. Nathan Kahane got his start in the mail room at ICM, a talent and literary agency. After jumping around various production companies, a partnership between himself, Joseph, and Sam Raimi lead to the creation of Ghost House Productions; a very profitable production house specializing in the horror genre. Mind you, these are extremely abridged versions of these two fascinating men's lives but me sitting here typing about them will never do their stories justice.

I mentioned earlier that one of the most compelling things about this dinner was how candid they were with their responses. They could have easily sat there and had prepared answers ready for us similar to any pageant queen you've ever watched, but no, they chose instead to make it their goal to tell us the hard truths. On multiple occasions they mentioned the difficulty of breaking in as a writer and director, the element in luck required to be successful, and the sheer randomness inherent in everyone's path. They did not however ever give off the impression that it was impossible, in fact, I had never been as energized about my own journey into the industry until I sat down with these two men. If I am ever as successful as these two men I hope I will be able to tell my story and inspire someone as much as they inspired me.

Life's a Pitch!

                                                (http://www.kaganmcleod.com/feb09.html)

Today was the day. I knew it was coming but the shock of it all rocked my being like the worst carnival ride you've ever been on. It was as if my girlfriend, yes the one that I don't have, just told me she was pregnant. It was like the star player on your favorite team had just gone down injured in the playoffs. It was like those awkward middle school years when your body starts going through puberty; and to make matters worse, I was sick.  Yep! Today was the day I was going to pitch to the executives the script I covered the previous week, and despite my astute preparation, I was nervous as hell.

7:58am on the dot, I make my way into the offices. I had gotten pretty good  at timing my arrival based on the previous week's mishaps. I pace frantically between the front desk and the copy room, possibly waiting for some higher being to take me away from the situation. But no, I had waited all my life for this opportunity and I was ready! Suddenly, the list of projects arrive. It is now official, my script is on the list and I will most definitely be pitching today. A wave of nervousness moves through my bowels, or maybe that's just the Dyquil. The doors to the conference room open, the interns gather, its show time!

Due to Father's Day taking place a day earlier, founders Joseph Drake and Nathan Kahane were only present via conference call. What began as a sigh of relief quickly diverged into a much creepier scenario where we were all speaking to an ominous and fiber optic "voice of God". One where expression could only be read via tone. This was especially worrisome for me since my cold made my voice sound like a mixture between Donald Duck and Mushmouth. Little by little, pitch by pitch, the projects were being crossed off the list. My heart starting racing as my script was read from the executive's mouth, it was my turn.

It was time for me to pitch, and man did I pitch the SHIT out of my script. I recited my "lines" like I had been rehearsing them for years. My synopsis and critiques rolled off the tongue like the songs of the most beautiful of birds in the springtime. My final words were PASS, meaning I do not advise Good Universe to invest in developing the script. The executive then turned to an assistant, she had also read the script, in order to get a second opinion. She simply gave him a four word response, "Agree with the pass." I never thought such a short sentence could sound so sweet. And that was that, in 30 seconds it was all over. I didn't receive any medals, I didn't receive any praise,  and I didn't even receive a high-five or a pat on the back; all I got was a sense of accomplishment and the realization that I have to do it all again next week, and every week thereafter. And that my friends, is a-okay with me

An Ode To LA Traffic

Bumper to bumper, a car in every lane
Stuck in perpetual motionlessness, how do I project my disadain?

Whether on the 101 or the 405
We are nothing more than slaves to the concrete; all because we wanted to take a drive

Wrecks wrecks everywhere
Come join us on the highway if you dare

Out on these mean streets one can never relax
Here in the Sunshine State the drivers are crazier than the characters of Mad Max

The smog keeps your car far from pristine
Explatives and shooting a bird become routine

You are never safe, no matter the hour
Stopped at a standstill at 4am will quickly turn you mood sour

Seemingly appearing out of nowhere and dissapering in a flash
A second lapse in concentration always ends in a crash

Call for help if you want, it will only pass you bye
Received only if battered or bruised and maybe if you die

And the vehicles that inhabit the jungle are worth more than my life
Driving through the gentrified hoods of the city, you could cut the tension with a knife

So why put myself through all the pain you say?
It's quite simple really, no one walks in LA!   

Good Morning Good Universe

Everyone is nervous on their first day work, I was no exception. Could you really blame me? Four years of food service work was not exactly a blueprint into going into creative development in the film industry. I kept a straight face about the whole thing but if you really knew me you would be able to tell something was up. Ironing is something I hate doing, and I ironed the SHIT out of my work clothes. I'm talking a full press and I barely know how to use an iron effectively. It should also be noted that I had all of this done the morning before my first day. In short, I am never this responsible. In fact, my friends and family have been known to call the nearest doctor if I so much as make my bed. If you don't get the picture I am trying to paint, just know that I was extremely nervous to be starting what could possibly be my new career.

My alarm sounds off at the beautiful hour of 5:30am. I took a shower, forced down half a bowl of cereal, put on my expertly ironed clothes, and headed off into the jungle known as Los Angeles. I navigated Sunset Boulevard like my life depended on it, eventually crossing into West Hollywood. Before I knew it I was in Beverly Hills, a section of the city that lives up to its reputation. My poor and dirty Nissan Sentra stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the Ferrari's that proliferated the streets. That would not deter me though, the only thought in my mind was to get to work on time and the clock was ticking. Mondays at Good Universe are meeting days and interns are expected to be there at 7am sharp. I found the office building in downtown Beverly Hills with relative ease, the problem though, and this is a constant problem in Los Angeles, was finding parking. Interns were instructed to park in a designated parking lot near the building, a parking lot that my GPS could not find. inching closer and closer to my deadline, I parked in the first garage I could find.

My phone read 6:55am, I was running toward the offices; sweat rolling down my head. I reach the office suites and to my surprise the doors were locked. Was I late? I frantically checked the emails to make sure I was in the right location, everything checked out. Now in a panic, I contacted the front desk of the building via an outdoor phone. I gave my name and I was refused access to the property. Annoyed and angry, I emailed Good Universe to inform them that I was locked out of the office building and unable to ride the elevator to their suite. Thinking my morning could not get any worse, I once again opened up intern materials sent to me a couple months prior. To my surprise I found that I was not expected to be at work until 8am on Mondays not 7am. I then received an email from Good Universe explaining the same thing. Around the same time I spotted the parking lot I was meant to park in from the street. With a new found vigor mixed with slight embarrassment, I relocated my car and recollected myself for the the first day of work.

The hour passed quickly, and I was thrust into a world I had only thought I knew. After meeting the other interns we were immediately seated in a room full of executives and figures I had only read about beforehand. I myself was seated next to Joseph Drake, if you are unfamiliar with him just know that he is the man. Things started with the interns and other members of creative "pitching" projects they had read to Joe and Nathan, the other co-founder of Good Universe. This was proceeded by a more business oriented meeting where the executives talk about projects currently in development. The various names dropped, the astronomical figures discussed, and the projects named made me pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. My first day started with me thinking I had already screwed up and ended with me being a part of a meeting with two people responsible for some of my favorite movies and franchises. I can definitelyget use to this.