'Russian' around in cabs...
I'm getting it in the ear about not blogging enough so I'll stay up late and do this...
Yesterday was a day that started with black clouds and ended with sunny skies - both geological and personal...
Its raining (for a change) and I slept in so I need to get a cab to a lunch meeting. The cabs here are weird - they are harder to find than a weapon of mass destruction, and cause more havoc. Every second cab is occupied by angry russian guys that grunt and snort but rarely engage in conversation. I order a cab with a credit card facility as I 'm quickly running out of cash. This guy drives off but decides he doesn't want to do the credit card because 'its not good for him'. I spend 10 minutes explaining that I ordered credit card specifically while he waves a fist at me... the cold war is still on apparently. I give him no choice (I have no cash!!!) and he mutters obscenities as I get out.
I meet with a producer for a pretty large production company and insist on paying for lunch (its all plastic now so what the hey?).
Back to the hotel and ready myself for a meeting with an agent. I need this one, this is why I came here, get in, get out, get an offer. Its a tough call but f**k it - what have I got to lose? Their offices are in a small business village that looks like disney land. High profile companies in ginger bread houses!! They are not a big agency, but big enough to make me feel important... I'm in and the place is stacked with scripts. I'm met by the agents who are very nice but I've been warned that EVERYONE is nice - thats 'what they do'.
The meeting goes well and I am there for an hour and a half... I'm dying to try and pull clumps of shortbread from the walls but it would not be professional. It all gets wrapped up very positive and I leave down the yellow brick road straight off to...
... the opening for the next festival. This is much, much different to the last one. Baseball caps and cargo pants are replaced with suits and cufflinks. Sidewalks are replaced with red carpets, and college students on the door are replaced with 6ft 5 security guys with walky talkies - this is the real deal...
I have missed the start of the opening film so duck next door into an indian restaurant for some snacks... beer flavoured snacks... well... beer... A few other people drift in and join me at the bar. It turns out that they are the festival directors (now THAT is a coincidence). Introductions are made and luckily they really dig the film and even end up paying for my drinks. I start to say that I can't accept but then remember how the last festival was decided and shut my mouth...
The after party is in at the Camden House - its plush, expensive and very cool. It takes me 15 minutes just to get a drink its that busy. Everyone is beautiful and everyone is rich, or in my case - pretending to be. I'm introduced to a number of people and suddenly realise the difference between occupations. When I am introduced as an actor - the conversation lasts 5 mins... max. When introduced as a Writer/Director... I can't get rid of them?
I am introduced to an actress/writer/model/belly dancer/medium... Apparently I have a good 'vibe', and she tells me all about a movie that she is down to the last two for. I tell her it sounds great until she describes that its a vampire thriller where her character has 'lesbian tendencies'. I figure the budget is less than the tab behind the bar... I need to go home and rest...
Yesterday was a day that started with black clouds and ended with sunny skies - both geological and personal...
Its raining (for a change) and I slept in so I need to get a cab to a lunch meeting. The cabs here are weird - they are harder to find than a weapon of mass destruction, and cause more havoc. Every second cab is occupied by angry russian guys that grunt and snort but rarely engage in conversation. I order a cab with a credit card facility as I 'm quickly running out of cash. This guy drives off but decides he doesn't want to do the credit card because 'its not good for him'. I spend 10 minutes explaining that I ordered credit card specifically while he waves a fist at me... the cold war is still on apparently. I give him no choice (I have no cash!!!) and he mutters obscenities as I get out.
I meet with a producer for a pretty large production company and insist on paying for lunch (its all plastic now so what the hey?).
Back to the hotel and ready myself for a meeting with an agent. I need this one, this is why I came here, get in, get out, get an offer. Its a tough call but f**k it - what have I got to lose? Their offices are in a small business village that looks like disney land. High profile companies in ginger bread houses!! They are not a big agency, but big enough to make me feel important... I'm in and the place is stacked with scripts. I'm met by the agents who are very nice but I've been warned that EVERYONE is nice - thats 'what they do'.
The meeting goes well and I am there for an hour and a half... I'm dying to try and pull clumps of shortbread from the walls but it would not be professional. It all gets wrapped up very positive and I leave down the yellow brick road straight off to...
... the opening for the next festival. This is much, much different to the last one. Baseball caps and cargo pants are replaced with suits and cufflinks. Sidewalks are replaced with red carpets, and college students on the door are replaced with 6ft 5 security guys with walky talkies - this is the real deal...
I have missed the start of the opening film so duck next door into an indian restaurant for some snacks... beer flavoured snacks... well... beer... A few other people drift in and join me at the bar. It turns out that they are the festival directors (now THAT is a coincidence). Introductions are made and luckily they really dig the film and even end up paying for my drinks. I start to say that I can't accept but then remember how the last festival was decided and shut my mouth...
The after party is in at the Camden House - its plush, expensive and very cool. It takes me 15 minutes just to get a drink its that busy. Everyone is beautiful and everyone is rich, or in my case - pretending to be. I'm introduced to a number of people and suddenly realise the difference between occupations. When I am introduced as an actor - the conversation lasts 5 mins... max. When introduced as a Writer/Director... I can't get rid of them?
I am introduced to an actress/writer/model/belly dancer/medium... Apparently I have a good 'vibe', and she tells me all about a movie that she is down to the last two for. I tell her it sounds great until she describes that its a vampire thriller where her character has 'lesbian tendencies'. I figure the budget is less than the tab behind the bar... I need to go home and rest...
posted by brother | 1:10 AM
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