The Wasteland

I've succumbed to the lure of the internet being a black hole into which I can chuck my thoughts, particularly as I have a lot of free time on my hands right now. This blog has been so entitled "An Education" partly because it's fresh in my mind as a title (i.e. the 2009 Oscar-nominated movie) but also because I'm using it to detail my exploits in a Los Angeles that seems a bit of a barren wasteland at the moment.

I moved here in August 2007 to start grad school at USC's School of Cinematic Arts, and an education is exactly what I got. Not only did I receive a formal education, but, of course, learned many life lessons along the way, not least the which is navigating the ghost world that is life after graduation. I suppose part of it is the fact that I entered grad school not sure what I wanted to do in film; perhaps I chose the wrong program to begin with entirely. I received my M.A. in Critical Studies, which is really a vague way of saying film history and theory. I thought I wanted to write and research for films. I've never really been interested in the "production" side of film, that is, specifically being a director or cinematographer or editor. However, during my time at USC, I learned I was really good at production design, and now production seems to be exactly what I want to do.

Anyway, I received my degree in May 2009 and have been job searching ever since. At first it seemed exciting, having what appeared to be lots of options before me, but even with many jobs open, it's extremely hard just getting that one necessary year of experience under my belt to acquire any of them. I've had some really good interviews that feel like I'll come out successful, but, alas, the hunt still continues. Hopefully 2010 will be a successful year, especially with more projects in production than last year, but, with the economy still poor and the nature of the industry, at times the future seems bleak.

Unemployment has taught me many things: how much I value my parents, who, despite being wary about my career choice continue to support me, the fact that money really does make the world go 'round (a month never seems so short as it does between billing cycles), and that I really have to be confident. I have to depend on myself fully, which in itself is sometimes hard to do. In a world of "no," I have to say "yes." It's strange, sitting in front of my computer every day sending out resumes and cover letters and the occasional reel; it feels like I'm not really job-hunting or doing anything, but I have to remind myself that I am. Sometimes it becomes difficult to make myself tappety-tap on the keyboard, and I think it's due to the nature of the work: in essence, I'm not creating anything, I'm not doing anything, but if I don't do this, then I really won't do anything.

Combine this with the fact that LA is a sprawling city that sometimes leaves me feeling isolated even in the busiest times, and a wasteland indeed ensues. However, there's plenty of things that I do to keep myself occupied and entertained, which include the usual going out, hanging out with friends, trying new restaurants and bars, etc. etc. But living in Los Angeles definitely has its perks, particularly for the entertainment industry. This past weekend, I attended a panel at the American Cinematheque at the Egyptian that featured all the Oscar-nominated production designers. It was not only interesting but inspiring to hear about the creative and logistical processes that went into working on the films. Plus, I met my idol, Sarah Greenwood, who was gracious enough to speak with me and who happened to be accepting business cards at the event (which I handed over). While I was in Hollywood, I also got to see the set up for the Oscars that were held the next day; unfortunately, I wasn't invited to the event this year (I'm sure it just got lost in the mail), but I did watch it from the comfort of a Los Feliz bar with friends, which was the best time I've ever had watching the awards. Although I lost the betting pool and got fairly boozed up (sorry to those who had to listen to me talk about baseball and Vegas), I will say it was probably the best weekend I've had in 2010 so far for many reasons and left me with something to look forward to in the longrun (working in film) and hopefully in the near future (Vegas for ShoWest, where my friend is receiving his award for winning the Coca-Cola Refreshing Filmmakers contest)...more to come on that. I hope you've enjoyed reading this, and if you feel so inclined, just to let me know you're out there, leave a comment! :)