Friday, December 22, 2006

Got a phone call

Okay Guys,

I know its been over a week since I last posted on here, but between work and Christmas and stuff, I haven't found the time. But on to the news at hand!

Last night I was at Moms giving her a lesson on her laptop when the phone rang. It was the lease management company in Los Angeles. They called me to tell me I was approved for an apartment in L.a. and that I need to call them in the morning to get info on getting a deposit out to them! WOOOOOOOOOOOO! what a lovely Christmas gift..............that I have to pay for...........wait a minute!

B

Thursday, December 14, 2006

The Thursday Thirteen for 12/14/06: Things to do in Cali when your dead!

Okay, its time for the Thursday Thirteen and since I wanna stay on theme, this week is 13 things I wanna see once I'm settled in Cali! So in no particular order:

13: The Donut Hole, La Punte, Ca.: Yes, Californians love their donuts almost as much as Canadians do, and yes, L.a. has ALOT of giant donuts *Randy's and Kendall's come to mind* but only one you can actually DRIVE THRU! Yes, built in 1958, The Donut Hole is a giant donut you drive thru to get your order. I'll just order coffee, watching my weight an all, and I'll be sure to avoid hitting a giant sprinkle (actually, the donut is a plain donut, so your giant sprinkle safe!)

12: Disneyland/California Experience. Anaheim, Ca: Living next to Disneyworld all these years makes you spoiled. Its is so easy to just zip down to the park and have fun all day, and it makes other parks around the country look kinda lame, but I am very excited to see the original. I wanna know how much of Walt is still in it. (And I heard a rumor a certain Beautiful SPer can get me in for free! and I'm not even a member of LiMBO! Maybe if I'm nice to her, she'll take me!)

11: San Diego Comic Con, San Diego, Ca: This is the BIGGEST comic convention in the nation, and its goes so beyond comic books to TV shows, movies and all things GEEK! I have wanted to go for years and now I have the chance! WOOOOOO!

10: The Nethercutt Collection, Sylmar,Ca: Its a house full of antique cars, Mechanical Musical Instruments and Antique furniture. Sounds Like I could really get into just wandering around in there for awhile!

9: Hearst Castle, San Simeon, Ca: William Randolph Hearst built this huge castle which is now a state park. Beautiful building and surrounding gardens. Always have wanted to see it!

8: Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, Ca: Okay, I know San Fran is not exactly close to L.a., but I have always wanted to see it and I'll be closer than I've ever been before. So get the walking cocktails ready, Bento is coming soon!

7: Knotts Berry Farm, Buena Park, Ca: Even though I have been spoiled by Disney, this place has always looked like fun! And I hear they have awesome Fried chicken. need to check this place out

6: The Getty Center, Los Angeles, Ca.: Went past the Getty on the way to Santa Monica and saw the tram that takes you to the center itself, which is on the top of a mountain. The Getty is a very unique art museum, they also have rotating and touring exhibits as well, and of course, the tram ride to the top is worth it alone!

5: The Queen Mary, Long Beach, Ca.: One of the great old ships of the cunard line back when ships were used as transportation, not just cruising. Also right next door is a Russian sub!

4: Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, Ca.: In Griffith park, the observatory was opened in 1935, was in "rebel without a cause" and I've always wanted to see it!

3: Alpine Village, Torance, Ca.: Ahhhh, the German in me wants to check this out, get some sausage and German pastries and heck, maybe some lederhosen! Gemutlichkiet!

2: The Tonight Show, Burbank, Ca.: AHHH, Jay. I really wanna see the Tonight Show live. Hey, maybe Taylor will be a guest! that would rock!

1: The Petersen, Los Angeles, Ca.: See last weeks 13! Its gonna rock!

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Apartment Hunting from 2500 miles away

Things are sometimes harder than they look. On paper, it seems easy, ya call up, ya fill out an application, you pay your mney and ya get a key when you get there. But alas, this is not fantasy land! And apparently in LaLa land, People dont pay their rent, cause people want names of first born, bloodwork, DNA samples, Names of people who owe you money. I feel like Kaser Sose is gonna be my new landlord! So, yes, the hunt continues. My west coast contact has been helping me, even volunteering her address so I don't look like some redneck fresh off of the hay truck *Well, Orange Truck, I AM in Florida............and why is it when I say Peach truck, Greg Allman curls in the corner and cries for an hour? I dunno* So I keep crackin. I look all the time, and I know I'll get sumtin. Keep ya posted.

A lil Tuesday Tidbit for ya. I wanted to drop some Actors on ya that I think deserve a lil Bento Props:

Jeremy (I'm NOT Dave Matthews) Piven: Check out the Movie PCU, many people didn't see it and it is damn funny!

Steve Buschemi: Check him out in "FARGO", one of my Favorite movies! (Also has William H Macy, who has great taste in grocery items, ask me how I know this sometime)

Elizabeth Banks: She can do Comedy (40 Year old Virgin), Drama (Invincible), and was even in Spiderman, and shes a hottie to!

Well, feel free to add more, I only scratched the surface. If I start talking movies, I'd be here all day!

B

Thursday, December 7, 2006

The Thursday Thirteen

Okay, I guess I gotta have a Thursday Thirteen in here, and I wanna stick to the theme, so 13 places I'd like to visit on my trek to L.a. in no particular order:

13. The Alamo: The Texan Masada! Ho can I drive right by and NOT stop off and see the Alamo, and of course, ask if I can see the basement *Pee Wee HehHA!*

12. The Budweiser Brewery, Jacksonville, Fl.: Its a self guided tour through the world of beer, followed by free beer samples at the end.......Don't they know people have to DRIVE to this place??????

11. Wayne and Robins House: Okay, Pulled pork BBQ, good friends, and an old chevelle, where do I sign up????

10. Roswell, NM: I still don't know if I'm gonna go out of my way to see a small crater, a Bar made outta a doublewide, and the worlds Cheesiest Alien museum, but dern, its sounds tempting!

9. Chuy's in Houston: Getup and her BF said go to Chuy's....in fact, we'll come along if ya do! Okay Creamy Jalapeno dip and Aliens on the roof? I'm There!

8. The Petersen Museum, Los Angeles: Okay, once I get settled in I have to go to the Petersen, one of the best car collections in the U.S. and it also has touring car exhibits as well.....can anyone say Annual Membership?????

7. Soulaz's House: Cool! Hanging out with Soulaz AND Stiney! WOOOOO! Party!

6. San Antonio Riverwalk: Okay, Dork that I am, I really wanna see the riverwalk cause I saw it once on Knight Rider.

5. Caddyshack, St. Augustine, Fl.: Bill Murray's place. I don't wanna eat there, but I bet the got some neat memorabilia and shirts and stuff!

4. Dicks Last Resort, San Antonio, TX: They have one in San Diego and Boston and Dallas to. The neat thing about Dicks? The wait staff is rude on purpose! Its fun if ya know this, but its more fun watching people who DON'T know this lil tidbit of info!

3. Bourbon Street, New Orleans: Now, i dunno if I'll have time to see it, and lord knows after Katrina, it may never be what it was, but I never seen it and what the hey, If I have time, I'll roll by!

2. The Mexican Border: I go right past it around El Paso, TX. BTW, there is a border patrol museum there as well. I've been at the Canadian border, but I hear this one is a lil different than that! (HA!)

1. The Flora-Bama: Heck, Why not. Its a piece of SP history!

The Video is up!

Hey Gang, The Video is done! Check it out here!

http://www.csproductions.info/video-n-film.htm

and check out that neat Rain Effect!

please give me feedback!

B

Wednesday, December 6, 2006

So, The video shoot is DONE

Its a wrap. We finished primary shooting of the video saturday. It was loads of fun. We shot in an old cemetary in St. Cloud, Fl. Then went to a vacant house and shot there as well. I did pretty much everything including building a makeshift rain machine from a sprinkler and a parcan stand *The DP was pretty impressed, BTW* They also shot a "Making of the video" Documentary which I was on a few times including setting up the rain machine. I hope I make it in cause I can use it as a reference for future gigs! Well, more later gang, I unfortunatly have a few more days of this crappy job, so its back to my cubicle...........................for now

Later

Bento

Friday, December 1, 2006

More Video Fun!!!

Well, Gang

Tomorrow is the second day of shooting on the music video. We are scheduled to shoot first in an old cemetery and then in an abandoned house. Don't think its gonna be as spooky as it sounds, since the video is about her losing her lover. I guess the dude is dead! Well, I'll give ya updates on the shoot when I get back tomorrow, but hey, sounds exciting!

B

Monday, November 27, 2006

My contacts on the West Side

So I have a few people helping me and my move on the west coast. First, My friend, Shawna, who is helping me get a place out there. Her help has been invaluable and I hope she knows how much I appreciate what she is doing since she is mega busy herself.
Next is Michael Uva, the author of the Grip Book, the Bible on gripping. I have been emailing and calling him about Grip gigs and he has given me advice as well as many leads and a shot at working for him as well. I just gotta pass the audsition.....Yes, like actors, grips gotta show what they can do before they get on a gig. He is also helping me get into the Union. His help has been invaluable as well. Looks like things are starting to come together Gang. I'll keep ya updated on that as well as the Video shoot, which is wrapping up on Saturday, and the Movie, Dead red Rose, which has been rescheduled AGAIN, but the DP wants to do it right, and well, what the DP wants..............

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Video killed the radio star

Hey Gang, Had a blast gripping on the video shoot. The Video was for a song by Chrystilin, a new up and coming fmale artist. She did a great job on the shoot. I pretty much did everything: Set and mounted the lights and gels, mounted the camera, set and manned the reflector, operated the playback, anything they needed. We will be doing a second shooting day on the 2nd to get the last few scenes we need in the can, but all and all, a GREAT day and loads of fun. I think I'm gonna like this!

Friday, November 17, 2006

Another Grip Gig

Well, tommorow morning, I have a grip gig for a music video in Orlando. I can't say more right now, I have to keep it quiet as per the Label. But I will tell ya what I did...i know, not as exciting. Well, more later gang!

Lets get it started!

Hey Gang. This is gonna be the place where I document my move from Florida to Southern California. I plan to keep you updated on finding a place to live, the Job situation, and my trip itself. Hope you guys find it interesting. It will also be a place for you to stay in contact with me once I'm out there, cause as of right now, there is no address yet, or phone number, or new email address. So, here I go! let the big adventure begin!!!!