Studio: The Film

Disclaimer: Please feel free to watch this short and then move on without reading the accompanying post. I warn you, it is mushy, self indulgent, and full of sappy ramblings. I had a great time writing it.

You've been warned. 

With one exception, I've always been a quitter. Quit piano. Quit acrobatics. Quit horseback riding. If it was boring or a hassle at all, I was over it. By ninth grade, there were only two occupations still under consideration for what I wanted to be when I grew up: a doctor or an actress. Halfway through that year, my dad's orthopedic surgeon friend allowed me to observe an open knee surgery with him. It was awesome. I thought it was the coolest. I was really excited about my life as a doctor and then I learned that doctors go to school FOREVER... and I hated school. So, that wasn't going to work. Around that time freshman year, we had to recite a speech from Romeo and Juliet in English class, an assignment I took very seriously. I'd had a small role the year before in Taylor Road Middle School's "Broadway Chunks in Traveling Trunks" a greatest hits (if you will) from the faves of The Great White Way including Annie, Bye Bye Birdie, two other shows I can't think of, and Oliver. My run as The Widow Corny in Oliver planted a majorly significant seed in my 13 year old brain... I. Loved. Performing. Anyway, back to that 9th grade English assignment, I recited Juliet's balcony speech completely memorized and with such gusto that people in class started asking me if I was an actress. I started saying yes. And seventeen years later, here I am. Still pursuing this "crazy dream" I fell in love with in eighth grade. And it is awful. It is AWFUL sometimes. I am 30. I have no savings. I live paycheck to paycheck.

BUT.

There is literally nothing else I'd rather do.

And so, with that being said, here is my first completed project. I wrote it at the beginning of the year. I shot it in the middle. And now, I'm finally ready to share it here at the end. It was a blast and a HUGE learning experience and I'm so happy it happened.

This is the grossest and mushiest blog post (besides maybe my reflection back in 2011 on living in NYC for 5 years) that I've written but um, here comes the nastiest part...

The Thanks:

-Clayton Froning- I decided to write this thing while soaking in a bathtub filled with water dyed brown from my dry shampoo. I looked at that water and thought, "This is so disgusting, you know who would laugh about how gross this is? Clay." And then I wrote it, so thanks for thinking I'm gross and for making me laugh always.

-Kayvon Esmaili- I don't know if you'll ever read this but if you do, you are SO FUCKING TALENTED in so many ways and I know because I get to see you do lots of artistic things. This little film would have been nothing without your beyond generous contribution of time and talent. Thank you endlessly.

-Sam Littlefield- You are an editing God. Thank you for being appropriately bossy with me and knowing exactly what would make this much more interesting and appealing to people. And for putting so much time and effort into something that meant a lot to me but not necessarily a lot to the world at large. I am so grateful and obviously in your fan club forever.

-Jamie Hyder- You would do anything for me. I would do anything for you.  This includes taking bullets. I think you know that. Nothing more needs to be said.

-Bonnie Lynn and Jethro Felton- You fed this crew. You let me be this. You are the reason I do anything. You are the best parents in the entire world.

-John Rosenfeld- When I moved to LA, I asked the Universe for a guide, the Universe rewarded me with you. Thank you for being my greatest teacher and mentor and for providing the motivation and platform to make our own work.

And finally, faithful blog readers, I know I post in spurts, but the few of you who get genuinely excited about it when I do, remind me of why and what I love most about doing anything artistic in the first place...attention...

JUST KIDDING...in truth...

Understanding. Thanks for appreciating and for understanding me.

Now, watch Studio!