Getting There

After completing an awesome first day at the “Believe Me” production offices, it is time to reflect!

As I started thinking about what to talk about in this post I realized a lot of today was just “getting there.”

First, I needed to get to Austin, then I needed to get to the production offices to get started working on whatever I was put to work on. So, let me catch you up on what happened Sunday in order for me to get to Austin that night. Then we will continue straight into my first day.

Since, a most of you reading probably don’t know, I moved into a house with two of my best friends this year. It is a nice house close to campus, but it was in desperate need of a paint job on the interior. So, with the blessing of our landlord we got to work. We painted the kitchen, the dinning room, living room, my bedroom, one of my roommates rooms and finally the entryway/hallway and middle bathroom. However, the entryway/hallway was finished Saturday and middle bathroom was not finished until 2 pm on Sunday. Yes, Sunday as in yesterday. The project took forever. But, with it done I was free to get packing and clean my room to leave. The issue there was I was originally hoping to leave by 3 pm, however I soon knew that wasn’t going to happen so I said 4 pm and 5 pm at the latest. It was a beautiful dream while it lasted. But reality hit and I didn’t leave Abilene until 7 pm.

Finally! A tank full of gas, the open road (lots of it), and I was on my way. It was a nice drive that involved a lot of music, headlights, taillights, and several small towns. That’s the thing about Abilene unless you are headed to Dallas or El Paso on I-20, it is all state highways that take you through several Small-town, America’s. So, I drove… and drove until finally making it to Austin! This, of course is when I start to have issues. Literally 2 miles from my friends apartment my directions failed me. When I say failed me, I mean did not tell me to make two left turns also known as a u-turn to get to the other side of the highway where the apartment complex entrance was. So, thanks to my not so handy dandy directions I ended up going about 3 or 4 miles in the wrong direction and had to call my friend. Which wouldn’t have been so bad if I hadn’t seen 3 deer run right in front of me in the middle of Austin. A 3 and a 1/2 hour drive through country that should have been laced with deer and I didn’t ever see one near the road. But, I get to Austin and I see 3 of Bambi’s great-great grandchildren. Luckily, nothing happened. I got turned around the right direction and made it to my friend Sarah’s safe and sound (Hooray!!). Then we of course had to do the catching up thing and the tour of her apartment, my home for the month. Thus, I didn’t get to bed until 2 am, but I was in Austin. I got there!

Now, to the awesome part!

Getting to Riot Studios “Believe Me” production offices by 9 am was pretty easy considering I am in Austin and all you hear about it how awful Austin traffic is. I’m taking it as a good sign that I am supposed to be working on this film with freakin’ amazing people, but expect the traffic to get me tomorrow. So, I get there to the offices and get the grand tour from Alex and then within 30 minutes I am getting back in my car and headed to HEB. My first task, go grocery shopping at one of the largest and upscale HEB’s I have ever seen. I am talking about a regular HEB not an HEB Plus or Central Market, I am talking brand spanking new giant HEB with about a million employees. Needless to say I was impressed.

After that I went to Staples for more supplies. Then I went back to Staples again because I forgot something and it was decided something needed to be exchanged (Good thing I like office supply stores.). Once I got back I was tasked with label making, gift bag stuffing, and then with Excel spread sheet updating and creation (yeah! Knowing how to use Excel  proves that to my accounting degree pays off!). I got a bunch of important stuff done and learned some important things about film production all while enjoying every second of it! I can honestly say getting there is pretty great!!

However, I would bet you are thinking, ‘What about the actors? What about them that is the exciting part!’ Well you are right! It is a very exciting part of this job! The lead Actor came in today!! Alex Russell who is playing Sam was the first actor to arrive at the Riot Production Offices and let me tell you it was a “riot” when he first came in. The atmosphere changed, and everyone got really excited. I can only explain it as everything for the film suddenly became real. Things really are underway and having actors start showing up at the production offices proves it. It was an awesome moment to witness.

Furthermore, being there when a hunky Australian actor comes in with his popped collar (yeah… it really was popped) isn’t to bad of a deal either. But if you are wanting details on him go look up his Bio on riotstudios.com or check out his IMDb, because all I know is that he really likes coffee and seems to be a genuinely nice guy. You are going to have do your celebrity stalking somewhere else.

All in all “getting there” has been great and I can not wait for tomorrow.