The Final Films of Summer

As the Elon in Los Angeles program comes to a close, I would like to thank everyone who had a part in making this possible.  I hope you enjoyed the blog and continue to visit in the future.    

“A mind once stretched by a new idea will never regain it’s original shape”

That is the quote that began this experience, I hope whatever shape that your career takes, you will always remember how it was stretched in the summer of 2009 in the city of angels…

Here are the final films for the Change project:

The Final Cookout

Tonight we happily gave in to the oakwood undertow and enjoyed our last night watching the sun set over the hills beond our palm-tree lined pool at the North Clubhouse at Oakwood Apartments. It was a perfect, breezey summer night so my wonderful room mate and better half, Rachael, and I followed our noses around the corner to find the grills sizzling and a multitude of some of the most creative and caring people I know. I felt my heart swell with happiness seeing so many fun faces that have so shaped this summer experience in Los Angeles for me. It is truly bittersweet to leave.

There is simply nothing like being in the company of so many people who share your life-altering passion for ART. They are the true art, for it lies within them. It is so evident I had to sit back and take in the art in those around me: Amidst palm trees, grill steam, and a light breeze there are un-matched feelings of festivity: Bee and Jo burst into hysterical laughing, Colin sets up music from his lap top or joins Tyler, Joe, Paul, and Andy trade off cameras and jokes while capturing moments of the art around them. Brandon starts dancing; Patrick starts laughing; Jeff calls out “Cheeseburger! Hot Dog!” hot off the grill for us. I hear Chris White’s contagious laugh, Carmine making Ashley and Rachael laugh, Courtney moving about bringing her down-to-earth self to each mingling grouping. It is the visuals and auras that set the scene: The pleasant countenance of Joe, the beauty of Jordan, the vivaciousness of Jaime, the easy-going, fun nature of Mike, the non-stop entertainment of Chris White, the passionate coolness of Andy, the empathetic gentleman of Matt M. and the genuine and approachableness of Matt H. We were missing enough members of our group tonight who had already left that it was definately a bitter-sweet event. With their art I believe we would have been truely a masterpiece . I will miss this place.

The Suite Life On Deck

This summer has provided me with so many opportunities. A few weeks ago I attended a taping of the Disney Channel show, “The Suite Life On Deck”. One of our clients, Erin Cardillo, has a recurring role on the show (she plays the teacher, Mrs. Tutweiller) and I was invited to see one of her episodes being taped.

Despite the fact that the majority of the show’s target audience is half my age, still has slumber parties and imaginary dream dates with the Jonas Brothers or Hannah Montana, I’d never been to a taping before and was excited to experience it! It’s something you really only get the chance to do in Hollywood and a unique opportunity to witness how television is made.

I was glad I had read our book for class (Action! Acting for Film and Television) prior to the taping because it was a great introduction to the process and gave me an idea of what to expect.

I arrived at the sound stage at 3:30, but things didn’t really get started until around 4:15. A stand up comedian, who in a way acted like a host for the taping, entertained us before the show and between takes. Unlike film, the scenes are shot in chronological order. Some scenes were pre-shot but inserted in at the right time during the show so that the audience’s reactions, which later serve as the “laugh track”, could be recorded. Monitors are hung above the audience so that they can see a rough cut of the episode.

The audience’s job of serving as the “laugh track” is not an easy task! Multiple takes are done and we are encouraged to laugh just as hard, and realistically, as if we were seeing it for the first time. It was a LONG process! For what would end up being a half our show, I was there for a total of about 5 ½ hours. It was worth it to stay the whole time though because at the end we were able to take pictures of the set and the cast came out to take pictures with fans and sign autographs.

I cannot wait to see the episode on TV and maybe even be able to point out my laugh!

Below is a clip of one of Erin’s episodes

Confusion and More.

So I came to LA in hopes of finding what I want to do with my life. Ironically (but not surprisingly), I only come away with more options: a newfound excitement for production, a heightened zeal for dance, and a re-lit fire for performing. The only sure thing is that I’m obsessed with this city and feel sick to my stomach at the thought of leaving it. I’ve already decided to move out here after graduation (pending dance company audition results) and have started discussing living arrangements with other rising seniors in the Elon in LA program. How can I deny living in a place that has pushed me harder than I’ve ever been pushed while presenting me with something new and exciting everyday? The energy of this city is constantly moving and creating, on-the-go, ever-changing – everything that I need to thrive. I’m excited to see where senior year will take me, especially since I know (hope) it will lead me back here to Los Angeles. So don’t worry LA, you haven’t seen the last of me. I’ll be back.

Dance?

Or production?

The Reddest of the Woods

Last weekend a bunch of us went to Las Vegas! Let me clarify, it was those of us who were 21… Not being 21 I went to the Redwoods! It was seriously a spectacular spectacle to see. Being around trees that have lived longer than Christ…or Dinosaurs, (whichever you believe) was truly a humbling experience. It also didn’t hurt that they were hugemungous (the Redwoods deserve their own word). Being an actor, I am constantly being asked to imagine someplace specific. I have not only beautiful, but useful memories from the Redwoods that will most certainly last a lifetime. Why, you ask? Not only because of the general nature but the shear mass of the trees was awe-inspiring. Just turning 20 makes me see that my life is no longer something to speculate, rather it is very close in the horizon. At the same time, being around the trees that were truly ancient lets me realize that my life is a literal dot in time. I cannot take any moment for granted. Every day I get is freaking fantastic. I lost my phone, broke my glasses beyond repair and got scrutinized by some local Native Americans (which is an entirely different blog) and each moment changed my outlook on life. Still, these epiphanies can happen any second of life. In conclusion, ‘Vegas is for sissies. Real men go to the ‘woods… and fight bears (…please don’t sue, PETA).

Feeling the business

Last week I realized how close to the professional world we really are. I got a text from an agent that I intern for who had some parts that i could fit. The problem was that I had no headshot. After asking and re-asking I finally lucked out and got a hold of Colin. We shot that evening (golden hour) for about thirty minutes. When I looked at the shots, they really could have been professional; good work Colin. The next internship day I got submitted for two shows, one being ”Bones.” It was for a piano prodigy who gets whacked. Being the intern that submits everyone for the whole office, I got to write in a note saying, basically, that I was “bomb-diggity at piano.” Within a couple hours the agent got the confirmation that I would be doing a read-thru of the show the next day. The coolest part was getting a pass to be let into the FOX studios and being able to walk around the same place where the big-wigs walk. After the initial read-thru I was one of two that was called back. Three hours later (!) the producers, director and casting director were watching me play air piano to the best of my ability (which was spectacular). After I was done rockin’ it, I was leaving the room, and passed the other kid walking into the audition. I distinctly remember the casters saying, “Hey we know this kid! How are ya doing man?!” …That is the business, and one day that will be me and they will know me (hopefully)!

Once upon a time… (the story before Elon in LA)

Once upon a time I was a sophomore at Elon. I got accepted into the Elon in LA program and met all the other potential LA-bound students. On Fridays we talked about our goals and expectations for the upcoming summer. Someone proposed the idea of writing a 50 word pre-Los Angeles summary, to contrast the one we were going to write at the culmination of the summer. I don’t know if anyone else did but on May 29, 1 day before I boarded a plane westward, I sat down and wrote 50 words, divulging my feelings about the adventure that lay ahead. Here are those words:

I’m anxious, of course. LA, that life, those goals; They are all staring right back at me. It’s scary. But, no, I’m not afraid, just anxious… Anxious to get out there, anxious to succeed, more anxious to fail… Life is about to change drastically and I am anxiously awaiting it.

Qualms of a Hyphenate

…Trying to be an Actor-Director before I’m really either. HA! At the beginning of the summer, despite my interest I wasn’t convinced I could ever direct stories for film because I didn’t believe I had a mental storyboard or image-based imagination that could be trained to fit in the confines of a 2-D screen. Having grown up in the theater I am more inclined to think in 3-D and therefore comfortable directing for stage. In the time since, I have come to the exciting realization that the mental storyboard I didn’t believe I possessed is already ingrained in my imagination- I just hadn’t recognized it as such! I see images from different points of view as I read or write or tell stories. There are moments I have out-of-body experiences, capturing them as if by a third eye, watching a scene of life playedout. I believe this is part of the director in me.

Last week in our acting class Marilyn gave me the most poignant and personal critique I’ve ever received: “Chelsea, you’re directing yourself. You have to stop that!” I had never realized that when I fall into the trap of a cleverly memorized performance it is a result of my directorial crafting of the piece. I’m attempting to achieve the character I have envisioned instead of just seeing the character’s circumstances as my own- therefore, being instead of acting. I’m outside watching the performance instead of grounded, living it. I’ve been told, “Chelsea, get out of your head” and now I interpret that as: ”Chelsea, stop directing yourself!” My colleague, Brandon Curry, whom I love so dearly and who has a gift of helping me believe in myself even after a sucky performance,  shared his wisdom with me to the effect of: you have to completely let go of how you think the piece should turn out or how a line should be said or how the audience will understand it and just say, “F*** it! And just DO IT!”

I imagine once I can handle the loving seperation of the Director and Actor in me I will be able to do both aspects of the art that I love successfully isolated. It’s just knowing when to give up one and take up the other.

The “Switching Teams” Team

Before the second round of short films appear on the blog, I wanted to commend the talent and production team of the comedy “Switching Teams.” This group of around ten students filmed on a FRIDAY night until around 1 am, all day Saturday outside in the scorching heat, and at 9am on Sunday morning to top it all off.

Mike Pacicco edited and co-produced the short film, and in our second film together, he proved how hard he can work, and how effective he can be as a leader. Mike sat in front of final cut pro through hours of footage, countless late nights, and broken hard drives. He transformed himself into an expert editor this summer.

Chelsea Levalley and I co-directed “Switching Teams,” and I could not have been happier with how we worked as a unit, feeding and learning from each other all along the way. She worked with the talent while I ran the camera, and by watching her, I was able to learn a lot about how to work with actors, and not mess up their mind set, which is what I’d been previously doing. The improvement in directing is clearly visible from my last film to this one, and she’s the reason why.

Brandon Curry carried the film in the lead role, committing to a difficult part and doing every crazy thing the script asked of him. He proved how dynamic he can be as an actor, and never complained once throughout the late nights, early mornings, and extreme heat. We all know Brandon is a funny guy, and I think he definitely has the chops for a future in comedy.

MJ Soler was the art director for the film, tracking down props like voodoo dolls and Gay/Straight Alliance banners, and finding some of the costumes that absolutely made the film, such as Kurt’s letter Jacket and the Janitor’s jump suit. The supporting actors in the film were Alex Carmine, Rachel Fine, Patrick McCabe, and an actor from outside our program, Adam Jay. These actors did a phenomenal job of creating this high school world, and once again, doing all of the crazy stuff the script demanded of them. Jamie O’Brien and Susan Esrock were production assistants in addition to acting in the film. While on set, they did everything they could to help, and when they were done, they asked if there was anything more they could do.

This team worked through all of the adversity to produce a project which I hope will make you laugh, and then make you step back and think about an important issue in our society today. I know I had a blast making this film and I hope you guys did too. Enjoy “Switching Teams!”

Land before time…

If there is one thing you must do before you die, it is to see the grandeur of the Redwoods, in person. Pictures do them no justice. It is near impossible to capture the perspective of being amongst the largest trees in the world. And a photo can’t convey the muffled silence of such an ancient grove. At times you quit talking because the quietude is so striking. And then after soaking it all in, you say a few words just to make sure you’re not dreaming.  Because the mist made it seem so surreal, made it feel like some kind of fairy tale. And the ferns and clover, they gave you that feeling that some kind of Jurassic reptile could lunge out of the flora at any given second.

The trees themselves are like stately kings from an era long gone, an era before the dinosaurs and Jesus, before all the man-made complications. Every time you think you’ve come across the largest, it is quickly replaced by another much older, ever-climbing tree.

As my eyes traveled up the thick trunks to the leafy fronds waving high above the clouds, I tried to picture what changes these trees had seen over the millennia. That is assuming they had eyes, and eerily enough the gnarled bark gave off the impression that some did.

At one point during our hike we came across a fern covered canyon painted with a coat of golden sunlight. After the initial shock of viewing such a beautiful scene, my eyes traveled down a solitary beam of sunlight shining through the dense canopy overhead. At its end, like some pot of sunlit gold, stood a small ordinary tree revealed amongst the shadows of the neighboring behemoths. Our party stopped and quickly decided that this tree was sacred and must be reached at any cost. We climbed our way down the steep slope via a fallen redwood that functioned as a bridge to the canyon floor.

While standing beside this skinny tree, I felt a strange connection, and in retrospect it taught me a lesson.

It wasn’t the tallest, yet it shone with light. It wasn’t the thickest, yet it had grown to some height. It was simply itself, and someone had discovered its discrete beauty, a lesson that resonated deep within the heart of yours truly.

One of the Bridges

Reflections in the mist

To Walk Amongst Giants

Nothing but the sound of trudging footsteps and the sounds of nature were audible. White mist rolled over mountaintops and nestled itself within the canopies. Sunlight pierced through tiny openings of green leaves, showering all it touched in splotchy light. We were walking amongst giants.

Never in my life have I been in such awe. Visiting the Redwoods in Northern California was astonishing, unreal and truly monumental. As powerful as these words are, settling, is probably the most accurate portrayal of my experience. Our company was made up of six adventuresome individuals and it was quite common to see everyone gazing skyward.

Our caravan was absolutely enthralled with the surrounding environment. Between silences, I was lucky to be part of some of the most intriguing and humorous conversations I’ve heard in a while. All reservations were cast aside and everyone was free to say exactly what was on their minds.

I will return to the Redwoods. The experience was literally life altering and to feel how I did during our journey, well that’s something I look forward to upon my return.

Enjoying a weekend in Vegas through Twitter

I returned from Vegas yesterday and the only question my mom asked was “who is the man with the flowers that you feel bad for on your twitter?” For those of you that are not a part of the Twitter nation I along with a few other Elon in LAers can assure you, you are missing out on a highly addictive social network.

Throughout the weekend many of us were able to keep friends and family in the know through Twitter. We could post everything from how much money we were up or down, which shows we enjoyed and even how a few people ran into Elon Alum from 1978.

Regardless of your social network preference the man with the flowers was a beautifully tragic part of LOVE the Cirque du Soleil show featuring the music of the Beatles. This show was by far one of the coolest things I have ever seen and while Rachael looked at it from a dancers perspective I looked at it simply in awe.

The show had all of your favorite Beatles song combined with dance, stunts and incredible acrobatics. Whether it was women flying through the air, children bouncing across the stage or a sad man trying to give away flowers this show had it all.

If you ever get the chance to go to Las Vegas I highly recommend LOVE. It is a show that offers something for everyone, music fans, dance fans or anyone looking for a night of enjoyment.

Here are some extended clips from the show:

Backdrop

As we set off on our journey to Las Vegas, the city of sin, I was dreading the ride because I had only heard that you drove through desert the whole way there. People made it sound dreadful and boring. However, to my surprise it was the exact opposite. I was so overtaken by all of the beauty that surrounded me. There were so many different mountains, terrains, plants, clouds et cetera that were constantly changing the further from Los Angeles we drove.

The most amazing part was seeing patches of rain from afar scattered throughout the desert. Courtney, Patrick and I were stunned by this as we figured it didn’t rain very often in the desert; guess we were wrong. We saw the most amazing and beautiful lightning that went straight across the entire sky and down directly in front of us with a beautiful backdrop of mountains. Backdrop; that is exactly what every part of the desert looked like.

House of Blues

It was supposed to be the best weekend ever. And it was. A weekend filled with LA Shorts and Tea in a Rose Garden was topped off with an amazing Hip-Hop concert at the House Of Blues.

My boss was kind enough to share two tickets for Asher Roth and Kid Cudi at the House Of Blues. Both of which were phenomenal performers. But B Copeland and I fell in love with a mister B.o.B.. By his second song, Voltage, I was hooked and bought his mixed tape. Please check him out.

mon mascarade

It’s like I’m seeing the world with new eyes.
Out with the old, in with a new disguise.
When the feelings fade, it’s a big masquerade.
A maze of bodies and faces invade.

The next step is true:
To mask up the past with feathers and flash
and present a new woman to you.
But don’t get me wrong the transition’s been long
and I’m ready for life on my own.
Before the sun set I was loved, don’t forget,
but now life’s a solo, unknown.

As I walk through the door,
my curious eyes towards the floor,
I’m uncertain of what will ensue.
But when the music begins and I’m thrown for a spin
I forget all the worries and woes.
Cause life is a ball and the harder you fall
should make you get back on your toes.

If passions subside, don’t dare run and hide,
stop asking the whats and the whys.
It’s hard to envision such a lonely decision
but at least there is life with new eyes.

Bicoastal Mind

It is hard to believe that I have been in LA for two and a half months. Like many of my friends have already written about on the blog, I too am confused about where I would like to live after college. I do have two more years to figure it out, but I still think about it everyday. Growing up outside of New York City made me love and hate it. New York has this energy, unlike any I have ever felt before; it sucks you in and confuses you. I have been into the city countless times, so when I was looking to go to college I wanted something totally different. I wanted to go to school on the west coast because I knew it would give me another view on life, but that did not happen, so now I’m getting the “full picture” that I think I was missing growing up in New Jersey.

Kristen and I were talking about LA and New York yesterday and I found that they both fit into the stereotypes they are given. New York is fast-paced and crazy and LA is laidback. Somehow I love both lifestyles, but I don’t think that I could necessarily live in either for the rest of my life. I know that when I’m in stressful and fast-paced environments I work and flow with them very well, but when I’m in more chill environments I’m more relaxed and carefree. I guess what I’m trying to figure out is if there is such a place where LA and New York blend and combine, because if so, I need to be there. As of right now, I think that the only place that is like that is somewhere made up in my mind.

on acting

today, I’m gonna talk about acting—

I am a rising senior acting major and have already had quite a bit of training, but coming out this summer to Los Angeles I felt as though all my knowledge of acting was getting in my way.  I was doing too much “acting” and not enough “being”.  With the exercises in finding our type and personalization along with personality slates we have been doing with Marilyn, I have learned that the most important thing, maybe, is just to know yourself.  Walk into the audition room as the solution.  Confidence is key and why wouldn’t you want every performance to be as close to 1oo% as the real thing?  I am realizing that everything you need to be an actor, is built right into you.  Your mind is the imagination center where you can delve into the specifics of creating a different version of yourself.  Your heart is the never ending center for truth.  You must trust that your heart can feel all that your mind can create.  And finally, you’re body.  The physical machine that houses it all.  By manipulating how energy travels in your body you can harness all the creative life that is produced by your heart and mind.  Trust that you have all that you need and then release any doubt into the universe. As one of my favorite quotes goes, “if the sun and the moon were doubt, they’d both go out!”    Live.  Live truthfully in the moment for the first time every time, and that means throwing away all homework and just going to the eye of the storm.

–thank you for reading.

All You Need is LOVE

This past weekend Ashley, Courtney, Jeff, Patrick, MJ, Lauren, Kristen, and I ventured to Las Vegas. While it was exciting to experience the world-famous casinos and hotels, Serendipity’s frozen hot chocolate, and New York New York’s rooftop roller coaster, my favorite part of the trip was seeing Cirque du Soleil’s “Love”. This high-energy show honors the music of the Beatles with an undertone of world history and an overtone of flashy lights, acrobatic and contortionist tricks, loveable bright characters, amazing costumes, and beautiful dancing. I was hooked from the moment the first guitar chords were strung and I probably annoyed the woman sitting next to me because I never stopped oo-ing, ah-ing, laughing, sighing, or gasping for the next hour and a half! After the show I was completely speechless. I’ll leave you a short trailer of this magnificent show in hopes that it will have the same effect on you.

The best things in life are free.

I was driving on Friday and I saw the most fascinating thing.  I was on La Tijera blvd. heading back home from work, listening to the radio, and catching up on the texts and calls I miss through out the day when I saw the most extraordinary thing.  A man’s car had broke down in the rightmost lane out front of a dollar store.  The owner of the car, and what I assumed were the two other guys riding with him, were trying to push the car out of the road and out of the way of crowded traffic.  It was a small compact and should have been pretty easy for three people to push out of the way, the only problem was they were trying to turn it right and up the smallest of hills.

This by no means is anything fantastic, until I saw the greatest of juxtapositions.  A not so financially well off man in tattered clothing had come jogging out of the parking lot to lend a hand to the group.  Surprisingly, in the greatest of cosmic irony, a man in a white button down shirt, tie, khakis, dress shoes, and blackberry cell phone walked right by the people struggling to push the car without so much as a glance.

They did get their car up the small hurdle, and the man who lended a hand left with a grateful wave.

Tea and Blood Diamonds

Fiona and I outside of her cottage in N. Hollywood

At Disney Studios one day, I met a wonderfully caring woman from New Zealand who works as a producer in the entertainment industry. I was at her house having tea this weekend discussing a book she let me borrow when we started talking about films that have changed our lives. She sighted Blood Diamonds as having opened her mind and broken her heart for such persecuted youth whose lives are viewed as dispensable amidst war and slavery.The night breeze whispered in the patterend yellow curtains and followed the wind out the open screen door to join the crickets enjoying the flora of a dimly lit garden.  In dreaming together about the stories we wanted the world to hear we slowly came to admit to each other it is really the writers, not our lines of profession, who arguably have the most power to cause change. It is their voice that is heard, the directors, producers, and actors bring to life pockets of reality writers have chosen to illuminate.

The producer I work for at Disney is unusually creatively inclined in that his movies are his ideas, pitched to writers he personally hires to craft a screenplay to suit the story he wants to tell. I told her she could be the same.

Newly inspired, I woke up early with the birds this morning and spent the day working on finishing the screenplay I’ve been working on for the past several weeks… Everyday is a new beginning to finding and filling personal potential