Yes. My answer is yes. Not only is it One Big Happy Hour, it is also One Big Episodic TV show. Yes it is. It's all in the location, baby. And downtown LA has that in spades.
It can be anyplace (well just about - except for the beach) you imagine it to be.
Everyday I see the TV and movie trailers set up in parking lots. The catering trucks surrounding them. The big burly (handsome) guys driving the crew cars. The glaring lights. Cameras standing on sidewalks. Actors mulling around.
There are alley shoots. Building shoots. Loft shoots. Typically, it seems at any one time there are about 10 or more productions going on here.
In fact, I have one friend Deborah Martin, a fantastic artist, who rents out her loft in the historic district, Studio 528, all the time to New York and LA film companies. They basically pay her rent. Which is not a bad gig, when you think about it.
That is if you don't mind a broken lamp here. A dented floor board there. Total strangers using your bathroom. But, hey it's all about location.
And as I said, downtown is location, baby.
In a heart beat, an LA alley can be turned into a New York alley. An ornate building facade can be in Philadelphia. A bum, I guess, can just be a bum - anywhere USA.
I even thought about the possibility of renting out my loft. Less than 600 square feet (I know in the banner it looks big) - I dreamed of burly crew guys sharing a cup of my coffee. I even found out from my landlord, that before I moved in he got $500 A DAY to rent it. That is, of course, without me in it. $500 smakeroos. I was willing to cut a deal with him. Jump on the Hollywood ship.
Then I thought some more, and I realized...
That my space is my home and I don't want anyone using my bathroom! Or jumping out windows. Or moving my furniture. Or asking me to leave. Really!
Which brings me to the close of this episodic post. And the story that started me thinking about writing it.
Well...one day I was walking down Main Street. Minding my own business. Humming along. When I got to this big tarmac covered parking lot, I turned to the left for some reason (I still don't know why), and I looked up at the building roof at the end of the parking lot and I saw someone jump off it. At the top of my lungs I yelled to the people I later saw standing in the parking lot, "A man just jumped off the roof - we need to help him."
It wasn't my fault. I reacted. Like any normal person would. And so did the director. "Cutttttttttttttt," he screamed at the top of his lungs, and pointed to me with a look of utter disdain, and said, "get that woman out of here."
The nerve. Like how was I to know. I don't watch TV.
Ha ha! Very funny, Nancy. So at least, if you wanted an impromptu audition, that was your "big chance" to impress the director!
Posted by: Linda Jay Geldens | August 06, 2009 at 04:43 PM
hilarious!
Posted by: Nalini | August 06, 2009 at 11:57 PM
Thank You Linda and Naila for your comments. I have to tell you living down here is really one big episodic TV show.
My neighbor just told me that he got caught in a "bank robbery" scene and the director was furious when he saw him in the shot. The nerve!
Posted by: TalesofDowntown.com | August 07, 2009 at 09:57 AM
This post put a big smile on my face. I can picture you going through this - very funny - thanks for sharing!
Maria
Posted by: Maria | August 12, 2009 at 01:14 PM