Sometimes I find it funny that the practices in college I found annoying
turn into life practices I find important. In my Business of Film class
in Senior year of college, my teacher always made us respond with a
simple 'got it' whenever we received an email from her. These days I
set many conference calls and I seriously wish everyone I email would
respond with something that would assure me they received my email and
are confirmed for the call. This way when I initiate the call I'm not
anxiously listening to make sure everyone who needs to be on the call is
on it. It's so funny how something as simple as this is so important.
So many times you're asked about the college you went to and if you
feel you got a great education there. If I told someone the most
important thing I learned was email etiquette, they'd laugh in my face.
Honestly, learning etiquette was part of my college experience. I took
workshops on dining etiquette through student life, and all throughout
film school you learn the etiquette of how to work in the film world. I
look around at others my age in my daily life and even my Facebook wall
and sometimes I'm shocked to see how people act. I guess I just got
lucky.
I recently had dinner with the college professor
who taught me business of film, and she asked me some important things I
had discovered post-college. My number one was constantly being in the
know about what is happening in the entertainment world. In order to
be on top, you have to be on your game. You have to constantly check
for breaking news and it's always great when you can be the first one in
the office to break and story and say, "Hey, did you see that so and so
just dropped all their agents?" Or "Hey, did you see that such and
such network just picked up that new pilot?" Those are silly examples,
but when your boss comes in the room and asks you what you know about a
certain celebrity, you better be up on your celeb gossip and be ready to
give him everything he needs to know before he walks into a pitch
meeting.
And now a shameless plug about an upcoming
project. I'm currently in the throws of pre-production on a short film
with two of my friends. I'm co-Producing it and we're working hard to
get the Kickstarter ready for launch. It will be the biggest project
I've ever Produced and we are going to need a lot of funding. I can't
say much about the film yet, but it is a fan film that we have thought
about making for a while now. The project is going to be very
collaborative with both graduates of my college as well as my new
friends in the LA film world. Keep a lookout for the project launch and
I do hope we have a lot of support!
That's all for now
folks. I've had a hard time figuring out what to blog about these
days, but hopefully my creative blogging brain starts thinking of more
ideas soon.
<3 Mir
Monday, August 19, 2013
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Learning the Important Things in Life
I want to start off this blog post by saying I'm very sorry I have neglected this blog since May. I would normally never go this long without writing. Life has had many ups and downs lately, so it was hard to find a topic and idea for a new post. Because of those ups and downs, I was able to develop a new idea for a post.
Important. Significant. Necessary.
It has been almost 2 years since I moved to Los Angeles. 2 years is a very long time when you think about what can occur. I moved 2,135 miles across the United States to Los Angeles from Niceville. I moved away from my family and many close friends. Currently, I only get to go home 2 times every year to see them for 2 week increments. While I was home visiting my family this summer, my Uncle Stanley passed away very suddenly. Suddenly my fairy tale world was turned upside down. Deciding to live in Los Angeles and pursue my dream in the entertainment industry requires sacrifices. Sacrificing valuable time away from my family which I can't gain back by a few trips home. I began questioning if it is truly worth the sacrifice No man knows the day nor the hour when their time on earth will be up. We can all hope and dream the ones we love lead long happy lives, but we never know if a car crash will end their life tomorrow. What decision did I make regarding if sacrificing time was truly worth it? It's honestly not a decision I could really make on my own. My mom actually helped remind me while I was home that it truly is. When you go home and you have so many family and friends cheering you on and truly excited and happy to see you succeeding you realize you aren't just fulfilling your dreams for you. You're also fulfilling your dreams because you know it makes your parents, extended family, and friends so happy to have helped you along your journey to where you are today. Parents look at their infant child growing up wishing and hoping for the best things to happen to them in their lives. The dad might dream of his son being a pro football player, the mother might wish her daughter to become a well-respected surgeon. You grown up, graduate school, and it's time for you to realize your dreams and your parents finally get to realize their dreams for you. After all, where would we all be without them? I know I definitely wouldn't be where I am.
I try to surround myself with friends in Los Angeles who support me and give me emotional stability in my crazy life. Most of my friends experience the same situations I do as we work in the same industry. I actually don't have a single friend in Los Angeles who doesn't have a job with ties to the entertainment industry. (Man Buzzfeed really was right about that one!) I frequently visit my cousins who live 50 minutes away (on a NORMAL traffic day). After all, ohana means family, family means no one gets left behind. Or forgotten.
So, in the end did I waste your time with a sappy blog post? I hope not. In my blog I always try to make my readers think and pose questions. So, here's my question for this blog.
"Fifty years from now, when you’re looking back at your life, don’t you want to be able to say you had the guts to get in the car? "
Yes, I did just use a Transformers quote to emphasize the point of this post. I did get in the car and it ended up taking me to Los Angeles. Do you have the guts to get in the car and begin whatever journey your dreams take you on?
Important. Significant. Necessary.
It has been almost 2 years since I moved to Los Angeles. 2 years is a very long time when you think about what can occur. I moved 2,135 miles across the United States to Los Angeles from Niceville. I moved away from my family and many close friends. Currently, I only get to go home 2 times every year to see them for 2 week increments. While I was home visiting my family this summer, my Uncle Stanley passed away very suddenly. Suddenly my fairy tale world was turned upside down. Deciding to live in Los Angeles and pursue my dream in the entertainment industry requires sacrifices. Sacrificing valuable time away from my family which I can't gain back by a few trips home. I began questioning if it is truly worth the sacrifice No man knows the day nor the hour when their time on earth will be up. We can all hope and dream the ones we love lead long happy lives, but we never know if a car crash will end their life tomorrow. What decision did I make regarding if sacrificing time was truly worth it? It's honestly not a decision I could really make on my own. My mom actually helped remind me while I was home that it truly is. When you go home and you have so many family and friends cheering you on and truly excited and happy to see you succeeding you realize you aren't just fulfilling your dreams for you. You're also fulfilling your dreams because you know it makes your parents, extended family, and friends so happy to have helped you along your journey to where you are today. Parents look at their infant child growing up wishing and hoping for the best things to happen to them in their lives. The dad might dream of his son being a pro football player, the mother might wish her daughter to become a well-respected surgeon. You grown up, graduate school, and it's time for you to realize your dreams and your parents finally get to realize their dreams for you. After all, where would we all be without them? I know I definitely wouldn't be where I am.
I try to surround myself with friends in Los Angeles who support me and give me emotional stability in my crazy life. Most of my friends experience the same situations I do as we work in the same industry. I actually don't have a single friend in Los Angeles who doesn't have a job with ties to the entertainment industry. (Man Buzzfeed really was right about that one!) I frequently visit my cousins who live 50 minutes away (on a NORMAL traffic day). After all, ohana means family, family means no one gets left behind. Or forgotten.
So, in the end did I waste your time with a sappy blog post? I hope not. In my blog I always try to make my readers think and pose questions. So, here's my question for this blog.
"Fifty years from now, when you’re looking back at your life, don’t you want to be able to say you had the guts to get in the car? "
Yes, I did just use a Transformers quote to emphasize the point of this post. I did get in the car and it ended up taking me to Los Angeles. Do you have the guts to get in the car and begin whatever journey your dreams take you on?
My Ohana
My mom and I cooking a Game of Thrones Feast
My Dad and I eating Cajun Food
RIP Uncle Stanley - He always called me, "Ms Hollywood"
My besties and I setting our sights on Orlando.
My besties and I at one of my favorite places in the world.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
The 2013 Billboard Music Awards
Growing up, I did not watch many award shows on television with my family. We mostly stuck to watching movies and some TV shows together. Mostly I made them change the channel to Disney whenever Lizzie McGuire was on. I grew up in a very conservative household, so most of the time when I tried to watch an award show and something inappropriate came on, the channel was changed. I have one very fond memory of watching an award show with my dad. We were sitting in the living room and as usual I tried changing the channel to an award show. It was the 2011 Billboard Music Awards. The show had reached CeeLo Green's performance where he was flipping high in the air sitting on a piano bench. My dad was fascinated by how he was able to do that. We watched the whole performance together just chatting about it.
Fast forward two years later and I'm working the Billboard Music Awards for the 2nd time. For my first year of working the show, it was my favorite show to have worked all year. (Now, for future reference, my definition of year ends in May since there aren't any award shows in the summertime.) This year, it was not as fun of a show to work on, but I definitely cherish this show since I have such fond memories of it with my dad.
During the course of my time working the show, I wore so many different hats. From graphic designer, production assistant, receptionist, runner, editor, and all the way to cinematographer, I did it all. I filmed footage of the Chevy platform being put together for Chevy bright and early one morning. Thank goodness my friend Sean came to the rescue with his camera. I was a bit rusty with adjusting camera settings, but I definitely still had an eye for a great shot. Back in the office, I did my usual work with Don as well as prepping the office for the trip to Vegas. I was counting supplies, ordering more supplies, keeping the office replenished, sending bills off to be paid, ect. I stayed busy but working with great people makes it all worth it.
Then came the graphic design project out of the blue one day. In the midst of a bunch of runs, I was given the task of designing flyers and signs to get people to download an app for the show. During a certain song in the show the app would listen for a tone and start to play a light show that had been pre-programmed. The year before on Billboards, we passed out flashlights that worked so well in the show so this was a new thing they wanted to try. Granted, I did not get my degree in graphic design, but I still know my way around Photoshop and can design graphics under the gun when I need to.
A week before the show, we finally flew to Vegas. I arrived at 9:00am, dropped my bags at the hotel, and headed straight to work. I got the exec office ready for their arrival that afternoon. Before they arrived, I had to finish up my third design for the signs and flyers for approval. The first few days were fairly routine and steady, but when rehearsals started the pace really began to pick up. People rushing around and last minute projects come up. Another graphic design project landed in my lap, and this time it was to design the winner's envelopes for the show. I began to be referred to as the 'Junior Art Department.' First I started with re-creating last year's envelope and of course using this year's Billboard logo which I did not create. After it was decided this year's envelope needed color. I pulled colors from the logo and used influences from the show graphics. I then did about 15 other designs before one of the producer's and graphics producer agreed on one of them. You can see the final design below. I have to admit, the second most exciting part of this show was seeing celebrities on television holding the envelopes I designed for the show. Knowing that 8,000 people walking through the doors to the award show were being handed the flyers you designed and seeing the signs you created. Millions of audience members focusing intently on the envelope you designed anticipating the winner being announced. It was surreal.
As usual there were typical celebrity encounters. Taylor Swift said hello as she was walking through the hallway. Quite a nice girl. My awesome boss made sure to point me out to Tracy Morgan when I was near. It's always fascinating to see celebrities in person who don't look like they do on TV such as Christina Aguilera and J Lo. I've met my celebrity quota lately, so wandering backstage wasn't big on my to-do list so I played it low key and just made sure to catch some performances in house when I wanted to.
Meeting Taylor Swift and designing the winners envelopes were cool, but I have to say one of the best parts about being in Vegas is being with your old production family and welcoming in new ones. I made a good friend last year on the award show, Kayla Jo, and I couldn't have been more happy to see her. I like to joke with her that we're like Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley in Pirates of the Caribbean where they can only see each other every so many years. I don't care for the Vegas atmosphere, but hanging out with your production friends and roommates after hours was definitely the best time. Over the course of the week, you are constantly with the same set of people eating together, working together, hanging out together, and even sleeping in the same room. When you part ways at the end, it leaves you with a weird empty feeling. I miss being with my tight knit production friends, but it also let's you look forward to the next time you're together on a new production. I don't think we'll work the Billboard Music Awards next year (which is insane since the ratings were up 33%), but I look forward to the next great production adventure. Until then, I'm excited to wrap this one up and headed off on a nice long vacation. After all, once my awards year ends, that's what I'm supposed to do, right?
Until next time,
♥ Mir
Leaving on a jet plane to Vegas...
Me on the Taylor Swift performance bike...
Brett, Lindsay, and I goofing off at a photo machine inside the MGM...
Me with the sign I designed...
My name in the credits...
Various photos of celebrities with the winners envelope I designed (I of course did not take these photos)...
And then there's this awesome GIF of Miley Cyrus opening the envelope...
Fast forward two years later and I'm working the Billboard Music Awards for the 2nd time. For my first year of working the show, it was my favorite show to have worked all year. (Now, for future reference, my definition of year ends in May since there aren't any award shows in the summertime.) This year, it was not as fun of a show to work on, but I definitely cherish this show since I have such fond memories of it with my dad.
During the course of my time working the show, I wore so many different hats. From graphic designer, production assistant, receptionist, runner, editor, and all the way to cinematographer, I did it all. I filmed footage of the Chevy platform being put together for Chevy bright and early one morning. Thank goodness my friend Sean came to the rescue with his camera. I was a bit rusty with adjusting camera settings, but I definitely still had an eye for a great shot. Back in the office, I did my usual work with Don as well as prepping the office for the trip to Vegas. I was counting supplies, ordering more supplies, keeping the office replenished, sending bills off to be paid, ect. I stayed busy but working with great people makes it all worth it.
Then came the graphic design project out of the blue one day. In the midst of a bunch of runs, I was given the task of designing flyers and signs to get people to download an app for the show. During a certain song in the show the app would listen for a tone and start to play a light show that had been pre-programmed. The year before on Billboards, we passed out flashlights that worked so well in the show so this was a new thing they wanted to try. Granted, I did not get my degree in graphic design, but I still know my way around Photoshop and can design graphics under the gun when I need to.
A week before the show, we finally flew to Vegas. I arrived at 9:00am, dropped my bags at the hotel, and headed straight to work. I got the exec office ready for their arrival that afternoon. Before they arrived, I had to finish up my third design for the signs and flyers for approval. The first few days were fairly routine and steady, but when rehearsals started the pace really began to pick up. People rushing around and last minute projects come up. Another graphic design project landed in my lap, and this time it was to design the winner's envelopes for the show. I began to be referred to as the 'Junior Art Department.' First I started with re-creating last year's envelope and of course using this year's Billboard logo which I did not create. After it was decided this year's envelope needed color. I pulled colors from the logo and used influences from the show graphics. I then did about 15 other designs before one of the producer's and graphics producer agreed on one of them. You can see the final design below. I have to admit, the second most exciting part of this show was seeing celebrities on television holding the envelopes I designed for the show. Knowing that 8,000 people walking through the doors to the award show were being handed the flyers you designed and seeing the signs you created. Millions of audience members focusing intently on the envelope you designed anticipating the winner being announced. It was surreal.
As usual there were typical celebrity encounters. Taylor Swift said hello as she was walking through the hallway. Quite a nice girl. My awesome boss made sure to point me out to Tracy Morgan when I was near. It's always fascinating to see celebrities in person who don't look like they do on TV such as Christina Aguilera and J Lo. I've met my celebrity quota lately, so wandering backstage wasn't big on my to-do list so I played it low key and just made sure to catch some performances in house when I wanted to.
Meeting Taylor Swift and designing the winners envelopes were cool, but I have to say one of the best parts about being in Vegas is being with your old production family and welcoming in new ones. I made a good friend last year on the award show, Kayla Jo, and I couldn't have been more happy to see her. I like to joke with her that we're like Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley in Pirates of the Caribbean where they can only see each other every so many years. I don't care for the Vegas atmosphere, but hanging out with your production friends and roommates after hours was definitely the best time. Over the course of the week, you are constantly with the same set of people eating together, working together, hanging out together, and even sleeping in the same room. When you part ways at the end, it leaves you with a weird empty feeling. I miss being with my tight knit production friends, but it also let's you look forward to the next time you're together on a new production. I don't think we'll work the Billboard Music Awards next year (which is insane since the ratings were up 33%), but I look forward to the next great production adventure. Until then, I'm excited to wrap this one up and headed off on a nice long vacation. After all, once my awards year ends, that's what I'm supposed to do, right?
Until next time,
♥ Mir
Leaving on a jet plane to Vegas...
Me on the Taylor Swift performance bike...
Brett, Lindsay, and I goofing off at a photo machine inside the MGM...
Me with the sign I designed...
My name in the credits...
Various photos of celebrities with the winners envelope I designed (I of course did not take these photos)...
And then there's this awesome GIF of Miley Cyrus opening the envelope...
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Disney World vs Disneyland
Disney. It's known as the happiest place on earth. No matter which park you go to, you're supposed to have a magical and memorable experience. Growing up, I was spoiled at Disney. My parents would take us weeks at a time to the parks as we had annual passes. I loved going to Disney World as a kid and still remember the times I was dragged onto Thunder Mountain and Goofy's Barnyard coasters and came off crying. Whenever you go to Disney and see children crying you say, "There's no crying at Disney!" Yeah, well, I was one of those kids.
During my college years, I frequented Disney World quite a bit. In my junior year, I spent spring break at DisneyWorld park hopping with two friends, DJ and Fernanda. I knew the parks inside and out, and when I moved away from Florida I was saddened that I was moving away from Orlando.
California brought a completely new twist on Disney parks when I visited their version of 'Disney' for the first time. I was told mixed reviews about the parks by Californians and Floridians. I went to Disneyland/Disney's California Adventure with an open mind (even though I secretly hated them for their ridiculous ticket prices). To start with, I really LOVED how close everything is between the two parks in California. For one, you can walk right across the way from Disneyland and enter California Adventure. Park hopping was a breeze unlike in Florida where you have to take buses or monorails to get between parks. Once inside the parks, the rides themselves seem so close together as well. You could finish one ride, and walk right next door and bam you're at another one. The Florida park seems very spread out. I enjoyed how the designers of the California parks packed as many rides as they could in the space they were given.
Now, Disney World has 4 different parks and California only has 2. There's only so much space in 2 parks which limits them to the amount of rides they can have. So the big question is, what do I miss from Disney World that Disneyland doesn't have? Allow me to break it down for you.
Magic Kingdom
The staple park for Disney World. So many rides packed into one park. The Barnstormer roller coaster, Philhar Magic, Monster's Inc Laugh Floor, and Stitch's Great Escape.
Those 4 rides/shows are all missing from the California park landscape. Do I miss all of those rides? Not really. Remember me talking about a ride I cried on when I was a child? The barnstormer would be that ride so why on earth would I miss it? I do miss Philhar Magic. The smell of apple pies floating through the room. It was such a magical and enjoyable show! There is a Monster's Inc ride that is far more enjoyable than the laugh floor at Disney's California Adventure. One time through the laugh floor and you're good with their jokes. I do not miss Stitch's Great escape nor do I miss the alien version of the ride previous to Stitch. Not a fan of being in the dark with 'things' breathing on my neck.
There are a few rides that are different than their versions at the Magic Kingdom. The Astro Orbiter is MUCH lower to the ground at Disneyland. I miss taking the elevator up to the ride and being so high up that you could see the whole park lit up at night. The castle at Disneyland is minuscule in comparison to the Cinderella castle at the Magic Kingdom. However, there's a fun walk through of the Disneyland castle which is missing from the Magic Kingdom.
Epcot
The world showcase, Test Track, Mission Space, the Seas with Nemo and Friends, Spaceship Earth, and Ellen's Energy Adventure are all missing from Disneyland parks. The world showcase is a fun adventure for a few times when visiting Epcot. Walking around and tasting different food, drinking different alcoholic drinks when you're of age, and there are a few short rides around the world showcase. However, if you don't have a boatload of money to spend to drink yourself around the world, then the world showcase is really only good for 1 or 2 visits.
At the Disneyland parks, there are other versions of the missing rides. You have the Nemo underwater adventure in the submarine which is definitely more enjoyable than riding around in a clam shell and Radiator Springs Racers which far surpasses Test Track even with the updates. I do miss Ellen's Energy Adventure as it was always a fun cool off on a hot day at the park. Mission Space was not fun for those who don't enjoy claustrophobia and 'G Force'. I do miss the gigantic golfball ride that was Spaceship Earth. A classic ride that cannot be forgotten with a fun video you create at the end. The feel to the Epcot park is definitely fun.
Hollywood Studios
The Great Movie Ride, The Legend of Jack Sparrow, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, The Studio Backlot Tour, The Indiana Jones Stunt show, The American Idol Experience, The Extreme stunts show, and The Voyage of the Little Mermaid.
Whew seems like a lot of rides missing, huh? The Great Movie Ride was such a classic ride. Granted it was so old and needed so much updating, but it was still a fun experience. The American Idol Experience really took a big chunk out of your day if you chose to compete. It was fun to watch a bit of the competition, but I would never want to compete and lose your day at the park. I really miss the Indiana Jones stunt show, but at Disneyland they have an epic Indiana Jones ride that definitely tops the show. It's hard to compare the two since they're so different but I will say I'd pick the ride over the show any day. If you really know me, you know why I could care less if the Rock 'n' Roller coaster was at Disneyland. They do have the huge California Screamin' coaster at California Adventure for all you coaster nuts so that will fill your craving. I would like to see the Legend of Jack Sparrow, but since it is a new attraction I can't comment on if Disneyland is missing out or not. We already have a little mermaid ride so for me that one doesn't matter and the studio tour is lame in comparison to a certain studio tour at Universal Studios (which I also have an annual pass for.)
Animal Kingdom
Last but not least...oh who am I kidding? Animal Kingdom was always my least favorite park. The Finding Nemo show, Dinosaur, Expedition Everest, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Primeval Whirl. Expedition Everest - PSH I hate roller coasters. Moving on to Dinosaur which I do miss. It's a fun ride with a wee bit of a drop and leaves you laughing at the end. The Finding Nemo was a huge disappointment so I'll take the adorable new Fantasy Faire shows at Disneyland over that any day. The Primeval Whirl looks to me to be another version of Goofy's Sky School which they have at Disney's California Adventure. One time on that ride and my friends and I said NEVER AGAIN. It is the most jerking, painful ride you will ever go on. Lastly, you're left with the 'zoo' aspect of the park as well as the Kilimajaro Safaris which were quite fun. For me, Animal Kingdom was always a park that I felt was mostly just a zoo. A very expensive zoo at that, so I really don't miss it.
The parks in California also have: 2 other Cars Land rides, the Matterhorn aka the bobsled ride, an Alice in Wonderland ride in addition to the tea cup ride, an Aladdin show and Gadget's Go Coaster. There is also a fun boardwalk atmosphere which has rides such as swings you'd see at a big fair, a golden zephyr ride, and a cute jumpin' jelly fish ride which is a miniature Tower of Terror. There's also Mickey's fun wheel which is a huge ferris wheel with individual gondolas that move and swing and are quite enjoyable! They also have my favorite food place to have lunch or dinner at, Flo's Diner. The one aspect I have yet to discover is if the Disneyland parks have a show when they first open in the morning. Disney World parks do. I'll hopefully discover this when my cousins and I visit the park for the 24 hour event. I made t-shirts and we are going to go all out for the 24hrs. I've never stayed up for 24 hours straight so we're going to see how this goes!
Overall, I've come to love the Disneyland parks more than Disney World. I never thought I would say that, but I honestly don't miss anything about the Disney World parks. One day I'm sure I'll return to Disney World and I will have a blast there. For now, I'll be happy visiting Disneyland every month and having a blast with my cousins and friends not dying from the humidity. Going to Disneyland has become a wonderful stress relief for me and a chance to escape my busy LA life.
I know that so many people have different opinions on the parks, and this is just mine. Feel free to voice your opinion, but this is in no way intended to start an argument.
And no, I won't be posting a comparison of Universal Studios Hollywood with Universal Studios Orlando because we all know how I feel about that.
I've added some fun Disney pics from both parks. Enjoy and I look forwarded to reading your comments.
♥ Mir
During my college years, I frequented Disney World quite a bit. In my junior year, I spent spring break at DisneyWorld park hopping with two friends, DJ and Fernanda. I knew the parks inside and out, and when I moved away from Florida I was saddened that I was moving away from Orlando.
California brought a completely new twist on Disney parks when I visited their version of 'Disney' for the first time. I was told mixed reviews about the parks by Californians and Floridians. I went to Disneyland/Disney's California Adventure with an open mind (even though I secretly hated them for their ridiculous ticket prices). To start with, I really LOVED how close everything is between the two parks in California. For one, you can walk right across the way from Disneyland and enter California Adventure. Park hopping was a breeze unlike in Florida where you have to take buses or monorails to get between parks. Once inside the parks, the rides themselves seem so close together as well. You could finish one ride, and walk right next door and bam you're at another one. The Florida park seems very spread out. I enjoyed how the designers of the California parks packed as many rides as they could in the space they were given.
Now, Disney World has 4 different parks and California only has 2. There's only so much space in 2 parks which limits them to the amount of rides they can have. So the big question is, what do I miss from Disney World that Disneyland doesn't have? Allow me to break it down for you.
Magic Kingdom
The staple park for Disney World. So many rides packed into one park. The Barnstormer roller coaster, Philhar Magic, Monster's Inc Laugh Floor, and Stitch's Great Escape.
Those 4 rides/shows are all missing from the California park landscape. Do I miss all of those rides? Not really. Remember me talking about a ride I cried on when I was a child? The barnstormer would be that ride so why on earth would I miss it? I do miss Philhar Magic. The smell of apple pies floating through the room. It was such a magical and enjoyable show! There is a Monster's Inc ride that is far more enjoyable than the laugh floor at Disney's California Adventure. One time through the laugh floor and you're good with their jokes. I do not miss Stitch's Great escape nor do I miss the alien version of the ride previous to Stitch. Not a fan of being in the dark with 'things' breathing on my neck.
There are a few rides that are different than their versions at the Magic Kingdom. The Astro Orbiter is MUCH lower to the ground at Disneyland. I miss taking the elevator up to the ride and being so high up that you could see the whole park lit up at night. The castle at Disneyland is minuscule in comparison to the Cinderella castle at the Magic Kingdom. However, there's a fun walk through of the Disneyland castle which is missing from the Magic Kingdom.
Epcot
The world showcase, Test Track, Mission Space, the Seas with Nemo and Friends, Spaceship Earth, and Ellen's Energy Adventure are all missing from Disneyland parks. The world showcase is a fun adventure for a few times when visiting Epcot. Walking around and tasting different food, drinking different alcoholic drinks when you're of age, and there are a few short rides around the world showcase. However, if you don't have a boatload of money to spend to drink yourself around the world, then the world showcase is really only good for 1 or 2 visits.
At the Disneyland parks, there are other versions of the missing rides. You have the Nemo underwater adventure in the submarine which is definitely more enjoyable than riding around in a clam shell and Radiator Springs Racers which far surpasses Test Track even with the updates. I do miss Ellen's Energy Adventure as it was always a fun cool off on a hot day at the park. Mission Space was not fun for those who don't enjoy claustrophobia and 'G Force'. I do miss the gigantic golfball ride that was Spaceship Earth. A classic ride that cannot be forgotten with a fun video you create at the end. The feel to the Epcot park is definitely fun.
Hollywood Studios
The Great Movie Ride, The Legend of Jack Sparrow, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, The Studio Backlot Tour, The Indiana Jones Stunt show, The American Idol Experience, The Extreme stunts show, and The Voyage of the Little Mermaid.
Whew seems like a lot of rides missing, huh? The Great Movie Ride was such a classic ride. Granted it was so old and needed so much updating, but it was still a fun experience. The American Idol Experience really took a big chunk out of your day if you chose to compete. It was fun to watch a bit of the competition, but I would never want to compete and lose your day at the park. I really miss the Indiana Jones stunt show, but at Disneyland they have an epic Indiana Jones ride that definitely tops the show. It's hard to compare the two since they're so different but I will say I'd pick the ride over the show any day. If you really know me, you know why I could care less if the Rock 'n' Roller coaster was at Disneyland. They do have the huge California Screamin' coaster at California Adventure for all you coaster nuts so that will fill your craving. I would like to see the Legend of Jack Sparrow, but since it is a new attraction I can't comment on if Disneyland is missing out or not. We already have a little mermaid ride so for me that one doesn't matter and the studio tour is lame in comparison to a certain studio tour at Universal Studios (which I also have an annual pass for.)
Animal Kingdom
Last but not least...oh who am I kidding? Animal Kingdom was always my least favorite park. The Finding Nemo show, Dinosaur, Expedition Everest, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Primeval Whirl. Expedition Everest - PSH I hate roller coasters. Moving on to Dinosaur which I do miss. It's a fun ride with a wee bit of a drop and leaves you laughing at the end. The Finding Nemo was a huge disappointment so I'll take the adorable new Fantasy Faire shows at Disneyland over that any day. The Primeval Whirl looks to me to be another version of Goofy's Sky School which they have at Disney's California Adventure. One time on that ride and my friends and I said NEVER AGAIN. It is the most jerking, painful ride you will ever go on. Lastly, you're left with the 'zoo' aspect of the park as well as the Kilimajaro Safaris which were quite fun. For me, Animal Kingdom was always a park that I felt was mostly just a zoo. A very expensive zoo at that, so I really don't miss it.
The parks in California also have: 2 other Cars Land rides, the Matterhorn aka the bobsled ride, an Alice in Wonderland ride in addition to the tea cup ride, an Aladdin show and Gadget's Go Coaster. There is also a fun boardwalk atmosphere which has rides such as swings you'd see at a big fair, a golden zephyr ride, and a cute jumpin' jelly fish ride which is a miniature Tower of Terror. There's also Mickey's fun wheel which is a huge ferris wheel with individual gondolas that move and swing and are quite enjoyable! They also have my favorite food place to have lunch or dinner at, Flo's Diner. The one aspect I have yet to discover is if the Disneyland parks have a show when they first open in the morning. Disney World parks do. I'll hopefully discover this when my cousins and I visit the park for the 24 hour event. I made t-shirts and we are going to go all out for the 24hrs. I've never stayed up for 24 hours straight so we're going to see how this goes!
Overall, I've come to love the Disneyland parks more than Disney World. I never thought I would say that, but I honestly don't miss anything about the Disney World parks. One day I'm sure I'll return to Disney World and I will have a blast there. For now, I'll be happy visiting Disneyland every month and having a blast with my cousins and friends not dying from the humidity. Going to Disneyland has become a wonderful stress relief for me and a chance to escape my busy LA life.
I know that so many people have different opinions on the parks, and this is just mine. Feel free to voice your opinion, but this is in no way intended to start an argument.
And no, I won't be posting a comparison of Universal Studios Hollywood with Universal Studios Orlando because we all know how I feel about that.
I've added some fun Disney pics from both parks. Enjoy and I look forwarded to reading your comments.
♥ Mir
My T-Shirt design for the upcoming Disney 24 Hour trip with my cousins! :)
Fernanda and I meeting Mickey and Minnie - DW
The Sword wouldn't come out. Rumor has it, a park worker pushes a button and the sword rises sometimes in Disneyland. - DW
Me and Peter Pan. The best cast member engagement I've ever had. - DW
Me and Aladdin - DL
Disney's Hollywood Studios - DW
Raining in China - DW
Radiator Springs Racers - Disney's California Adventure
Disney's California Adventure
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Alumni
I cannot believe next week marks 2 years since I graduated from Ringling. It feels like it has been so much longer than that! Since next week a new class is graduating, I wanted to write a post about what it means to be an alumni. Let's start with the definition of alumni:
A graduate or former student of a specific school, college, or university.
There are many different views of what it means to be an alumni from a college. In the college's eyes, they mostly look to you as a way to promote the college and also a new source of new donations. I have received countless mail asking for donations in addition to the phone calls yearly. The funny thing is they actually think you should donate after having paid so much money to attend the school. Sorry folks, my money is going towards something called rent!
Personally, I have a very different vision as a college alumni. As an alumni, my vision is to help the current students and graduating students from Ringling. How can I help them? While the students are still in college, they have so many questions they want answered. The professors can answer some, but it also takes former students who are now in the business to answer them. The questions range from how to get an internship, how to get a job, where is the best place to move, ect. Sometimes being an alumni even means I'm up late at night reading their scripts and giving them feedback. I enjoy feeling involved and helpful even when far away from Ringling. Last fall, I found myself calling accepted students and speaking with them regarding their choice of major, answering questions, and helping them in any way I could regarding their college decision. I enjoy speaking with potential students and remembering what it was like for me when I was in their shoes.
A great way to help current alumni, is to help them make the move to Los Angeles, CA to start their career. In December of 2011, I helped Lindsey move out to California by letting her get on her feet and move in with me. This upcoming July, she will be moving out and I will be helping another alumni, Jessica, make the move to California. I'm extremely excited for Jessica to move on not only because she's an awesome friend, but I'm also excited to see her get her film career started. I'm always so happy to see fellow alumni succeeding in working in film and television.
I have found the most essential time for alumni to be there for current students is when graduating seniors need their questions answered. Graduating from college is one of the most important times in an individual's life. The time period between when you graduate and get your first job is one of the most trying and difficult times. There are so many questions the graduating seniors have. I always find myself giving the exact same answer:
No matter what you want to do, no matter what it takes, move somewhere besides back home. When you move home after graduation, you learn to settle by getting a job around the town and over time you lost interest in pursuing your dreams. The most important thing to do after graduation is to move somewhere you can get a job in your field.
So, in the midst of my crazy, busy life I still make time to be a good alumni. Are you working to be a good alumni for your college? Have you reached out to fellow alumni or current students lately? Volunteer some of your time and see what you can do to help. You were once in their shoes, and I'm sure you would have enjoyed some help.
Til next time readers.
♥ Mir
A graduate or former student of a specific school, college, or university.
There are many different views of what it means to be an alumni from a college. In the college's eyes, they mostly look to you as a way to promote the college and also a new source of new donations. I have received countless mail asking for donations in addition to the phone calls yearly. The funny thing is they actually think you should donate after having paid so much money to attend the school. Sorry folks, my money is going towards something called rent!
Personally, I have a very different vision as a college alumni. As an alumni, my vision is to help the current students and graduating students from Ringling. How can I help them? While the students are still in college, they have so many questions they want answered. The professors can answer some, but it also takes former students who are now in the business to answer them. The questions range from how to get an internship, how to get a job, where is the best place to move, ect. Sometimes being an alumni even means I'm up late at night reading their scripts and giving them feedback. I enjoy feeling involved and helpful even when far away from Ringling. Last fall, I found myself calling accepted students and speaking with them regarding their choice of major, answering questions, and helping them in any way I could regarding their college decision. I enjoy speaking with potential students and remembering what it was like for me when I was in their shoes.
A great way to help current alumni, is to help them make the move to Los Angeles, CA to start their career. In December of 2011, I helped Lindsey move out to California by letting her get on her feet and move in with me. This upcoming July, she will be moving out and I will be helping another alumni, Jessica, make the move to California. I'm extremely excited for Jessica to move on not only because she's an awesome friend, but I'm also excited to see her get her film career started. I'm always so happy to see fellow alumni succeeding in working in film and television.
I have found the most essential time for alumni to be there for current students is when graduating seniors need their questions answered. Graduating from college is one of the most important times in an individual's life. The time period between when you graduate and get your first job is one of the most trying and difficult times. There are so many questions the graduating seniors have. I always find myself giving the exact same answer:
No matter what you want to do, no matter what it takes, move somewhere besides back home. When you move home after graduation, you learn to settle by getting a job around the town and over time you lost interest in pursuing your dreams. The most important thing to do after graduation is to move somewhere you can get a job in your field.
So, in the midst of my crazy, busy life I still make time to be a good alumni. Are you working to be a good alumni for your college? Have you reached out to fellow alumni or current students lately? Volunteer some of your time and see what you can do to help. You were once in their shoes, and I'm sure you would have enjoyed some help.
Til next time readers.
♥ Mir
Monday, April 22, 2013
Owl Post
Have you ever done something that you felt was a stab in the dark yet you did it anyway? Well, about 3 months ago I found myself in that kind of a situation. One night I was up super late because I couldn't sleep and found myself just surfing the web. The topic of the night was Harry Potter. For those of you who don't know me, I guess I should give you a bit of backstory. I would have to say I'm pretty obsessed with Harry Potter. My daily life includes various Harry Potter references, my car is named Griffy (short for Gryffindor), my laptop is adorned with Harry Potter stickers, a Harry Potter banner resides in my bedroom, and heck even my toilet has a Ministry of Magic sticker. Harry Potter was a huge part of my childhood as it was with so many others. So, what does this have to do with a night of sleep loss and web browsing? I stumbled upon a youtube video of a girl receiving a response to fan mail from JK Rowling. The girl was such a mess as she opened the letter, and of course I found myself thinking about what it would be like to receive such a letter. After browsing through tons of web pages I finally stumbled upon the best address where I would have some chance of receiving a response. So many had written that they did not receive responses, but I figured I had a good shot.
Now when writing a letter to JK Rowling there are many questions you'll ask yourself. A very important one would be should it be hand written or typed? I guess you could say I did a little of both. I began by typing the letter. Once I was absolutely positive of how perfect the letter was, I hand wrote it on note paper. What was in the letter? Yeah, like I'd tell you folks. That's between me and JK Rowling! I will say I added a few color doodles to give the letter some spunk.
A week later after I had dotted my 'i's and crossed my 't's, I went to the post office. With JK Rowling written in huge black sharpie on a manilla envelope, I found myself a bit embarrassed that I was mailing a letter to my idol author, so I shielded the name from view. Who knew if I'd even get a response. I could be wasting my time. So I mailed the letter with the crabbiest of postal workers, and left the post office leaving any doubt about if I'd get a response at the door.
3 Months Later
A letter arrived to my FL address stamped with the Royal Mail. $50 bucks says who this might be from? (Or if you are actually willing to bet I'll go for $1,000 seems how I know the outcome.) I guess I had indeed found the right address to send my letter to. Now before we go any farther, do think about how busy JK Rowling is. She has kids after all! After reading over the letter (I haven't seen the original yet, only the scans my parents sent me), I do feel it might have been sent by the Hogwarts students she employs for their volunteer work. After all, I doubt JK Rowling would have spelled my name wrong if she had typed this. I still found this letter to be so awesome. The attached faq sheet was quite a nice touch. Besides her promoting her new book and Pottermore, it was definitely an amazing letter to receive! I am going to send another letter in the hopes I'll receive another one with my name spelled correctly this time. Much better for framing when your name is spelled correctly!
So what did I learn from this experience? Never give up on something that others say is impossible. You don't know that something is impossible until you try. So until next time bloggers I'll be prepping my letters for other authors I find quite enjoyable. I've already managed to track down a way to get autographed copies of my favorite series, Divergent. The internet is a vast oasis filled with information for you to get closer to your desires. Just might take a few sleepless nights to find it.
♥ Mir
My JK Rowling Response Letter
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
A Typical Weekend in My Production Life
There was really only one way to describe what I felt while working on the MTV Movie Awards besides not being able to feel my fingers from how cold I was. I felt on top of the world as Emma Watson walked next to me after winning her trail blazer award. You could definitely say she is at the very top of my celebrity bucket list, so to check her off the list felt amazing. As I texted one of my co-workers, "Emma Watson just walked past me. If I died tonight, it'd be okay."
Friday
Let's rewind to Friday night. I had an incredibly busy week last week working at Don Mischer Productions. Don was Producing his daughter's high school Gala fundraiser (much like a Ringling fundraiser). I had early mornings and long nights as I worked to create rundowns, organized film packages, edited photos for slide shows, edited music tracks, and the list goes on. Friday night I found myself editing the rundown times as the run time of a film package had been extended. 11pm in bed with my laptop with the thought of waking up to work a separate show the next morning.
Saturday
Saturday morning came quickly and swept me up like a tornado. I never jump on shows for just the weekend so I felt thrown amidst so many new people trying to keep track of names and titles and figure out what in the world I would be doing the next day. The show was filmed on the Sony lot which is always a fun lot to work on. Not to mention I only have a 2-5 minute drive to work dependent on how many red lights I hit.
It's always interesting when I jump on other shows to see how different production companies run their shows. Some team members didn't seem to really understand the politics of productions, which I find very important. Enough about that, moving on to what I actually did. Saturday afternoon I was finally emailed a copy of the look book. A look book, for my purposes, is essentially pages of faces of all the talent that would be walking the carpet. I immediately printed it out and began studying. Of course right after I printed it, I was emailed an updated version. I was up until 1:30am on Saturday night studying the look book. After frustratingly texting a co-worker, I gave up and went to bed.
Show Day
9:15am: My alarm goes off playing "Don't Worry, Be Happy." First thoughts of my day were names I'd memorized last night. The first name that came to mind was Utkarsh Ambudkar (Pitch Perfect). His was definitely the most unique name out of the group. I raced to get ready in my show blacks that I had laid out the night before, then drove off to the Sony Studios. I arrived early as per usual. Thanks to my white chocolate mocha, I was set for the day with caffeine to at least get me to lunch.
11:30am: My fellow red carpet team and I assembled in the production trailer to gear up with walkies, headsets, and the latest look books. Another spotter and I stop by Holland Roden's (Teen Wolf) trailer to escort her to the carpet for rehearsals. Rehearsals go smoothly and the next thought on everyone's mind is: "When's lunch?"
2:45pm: I'm in position with my look book in hand standing at the top of the carpet where the limos drop the celebrities off at. I have my look book in hand and made friends with talent transpo/press so if I miss any celebs they're quick to tell me who else I need to name drop.
3:30pm: The carpet officially opens. The call over the walkie tells me we're now live on the web and limos begin pulling up to the carpet. From 3:30-5:45 it's a constant flux of limos, watching publicists scramble, calling talent, and keeping track of who's wearing what. You'd be surprised how often your brain turns off when you try to figure out different ways to describe guys in suits and jeans. I lived for the moments when there were gaps in between limos to catch my breath. Pretty fun task minus the fact I'm freezing cold.
5:45pm: I bid my talent transpo friends goodbye and head over to my spot for during the show. My entire job is to call talent over the walkie when they enter the backstage area I'm standing near. This way the backstage live cameras can turn to catch the celebs for viewers online. For the next 3 hours, that's exactly what I did. Every winner, presenter, performer, and other talent walk past me at some point throughout the night. I also saw any talent who grabbed drinks from the bar area. (Aubrey Plaza anyone? No need to say more.) I tried not to scream as Emma Watson, Liam Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Eddie Redmayne, Zac Efron, Taylor Lautner, Chris Pine, Joss Whedon, Peter Dinklage, and many other celebs walked past me. After working so many shows, I've become more accustomed to seeing A list talent and not freaking out. There are still times where I see someone for the first time and I can hardly contain my excitement.
9:00pm: My job was over and I was finally able to seek warmth in the truck. Now to spend the last hour wrapping up things and doing paperwork. The most uninteresting part of my day I dare not write about. I left the lot, grabbed some food, and went home to lay on the couch and watch the show. Trying not to think about the next morning when I had to go to work again.
So that's a typical day in the life of me on location. It was my first time as an actual talent spotter, so that was a fun, new experience. I get so exhausted on long stretches of work, but my work is so worthwhile. Next up for me is my second time working the Billboard Music Awards. I'm excited to see Vegas friends and work one of my favorite shows our production team does. So til next time bloggers. Hope you've enjoyed my recap and below are a few of the sneak photos I was able to grab. Feel free to leave some comments!
♥ Mir
Friday
Let's rewind to Friday night. I had an incredibly busy week last week working at Don Mischer Productions. Don was Producing his daughter's high school Gala fundraiser (much like a Ringling fundraiser). I had early mornings and long nights as I worked to create rundowns, organized film packages, edited photos for slide shows, edited music tracks, and the list goes on. Friday night I found myself editing the rundown times as the run time of a film package had been extended. 11pm in bed with my laptop with the thought of waking up to work a separate show the next morning.
Saturday
Saturday morning came quickly and swept me up like a tornado. I never jump on shows for just the weekend so I felt thrown amidst so many new people trying to keep track of names and titles and figure out what in the world I would be doing the next day. The show was filmed on the Sony lot which is always a fun lot to work on. Not to mention I only have a 2-5 minute drive to work dependent on how many red lights I hit.
It's always interesting when I jump on other shows to see how different production companies run their shows. Some team members didn't seem to really understand the politics of productions, which I find very important. Enough about that, moving on to what I actually did. Saturday afternoon I was finally emailed a copy of the look book. A look book, for my purposes, is essentially pages of faces of all the talent that would be walking the carpet. I immediately printed it out and began studying. Of course right after I printed it, I was emailed an updated version. I was up until 1:30am on Saturday night studying the look book. After frustratingly texting a co-worker, I gave up and went to bed.
Show Day
9:15am: My alarm goes off playing "Don't Worry, Be Happy." First thoughts of my day were names I'd memorized last night. The first name that came to mind was Utkarsh Ambudkar (Pitch Perfect). His was definitely the most unique name out of the group. I raced to get ready in my show blacks that I had laid out the night before, then drove off to the Sony Studios. I arrived early as per usual. Thanks to my white chocolate mocha, I was set for the day with caffeine to at least get me to lunch.
11:30am: My fellow red carpet team and I assembled in the production trailer to gear up with walkies, headsets, and the latest look books. Another spotter and I stop by Holland Roden's (Teen Wolf) trailer to escort her to the carpet for rehearsals. Rehearsals go smoothly and the next thought on everyone's mind is: "When's lunch?"
2:45pm: I'm in position with my look book in hand standing at the top of the carpet where the limos drop the celebrities off at. I have my look book in hand and made friends with talent transpo/press so if I miss any celebs they're quick to tell me who else I need to name drop.
3:30pm: The carpet officially opens. The call over the walkie tells me we're now live on the web and limos begin pulling up to the carpet. From 3:30-5:45 it's a constant flux of limos, watching publicists scramble, calling talent, and keeping track of who's wearing what. You'd be surprised how often your brain turns off when you try to figure out different ways to describe guys in suits and jeans. I lived for the moments when there were gaps in between limos to catch my breath. Pretty fun task minus the fact I'm freezing cold.
5:45pm: I bid my talent transpo friends goodbye and head over to my spot for during the show. My entire job is to call talent over the walkie when they enter the backstage area I'm standing near. This way the backstage live cameras can turn to catch the celebs for viewers online. For the next 3 hours, that's exactly what I did. Every winner, presenter, performer, and other talent walk past me at some point throughout the night. I also saw any talent who grabbed drinks from the bar area. (Aubrey Plaza anyone? No need to say more.) I tried not to scream as Emma Watson, Liam Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Eddie Redmayne, Zac Efron, Taylor Lautner, Chris Pine, Joss Whedon, Peter Dinklage, and many other celebs walked past me. After working so many shows, I've become more accustomed to seeing A list talent and not freaking out. There are still times where I see someone for the first time and I can hardly contain my excitement.
9:00pm: My job was over and I was finally able to seek warmth in the truck. Now to spend the last hour wrapping up things and doing paperwork. The most uninteresting part of my day I dare not write about. I left the lot, grabbed some food, and went home to lay on the couch and watch the show. Trying not to think about the next morning when I had to go to work again.
So that's a typical day in the life of me on location. It was my first time as an actual talent spotter, so that was a fun, new experience. I get so exhausted on long stretches of work, but my work is so worthwhile. Next up for me is my second time working the Billboard Music Awards. I'm excited to see Vegas friends and work one of my favorite shows our production team does. So til next time bloggers. Hope you've enjoyed my recap and below are a few of the sneak photos I was able to grab. Feel free to leave some comments!
♥ Mir
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