butterfly on the wall


The alarm goes off in the dark after a short stint of sleep between days.~ it is 4:30 am and I must not be late. It is a cold morning and I hop into a hot shower while the automatic coffee maker goes on. I must come camera ready for an early first shot of the day and I am sternly told to be there at least 15 minutes early  ~ I am always 30 minutes early ~ I hurry and am out the door in full make up and hair by 5:30  ~ magic!
I like my time to acclamate to the surroundings of the day while I scout out the players in their designated corners.
   First I float in and head for craft service ~ grab my second cup of java and meander about base camp.
 Flitter passed wardrobe as they plug in the steamer, then cruise by the art department setting up their prop tables and bickering about who will build that silly IKEA table for the second shot.
I breeze on through a couple of cute young grips moving wires and onto the Producer's trailer to check in with the 2nd AD who hasn't had breakfast yet and is not really a morning person. I smile a hello through his grouchy demeanor and head to the corner of the stage assigned to 'my kind'... the extras.
 I am trained to do more , hell ~ I studied Theatre at USC , but in the entertainment world, craft is only one component in the dream to reality theme. Every now and then I am chosen for something special , but it is a fleeting moment with no traction.
 Ahhh the dream lives on ~

I really wish I could be a part of a team , like the Christopher Guest crew or Woody Allen clan, the Happy Madisons and Super Bads. They are the inspirations!
  Until I do find them, I figured this ,  I will study the greats as they work their magic with script and angles and lighting. I will listen closely to the discussion's of the main 3 sectors, director, art department, and DP ~ I will learn to do it myself so I may express my voice and vision clearly one day and be a part of this amazing energy of art and message that spans the globe. I want to be a contributor damn it!
  So I have from afar , studied with the greats of our time.
Michael Apted, Mike Nichols, Bob Eastman and CC, Janusz Kaminsky...
I have had my wardrobe stolen by Meryl Streep while I stood next to Shirley Mc Clain speaking about her dancing ~ I have had a hair style of mine copied for  Jennifer Aniston and I have pretended to duck guns with The Rock. I have danced to B.B. King after he got miffed at my touching Lucille ~ ( I was just trying to absorb a little of her energy for luck ;))and I have sang 'Let it Be' with Adam Sandler at a piano in a huge estate on a beautiful hill. ~ and none of them really know that.
 I have been watching, listening, in keen observation,
I have been the Butterfly on the wall.

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