Okay so its about time I start this thing...to be honest I haven't had a chance since I've arrived, but here I sit after my second big day, utterly drained and resisting the urge to use my keyboard as a pillow...but I must say this is totally surpassed by feeling so excited and blessed to be here! Its like having my Birthday, Christmas, Easter and even Valentine’s Day all rolled into one!
I feel like my "Groot Trek" of over 24 hours (and yes I did add up correctly)...SA to London to LA...was rather epic but relatively painless - and when I saw my bulging blue glad wrapped suitcase chugging towards me on the conveyor belt at LAX, I could not grab it fast enough to go and meet this infamous city!
Indeed as everyone says - its definitely not squeaky clean, the smog, the seedy suburbs, the grimy faded billboards, but this is all overshadowed by a definite buzz in the air – not like that intense New York pulse, but more of a feeling of anticipation - as you’re almost sure you can hear the wheels and cogs turning of this larger than life dream factory. I was lucky enough to be in a shared shuttle from the airport so I had a bit of a scenic “welcome” tour where I saw anything from a guy graffitti-ing a shop window in broad daylight as his mates egged him on to plenty of vacancy signs for "Adult Daycare", to a neighbourhood that could come straight out of Benoni literally a road away from the most opulent burgeoning mansions which would put Houghton to shame. I stopped myself from drooling at the Krispy Kreme Doughnut Drive through - I mean seriously who has a drive through for Doughnuts...but if you have ever succumbed to one...you will know they are like crack and this must seem like a perfectly logical idea to the average addict!
My driver, the long lost Mexican brother of Julio Iglesias became far more friendly when he heard I was from SA, although he seemed to be surprised to hear that the World Cup was coming to our backyard...I feigned mortification on behalf of all the soccer fans at home! It was of course while I was chatting away to Julio that I saw IT cheekily peeping out at me...yip there was that fabulous Hollywood sign so harry casually chilling on the hill...I must admit it was rather surreal and driving down Hollywood Boulevard, its seemed a privilege for those strolling along that pavement...however if you’re fortunate enough to be immortalised on one of those many many stars I reckon its all about location location location...:)
Okay so I'm waffling but where I'm staying is just too awesome...feels a little like a mini community of actors and LA types living it up at the Sun City Cabanas...my little studio apartment is divine and Henry my golf cart chauffeur assured me that I have the best view over Fox studios...never mind the ridiculously large mirrors everywhere and my getting way to excited about the novelty of having a bed that folds away into the wall...the only thing I was somewhat perturbed about was the sorely missed kettle, my tea obsession prompted me to try use the filter coffee machine with no coffee obviously and I have boiled water in a pot on the stove...not really the same but better than nothing :) As I’m writing this there’s someone warming up doing scales next door…no worries I’ve got “Idols” on TV…LOUD…odd to think that its being filmed live not too far away :)
Back to my arriving…I took a cab with one of the Aussie girls to go in search of a "disposable phone” as they call it…I must admit this is a far cry from my beloved Blackberry…its like a toy Nokia phone with less features than that good old brick we all marveled at when it first came out. But at least I’m connected! The organisers had a welcome dinner for us, which was a lovely way to get to know everyone – although we all resembled a bunch of zombies trying to put on our best smiles and peel our eyelids back…needless to say it was not a rip-roaring razzle on the town.
My first day felt like varsity all over again! Packing my lunch, packing my bag, finding a seat, standing up to introduce myself, taking copious notes (anyone at varsity with me will remember the “eager beaver” in the front row furiously scribbling away), well I’m proud to say I hung back a little and sat a few rows away but I have already started a novel of notes – there’s just so much to drink up!!!
I was in class 10am to 10pm with a quick break…but a better baptism of fire into the LA world I could not have asked for…we did some work on typing, (as in what type are you) - giving each other feedback and I got anything from “stripper” to “soccer mom” to “young milf” to “the sweet girl…but she’ll steal your boyfriend”…better than serial killer, girl with the body in the basement, vapid or sports coach which came up for some of the others:) We also all had to do prepared monologues, so getting up in front of a bunch of incredibly talented actors with an unavoidably critical eye including a truly gifted and amazing casting director was quite an adrenalin rush…but I’m glad to say it couldn’t have gone better!
The evening class was refreshing, our guest speaker ploughed through our head shots like a woman possessed. Having been the business so long she’s lost count, her honesty was brutal at some points but amazingly spot on…I can’t think that people enjoyed hearing that they looked like a slimy serial killer rather than the leading heart throb or like their best friend took their shots (which was probably the handy work of some ridiculously expensive photographer who sees them self as a true auteur)…I almost crawled under the table because apparently I need to do sexy sexy sexy…we were all in hysterics…I did inquire whether I could do “intelligent” too and she said “ya sure honey as long as it’s sexy” so we’re all doing head shots this week at one point or another and va va voom…will have to see if I can pull it off.
We’ve been split up from now on into groups and I’m thrilled to be in the “Bridges” and not the “Bullocks” group…if you haven’t figured it out – they’ve named us after the Oscar winning actors this year…great encouragement. Good thing we had a dialect coach today ‘cause if I have to listen to Aussie accents much longer I’m going to start getting totally befuddled. Yes, I’m the only South African who made the cut so “I’m representin’ !!”…always nice to be unique… you know I’m not a fan of blending in!
We have the day off tomorrow so hoping to go exploring this magical new world…but where to start :)
Tonic Linden
6 years ago