Forging and Foraging

It's Valentines Day and it's raining buckets in Los Angeles. I mention this only because I've heard people say it never rains in Southern California. Ha! This year has been especially deluge-anal, filling reservoirs, snow packing "mountains." (I put mountains in quotations because anyone from a really mountainous region would call these adorable 4,000' bumps "hills.") It's a beautiful sight to see the Santa Monica's dusted with snow! Not exactly what one would expect, right?

Speaking of unexpected, I read a breakdown (an advertisement for an acting job) the other day and it said only people under 5,000 on the IMDB Star Meter need apply. Hello! Word to the uninformed - the Star Meter is easily and constantly manipulated. In fact there are companies dedicated to robo - whatever - ing your name to move you up (or is it down?) the list. For a price. If you want a name, ask for a name. People know names. Nobody knows Star Meter rankings.

Sometimes the facade of this business gets under my skin. I know what you're thinking. Duh! And, I couldn't agree more. Nevertheless, it can be frustrating.

Then there are meetings like the one I had last night. A friend of my producing partner is looking to spread his wings and expand his horizons. (Is that redundant?) (Gosh, I'm parenthetical today). (And, I can't promise not to be more so as I go along). He, like many of us around here, has some equipment, some contacts, some resources. So, we all got together to become the sum of our parts on a project that may, or may not, springboard us into the stratosphere. (One must be optimistic in this town).

He needs a writer, I need a producer, my partner needs a, well, nothing, really. She's just a really good person. So, we connoitered (I know, not a real word. But it works, don't you think?) to see if we could produce a something. Of course we can produce a something, but what. That's the question.

So, I'm working on a piece or two for consideration, we're looking over some work he's done, my partner is coordinating all kinds of neat stuff and in a little while, we should have a "credit." Credits are a big deal around here. It's how you move down the IMDB Star Meter. (Or is it up?). Wait a minute.

Frustrations aside, the work is the important thing. Getting together to forge a future full of a project we initiated is satisfying. So, we trudge on. Forging and foraging.