The Screening

The house didn’t look all that big from the outside. But that’s the one thing you can expect in L.A. The fascade. Once you stepped into the place, it opened up to a mission style house, updated with the newest tile, appliances and a courtyard with a fountain. This was an amazingly beautiful house. It wasn’t monstrous, but it made great use with the space. Everything matched, and I could tell the owner knew the finer things in life. Turns out it was a tiny blonde woman, couldn’t have been more than mid-30’s to early 40’s. She was sipping on a cocktail when she greeted me.

She was hosting the girl who invited me to a screening of her short film. And boy, did I step into Oz. It was late night. Euros seem to love late dinners. The host had mentioned she’d been up since 5AM throwing it all together. This was a place walking distance from Melrose Ave. A place where shopping is it’s own job. Also, it’s just a spit away from west Hollywood, which is gay-munity. This was the type of homestead that made you envious of that life. I had a friend whose girlfriend lived nearby in Hancock Park (this could’ve been Hancock Park, since my geography of Hollywood is off). It was the same design, in terms of Spanish style. Anyway, I saw my friend’s short film. Pretty good for having zero resources. She’s a go-getter and tough girl. Have to be to succeed here. But the one thing that sorta stuck out, was the group that was there. It was a mish-mash of different groups. As my friend, who went with me described, it seemed like a high school party where word got out and they couldn’t uninvited people they didn’t want there. My guess is…we were the sore thumb. I did meet a REALLY sweet beautiful girl there. She had a boyfriend who was in film school. His first year. I surmised by that, she was in her early 20’s. What struck me about her was that she was really level headed. Not affected by the movie business in the least, since she was getting into the restaurant consultant business. Her family has owned a diner near the Los Angeles International airport for generations. She is managing her pop’s place. Much like myself, an immigrant success story. She seemed to be reluctant to tell me her family was from Iran, as if I would judge that. She was such a sweet salve to a mesh of people who seemed more interested in who could see them. I liked her a lot.

It was really good for me to get out of the house. These stories need the break down more walls.

This was also the second party I've been too where in attendance was a big movie director. This time it was the guy who directed "Arbitrage." It's a hard core thriller about a broker who gets into mess he has to desperately start to shovel out of. The more he shovels, the deeper he gets. It's with Richard Gere and Susan Sarandon.

He introduced himself as just "Nick" He shook my hand vigorously and asked me what I did. "I work in post, I scan film"

"A lost art man. I love film. It's the best." So everyone knows. I learned something about directors, they are massively more interested in you than you are of them. He ask a few questions stared intently as you spoke. Another thing, since he looked like Bill Hader, it was hard not to just laugh. He was the lizard king. He asks me a lot of questions as to what I did. Very interested. And curious. HUGE thing. Curiosity. The minute you're curious, you've beaten a battle of boredom.

Nick came with his girlfriend. A sweet girl, who happened to be in the short film (I don't recall who she was in the short, since it had naked women in masks, I assume she was one of them in a mask. She was Eastern Euro pretty. Skinny as a rail. And tall. My guess is she is a model. Nick was really cool. He remembered everything about you. I can't remember a name. I try my best, my brain is sludge right now. Everyone at this party know everything. This is why they are successful.