I know it’s been a minute since I last posted. The good news is that I’ve been pretty busy, but the bad news is that it doesn’t necessarily mean I’m getting paid. I’m still doing the freelance editing gig for this one start-up company (I would go into detail about what the company is all about but I signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement. And because no one reads those things, I don’t know what I can and can’t say about it) but my tasks have expanded to assist with on-set operations like set-up and shooting. So I’m paid per editing project and also a small hourly rate for production days. It’s not a whole lot, but it’s something.

Interning at Rogue Post NYC is also a pretty cool experience. It started like a normal internship would – running errands and general upkeep of the facilities. I’ll be honest, it was tough to swallow my pride to do those menial tasks, but you know…you just gotta pay dues. I’ve graduated to other tasks now (mainly logging and digitizing) which is still pretty low on the post-production totem pole, but I have picked up some FCP tips and tricks. The pluses are pretty cool

A) I get free reign on all their gear on my “off time” so I have stayed after my shift to do some work on the freelance gig. This way I can log and capture on Rogue’s deck instead of the cheapie consumer digital camera I bought from B&H.

B) They feed me WELL. The company springs for lunch every day and because there are like hundreds of restaurants in the Flatiron district, I’m eating from places I wouldn’t normally eat.

C) I get to talk to lots of people who are in the “industry” and get insider tips from them. Right now, there are producers from A&E whose shows are being edited here and a feature film called Gospel Hill. It’s fun trying to build rapport with these guys and pick their brains about how they got to where they are. And of course, if I’m nice to them, maybe they’ll remember me in the future.

Right now, I’m currently editing a short film about a woman who wakes up and has to deal with horrible memories of sexual abuse. Yeah, comedies are awesome! But I think it will be a good exercise for me. I’d like to start building up some sort of reel to show people (and other filmmakers) that I can be a creative editor, not just someone who knows how to use Final Cut Pro.

Hell’s Kitchen just sounds cool, doesn’t it? But apparently there’s so much history here. check out this NY Times article about the neighborhood in which I currently reside.

I befriended a couple of Brits at this bar in the East Village yesterday. They spotted me donning my Steven Gerrard jersey and thanked me for my support of their home country. They told me about this amazing goal he had in last week’s match against Aston Villa. Check it out…SOOO SIICK!

EDITED 8/18/07 – the clip was taken off YouTube

Check it out here.

Here’s a quick reel that the DP put together of the show I worked on last weekend.

2 Piece Meal

ME: So the city I grew up in is also called Newark.

CREW MEMBER #1: There’s a Newark in California?

ME: Yup.

CREW MEMBER #2: Is it safer that this Newark?

ME: Uhhh…yes.

This past weekend, I worked a night shoot (also called split days) for an independent short film by a writer director who was born and raised in Newark. I heard rumors about Newark, which were substantiated when I heard my cousin Luigi had to move out of the city because his car got broken into too many times. But then I saw the REAL Newark. Man, talk about sketch.

I guess I should’ve realized that when the script says EXT. PROJECT HOUSING – NIGHT, we’d really be shooting in the projects. While the neighborhood was certainly sketchy, the director lived in the area and knew the folks so there really wasn’t a time where I didn’t feel safe. We weren’t treated like honored guests, but we also didn’t feel like complete outsiders.

The location on the second day…was even worse! It was a fried chicken joint called Jersey Chicken and Pizza in south Newark (side note: south and west Newark are the worst parts of the city — that means 50% of the city is the “worst”) The owner of the chicken joint explained that the White Castle used to be open 24 hours but changed to normal hours after 2 shootings occurred in or around the building. He then tells me, “You don’t even want to know how many shootings have happened around this place.” And then he says, “don’t EVER go through a drive-thru in this part of Newark.” I naively ask why and he instantly says, “Cuz you can’t go nowhere. People will just run up and shoot you.”

Man, that’s some hardcore sh*t right there. But I survived and can live to tell the story. You can check out some set pics on the DP, Matt Workman’s blog.