Some Hollywood Experience
4 June 2002
It's hard not to feel like a wanker driving around in a convertible in LA with long blond hair and 70's sunglasses. All that was missing was the number plate 'Cliché' and the car to be red. I got over feeling like a wanker pretty quick, this was the life! No way was that top going up!(It was also a scorcher of a day - welcome to LA weather!)
The car was a prop
for the short film we were shooting. This was my first driving experience
on the wrong side of the car, on the wrong side of the road, but with
enough lunatic drivers around to make me feel quite at home. Arghhh! All
to be caught on film. They have some interesting road rules over here.
If a pedestrian steps out onto the road you give way to them. In fact
you stop. I know that you are going to stop anyway as it is not a good
look having someone's feet sticking out from underneath your car but I
swear we speed up at home. (Have you tried to cross Campbell Road to One
Tree Hill? Or Ponsonby Road?). I felt pretty safe as a pedestrian but
I'd hate to be the bloke in the last car in the backlog it can create.
I have painful memories of morning queues to get on the Greenlane roundabout
onto the motorway and then some very thoughtful person in front of you
lets in about 10 cars who have snuck through the Foodtown carpark to go
down the side street. I knew I wasn't a morning person for a reason.
You can also turn right on a red light here if the way is clear. Excellent
idea! But my favourite road rule? Whoever gets to the Stop sign first
goes first…first in first served! (This is just what I observed I
haven't actually picked up a book on road rules to verify.)
A wee tip I put into practise was to chant, 'right, right, right' to myself
and I was fine. Everyone talks to themselves when they drive don't they?
This was the kiwi
girls' LA project. I co-wrote, starred, produced and got a free driving
lesson thrown in as well. A package deal…bit like a McD's combo,
but more satisfying. Basic story is about two kiwi girls
who win a trip to LA for the Hollywood experience of a lifetime but it
turns out a little different to what they expected. Yes we have secured
the rights. Especially as the Producer for Requiem For A Dream wants to
look at it. Nice throw away huh? Bit like saying I'm going to throw a
party for 500 of my closest friends.
Well you might say that if you lived in the house that we had the screening
at! America is definitely the land of opportunity for some folk. I couldn't
help compare the size of everything to where I was staying (it took up
a whole block, not quarter acre section but block made up of say 15 quarter
acre sections) it was pretty spectacular. Right down to the antiquated
popcorn stand outside the screening room. In fact the screening room was
bigger than my room and bathroom put together…there I go again.
What really hit me was how quiet it was, beautiful. You could hear the difference as you drove out of Beverley Hills into Hollywood and back into the constant hum of air conditioners and traffic. Naturally to celebrate our first film we went out for tea at the noisiest place we could find. Mexican restaurants with a band and strawberry marguerites are a great way to end the night!
With that under my
belt and quite a few jelly donuts (thanks to our craft service. The term
for catering on set, as opposed to crocheting a doily) my last days in
LA will be spent seeing who I can meet up with…lets see INXS are
playing in town and Andrew Adamson (co-director from Shrek) is here also...
(You can also read about what I am up to on www.nzoom.co.nz under entertainment - rant.)
Regards,
romiley
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