Down the Rabbit Hole and Into Hollywood

September 1 - I walked off the plane and into a world I know little about. My last trip to Hollywood was for a 3-day shoot, which left very little time to see any sights. I arrived on a Saturday and spent Sunday night driving around at 3am because I wasn’t sure when I would be able to make a trip back to Hollywood. I remember feeling like a criminal driving up and down Hollywood Blvd, passing police vehicles patrolling the streets for prostitutes and illicit drug deals. I made sure to keep my windows up as I repeatedly drove back and forth in hopes of finding the famous Grauman’s Chinese Theater, the Kodak Theater, which is now used for the Oscar ceremonies, and a glimpse of that historic sign that watches over the city of Hollywood. . . But this trip was completely different.

I flew in on Labor Day, picked up my car and drove straight to the Paramount Studio lot to begin working in preparation for the VMAs, which were to take place the following Sunday. But when I called my supervisor I was told to take the day off and enjoy the city before showing up on site for a 5:45am call time the following morning. I was ecstatic with the news and jumped on the 405 freeway heading straight for the Hollywood hills. I made a full day of sight seeing in only a few hours, including a trip to Universal Studios.

During the studio tour that Universal gives at their theme park, I was able to see some of the back lots, sound stages, props and vehicles that have been and still are being used in various Universal films and ABC television shows. I was able to take a drive down Wisteria Lane since the ladies of Desperate Housewives had the day off. I was blown away by the history that filled the streets at Universal studios and all that it has to offer visitors. For example, I found it very interesting that the house Betty Applewhite lived in is the same house that the Munsters used back in the mid-60s. The Youngs’ lived in the Leave It To Beaver house used from the late 50s and early 60s. Even Jimmy Stewart’s house from Harvey is now used as Gabie and Carlos Solis’ residence. The only thing I was disappointed with was not being able to see the famous Courthouse Square from Back to the Future and the King Kong set that was lost during the horrible Los Angeles fire back in June.

Other than Universal I was able to get a very intimate tour of Paramount Studios. This was something I never dreamed of experiencing, and it made me feel like Alice when she fell down the rabbit hole into Wonderland. I was able to enjoy a tea party with many Mad Hatters which I know as the MTV crew, for we were all a little crazy for taking on such a huge endeavor and putting on a show from the back lots of Paramount Studios. Our production offices were set up in the Crosby Building and I was able to work every day just upstairs from the orchestra room where Bing Crosby recorded famous songs like those sung in White Christmas. The experience was straight out of a fairy tale and every day I walked by something new.

I was able to see the sets of Everybody Hates Chris where the locker room scenes are shot, and where shows like Dirty Sexy Money and Nip/Tuck are shot in various sound stages around the property. With over 30 sound stages and the ability to shoot anything on the back lot due to the magic of film I was able to walk down a street in New York City, turn the corner and end up in the middle of Chicago, and then walk down a side street and bump into a military platoon in full traditional gear who appeared to be in the middle of shooting a new film. I even got to walk down the old streets that were known as Desi Productions, where Ricky and Lucy shot ‘I Love Lucy’ in the 50s, which included their bungalows on the left and little Ricky’s park which is now used as the studio lot's daycare center on the right. The history is still standing, but it has been expanded though the original structures and landmarks still remain. In addition to all of these sights, I am such a film geek that I had my picture taken with Bumblebee from Transformers before he was driven down the lot to continue filming Transformers 2; and all this during the day.

At night Hollywood comes alive with the famous characters wondering the streets for visiting tourists who want to have a moment with their favorites, but with the VMAs in town it wasn't just characters but the actual actors known for such characters that were wondering the streets. The VMAs was a day that will be my poison. I am fully addicted to the stress and strain, with the physical and mental exhaustion that comes from working such an intense show. Being able to work the red carpet as crew and assist casting with the shuttling of audience participants for the closing performance that was truly a show to remember. It is something that I dragged myself out of bed for with a smile and I know that there will never be anything like it ever again. Even future VMA shows will differ and I can say that I was part of the walking dead that survived the 2008 show. I have survived and I cannot wait for more. Although I was only a very small piece in a very large production, I am very happy to say that I have contributed a piece that allowed MTV viewers a behind the scenes glimpse of the red carpet build.

If you log onto the MTV website and look up behind the scenes coverage of the VMAs you will find a time lapse video of the red carpet being build, the pre-show rehearsal, the pre-show and even the beginning of the carpet tear down, which spans 5 days into a total of 90 seconds. That video was part of my many projects and the experience of coordinating the project was something that took over 2 weeks to put together. But if you had logged on during the first week of September you would have seen the video streaming live, in real time, and would have been able to see us working in Los Angeles and the Paramount lot crew building the pre-show set. All that remains now is a small imprint of my work, a 90 second clip of the entire week’s activity.
In Hollywood everyone wants to leave a mark. Julia Roberts left hers on the famous motel that was used in Pretty Woman and can be seen driving down Las Palmas. Studio lots have famous stars marks all over them. Lucy and Ricky left Desi Productions to Paramount and yet their mark still remains visible for everyone who is interested to stop by the studio entrance on Grower Street. Hollywood Blvd has their hand and foot prints right out in front for us to see. The VMA’s clip is the beginning of making my mark and I am looking for my next mark when it hits theaters on September 19 during the prom scene in My Best Friend's Girl. But as I drink my medicine and return to the world of reality from Wonderland I can only wait for and dream of what my next adventure will be, and if I will be able to follow the white rabbit back to Hollywood.

So find your nitch and leave your marks, and if you have to take a fall down the rabbit hole do it. Free fall down that long hole and then run after the rabbit. But if you get time stop by the Mad Hatter's tea party, come and say hi.