The event I am about to share with you is a bit difficult to swallow. I don’t know about you, but I can say that coincidence has played a rather frequent role in my life. I was in Calgary last summer scouting out a location for a car chase scene. This scene was an intergal part of my film. I was pulling the hair out of my head in frustration. I just couldn’t find the appropriate setting. Then out of the blue, two SUV’s drive by me with these vehicle wraps Canada advertising an area for stunt driving training. The facility turned out to be ideal for my scene.
Working in the movie industry can be tricky. A friend of mine recently got a job as a PA – production assistant on set of a new film coming out. His requirement was to be available at all times for any sort of need, whether it be a coffee run or nails at the hardware store. It doesn’t matter – he must be available. If he isn’t, it just shows that he is unreliable and that’s more than enough information for the producers to have to make the decision to fire him and get someone new.
So, what happens when you run out of gas and have no money for the next day at work? That’s what happened to him. He could get a ride to work, but most likely he would need to run errands and would need his car. He couldn’t borrow anyone else’s because it would be unprofessional. He would be too humiliated to ask anyone – again unprofessional. So, the only thing he could do was get money that fastest way possible. All his other friends and go to people were broke. The one things working for him was that he has his job and was getting paid regularly, but since he just moved to LA – his money gotten eaten up quickly. He heard on the radio that he could actually borrow off of his next check by doing something with Payday Cash Loans. He would be able to get money right away if he needed it. So, he went online to check it out and sure enough he was able to do it and he get to work on time and run all of the errands he needed to. He was so on top of it and because he felt so good to have that extra money, he actually got a bonus from his good attitude. Something about having money in the bank and knowing that you won’t be stranded really adds pep to your attitude.
Quiet on the set! Hurry up and take your places! CUT! CUT! Call the doctor. Our leading lady is in dire need of Botox North Vancouver. We can’t believe we forgot to schedule her appointment. How long will we have to wait for her to get back in front of the camera? Will we lose valuable time? Are we in trouble? These were my fears when I spoke with the cosmetic surgeon’s office. Thankfully the three questions were answered with “immediately,” “no” and “no.” She got two injections while we broke for lunch and we were rolling film less than two hours from the time we cut.
I think it was around the late eighties there was a movie with John Travolta and Jaimie Lee Curtis called “Perfect.” The speedos and bandanas that were considered signature outfits of the era were practically considered Haute’ Couture. I could never quite visualize myself in one of those dacron smoothies. Then one day a friend through an eighties party. I decided to go dressed as an aerobic dancing fitness club member. I must tell you that this was not the wisest choice. After about two hours at the party, four different people suggested that I get a personal trainer Vancouver.
Life brings you many places. Some of them are physical locations. Others are places your mind brings you to. For years, I have been conjuring up the idyllic place I could spend my retirement years. I visualized quaint neighborhoods and funky shops. There would be a collage of ethnic restaurants and sidewalk eateries. No city I ever visited quite filled the bill. Then I had the great fortune of experiencing Kitsilano. It was like I opened my eyes while dreaming and it all became a reality. The very same day, I was on the phone setting up an appointment with a Kitsilano real estate company.
What does luxury mean to you? Is it knowing something is ridiculously expensive? Not to me, it isn’t. Is it being catered to, to the extent of being pestered? Not to me, It isn’t. Is it simply feeling like there is nowhere else on earth you’d rather be? Now, you’ve got it. This is exactly what you feel when you are a guest at the BC resorts. They have put the “un” in understated. The ambience and natural serenity permeates your soul when you innocently soak in the magnificence of the surroundings. Getting it right is the essence of what they do. To me luxury means bringing light. Believe me, when you are there, you are glowing.
It was about eight years ago when I had a bright idea to film a mini documentary about the world’s gold mines. I knew it would involve extensive travel and the cost would be way too expensive. I wrote to several mining companies trying to convince them that my twist in the film would be beneficial to them and the industry as a whole. I planned to portray them as being great for creating jobs and helping out the different economies they were present in. I felt like an author getting turned down by publishers when I received disappointing news in the mail each week. Then one day a mining company in Canada agreed to finance me and now the film is underway.
I don’t have an inch of understanding when it comes to medical science. I certainly have no concept of what a cell looks like under a microscope. To tell the truth, I am an exceptionally squeamish person. This could easily be the reason my mind shuts down whenever there is a discussion involving any disease or the treatment of one. Now, I keep hearing about the research being done in the field of cancer stem cells. They may as well be talking about nuclear physics as far as I am concerned. My medical knowledge stops at the application of band-aids.
One of the most impressive scenes I have ever watched being filmed was one that captured the awesome operation of a gold exploration project in Africa. The massive earth moving and digging equipment was totally mind boggling. The air of excitement went far beyond the value of the prize. It felt like the entire team of dedicated workers were involved in such a one-pointed effort to unearth some mysterious world-shaking secret. It may sound like a stretch, but it reminded me of the excitement buzzing around the opening of a century’s old time capsule. Trust me, not all movie sets deliver this kind of drama.