Ahh, to live in Whale Town would be something.
Whale Town
Drawings from the Volunteer Park Conservatory
I had never really walked around in the Volunteer Park Conservatory before and for this I am sorry. A more magical park experience could not have been dreamed up by Jorge Louis Borges or Adolfo Bioy Casares. The cactus room was especially enthralling to me because I used to try and raise cacti when I was younger. They would sit on my window sill trying their best to soak up sunshine in the grey gloom of western Washington. The alternate title for this post was: Garden of Misshapen Lemons–which is now what I will call an animation that is in my brain. It sounds like the Conservatory needs our help- here is a website made by the friends of the Conservatory.
Personal Assistant
I will now be cataloging everything that happened to me leading up to, during and after Sundance 2012. This post was for the Huffington Post Sundance Diaries, but sadly, it was never published (to read the first one, click here). Here it is:
So now everyone has to wait for 10 days to tell anyone that my film got in to the festival. This of course was incredibly hard for my mom to deal with. But I couldn’t worry about her for too long because the massive amount of emails had already begun. Stills, headshots, post acceptance form, filmmaker participation agreement, project survey, publicity materials, press kits, posters, press screeners, and of course, a print of the actual film all need to be made and sent. It has been a full time job gathering, making, finding, filling-out, calling, sending, receiving, emailing and maling off things.
All of this errand-running got me thinking: Now that I am in Sundance, I think I should get a celebrity assistant. Some of the people I think would make great CPA’s (Celebrity Personal Assistant) are: George Lucas for his merchandising know-how, Larry David for his interest in going out for every meal, Joel or Ethan Coen for an attention to detail, and of course, Gareth Keenan from the British ‘Office’ because of his devotion to military regulations and hand to hand combat know-how.
Sadly, I believe most of these people are far too successful and busy to become my CPA’s. Which is probably good because I don’t have any money to pay them anyway. Perhaps I should go the unpaid intern route. Here is my craigslist ad I created to find one.
BASIC FUNCTION:
Primary responsibility is to provide support to me in various forms. Usually by accomplishing all the tasks I have no interest in doing. Filling out forms and waiting in line at the post office will be your main objectives. Exciting skill building exercises that you will engage in daily are: eating Chinese food with me everyday in my car while listening to talk radio.
EXPERIENCE:
Basic familiarity with office practices and procedures as well as a thorough understanding of my temperament.
EDUCATION:
middle school diploma or better
ABILITY TO:
1. Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationship with me.
2. Plan and organize work in a timely, punctual manner. Make sure I do everything I am supposed to and nothing I am not. Find my keys and wallet.
3. Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing. Be able to order food and pick it up effectively as well as pay for it.
4. Operate a computer and other office equipment as assigned. Fix my printer/scanner daily.
ENVIRONMENT: Will be very light and jovial. We will laugh and I will usually be whistling Christmas tunes year round. We will have witty and humorous banter. Unless I am in a bad mood or hungover in which case the work environment could be incredibly hostile with me blaming just about everything on you.
I can neither pay you nor offer school credit.
Thanks- Drew Christie, Short Filmmaker
Drawings from Park City
These are from the High West Distillery. Contrary to popular belief there is much alcohol consumption in the state of Utah. They had great food and whiskey and local beer at the High West Distillery. I had a great time walking around Park City and looking at the old buildings and houses from it’s days as an old west mining town. Now named for the Ute tribe of Native Americans, the Mormons first called the place they arrived in Deseret or the Kingdom of Deseret.
Jim Bridger’s Dream
Jim Bridger was probably the greatest of all the “Mountain Men” a term that was coined well after the era of trapping had ended. He wore a knight’s suit of armor when he rode horseback- true story.
My First Scrimshaw!
I just carved my first scrimshaw today in the forecastle of an ancient ship moored in the harbor at Elliot Bay. The whale was carved into a bone folder used for book making (or card making). The bone was polished and it was very similar to carving in resingrave. Since I plan on doing more soon- I’m selling this one in my store here.
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