Fifteen years of stay-at-home motherhood, a master's degree, completion of residency for my sweet husband, a child in high school, two other children hopping through the hoops of middle school, a kindergartener, plus an almost-two-year-old that loves his mom more than almost anything else...that is the current description of my life.
But, for the next month of my life, it is going to be different.
I'm going to be an extra's coordinator/intern/PA for a well-known Utah filmmaker, TC Christensen as he makes a faith-based film.
It may sound like I'm bragging. I'm not. But, I will say it is a dream come true. One that has been on the "back burner" of my life for about eight years at least.
You see, I'm a prayerful sort of person. I truly believe I can talk to God and He can talk to me. I kept feeling that I needed to do something. I knew I needed to contact directors. I had two in mind. One closer to my house, I hoped, and one that was in Utah doing family history films--which is my goal.
My husband suggested I call TC. But, sometimes I get nervous talking on the phone and I can really think about what I am writing when I write a letter, plus I can erase and move things about--where you can't do that in a phone conversation.
Every time I sat down to write a letter on Facebook to TC, the Utah one, my mind would go blank and I wouldn't get past, "Dear TC Christensen."
Three months passed.
Then one Sunday night about 10:30 the words just came, pouring through my brain and fingers like they had a mind of their own. In our church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we call that personal revelation.
And then the prompting, "Send it now, before you lose your nerve."
I'd like to say that I would never lose my nerve. Ha!
I held my breath and pushed the button to send it. Then I did a squeal of delight.
And guess what?! He replied. He invited me to film a video and send it to him with me telling him about myself. I did. Then he told me that they work with internships, not volunteers. I would get $35 a day in this internship.
Then I got a call from the line producer, S Lee, a few days later and he asked about my interests.
Then I got a call from the producer, Ron Tanner, and he told me I had been appointed the Extra's Coordinator and would get real credit on IMDB. Whaaat? Sweet!
This week I have been emailing like my life depended on it. I think it was around 12-14 hours a day. I have about 150 extras I'm in charge of lining up and getting measurements to the costume department head, Jacqui Newell.
I am accepting this opportunity to work my hardest, learn absolutely everything I can, and am hoping that I would learn just about the same things I would learn in film school. What film school can you name where they pay you at all, let alone $35 a day?!
What about your family? That sweet little toddler and all those kids?! Grandmas and Grandpas are stepping in to parent for a bit--which my kiddos have been absolutely delighted about.
I know it will be an adjustment, for all of us, but I have a feeling that it will be a great benefit to our family, even if it is a challenge right now.
I keep reminding myself, "This is inspired. It will be so fun! I am loving this!"
Even when I overbooked some people for a couple of scenes, I tried to reply as graciously as I could to those wonderful women who were willing to be in the movie for a day for a DVD. I kept thinking, "I can do this! This will be such a blessing!"
My goal is to remind myself that this is easy, comfortable, and joyful. Because, in the long-run, it is.
Tomorrow is the first meeting. Ron called to talk to me tonight and I was so excited about tomorrow I was shivering and I'm pretty sure my voice was about an octave higher than normal. I even told him about my five children. I think it really surprised him.
Eeek!
But, for the next month of my life, it is going to be different.
I'm going to be an extra's coordinator/intern/PA for a well-known Utah filmmaker, TC Christensen as he makes a faith-based film.
It may sound like I'm bragging. I'm not. But, I will say it is a dream come true. One that has been on the "back burner" of my life for about eight years at least.
You see, I'm a prayerful sort of person. I truly believe I can talk to God and He can talk to me. I kept feeling that I needed to do something. I knew I needed to contact directors. I had two in mind. One closer to my house, I hoped, and one that was in Utah doing family history films--which is my goal.
My husband suggested I call TC. But, sometimes I get nervous talking on the phone and I can really think about what I am writing when I write a letter, plus I can erase and move things about--where you can't do that in a phone conversation.
Every time I sat down to write a letter on Facebook to TC, the Utah one, my mind would go blank and I wouldn't get past, "Dear TC Christensen."
Three months passed.
Then one Sunday night about 10:30 the words just came, pouring through my brain and fingers like they had a mind of their own. In our church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we call that personal revelation.
And then the prompting, "Send it now, before you lose your nerve."
I'd like to say that I would never lose my nerve. Ha!
I held my breath and pushed the button to send it. Then I did a squeal of delight.
And guess what?! He replied. He invited me to film a video and send it to him with me telling him about myself. I did. Then he told me that they work with internships, not volunteers. I would get $35 a day in this internship.
Then I got a call from the line producer, S Lee, a few days later and he asked about my interests.
Then I got a call from the producer, Ron Tanner, and he told me I had been appointed the Extra's Coordinator and would get real credit on IMDB. Whaaat? Sweet!
This week I have been emailing like my life depended on it. I think it was around 12-14 hours a day. I have about 150 extras I'm in charge of lining up and getting measurements to the costume department head, Jacqui Newell.
I am accepting this opportunity to work my hardest, learn absolutely everything I can, and am hoping that I would learn just about the same things I would learn in film school. What film school can you name where they pay you at all, let alone $35 a day?!
What about your family? That sweet little toddler and all those kids?! Grandmas and Grandpas are stepping in to parent for a bit--which my kiddos have been absolutely delighted about.
I know it will be an adjustment, for all of us, but I have a feeling that it will be a great benefit to our family, even if it is a challenge right now.
I keep reminding myself, "This is inspired. It will be so fun! I am loving this!"
Even when I overbooked some people for a couple of scenes, I tried to reply as graciously as I could to those wonderful women who were willing to be in the movie for a day for a DVD. I kept thinking, "I can do this! This will be such a blessing!"
My goal is to remind myself that this is easy, comfortable, and joyful. Because, in the long-run, it is.
Tomorrow is the first meeting. Ron called to talk to me tonight and I was so excited about tomorrow I was shivering and I'm pretty sure my voice was about an octave higher than normal. I even told him about my five children. I think it really surprised him.
Eeek!
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