oh hollywood

So tomorrow's the big day, when the red carpets roll out and the stars come out to play. The kids are getting skittish, the hammers are flying and the plaster bits are everywhere; we can only hope that by tomorrow things look presentable. Our restaurant is in horrible disarray, but by the time I start my 6 hour shift I assume the menus will be dusted off and the napkins rolled tightly around forks and knives.

For the past two days I've been sitting through countless (and useless) seminars on things like how to secure licenses for music in your movies, how to key out green screens using AfterEffects, what kind of film has the best colors and tones, and blah blah blah. Probably more useful to the kids who are in film school and want to be filmmakers....oh wait, that's everyone but me.

Anyways, walking around today has been simply amazing. The crowds are growing, as is the excitement. We can all feel how extraordinary this experience is going to be, and I'm not even one to be starstruck. (or wait, am i?)

Today as we were walking past the red carpet, the music from Requiem for a Dream suddenly started POUNDING, so incredibly loud, and we all just started smiling. For once, something we all shared -- the intense passion for cinema that meant we all knew exactly what movie that music was from, and which scene, and what the lighting looked like as it fell across the actor's face.

But it was more than that, something bigger and more monumental, I think. We talked later about it, but no one seemed to know what had really happened. I think what was truly striking about the scenario was that for once, our lives had a soundtrack, and in this moment, we were all stars.

The next 11 days are going to be amazing.