The Day in the Life of a Ten Inch Hero
It was a hot Friday afternoon June 2006, in Hollywood, California on Van Ness Blvd. off of
a busy Sunset Blvd near Capitol Records and Paramount Studios. Thinking I was lost, I relooked
at the directions I was given to an address for a job interview. Feeling nervous about this
interview already, I was now beginning to feel like the interview was a hoax. Re-following the
directions again to make sure I didn't make any errors in reading the directions, I was surprised
to find the address was in a residential area after all. The neighborhood was quaint, the
sidewalks were lined with beautifully colored trees, and yards full of exotic gardens. The only
sounds to be heard were from the lawn mowers, leaf blowers, and water sprinklers. I found the
address I needed for my job interview. It was in fact, a house.
Before proceeding to the house, I glimpsed around in awe at all of the beautiful houses. I
turned around, took a huge breath, exhaled, straightened up, and walked confidently towards
the house. The house had a metal gate around the front yard. The walkway was lined with
colorful rose bushes and exquisitely exotic flowers. The walkway guided me to a brown
Victorian style home with five steps that lead to a porch area. The porch had an old creaky
swing, black leather loveseat couch, and a few medium sized pots with flowers in them. I took
one last huge breath, shook my head to clear my thoughts, exhaled, and then rang the doorbell.
A small-statured woman answered the door, greeting me with a zealous welcome. As I
entered the house, I immediately heard that the floors were old and creaky, along with plastic tarps
hanging up lining all of the doorways. The internal atmosphere was filled with busy bodies
bustling around in casual attire along with cordial attitudes. Feeling over dressed, I began
thinking that the interview would be more business attire rather than casual. I was shown to
the backyard where the offices were staged in a guesthouse, due to the main house begin
remodeled.
My interview was with Katherine, the Line Producer of this film called "Ten Inch Hero". (A
Liner Producer is the individual in charge of the spending and logistical decisions on a film set.)
They are to oversee how the money is spent in each Department. I was interviewing for the
position of Line Producers Assistant. I had no experience in this position on a film, yet, I felt I
had enough confidence that I could land this job. After all, I worked as an Inventory Logistics
Manager at a company in Santa Barbara for 11 and 1/2 years. Katherine was concerned about
my lack of experience in the film industry and the fact that this would be my first feature film.
Of the three other people that applied for this position, Katherine felt I had the most
experience and knowledge of Logistics Management. She also liked my strong work ethic, my
experience in dealing with multiple departments, and my knowledge of how the numbers work
in Logistics. Katherine asked, "Why do you want this job?" I replied, "I left a job of almost 12
years for a job in a city of millions, I am alone, not knowing a soul to rely on or trust for
guidance, in a business world I know nothing about. I am confident that with this job and some
guidance, I will do well for both this film and myself. I may lack experience in Line Producing but
I am hard working, I learn quickly, and I just need some experience and guidance." Katherine
admired this about me. Therefore, I was hired right then and there based on my past job
experience and my determination to succeed in the tough business world they call
"Hollywood". Unbeknownst to me, this was only the beginning of an adventurous day for me.
Excited about getting the job, I got onto the freeway to head back home to celebrate in
Oxnard. Stuck in bumper to bumper traffic, I received a call from the film production company.
They called to let me know that they had let go of Katherine. Therefore, they didn't need me as
the just hired the Line Producer from "The Amazing Race", who has his own assistant. They
asked if I could come back to the office as they still wanted to keep me on their film crew.
Unsure of what to do or think, I decided to head back and give it another shot. I figured what
the heck I don't have anything else to do today anyways.
Returning to the office, I sat in the living room waiting to be seen by Mark, the Producer
of this film. Mark is a tall, slender, slacky, Kevin Costner kind of gentleman, wearing khaki
slacks, blue striped long sleeved button up shirt that was rolled up to his elbows, and brown
boat deck shoes. Mark finally called me to his office out back in the guesthouse. He let me
know that upon Katherine being let go, she asked that they keep me on the film crew. He
reviewed my resume and felt it wasn't fair to let me go as well, especially, after reviewing my
resume to see that I have worked as a grip on other shows. (A grip is the strong crew that lifts,
rigs, hauls, set flags/gels, and lug around heavy equipment used in setting up and facilitating for
every scene shot on set.) Mark asked if I'd be interested in working on the grip crew if after he
spoke to the Key Grip. (The Key Grip is the grip boss who facilitates where and what each grip
needs to do to set up for a scene to be shot. The Key Grip works closely with the Director of
Photography, the Gaffer, and the Director. Of course, I said, "Yes, I would be interested." Mark
asked if I could sit in the living room while he talks with the Key Grip boss, who will be in the
office in about 45 minutes. Therefore, I went to the living room to wait.
While I was sitting on the couch in the living room, a gentleman in his mid 30's, short
(5'6), brown hair, hazel eyes, and tanned came to sit on the other couch. He was the most
casually dressed individual I'd seen that day at the office. He was dressed in brown cargo
shorts, a white quicksilver tank top, flip-flops, and a pair of glasses on his head. I had no idea
who this gentleman was. He was making a make-shift office on the couch and coffee table. He
set up his laptop, pulled out some folders from his backpack, and set up a calendar that was
propped up on the couch. Neither of us introduced ourselves to each other. This gentleman
started talking to me about college football. He had a deep southern accent that was cool to
listen to and it reminded me of when I lived in Virginia, where I once had a southern accent as
well. The gentleman told me he is from Alabama, hence, the southern accent. The gentleman
and I had been talking for close to an hour when Mark called me to the dining room, which
were about 15 steps from the living room.
Mark introduced me to the Key Grip boss, Kevin, (short, stocky, plumber looking kind of
guy). Mark asked that Kevin meet him in his office and I wait in the living room when Kevin is
done talking to me. Kevin and I spoke, yet there was no connection there between us.
Unknowingly, the gentleman in the living room could hear this interview session. After the
interview, Kevin went to met with Mark while I went to sat on the couch, again. Soon Mark
called me to his office. He let me know that Kevin could not use me on his crew. I thanked Mark
for the opportunity, wished his crew luck on their film, shook his hand, and we parted ways.
Heading to my car thinking, "Wow, what a day I've had so far. What am I to do now?" I
started feeling like I made a huge mistake in leaving my job in Santa Barbara. After a few
minutes, I snapped out of it saying to myself, "It's their loss and the next jobs gain." As I flipped
a u-turn to head home, I noticed Mark in the driveway flagging me down. Mark asked that I
park and come into the house again. As we walked to the house, Mark mentioned how he felt
bad about the way things happened and he was still interested in keeping me on the crew.
Mark asked, "How would you feel about working in the Location Department?" I said, "I've
never worked in that Department. I have no experience or even have an idea of what the
Location Department does." Mark laughed and said, "You took a chance with the Line
Producers position with no experience. Why not take a chance on the Location Department?" I
figured if Mark was going to give me another chance, why not take the chance. I told Mark, Yes,
I'd be interested in working in the Location Department. (The Location Department is one of
the first departments hired on a set. They review the script and budget, then scout and secure
locations for the films. They are also the liaison between the community and the film company
while playing the role of diplomats on a film set.) I went to sit in the living room on the couch,
yet again.
The gentleman I was conversing with earlier in the day was still sitting on the couch. As I
sat down, he got up, and walked to another room. The gentleman returned about ten minutes
later. He struck up another conversation with me. He asked how my day was going and I said
that it has been an interesting day. About five minutes into the conversation he asked if I'd be
willing to start working that day. I said, "Sure, if they ever decide to actually give me a job." The
gentleman smiled at me with a huge grin on his face. In his southern accent he said, "Cool, I'll
wait for you to use the restroom and for you to get your things together because we have a
busy day ahead of us." I was completely confused and at a loss for words. The gentleman
laughed and said, "I'm sorry, I'm Danny, the Location Manager and you, my dear, are my
assistant." I headed to the restroom confused. I washed my face, smiled, and exhilaration
overcame me. I had my first job on a feature film and it was as a Locations Assistant. Soon
Danny and I were driving off to Long Beach, San Pedro, and Palos Verde to scout location places
for the film. I stayed with the film from pre-production on through to film productions end. This
movie, "Ten Inch Hero", is where I called home for the next three and half years.
I left job security of 11 and 1/2 years to go to a world where I knew no one, a city I didn't
live in, and an industry that made no guarantees of employment. Talk about being scared and
unsure about one's decision to leave job security! I've always had confidence in my work ethics
yet this time I was really scared. I had no one in Los Angeles to turn to for advice or even a place
to stay when I was too tired to drive home to Oxnard. Calls home to my daughter every night
got me through the tough doubtful moments. As I got through each day, the confidence built
up inside and I learned how to become resourceful. I never realized how resourceful I could be
until I had to be. It taught me that when life throws you lemons, make some lemonade. What I
think it taught me the most, if I showed that I wasn't going to give up and I was going to take
some risk, then maybe there are people out there willing to take a chance on me. Taking a
chance in Hollywood, lead me to taking a chance on going back to school and getting
my college degree in Marine Biology. After working for 4 years, 6 days a week, 14-20 hours
days, I finally left the film industry to return to college. I still get calls from friends asking me to
work on some shows with them, but for now, I'm working on that college degree.
