I’m a dumbass. This fact is reasserted to me at irregular intervals. Today, for instance.
There are free movie screenings all the time in Los Angeles. You can sign up for them with LA Weekly, Campus Circle, Screening Exchange, and many, many other places. The one hook is, they won’t let you in if you work in the industry.
I learned this waaaaaay back in film school. Within the first month, my RA took me and a few others to a preview of American Beauty. Kevin Spacey showed up afterwards. I even got to ask him a question in the Q&A later. (My question was something like, “Why are you so awesome?”)
It was pretty cool for a kid fresh off the turnip truck. The point is, I was only able to do this because my RA told us, “Now, don’t tell them you’re a film student; they won’t let you in. Tell them you’re studying history or something.”
Flash forward to today. I’m out of work, and a free movie sounded good. A studio guy was moving down the line, passing out nondisclosure agreements and asking people where they worked. I had my story all planned out (medical student) when he pointed at me and said, “You work in the Industry.”
I just looked at him, confused. He poked his finger at me: “Come on. Seriously?”
I realized he was pointing at my shirt. Or, more specifically, the Panavision logo on my shirt.
Curse you, Panavision, and your irresistable free shirts!
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On an unrelated note, I just got a fancy new phone, and I’m writing this blog in the car. Isn’t technology wonderful? Five years ago, this would practically be magic.
On an even less related note, a friend of mine has started a new blog about touring the country in a band. You should check it out: http://newbard.blogspot.com
4 Responses
This is off-topic from the other comments but your post reminded me of when I sent an Art PA to return a large shelf back to Ikea after a low budget shoot where we couldn’t afford much set dec so I was forced to do the buy and return strategy. He calls me shortly after and tells me he is now banned from Ikea and he couldn’t return the shelf. It turned out he forgot he was wearing a Panavision hat and they lynched him. They even took a Polaroid of him.
I did the return myself the next day.
I work for Screening Exchange at these things, this is funny. What screening did you try to get into?
I’ve been to plenty of free movies, but we are supposed to talk about it afterwards and spread the news, so people buy tickets when the movies is released for real. But that’s Sweden.
Pretty cool story.
The Screening Exchange pegged me as well. I’m blacklisted because I also work in the industry, but the last time I went they ended up giving me a free movie pass instead. They don’t normally do that for situations like mine, so I was lucky.