Monday, January 28, 2013

A New Year.


It's the last day of a shoot and it's feeling bittersweet. You hated the long hours, the crappy food and stupid locations. But you loved the people and enjoyed working with them. Despite the sucky conditions, you never failed to cheer each other up; keeping spirits high.

You'd joke around with the craft service people, girl-talk with hair and make-up, and trade knowing glances with the P.A.s. You even like the grips enough to join them for a drink or two after work. And when it's time to light the set, you and your fellow juicers work in such tandem that it sometimes feels unreal. As if you've been working with them all your life instead of the past few months. You see them as brothers and you all look out for one another. This was as good as it gets.

But this is the last day of the show, and like all shows, it will come to an end. After they call wrap, each department will disappear, spreading to whichever corner of the world (or Hollywood) the wind takes them. You might see a camera person or a grip or two somewhere down the line, but never again will all of you be on the same set. It will never be like this again.

After wrap, you'll say your goodbyes and give your last hugs. You'll walk away a little sad that you won't see these people every day anymore.

Tomorrow, you'll be alone.

But eventually, you'll find another set to be on. You'll find that you get along with this new crew just as well as your old crew, but in different ways. And you'll forget the little inside jokes you had with the set decorator. And you'll forget how you lived for the warm cookies that craft service would bring out. And you'll even forget the little crush you had on the camera assistant. Instead, you'll find yourself on your new set with new jokes, new snacks and new crushes...

It won't be long before that old crew will be nothing but a fond, distant memory.

But tonight, for just a little bit longer, they're still your family. And tonight, for just a little bit longer, you're still theirs...


2 comments :

Michael Taylor said...

I can't count how many times I've gone through this same emotional wringer over the past three decades in Hollywood and beyond, and it's always the same. Something new is born, lives, then dies over the course of every show. It's the cycle of life writ small. You've captured the fleeting nature of our crazy business very nicely in this post.

A.J. said...

Michael - Thank you. And good luck on your book! :)

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