Bullrun

Bullrun was an amazing job. What a way to start out in PA work!

*Traveling for 20 days
*5 of my best friends were on the job too
*It's about CARS
*I got to work with Brits (ahah)

I believe it'll be airing on the SPEED network February 19th.

On the road I was in charge of the Walkies, which was a bit frustrating at times but overall I think it was the perfect job for me. First thing everyday I was running all around the set handing out walkie-talkies and trying to keep record of who got what walkie. Often my morning would start out with hearing the director over the radio, "Scott to David....Scott to David.....Jewel, does David have a walkie?" And I would role my eyes and sigh, because yes, the producers had walkies, they just didn't answer sometimes. heh. My nick names consisted of Walkie-Girl & Yellow Boots (due to the amaaazing yellow Puma boots that I purchased the day before the trip. I think the boots were more famous than I was on set...heh.)

The 2 producers, series producer, director and several camera guys were British- so fun! And all my superiors were amazing. I really felt like I was spoiled because everyone was really great to work with.

I also jumped in when I could and helped the lighting guys, and they told me they definitely were impressed with my attentiveness, attitude and energy when I was helping them out.

Yeah 20 days straight on the road working hard (and in the snow in a few locations) was tiring, but overall it was one of the best times of my life. I'm so grateful to God for the experience and the awesome people I got to work with. Oh yeah...and I got to drive a couple of the cars, just a little. ;)

Check it out come February!

www.Bullrun.com
(the Reality show is different than the Bullrun rally)

Production Assistant

Praise God!
Extra work has been slow this last month, and I was betting December would be just as bad or worse. So I prayed for another job, but asked God for a production job. Not only did He bless with me with a job in Production but:

*5 of my other close friends got jobs on the same show!
*We'll be traveling through different states for 20 days on the road!
*The job ends on the day right before my parents are coming down to see me!
*The girl who hired me is a doll and I think the whole team is gonna be great too!
*The show will have cars in it! heh.

Check it out!

BULLRUN

My Apartment

Tour of the Apartment!

The Unwanted Sorority Girl

Extra Work! The good and the caca. (Sorry, Luis is rubbing off on me...he says that word all the time.) A couple of my friends don't like this route...it's already burnt them out. Perhaps it'll do the same to me eventually, but right now I love that it's getting me around LA on different sets and meeting tons of people. I feel comfortable now with the bus, the subway, getting around, being on set.

ER Extra Roles:
-Christmas time street person
-Nurse at desk going through files

Most sets I've been on the people have been super nice. ER, everyone was very nice, especially Elliot, the guy who keeps the extras in line and also does the stunt driving for the ambulance. I also met a great guy named Tim on ER that was pretty nice, even if he did trick me a few times for his own amusement.

E.H. Extra Roles:
-Poolside waitress with tray of drinks

On Eleventh Hour the extra handlers were also very nice...and didn't fire me even after the SteadyCamMan tripped over me twice while shooting! The first time wasn't my fault, because they signaled me to cross...and then the only place I could go ended up being where SCM was going too. The second time however, sorta was my fault. I was playing my part as a pool side waitress so well (looking for people who might want drinks) that I looked one way for a second, and when I looked back SCM was already backing onto me. I shoulda just thrown my tray in the air and dove into the pool. Oh well. I guess I got my payback when some girl rushed by me in a scene, knocked my tray and threw the drinks on it all down my shirt and legs. I was sticky and red. I also must mention the wardrobe ladies on EH were soooooo delightful, as well as the hair stylist Judith .


Greek extra roles:
-Summer party sorority wannabe
-Party girl at frat party
-Sparkles aka Debbie Gibson aka TheUnwantedSororityGirl

Greek has been my most regular gig. The first shoot was up in Malibu; freezing in the morning but the food was great. The extra handlers on Greek are especially great.

Today I got a bit of a happy surprise. When they booked me last night they told me I was once again going to be one of the cutesy sorority girls. But when I got to the wardrobe trailer they called out, "who's Jewel?" When I raised my hand they brought me inside and dressed me in ugly 80s garb, complete with jean skirt and lacey fold-down socks, and dubbed me "Sparkles." Apparently I was the girl that they had to allow into the sorority because my mom had been in it years before. So I sat around getting laughs and strange looks from everyone on set for 4 hours until they needed me. When they finally brought me onset the director took one look at me and laughed. It honestly felt amaaaazing when they stopped calling me by the scripted nickname, and began using my real name to give me direction. Eventually instead of "action" (for me to cross in front of the main characters to induce their line about me), he called "Jewel." And then whenever the AD or the DP had directions for me they called me Jewel as well. Finally, for a brief moment in time, I wasn't a faceless extra!

The highlight of the day however was when I was standing next to one of the prided choices for the sorority, and the director was talking to her, "I didn't even recognize you when I first came in today. It must be the make up. You look beautiful!" Then as he turned he looked at me, "YOU however..." he said with a huge grin, and the three of us laughed. "She looks amazing." She chuckled. He struggled for words for a bit before, "No no...you look the part...you look good..." he smiled and walked off. It was so great to make so many people laugh today. During our pantomime whispering in the background after I crossed, I was whispering a fake conversation with one of the lead characters. "Oh hi...you look...lovely..." she mouthed in character, since she was supposed to be welcoming me to the sorority as the focus was on the other two girls' dialogue. "Oh thank you, my mother picked this out for me this morning." I mouthed/whispered back. "Oh...you're mom...." She smiled too-sweetly. "Yeah it used to be hers!....I think she even wore it when she was in this sorority!" I said. "Oh...your....legacy." She milked. We were holding back laughter because the chemistry between her popular-gorgeous character and my outofdate-oblivious character was too much. As soon as they called cut we burst out laughing.

EXTRAvagant.

If I had an extra casting agency that's what it'd be called. Heh.

Today I registered with Central Casting and then Extras Management .

Pretty normal day except that while I was standing in line for my picture at Central I overheard the beautiful girl in front of me witnessing to the tattooed man in front of her! I was tearing up! I introduced myself to her when he stepped away and told her how her conversation inspired me to look for more opportunities to show God's love and truth to the people I meet. "Now I know why I really came today." She said, and told me he had asked her and her friend to pray with him afterwords to receive Christ. I also got her number so hopefully we'll get together sometime and I'll have a friend besides the other CCM graduates I live with. heh.

Then while I waited for 30 minutes again for a bus, I talked with a man named Chief (who used to drive JewelTheSinger & Francis Ford Coppala around in a limo) and after chatting for awhile asked him if there was anything I could keep in prayer for him.

Um. Then I came home and ate spaghetti and drank coffee from my wonderful french press.

I'm trying to get someone to watch Popeye (yes with Robin Williams) with me some night soon!

Meh...

Only been here a few days but I feel like I'm drrrraggin. I know I have to just get through all the 'settin up camp' type stuff. Unpacking...groceries...headshots...bus schedules...switching bank accounts. It's all so tedious! But it must be done. Hopefully soon I'll be settled and organized enough to start hunting down work! I have started checking out craigs list and casting organizations my friends have recommended to me. And Monday & Wednesday I already have some extra work on a Nike commercial thanks to Broc. I think I'm going to be in a crowd at a basketball game or something. Hah. Here we go! Or...I go....here I go?!

California Girl

Well, things are taking a bit of a turn. I've been telling everyone all year that I was preparing to move to the East Coast (And someday I still hope to! NYC still has my hear.) But it seems God had a different idea (as is often the case). And now this girl who claimed LA just wasn't for her...is moving to LA...tomorrow.

This has been the hardest year of my life, and now I am so blessed to be able to move into an apartment complex in a great location of Studio City with 10 friends from The Center for Creative Media, which I graduated from last December.

I'll be posting videos of the apartment soon. If I had taken tours if every apartment in the neighborhood I doubt I would have found one more suited for me. It's like a dream. There's a little courtyard with a fountain and foliage climbing and blooming all around. And the apartments have fun vintage bathrooms that add such character to the place. I love it.

Anyways. Tomorrow I leave on the train at 11:45am...and I arrive in LA at 9pm.
Here's to the next chapter of my life. The last one was very dark...I'm betting this one will be brilliant.

The reason to dream beyond all.

I've decided....that I love acting...and dancing...and singing...and theatre...and the stage...more than I love the thought of "being at the top." More than fame. So if I have to start in the smallest theatre...and I have to start taking dance lessons at the age of 23...I don't care, as long as I'm DOING it.

I've been watching a lot of musicals lately, and reading a lot about Broadway, and I have a lot of talented legends staring back at me...and I think..."There's no way I could get that good starting at 23. These people had been dancing and singing their whole lives." But it doesn't matter. It could take me til I'm 50 to become skilled enough for a shot at Broadway. But I'll be performing every step of the way.

The reason I AM reaching for Broadway or TV or Film, is not because I feel like I'm THAT talented, or that's the only thing my wild-dreaming heart would be satisfied with (we've seen enough proof that being "at the top" never satisfies anyways)...but because I believe that Christians should reach the highest and run the fastest and dream the biggest...if they really believe in a God that is all-powerful and can do infinately beyond their wildest dreams.

So call me a fool...but I'm going to run against all odds, whether I "make it" or not, if only to show the world I'm one girl who truly believes God is as big as I say He is.

Just got the Music Man soundtrack in the mail today!

Kastang!

(And if you look at the name of the peson who wrote the screenplay...it's a possible relative of mine! Heh.)

Tomorrow I'm going to the library so I can get away from the distractions of my room and study acting and Broadway.

Finished this book that I borrowed from Zach. Well actually I spilled something on his copy so I bought him a new one and kept his. Heh. Hey....normally I'm very careful with my books...and especially books I've borrowed. Accidents happen. Anyways! This is a very good book. I learned a ton.

Had my first ballet lesson. Um...I think I'll enjoy it more when I get past the clumsy-doof stage. I've been searching the web for pictures of the basic steps so I can practice at home...with no luck. The best I can find is "the Ballet Bible" for $47.

I start ballet lessons Monday!!!!

Is it weird that after I was researching dance studios I couldn't get to sleep?

I can't wait to dance again.