Focus on the Good

So after posting yesterday, I realized that I may have been a bit whiny. Which in a blog about the life of a twenty-something, really shouldn't surprise you. In fact a lot of what I've been writing about seems to be a bit on the "poor me, I am a grown-up, I have responsibilities, life isn't fair" side of things. I think it's easy to become jaded by the overwhelming amount of responsibilities that seem to smack you in the face as soon as the diploma hits your hand. Yes, making new friends isn't always fun. Yes, dealing with insurance companies is like dealing with the devil himself. There are a lot of elements to being an adult that aren't pleasant, but they are a part of life. There are a lot of good things about growing up too. As of today, most students have started back at school. It is such a relief to know that I won't have another piece of homework due or have to conduct another Hall Meeting or take another final. Also, there's having a real job. And this part of my life is absolutely amazing. I think it is a rare thing to have a job you genuinely look forward to everyday. I find this sad and somewhat frightening that more people don't feel this way about their jobs. This weekend was our first weekend to begin shooting scenes for Terminal. We went to about 10 different locations all across Kansas City. It was hectic, hot, and so much fun! Here are 3 things I learned about filmmaking this weekend:

1. Always over estimate. Friday morning, I quickly realized that when the director tells me "This will only take half an hour," what he really means is this will probably take at least an hour and a half. Time never really seems to be on your side when making a movie but you have to make the best of it , build in extra time where possible, and do your best to keep everyone on schedule.
2. Only hire people you trust. What I saw this weekend was that every single person on our crew knows their job and does it incredibly well. Whether it's make-up, wardrobe, sound, focus pull, or working the camera, everyone was excellent at what they did. It's funny because even in the midst of this film, I keep thinking about scripts that I want to write and other projects I would like to work on. I know that without a doubt I would feel comfortable putting my work into the capable hands of our crew. If you can't trust the people you're working with, then you've got the wrong people.
3. Attitude is everything. Sometimes things happen, like rain, tornadoes, leaking coolers and running late. All you can do is go with it and try to have fun along the way. Even after a LONG day (12 hours at least) of work, several of us went out for drinks and dinner and had a genuinely good time. At the end of the day, no matter how hard it's been, it's good to be able to laugh and think, yeah this wasn't so bad.

So yes, I may complain because it's easy to point out the things in life that suck. Although I still wish I was close enough for game nights at the Hannons, movies with Nicole, and Cheesecake Factory with Danielle, honestly my life is pretty great right now. And every once in a while I just need to put on my big girl panties, suck it up, and remember to not let a moment go by without being thankful for the journey.