A Wonderful Occurrence of Events

My amazing experiences with the SGP team were not limited to vlogs and bars. A little before my random and amazing meeting with Hilarie Burton at the Copper Penny I was told that we had the opportunity to go tour the OTH sets with KT. So the morning of the vlog shoot we got up and I called to set up a time to meet KT and headed out to the studio. After getting there and meeting up he took us through all of the sets which were awesome. Of course we took tons of pictures which will make there way to flickr sometime soon. He answered all of our questions and gave us some pretty cool behind the scene knowledge that only a person who worked on the show would know. This was really interesting to me because it's the things I've been reading in class but now I got to see them in real life. KT is awesome and so full of knowledge. We saw all of the sets on site like Lucas's room, Haley and Nathan's, Mouth and Skills apartment, Peyton's office, Brooke's house, Dan's beach house, the creepy hotel room that I swear could have been based off a couple of places I have stayed at, and my favorite Jamie's awesome room which if I was a little kid I would never leave. There was also the high school, and the locker rooms. It was so weird to see them in person to be able to see how they make such small spaces, cramped full of people when they film seem so big and bright. It was a once and a lifetime opportunity that was one of the highlights of my trip.

After the awesome tour we headed downtown to where they said they would be filming. What is funny is that I forgot to tell KT we were going down there when we were at the studio and I didn't tell Hil last night that we were meeting KT so we got down there and Hil couldn't believe that I didn't tell her we were meeting KT and as we are walking up KT is calling me saying Hil says you were going to meet up with us. 

KT setting up the tour for us was beyond amazing and way more than I would or could have ever asked for. Not only did I get to the sets but KT personally showed us around giving little insights along the way. He was willing to meet us at the studio and take a little time out of his day. Then to call and make sure that we were going to make it to the riverwalk for the filming was amazing. While we were touring Lindsay asked how he got into the industry and the subject got onto his mentor. Well he did a really good job with KT and I can see him as a great mentor to many people.

SGP and Me

Now you may be tired of reading about what SGP and what Hilarie, Nick, KT, and the gang mean to me but after returning from my vacation in Wilmington I need to share it one more time. It's one thing to share things with your fans over the internet and allow them a little access into your world but what they did for me this week was so much more than that.

As I have already posted I got to meet many members of this wonderful team during my visit to their fine city. But I am here right now to tell you that these are some of the nicest, most down to earth and conciderate people I have had the pleasure to meet. Who ever said that fame or money can change you have obviously not spent any time with any of them. I was welcomed by a group of practical strangers who have very busy lives to lead and took jus a little bit of their time to talk to a fan (a very dedicated one at that).

From Hilarie's graciousness at allowing me to take a picture and chat with at the bar while she was out, to inviting us to come out and be apart of the vlog and watch them in action, to her helpfulness and friendliness in trying to help point out things for us to do while we were there. This womans spirit is amazing and shows through her. She is the real deal, what you see on the blog is the real person. Now it may just be me but I am constantly shocked when people remember me. It's my own personal battle but I digress. As we arrive for the blog filming she greeted us like we were friends not 2 random strangers that she had just meet the night before. Critics and synics would say that she's an actress and she gets paid to act certian ways but I don't believe it from her. I can read people and am usually a good judge of character and I only got warm friendly vibe from her.

Nick is the perfect writer for this group. Because his heart and spirit are right in line with the others and his passion for Pedestrian and SGP radiates from him. I had the pleasure in meeting him at the blog filming and running into him again downtown. Not only did he recognize us (of course I was rockin my SGP shirt to spread the news in the airports) but he took the time to talk to us. The way he talks about the projects that they have coming up and are working on and the light in his eyes is the same look I get when I talk about my dreams and goals and plans. His heart is 110% in SGP and all you have to do is talk to him to see it. But on top of that he is an overall nice guy. Nothing said he had to take the time to talk to us, nothing forced him to share his time with us.

This wonderful group of people are the reason why I want to get in this industry. Their hearts are large and open and their passion is contagious. Thank you all for everything. I could never say it enough.

Good Luck, Good Times, and Amazing People

Preface: This post was originally written 4/30/2009 at 4:44 PM right after I returned to the hotel from filming the vlog with Hilarie and Nick. Here is what I wrote in reflection of what happened.

As everyone knows I am in Wilmington scooping out my future place of residence. Well as part of my plan I decided that the best way to know a place was to see it's night life, get a feel of the people and the area. So I had choice a couple of bars a night to hit up just to check out.

The second night we decided we would find a nice small bar/pub to go to with not a lot of crowd to just sit and get a couple of drinks at. After circling Front Street 4 or 5 times we found a small place just off of it call The Copper Penny. 

We park right in front of it and go in and sit at the bar. Now to be honest I saw a big group of people sitting at a table and I didn't want to sit directly across from them so I made Lindsay move down the bar a little ways. It's a good thing we did because I was being my curious self and glancing up at the mirror behind the bar to just check out the happenings of others around us. 

As I glance one time I notice a white hair gentleman that looks an awful lot like Kris Kristofferson. Well after further glances (nothing to obvious you know) I realize it is him. Being from the south and a country music fan I was in awe. Here was in the same bar that I was. Now I might be a little slow on the up take because it took my brains a couple seconds to put together that he was in town shotting "Provences of Night" with Hilarie Burton. Now as you know I love SGP and HB so I start scouting the table a little bit more. Sure enough sitting on the end closest to me is Hilarie Burton. Now I will admit I had a "small" panic attack at this. After having Lindsay confirm that it was her we just sat at the bar and I pretended to be cool and casual.

After Kris and the rest of the gang left Hil relocated herself to the bar. By this point I was in no mental state to just walk right up and talk to her so Lindsay went for me. She was the sweetest person gladly took pictures (and a video by accident) and we let her get back to her evening. The funniest part to me was that she was just star struck by Kris and I was star struck by her.

She mentioned while we were talking to her that they would be filming the next day down on the Riverwalk if we wanted to come by and check it out. After watching them film a vlog, we did our piece with Hil. I can totally see why she was an awesome VJ because she made me feel totally comfortable and made talking to her very easy. After finishing filming we were standing around and the people writing the article from the Star News got our names, Hilarie suggested some places for us to visit and we parted ways.

Now I have been a follower from basically day 1 of SGP and have loved everything that this company has been and will be doing but this just put it over the top. The fact that these wonderful people would take an interest in me while I was here for these few days is amazing. They truly do care about their fans and are amazing people. They are just down to earth people doing something that they love and are willing to share it with the world. I will shout it from the rooftops, wear my SGP shirt with pride, and support these people until the end of time because they are the real deal. They are worth supporting. I have said it before and I will say it a hundred times you need to follow and support SGP. You need to buy the shirt, watch the vlogs, hop in the chat. EVERYTHING! Because giving them support is only a small way that I will ever be able to pay them back for the amazing experience they have given me here.

Something New Everyday

If One Tree Hill was the little engine that could TV show, then Southern Gothic Productions is well on it's way to being the little engine that could Production Company. 

Watching the progress of this company brings something new and amazing and inspiring everyday. 

From Hil's videos, to Nick and Austin's writings, to their T-Shirt enterprise everyday that I check the site and find something new I am amazed in one way or another. I have never seen dedication from a company like this before. The fact that they are working so hard to make their movie in this economy is admirable. But the fact that to help raise the money they undertook the massive task of selling T-Shirt is even better.

And to top it all off Hilarie is signing them, which should cause a serious case of hand cramps. She didn't have to take the time to do this. They don't have to take the time to share it. But they do. 

The pictures they posted of the whole T-shirt mailing process just proves how amazing they are. I have been in a start up company, sat behind the piles of merchandise, printed off the stacks of mailing labels, and spent hours at the post office trying to get them sent. I know what a pain the whole thing can be so I know that they are dedicated by doing this.

Amazing things are happening there in Wilmington. No wonder so many people want to go there (including me).

If I could have a tiny part of talent, heart, passion, and hard work that they have I will be successful in life. 

If you haven't already done it go to SGP and check out the blogs. Buy 1, 2, 10 T-shirts. I mean they are signed and the money is going to a VERY worthy cause. 

This company deserves all the success in the world and I have no doubt in my mind that they will achieve it. Nothing is going to hold them back. They are going to make sure of it, and all of their faithful followers will too. I know it.

Help Others, Help Yourself

I've lost my inspiration. Not my drive but my inspiration. I am still pushing for what I want but creatively I'm stuck. I can't write, can't edit, even forgot some of the music I used to know how to play.

I am blaming this on an extreme lack of sleep. coupled with a crazy work schedule, not a lot of down time and not a lot of focus. 

Either way I'm blocked and my inspiration is gone. That little spark that I felt a couple weeks ago has faded to a dull glimmer and I am struggling to get it back.

At least that was me earlier this week. And then something happened. Something out of the blue. As I have said in earlier posts inspiration is a funny thing. It hits us when we least expect it and comes from unexpected sources. 

This inspiration came from a source that has inspired me before and continues to but it came at a time when I really needed it.

I was near the end of a crazy week full of crazy work hours, unexpected weather events and the usual stupid people to top it all off. Then something unexpected happened. A new vlog came up on SGP. It was very simple, Hilarie and Nick telling secrets, but at the end they left us with yet another cliffhanger, something they are getting really good at over there. Well this got me thinking and focusing my attention off of the drama and stuff that was weighing me down. This was the start of the inspiration.

Then I woke up the next "morning" and was greeted my the "secret." SGP was selling T-shirts and the logo had been reveled. I was ecstatic. I have been waiting for both of these things. And then I watched the vlog to go with the post. I found out that my purchase would directly help them with making the movie. I was so excited. I was finally going to be able to make a direct impact for them. I can shout it from the rooftops, tell as many people as I know, talk them up as much as possible but none of that felt like enough. 

I'm a helper, a fixer, a person with a hero complex if you will. I don't like sitting on the sidelines. I like the more direct approach. Therefore I wanted to be able to directly help in some small or large way. I know that by helping get the word out I'm helping but in my mind it's not enough. The fact that the economy sucks, people are pinching pennies and studios are cutting back means that making movies right now, especially independent movies, is a lot harder than it was. The funding just isn't what it used to be. So the fact that by purchasing my 2 small T-shirts I could help give just a little bit to them to get this wonderful movie made I feel like I finally have done something. 

This might seem crazy and it probably is but as I have said I'm a fixer, I have a hero complex. I want to help in any way and every way that I can. The small things never seem enough. I always am looking to do more. I still would love to be able to do more, for them, for others. But until that day I have helped in every way that I know of and for now that will have to do.

So everyone go to SGP and buy 1, 2, 10 shirts. They are totally worth every penny. 

Amazing Job!

So you know that someone is good at what they are doing when you forget that it is them doing it. 

That might not make any sense but I'll explain what I mean. 

When you watch a movie and forget about the actress or actor playing the part and believe that they are that person in that time period and in that place. That is when they are a good at acting. 

The same goes for when an actor or actress comes off of playing the same character for so long. You think that you will never see them as nothing else than that character and then they find new roles and you get to see them as that person as well.

The same can be said for the other projects they do outside of acting. Whether it's directing/producing/writing or a complete career change to singing or something else completely you know they are good at what they do when you forget about the character they played and see them as the person they are.

Because in the end they are all just real people like you and me. Real people who get paid to do what they love, like the lucky ones of us. The only difference is their job puts them in front of the cameras and in the face of millions of people. 

This whole thought process came about when I was lurking around SGP tonight. I realized that yes I love OTH. Yes I love the character Peyton. Yes I love HB as an actress. But I completely forgot that that HB was the same HB with SGP.

When it comes to the blog and the videos and writings I don't see HB the actress who plays Peyton on OTH anymore. I see an up and coming producer doing what she loves. And sometimes I don't even see her as an individual at all. I mostly just see the company as a whole. I see the vision of Kelly and Hilarie. I see the wonderful writings of Nicholas and Austin. I see the vision for making movies in Wilmington. I see the big picture. 

I was on the blog tonight and completely forgot the original reason I found it, HB. All I was focused on was the projects, the community, the pictures, and the maps. I saw everything as a whole not as something just something that HB, the actress who plays Peyton on TV was doing. 

So you know that someone is good at what they are doing when you forget that it is them doing it. 

Why I follow Southern Gothic Productions.

For anyone here who doesn't know what Southern Gothic Productions is or hasn't picked up on it in my previous blogs it is a kick ass up and coming production company based out of Wilmington, NC. It has an awesome team behind it pushing it. The team has a deep connection to the Wilmington area and are trying to keep the arts alive in the area. 

It just so happens that this company's team includes Hilarie Burton. Now I have been a fan of OTH since the very beginning and had it not been for this I probably would have never heard about SGP but if it weren't for the heart and soul of everyone involved with this company and their upcoming project Pedestrian that keep me coming back from more. 

Hilarie, Kelly, Nick, Austin, Ali, Eddie, James, everyone who has taken the time to share a little of themselves and their passion for this company and allowed us to be a small part in this. 

There is no better example of this than of the video Hilarie posted today. It's one thing to let your fans know about not coming back to a TV show but it's another to film a video and show the emotion behind this decision.

Hilarie Burton is one of the most classy actresses I have seen in a long time. You can tell that she values her fans and the support that we give her. She didn't have to address the rumors, she didn't have to share her company with us but she has let us in and engrossed us in the project. 

I can truly say that I will continue to support OTH and watch season 7 because I have watched from episode 1 and I'm not about to leave it before it leaves me. 

I will also support Hilarie and the rest of the SGP team for as long as they are together. This is not because she played Peyton Swayer for 6 years but because she inspires me with everything they do. No actor can be tied down to a single role and Hilarie is going to move on to other things with SGP and beyond. 

It's all about heart.

Apparently today is my day to blog. Actually I have been doing a lot of thinking today and have come up with a thought I felt the need to share.

I have always been hard on actors and actresses who take roles for the money, who put a paycheck ahead of doing something they love, who don't do things for the craft and heart of it but for the celebrity of it. Well lately I have found myself selfishly wanting actors and actresses to put a paycheck before doing something they love and that undermines my whole value system that I want to have getting into this industry.

I will admit that I am a huge OTH fan just like I was a huge Friends fan as well as many other shows over the years. Now just like lots of OTH fans I have been dying for a 7th season. I wanted it to stay on the air so that I could watch the fake lives of the characters that I have come to love over the last 6 years. I, as many others, were ecstatic today when it was announced that OTH had been picked up for a 7th season. But then other rumors began to circulate and it got me to thinking. 

The rumors were that CMM and HB were not going to be returning for season 7. At first I was shocked, didn't want to believe them, down right sad if this was true. But the more I have thought about it the more I have decided that if this is what happens I envy these two brave people. They want to move on with their careers and make more projects that they have a passion for. 

I have been following HB's SGP blog since the very first post, in fact it is what inspired me to start blogging myself. I was attracted to the blog and the progress of Pedestrian, not because of HB and the character she plays on a TV show but because of the heart and soul behind the project and the willingness of all the people involved to share it with the world. They passionately want to see this movie made. They passionately want to share the project with their fans. They have a passion for this project and the genre of Southern Gothic literature that radiates to everyone who browses their page. I commend them for letting the world in and allowing us to be a small part in something that is big to them.

The fact that they are making it happen makes me believe that I can make it happen. As I watch the project move through these rough times and get closer and closer to being reality I see that with hard work I too can make mine happen. All of the good things that have happened with my project has been inspired by them. They have motivated me and I hope that the support that I show in return can begin to repay them for what they have done for me without even trying to. I have followed my heart to get to where I am right now and so have they. 

So how can I selfishly wish that the rumors about HB and CMM are not true. If they want to follow their hearts on to new projects then I will support them in whatever they might be. Pedestrian is going to rock, CMM will make movies, HB will act again if she wants to. The fact that Peyton and Lucas might not be on TV isn't the end of the world, nor is it the end of OTH.

Life isn't about how much money you can make, what kind of car you drive, or having the nicest things. It's about doing something you love and having a passion for it. You have to follow your heart and your dreams. Anything else is just lying to yourself.

OTH Season 7!

It's official One Tree Hill will be back for Season 7! Several sources confirming this are listed below.

http://blueaeryn.blogspot.com/2009/02/one-tree-hill-gets-7th-season.html

http://www.tvweek.com/news/2009/02/cw_signals_its_sticking_around.php

As I am writing this a new promo for episode 617 has been posted on cwtv.com and it concerns me a little. Check it out. Problems for Leytons (dang I hate combined names) Lucas and Peytons baby dream won't be easy. 

Dang OTH for not being on again until March 16th. Can't wait to see what happens next.

Congratulations to the OTH cast and crew for the pick up and the opportunity to keep doing what they love. In today's economy having a secure job is a blessing. I am very glad they are coming back for a 7th season and truly believe that the story lines will only continue to grow and get better.

This is also good news for fans of SGP because (even tho I never thought it was an option not to) Hilarie Burton will be remaining in Wilmington for at least another year. Pedestrian is going to be a wonderful movie when it is complete and this project already has so much fan support from around the world that I know it will be big for her and SGP.

Again I am overjoyed with this news. Now all we have to do is wait and see which characters will and will not return and if we will experience another time jump (Please, Please No more time jumping).