Monday, October 7, 2013

Reflection on Los Angeles



            Hello friends and visitors, I’d like to begin with an apology for taking such an extensive leave of absence! I graduated with my masters on August 9th, left Orlando two days later, spent a week in my hometown(s) (Juarez, Mexico and El Paso, Texas), and finally relocated to the city of angels!



            I’ve been here about a month and a half and it is hard to believe I still have no Internet; however, that’s not the only reason why I haven’t blogged, I’ve been quite busy. I’ve had the chance to catch up with many of my friends from college and I have worked on several projects.

            I worked a few days as a production assistant on a short indie titled Modern Problems. This took place in the flower and fashion districts of LA. The story is about a Los Angeles couple and their relationship issues.
I also ran some errands for Toby, my boss in Orlando, and had the opportunity to catch up and meet some amazing people.
Another project I worked on was a three-part music video for legendary 80s rock band Queensryche. I was a production coordinator and I feel blessed to have met producer Marco De Molina from Veva Entertainment Co. He has been a mentor for me and I’ve learned a lot about production from him during my time here. The final cut is locked, but now they’re working on color correction and sound. It’s scheduled to be released next week, so keep an eye for a blogpost on that along with a Q&A with the director.
Last but not least, I worked as a stand-in and extra on season two of ABC’s The Taste. That was a fun gig because we shot at the "The Voice" soundstage in Universal Studios. I met a bunch of wonderful people.

            This blogpost is a reflection on Los Angeles, a city that definitely makes you tougher and smarter in a way. I love the vibe, the sunsets, and the fact that there’s always something fun to do. I visited the GRAMMY museum, went to the Griffith Observatory, attended a live taping of Chelsea Lately, among other things. It reminds me of this blogpost I wrote last year where I debate if I should move here or not. I’m glad I did.

            To end this note, I think I was meant to fall in love with movies, television, and entertainment in general before I was born. They’ve always captivated me, they inspire and influence me in various ways, and they are what I want to be a part of for the rest of my life. A friend of mine recently wrote a quote on her Facebook account that goes like this: “Does this mean that you can be anything you want to be when you grow up? Well, that's certainly the American dream. But it's also the American myth! It's democratic and reflects our national character to say that anyone can become the next president or CEO or movie star. But the truth is you can become only a highly developed version of who you already are -- you can only grow into your own potential. You've been wired from early in life, perhaps even from birth, to love certain things, to see the world a certain way, to blossom in particular environments, and to respond naturally and easily to specific opportunities.” I was wired from early in life to love art in the form of film.

Ricardo Ramos Copyright 2013