![GoldFold Giveaway! [Ended]](https://needlegirlhaystackworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/fold-collage-240x195.jpg)
GoldFold Giveaway! [Ended]
Update: Thank you all for entering, and congratulations to the winner: Ally from Victoria, Australia! Readers!! I’m so excited to give you the chance to win one of my all-time favorite items to have on set — the GoldFold AD Wallet! I remember the first time I saw a GoldFold. It was the summer of 2008, back when I was a naive, wide-eyed production assistant. I was constantly darting around set, moving things, grabbing things, running with things I probably shouldn’t have been. My hands were always full, but I knew I needed to have call sheet, sides, and spare paper with me at all times. I tried to fold the pieces of paper carefully in my pocket, but they’d always get crumpled up. It’s embarrassing when an executive asks you for an extra call sheet and it’s a wadded mess! And that was when I saw it. Sticking out of the back pocket of the 1st AD — the GoldFold. In it were the schedule, call sheet, and sides — and any other papers needed. The AD would calmly pull the call sheet wallet out of their back pocket for reference, and stick it back without worry. It was then that I knew I needed a GoldFold. What is the GoldFold? A beloved tool used by assistant directors on film, commercial, and television sets around the nation, the GoldFold stands alone as the original and highest quality call sheet wallet on the market. Designed by a DGA 1st AD, the GoldFold is the perfect tool for keeping your call sheets, schedules, and notes crisp– despite being folded in your pocket. Each GoldFold is individually hand crafted from leather and outfitted with strong magnets to keep your on set paperwork tidy. They normally retail for $150, but to celebrate this year’s re-release and the holiday season, Travis Gold himself has graciously agreed to share the GoldFold love with one lucky Needle Girl Haystack World reader! To Enter: Utilizing the nifty little Rafflecopter widget below, you can choose how you’d like to enter by doing one of the following: Sign up for the GoldFold newsletter at GoldFold.com (gets you the most amount of entries!) Tweet about the contest Like Needle Girl, Haystack World on Facebook Follow @needlegirlHW on Twitter Leave a comment below You can even do everything to maximize your number of entries, thereby giving you a higher probability of winning. You can also tweet about the contest every day for an additional +5 entries EVERY DAY until the contest ends on December 10th at 12am EST. Good luck!! a Rafflecopter...
An Ode of Gratitude to Production Assistants
Being a production assistant is often a thankless job, and the duties can seem mundane and not having much of an impact on the project — but PAs are the life blood of a smooth and successful shoot — whether it’s a 15-person reality crew or a $100 million motion picture. Most crew recognize the importance of a good production assistant team, but in the event they haven’t expressed it lately… To PAs everywhere, Thank You For: Handing out water and crafty to crew, it’s always appreciated since most don’t have time to step away to get it themselves. Picking up coffee, it’s a HUGE morale boost and keeps the crew awake in the post-lunch slump. It helps us move faster and wrap sooner. Setting up chairs and tables at lunch, it provides a few moments of comfort after running around on our feet for 6 hours and still have another 6 to go. Going on a run to pick up that replacement piece of gear, because the project couldn’t be completed without it! Locking up, it keeps us on schedule and prevents cars and pedestrians from “busting the shot” and forcing several additional takes. Picking up trash and restocking coolers without being asked, it helps the coordinator focus on problem-solving bigger issues and providing additional support for their boss. Providing fresh walkie batteries, you are keeping the channels of communication open! Always having a pen or Sharpie since I am always losing mine. Setting up pop-up tents, it keeps the gear dry and/or prevents the director from getting sunburned (and no one wants to deal with a cranky, sunburnt director.) Getting down and dirty, whether it’s clearing an alley of debris or shoveling horse manure — I know that sucked, but the shot now looks brilliant and beautiful. Keeping your eyes open and observing where various crew and cast members are, even though it may not be asked of you. (When a show has to waste 5-10 minutes tracking down someone, tensions get high… fast.) Picking up lunch, because six hours without a real meal is always a long time — seriously, THANK YOU. Filling the production vehicles with gas at the end of the day, it prevents the crew from having to make a pit-stop and waste precious minutes while on the clock. Picking the actor/DP/executive up at the airport, it frees up time for the coordinator/production manager to work on finalizing details for the shoot or address any concerns they may not have had time to think of had they had to go to the airport themselves. Keeping the background organized and happy, because cooperative background are essential to making a...
A Walk Through the Ukrainian Village of Rozvadiv
Rozvadiv is an unassuming village in West Ukraine, located 45 minutes south of Lviv and home to only 5,000. This could be considered “Quintessential Ukraine”: endless fields, livestock roaming through the neighborhoods — and the only sound is the hum of the river Dniester and rumbling of the occasional train. I enjoyed my weeks in Kiev and Lviv immensely, but I didn’t feel I truly experienced Ukraine until I took a walk through Rozvadiv. When Hitler marched Eastward through West Ukraine, Rozvadiv didn’t remain untouched. Nazi soldiers passed through, kidnapping teenage boys — one of whom was my grandfather. It has been left largely as it was after the USSR collapsed, save a few exceptions: a few more automobiles and satellite dishes; plus a fresh coat of paint on the main cathedral. The cathedral could be described a Rozvadiv’s the main attraction, which is impossible to miss from almost any place in the village. Since the crumbling of communism, finding employment and maintaining survival in these villages has been tricky. Most homes have beautiful, elaborate gardens and some form of livestock. I was surprised to learn that while several have cell phones and electricity, few have indoor plumbing. Rozvadiv has its own school, government office, and a pair of product shops, but no options in the way of eateries or restaurants. (When I went out to lunch with my family, we went to the neighboring town of Mykolaiv, which has three times the population and a larger array of businesses and employment opportunities). Perhaps it was Soviet influence, but Ukraine loves their larger-than-life monuments — and Rozvadiv is no exception. I first saw this dramatic angel statue in my grandfather’s 1992 video of Ukraine, and for one reason or another, he had edited into the Lviv portion of the video. I assumed it was in Lviv, and that it would be one of the main tourist attractions. I asked every local I met, “Where is the giant angel statue?!”, only to be answered with bewilderment. I eventually gave up, figuring the statue had been demolished. When we turned the corner of the main street in Rozvadiv, there it was. I gasped with surprise. It was even larger in person than I’d imagined. The River Dniester The Dniester is one of Ukraine’s main waterways, and it was also a place of joyous childhood memories for my grandfather– happier days that his years of torment under the Nazi regime couldn’t erase. I took the soil in my hands, and imagined my grandfather fishing, swimming, horseplaying here — and how everything he loved was taken from him in a moment. And then I think...
When Life is Better than a Story (Finding My Family in Ukraine)
My grandfather came from a large family. He was one of seven children, and over the years and with additions of new generations, the family count had grown to 50 people (and perhaps more!). I saw a few pictures of my cousins, but it wasn’t until my grandfather went back to Ukraine in 1992 and documented his own adventure that my mother and I could see into the lives of our family, hear their voices and grasp how different Ukraine was from the US. How do you completely lose touch with an entire family in the digital revolution? My grandfather passed away in 2003, and it was the beginning of a very difficult time for my little family in Virginia. I won’t go into specifics, but there were health problems that ensnared us. Thinking, writing, talking in Ukrainian was too much for my mother. Address books got misplaced, phone numbers changed as landlines faded away in favor of cell phones. When I first started making plans to go on the Motherland adventure over two years ago, I consulted the Internet to glean any information about my Ukrainian family. I was able to find very little evidence of the surname of my grandfather, “Hryca”. My mom wasn’t sure, but she was under the impression that in the 20 years since my grandfather had visited Ukraine, Ukrainians had to adapt to life without the USSR. As a result, we suspected, everyone had scattered to larger cities. There was no one I could call or write to explain I was coming. I’d have to do it on my own. Going Anyway Compelled is the only way I can describe it. I had to go to Ukraine. I had no idea what I would find, but whatever it was, it was waiting for me. One of the best tips I’ve been given about travel is to make loose plans, but set no expectations. Not knowing if finding my family would be feasible, the purpose of my trip became “preserve the heritage and legacy”, as that seemed attainable. I wanted to one day be able to tell my kids about Ukraine– and not just from stories that I’d heard, but from my own experiences. I knew my grandfather’s heart was in West Ukraine. I wanted to pick up a few words of the language, walk the streets my grandfather walked, and go to the village where he was raised before he was kidnapped as a teenager. I had an old address, which might be enough to see if I had any relatives left in the village — but nothing else. I realized the level of difficulty of my quest...
On the Sets & Behind the Scenes of Movies & Television
Maybe you’re wondering, “All these posts are great…but what is being on the set really LIKE?” To help you get an idea, here are a collection of some decent behind-the-scenes videos that show a glimpse of the atmosphere behind the lens. (I tried to choose ones that are raw and limit the “talking head” style.) On the Set: The Hunger Games The Coen Brothers Behind the Scenes Behind the Scenes: The Black Knight Behind the Scenes: Transformers On the Set of: The Notebook Behind the Scenes: The Lord of the Rings Note: This is about 50 minutes long, but I remember this specific DVD extra planting the seed in me to pursue a career in film. Behind the Scenes: Jurassic Park On the Set of: The Office Behind the Scenes: Dumb and Dumber The Walking Dead (Season 2 Finale – spoiler alert!) The Great Gatsby (showcasing before/after special effects) DISCLAIMER: I do not own the copyright to any of these. Showcasing for educational use only....
Starting a career in Film and Television — is Film Connection legit?
Today’s question is from a reader about to graduate from high school and is looking for guidance on launching their career. They also are asking about a specific film program. I’m a senior in high school and I’ve been looking into colleges that have film classes and degrees. I want to learn to write screenplays, produce, work the cameras, lighting, directing, etc. While looking at schools in Atlanta, Georgia, I found a school called Film Connection. They claim to be different in their approach to teaching their students and make interesting claims about what they have to offer for prospective students. I’ve read a few reviews that support Film Connection’s claims, but they still come off as a little sketchy to me and my teacher who has been helping me look into school. I would like to know what your advice would be in regards to what would be best for my career, what I should be looking for in a school in regards to what they have to offer in film, and if you believe it would be best for me to focus on getting a degree or getting on the job training. I’d also like to know your opinion on the school I mentioned, Film Connection, and whether you think it would be a good idea for me to further explore them as an option. So many great questions here! Firstly, let’s tackle the Film Connection question. I’ve never heard of Film Connection, nor have I worked with any of their graduates (but that doesn’t mean anything), so I took a look at their website. While they do have a few legitimate points, there were a couple of red flags for me: They appear to be a “chain”. To me, this means they’re focused on the quantity of students they can obtain instead of the quality of the education. There are a myriad of ways to get into the film industry. No one school holds the key, and if that’s one of their selling points, I would be wary. It reminds me of music producers that charge parents money to turn their kid into a star. If only it were so easy as to drop a few thousand dollars on seminars and be guaranteed connections and a job upon graduation! Sadly, that’s not the case. I could be off base, but those are my first impressions. Go with your gut on this one! Film Degree vs. On the Job Training There are so many options for someone about to embark on their college adventure, there is not one right paththat will guarantee a career in television or film....
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I'm Laryssa, and when I'm not working in film or television, I'm attempting to travel -- or I'm here, providing resources for working in film or travel. Read more Elsewhere on the internets
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