Life of Kyle Prohaska

Workstation from today

Today I got up at about 5am.  It wasn’t as weird as I thought, since I had gotten enough sleep.  It was just like it would be if it was 9am and a normal morning, minus the darkness outside.  Either way I downed a Slimfast and got to work by about 5:30am.  It was nice driving on the roads with almost nobody.  I say almost of course because average traffic that early is still quite a few cars, much more than I would see back home at that hour.  I got in the building and into the office to put the alarm code in hoping I didn’t do something stupid and cause a fun little visit by the cops.  Luckily I remembered the number just fine and disarmed it.

The whole reason I came in early today was to start Color Timing on Blink of an Eye (visit blink.pureflix.com).  I was doing the first pass, and got started on Reels 2 & 3 until Vance was to come in at about 10.  The best part about having so many displays is you can have other things playing while you work, especially when sound doesn’t matter.  The setup they have at the office is pretty much what I have at home.  They have a RAID which I don’t have simply because I don’t need it.  Also they have a MacPro, Dual 23in Displays, a Panasonic monitor for Color Correction (I have a monitor but not an LCD), and a Panasonic Plasma for output from FCP.  Technically I have one of those but it’s in it’s box in my house back home.  I STILL haven’t found a buyer for that thing.  Maybe I’ll just take my chances and have it shipped to me, but it’ll cost me a fortune.  Even if I move from this apartment I can’t take it anywhere, same problem with the desk I wanted to buy today (which you’ll read later).  I don’t know, we’ll see what happens with that…it was expensive and I need the money from it.  I prefer to have some sort of media playing while I work, unless I’m editing.  I don’t like silence and the sound of a computer fan for 8 hours or more…it tends to grate on your sanity.  I put on Blood Diamond while I worked.  I hadn’t seen it before and while I couldn’t (obviously) give it my full attention, it kept me going as I worked.  I think playing movies or music really helps pass the time while your working, but (for me at least) doesn’t slow me down.  I remember going through my DVD collection a few times a year back home when I worked for the church.  In a work week you go through the Star Wars Trilogy (the only good ones…the old ones of course), and Indiana Jones 1-3 (4th sucks) without a problem.  Before you know it, your work day is over, you got a bunch done…and tomorrow’s another day.

I’m still thinking hard each day about where I stand as far as my job.  Every little thing it seems gets taken into account once the thought of changing position, job, location, etc. slips into my brain.  I really weigh things out heavily and never make hasty choices.  When I uproot my entire life to take a job I knew almost nothing about, and work with people I’ve never met, and move where I’ve never been, and spend money I really don’t have in abundance just to get here and get settled…I better make sure that I know what I’m doing before I axe my source of income at the moment.  The opposite was true back home working in ministry at the church.  I had to fight the fact I actually got paid to do what I was doing, and instead focus on the task at hand.  I’m not sure how this is different, but somehow it feels that way.  There are other things within all that but I won’t mention those, it isn’t necessary.  We’ll see what happens.  As I talked to my mom today on the phone, I told her I wont have trouble making money.  That’s something that’s never been a problem for me it seems.  Knock on wood of course, but most of the time I make my own way…one way or another.  I’ll get by, I’m not really worried about that.  What I am worried about is leaving and cutting off my income for too long, getting myself into some trouble before I find something else (and of course I have no idea what that would be).  We’ll see what happens.

I want to go into business for myself and stay there.  Technically that process had started long ago, but until I get a profit from something or enough side jobs to actually sustain me…that isn’t reality.  It’s always nice to get another couple thousand in the bank every few months, but that isn’t enough to support a family  Kyle!  What are you thinking about this stuff for!  Your 21!  Good grief, be a kid!  Have some fun!  Take it easy killer, I’m not the typical 20 something.  I plan, I evaluate, I save my money, I tread waters carefully and I’m building a future now…not later.  Far too many start thinking about these things too late.  I want to help build a future for the wife and kids that don’t exist yet, so when that time does come around…I can be responsible and a good steward of that blessing.  It’s not something many really agree with, but I honestly don’t want to get married until I have the financial means to support myself AND my wife.  That’s a goal, not a rock solid plan because it doesn’t always happen that way.  But if I can do it, I will.

After work I got food on the way home and just relaxed the rest of the day.  It gets really hot in my room with this computer in here, even with the window open.  This thing is like a heater, and I’m sure the mini-fridge doesn’t help.  Later on in the day I decided to go get a desk for my room.  The one in here is an odd shape and doesn’t leave me any space to put speakers.  I headed over to a local IKEA nearby.  On my way I stopped to get nail and toe clippers that I desperately needed.  I could’ve put an eye out with the shiny white knifes I had growing out of my stubby fingers.  Who needs a gun to defend themselves.  Anybody tries to rob me I could’ve just scratched them to death.  Anyways on the way there (this is 10 minutes from my home by the way), I noticed lots of great shops that I didn’t know were that close.  I knew there was a mall that I pass on my way to work, but there was another in the other direction just over the same distance.  It’s called the Carson Mall and the IKEA was next door.  That place was HUGE.  IKEA is one of the biggest places I’ve ever seen, and I couldn’t find my way around.  Three floors, terrible layout.  It felt like one of those wooden toys with the maze in it that you tilted back and forth with the steel ball in it…trying to land the ball in the hole at the end of the maze.  I eventually found the desk area but the desk I saw at work didn’t match the one I found, even though it was the same series from the company.  It looked too small.  Each monitor I have is 24in Diagonal so they are about 22in wide, and since I have two….I need a pretty wide desk to have those on there AND anything else I might add on the sides (like speakers, which I also need).  I found a wider one but it was double the price.  This place was so large you had to get a slip printed out, then go downstairs so they could bring whatever you wanted out of storage.  I wasn’t sure if the box would fit in my car so I went outside to measure.  It looks like it would fit but because I wasn’t sure I just got in my car to leave.  No since in buying then lugging it out there if it wont fit.  My dads truck would’ve come in handy right now…not sure how I’m going to buy the thing now.  Before I left the mall I stopped at Jamba Juice, a place that makes healthy fruit smoothies and such.  They’re really good and I added some antioxidants to mine to combat the fast food I had earlier lol.  On the way home I saw even more shops I didn’t know were around.  Now I know where to go for a few other things which is nice.

I can’t wait to get my own place someday, something that’s fully mine.  Some would probably be surprised in just how much care I would take in decorating and choosing furniture.  I think I just lived with what I had most of my life, and not what I bought so when the time comes to buy a place or find a nicer apartment…it’ll be nice to go shopping for things.

Well that’s my day, in pretty decent detail if I do say so myself.  Thanks for reading this far.  Till next time folks.

Today was a good day.  I got up and went to church at about noon.  There was a guy from San Diego that I planned to meet while I was there.  He was a cool guy and I met his friend and sister who was with him.  We talked for a while after church and I met up with some others I had met the previous night as well.  They’re really cool folks that I hope to know better in the future.  Service was great as well.  The message has been solid every week since I got here.  I find it to be just as solid as what I received back home which is a great surprise to me considering the churches age and location.  It’s great what God can do with little.

After church I wanted to make sure I had something to go do.  I didn’t want to drive home and just sit around all day.  Some folks were going to In&Out Burger after church so I tagged along.  They picked the one on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood which was crazy busy.  Think of a burger joint where finding parking in or even surrounding the place is impossible.  I haven’t seen something like that before, pretty remarkable.  The food is great there too.  A simple menu and real beef and potatoes for their burger and fries.  I’ve met a lot of new people every week, it’s insane.  There are a lot of pretty girls out here too (not surprising).  I’ve never had a girlfriend (sorta glad), but maybe someday…lol.  My time will come

Hollywood is one interesting place I must say.  It’s very busy, even at regulated intersections with stop lights the traffic is insane and difficult.  Finding parking is a challenge, and every walk of life lives there.  It’s more colorful and exotic, and all sorts of great shops and stuff are there too.  It’s got a little bit of everything.  I saw a few floats drive by when we were at In&Out.  They weren’t full of people, just being taken somewhere.  I guess there was a gay pride parade going on later in the day.  I made sure I got out of there before then, yikes.  The drive home was nice, I hit a little traffic but having the windows down and music blasting like I always do just makes everything easier.  When I got home it was really hot in my room.  It was only 70 or so outside but it must have been 90 in my bedroom.  I took a cold shower to cool off, which felt really good (obviously).  I started watching Munich later in the day and didn’t finish it until way later.  It’s one of the few Speilberg movies I’ve never seen, and runs almost 3 hours long.  Soon after I got home and I was about 1/4th of the way through the movie, my roommate and his girlfriend Jennifer got home.  They were going to go grocery shopping so I went with them to get some stuff.  I got lettuce, carrots, broccoli, artificial crab meat (good stuff, I haven’t had it in years), pistachio nuts, cherries, and raspberries.  I basically bought a bunch of things I like eating, something I can have for snacks or dinner that isn’t going to be unhealthy.

When we got back we sat down to eat and afterwards had a long conversation about things.  Jen is very skeptical and into the “interfaith” thing.  I don’t mind this really, and she is really nice and open to talking.  Chris is much more grounded in his theological beliefs.  We talked for a long time, a few hours at least as we ate and afterwards.  I didn’t encounter much skepticism at home because I was in a little bubble, something I explained to folks last night at the party I was at.  I was in a protective shell, and wasn’t around anything threatening, different, etc.  It was good that I moved and threw myself into a new culture, new groups of people, etc.  I really needed it I think.  I needed to see some new things and sample other ways of life (not beliefs, lol no worries there).  I was so sheltered at home that there was a fear of people in general, and an uncomfortable tendency towards different folks.  I’m around different cultures everyday so I’m getting used to interacting and being around others.  That’s good for me, someone who was very shut off and reserved to most around me when I was a teenager.  Back home everyone noticed something different from the norm.  If most people here showed up back home, they would be looked at funny.  Just the clothes alone would be made fun of by some of the punk kids around Ransomville, and the hick race fans in their big trucks.  At home if even the smallest thing felt out of the ordinary it was spotted really easy.  Out here everyone and everything is diverse so nobody cares.  I don’t have to feel so examined and such like I did back home.  I’m not as nervous out here or as “on the defense,” because honestly nobody notices.  That is a nice change for someone like me.  Hopefully this helps get me out of my shell even more so than the last year has brought me.

Till next time…

Today I got to work at 10am (typical time to start) and started right away.  The day was pretty uneventful, just greenscreen shots and odd office stuff.  I filled out a W9 needed for getting payment, and faxed it back to the offices in AZ.  For lunch I got chicken, rice, and sushi from Sushimon.  I really like that place, the food is great.  I had a pretty good conversation with Mike Scott today towards the end of the day.  He’ll be leaving tomorrow for a whole month, so I wanted to ask about the company and possibilities for the future, specifically regarding our film.  Looks like a month from now or so when Mike returns is a good time to show a cut of the film to see “what’s possible” with their involvement…if any.  Time will tell, I need to get some work done first.  I got a number of weeks to really dig in on the edit and make some decisions, tighten things up, finish some of the sound and get some temporary music put in throughout so the cut can be enjoyed a bit more.  Beyond that, it’ll be a whole new step in the process.  Distribution is long and involves a lot of wait time, but I look forward to learning all about it.  If I want to produce films in the future, I need to my hands on this process and learn as much as possible about it.  I want to do this for a living.  I told my boss today (mind you this is at the company I currently work for), that I don’t want to be in an office forever.  I want to make films, and not just films but good films.  Being on set is where I get excited, being a tech guy is just a hobby…I want producing, directing, writing, etc. to be my career.  As we talked more I think I saw Mike’s smile get a bit larger.  I think he liked the conversation and got a good idea of how similar we were in our thinking, especially when it came to building films for the right market, finding the right audiences, what our film might have that they haven’t had before, etc.  We’ll see what happens with the whole thing.  Mike did mention the possibility of me getting on one of the sets sometime in the fall, so hopefully that pans out.  I would love to leave the office for a month or two and get on a real set (and be paid).  That would be pretty cool, but it’ll depend on what Mike thinks of my abilities after seeing the rough cut of the film.  Hopefully the camera work is what catches his eye.  Wherever I might end up, I think I’ll be excited just to be there.

On the way home I stopped at target to get some things.  I needed a laundry basket, some munchies, milk, cereal, and a few other things.  I always seem to get a busted shopping cart at this place.  Everyone knows when I’m approaching because the wheel is messed up and can be heard all over the store lol.  Because it was crooked I ran into the side of one of the aisles pretty hard.  Of course I just moved the cart and acted like nothing happened, haha.  Stupid carts at this place, good grief.  When I got home it was just relaxing, emails, and I watched a movie.  Just a fun comedy called Wild Hogs.  I’ve seen it before and figured I could use a laugh.  The movie is pretty funny and did well at the box office in 07, much better than most would’ve thought.  Getting Travolta, Allen, Lawrence, and Macy in the same cast was a good move…they all bring something different to the table.

Overall a pretty uneventful day compared to most.  I’m just writing my blog and sipping some cream soda (my favorite).  Gotta love it.

Well…today was my birthday.  I’m officially 21 years old.  I woke up after a good nights sleep to pancakes made by Jennifer, Chris’ girlfriend.  They were good  I got ready for work and left soon after eating.  Vance was gone today so it was just me and Britney in the office.  I had to finish the edit of Book of Ruth and start plugging in music.  They have tons of stock music there that they’ve purchased so there are just hundreds upon hundreds of tracks of music in every genre to choose from.  I think the film has turned out pretty well compared to what it was.  It really needed some pace fixes and better transitions between scenes, and above all a faster beginning and a more climactic ending.  I think I pulled it off.

I went to Sushimon for lunch again like I did with Vance and David the day previous.  I got the same thing and it was good.  I might make that a once a week meal of mine.  It’s very good and doesn’t include a ton of sushi.  I do like the sushi though I just prefer to have my greens and rice and chicken too.  I had to make a phone call today that I was dreading for a long time now but God was gracious and everything turned out to be just fine, so Praise God.  I ended up leaving around 6 instead of 7 because Britney needed to leave and I didn’t know how to lock up, don’t have a key yet, and I’m not sure how to set the alarm.  On the way home I stopped at an Office Max and Best Buy.  I was looking at desks, TV’s, etc.  I keep seeing all the possibilities of making a home your own.  I think I’m going to love it someday when I have a house and I can decorate it.  I know what I like and I’ll enjoy buying it when the time comes sometime in the future.

I’m looking to get myself a bit more situated in my room in the next few weeks.  I’m waiting for some checks to come in and other things of the sort.  I listed my Plasma on Craigslist today hoping I snag someone to buy it soon.  I want to get rid of it because I need the money and it’s sitting in my room at home doing nothing.  I need to buy a desk, a new monitor, some speakers, etc. for my room and could use the dough now instead of later.  Hopefully I find a buyer.

I just sorta sat at home today for my Bday relaxing and chilling.  I would’ve preferred to do something but that’s ok, it turned out to be for the best.  I can’t believe how many people are out there praying for me in this move.  I’ve been getting emails and FB messages often about people encouraging and offering words of wisdom.  I very thankful for people who support me, especially in a transition time like this.  Thanks everyone!  Also thanks for all the Birthday wishes everyone left, that was great and made my day.  

Tomorrow Vance will be back in the office and I’ll be able to show him what I was able to do with the edit.  If the edit is signed off on in the next few days I’ll be getting the credits and opening titles put in, coloring the film (which will take some time), then who knows what.  Lots to do at the office, and I like it that way.

Something that I wanted to mention is how LA isn’t as different as I thought.  I lived in Ransomville, a one stop light town an hour outside of Buffalo and about 30 minutes outside of Niagara Falls.  I’m used to driving a ways to go anywhere, even to hang out with people.  If I went to Buffalo back home I was always lost, didn’t know how to drive in the city, wasn’t used to the crowded feeling, wasn’t used to highways, didn’t know where stores/restaurants, etc. were, and the list goes on.  That is exactly how it is here.  It’s as if I moved to Buffalo and not LA.  The situation is the same.  Also people here are so used to having things around the corner that a 30min drive for people is a “hike.”  I find that funny considering I drove 30min-45min MINIMUM to go do things back home…so it’s cake work for me.  I just found it interesting how similar here is to at home.  Just more people and traffic, other than that it’s just like anywhere else really.  I don’t see much difference and the transition has been pretty easy.  The hardest part is knowing where to go for what, finding people I can hang out with (which I hope to ratify soon), and coming home to a new place every night.  Once I get this room a bit more comfortable I’ll be Ok coming home here every night to live…until then it’s still a bit odd.

When Devan showed me, I had to get a picture of this shirt.

I FINALLY went shopping for new clothes today.  I don’t shop, in fact I haven’t really gotten a lot of new clothes besides maybe a pair of shoes and a shirt…for at least 3 years.  I have old High School shirts lying around that I’ve dumped and in the past month I’ve been rotating my clothing.  I simply don’t have enough and needed a new wardrobe pretty much.  I had some help from some female friends of mine (thanks Devan and Mallorie!), and they did a good job  I got some awesome stuff and I’m really happy with the quantity.  I needed jeans, shorts, shirts, some nicer buttoned shirts, flip flops, a belt or two, etc.  I got a nice pile of threads now…pretty cool.  They also forced me to get some color so I now own shirts in colors I never wore before like green, yellow, lighter blue, etc.  They look great though.  I was exhausted by the time we were done, and these stupid bags I had from the first store we went too had given me blisters and raw fingers lol.  The handles were like cheap twisted paper and they were eating away my skin.

New Stuff...woo!

I also cleaned out my car today.  I had a garbage bag worth of junk to throw out.  I had bottles, reciepts, odd papers and stuff, and a bunch of other odd things.  I vacuumed it out and got all the rocks and junk that had accumulated since winter.  I can’t believe how many rocks were in my drivers seat.  All over the floor, little pebbles from our driveway from each time I got into my car.  There was probably a hundred of them or more piled in there haha.

After shopping I went to a going away party for a friend.  I only stayed for maybe a half hour because I was so tired.  It was sorta a hi and bye type of thing.  Not going wasn’t an option so I popped in to say hello and scoot.  I’m glad to be home and relaxing.  Since the ADR with Eric didn’t go over into today, next week should be a little easier since one days stuff has been written off today!  That makes me feel better, perhaps the week wont seem as nuts…it’ll still be nuts but yea you get my point.

9 Days folks….9 Days.

Move to CA To-Do List:
- Shoot Tomorrow then come home to do ADR with Eric till night (Eric wrapped)
- Do ADR with Eric all day Saturday if we don’t finish tomorrow
- Sunday is church, then a going away potluck for me with friends and family, then hanging with friends later in the day who I probably won’t see again unless I visit (sadness…)
- Last day of shooting with Rob at church
- Go to my last Vintage night at Tuesday and cry as I say goodbye to friends.
- Shoot Pastor’s interview for the film as well as my Gaffer’s and my moms.
- Finish ADR recording with Katy and Maggie, and anything left with Aaron.
- Work on all the ADR recorded to make sure I’m not missing anything and all takes are good and fit.
- Get any shots that might be left for the film like establishing shots while I have the chance.
- Begin packing.
- Shop for a new wardrobe all day one of the days.
- Somehow work in a 40hr work week at the church (my last)
- Complete training of volunteers for the taping at church and anything needed to be worked out with the guy taking my job in ministry.
- Finalize trip details
- Visit with any other friends and family while I have the chance.
- Finish planning my Bday/Going Away party and have it!

New Jacket

I got to work and got a lot done right away.  I want to get my work done ASAP this week as it’ll be busy come thursday.  After a render started and I had time I went to go get an oil change and get a few other things done on my car before I leave for CA.  Tire rotation, new air filter(s), oil change, etc.  It costs a lot to get that stuff done.  After that I went to Sears to find a new Spring jacket.  Luckily I found on on clearance I really like.  The current jacket I have is a leather jacket my dad got me a few years ago but I was a lot bigger then and filled it out better.  Now it makes me look 20lbs heavier than I am and I don’t like it.  I could wrap the two ends around each other…that’s how much room I had inside of it.  I looked for jeans and tried on a million pairs but couldn’t find anything.  Nothing fit.  I could only find things that fit me in the waist but never in the legs and calves.  My calves are HUGE, so it’s hard to find jeans that fit comfortably that don’t look like tight emo jeans.  I tried to find some shirts or even a shirt but found nothing.  It was either plain colors, or shirts with beer companies and skulls on them.  Every single shirt had a skull on it, it was ridiculous.  I left there and went to Foot Locker for some new shoes and found some pretty snazzy ones.  I’ll post a pic of them later.  Then I went into Lewiston to get a Milkshake.  I hadn’t had one of those in forever.  Hibbards is an ice cream place in town I used to go to as a kid and it looks exactly how it did then…blue with white windows and stuff.  To my surprise someone I graduated with was

New Shoes

working there so we chatted for a while.  I forgot she worked there.  I wonder how different I looked to her with the new jacket, shoes, haircut, no beard, etc. LOL.  The thing I don’t like about those old style ice cream places is the windows.  The people who work there have to bend down and stick their body out the window to chat lol.  I won’t go into details but lets just say it isn’t the most modest view when it’s a woman at the counter.  *sigh*  Where else are you going to get a guy that’s so honest huh?  lol  Hey that’s why you keep coming back to read right!?  Anyways after that I got back to work and stayed there until like 8pm.  I haven’t worked that late in a while but I got a lot done.  When I got home I looked at the edit a little bit, tweaked some things, answered some emails, and went to bed later that night.  Overall a decent day, long but I’m glad I got a new jacket…something that actually fits me and makes me look my size.  

O that’s one other thing…when I got back to church and had the jacket on, I was asked immediately if I “had been dieting?”  I laughed because I knew that buying the coat had worked.  I instantly looked thinner, exactly what I was going for.  That other jacket made me look huge.  When I had it on you couldn’t tell how big I was.  I could’ve been 250lb for all you knew…but with this new jacket I look a lot thinner.  I actually weigh about 220 and fluctuate between that and 215lb most days.  I don’t look my weight regardless but it’s great to have someone mention that almost immediately when I got in the door.  The shopping was a success!