Donna in Hollywoodland

The blog from Los Angeles and Hollywood by Donna Grayson

Saturday, November 11, 2006


AFI Film Festival Day 11

Over at the AFI Film Festival , I started the day out seeing "Beautiful Ohio" ., which I missed last night.
Chad Lowe was there to do a Q&A as well. So that was great.

Then I headed over to The Mann Chinese Theatre to volunteer for the Gala Presentation of "The Fountain".

I stopped off at the Green Cafe in the Hollywood & Highland center to get some dinner before.

Tonight, my job was as an usher again. And since the Chinese Theatre is so huge, tonight was one of the easier nights.

I got to sit towards the back, in the center, to watch "The Fountain".
Hugh Jackman was sitting just up the aisle from me.

You can see pictures of the Arrivals over at Wire Image.com .

I liked "The Fountain", but it is very difficult for me to watch anything that has a story line about Cancer in it.
I sit there and I compare what the movie character is going through, against what I went through with the Breast Cancer last year.
And even tho it was a great film, I was alittle depressed by the end - but it was because of the cancer story line.

Some of the other volunteers were hanging out after the movie, trying to see the stars.
And I had a ticket for another movie, so I got in my car and went back to the Archlight.

The movie I saw was "Alien Autopsy" - and it was so good !
It cheered me right up.
It is the humorous story of when two British lads where accused of having faked a documentary from the Roswell, New Mexico incident in 1947.
I really found it both interesting and entertaining.

I met up with a friend, who was there seeing other movies. We ended up having a glass of wine in the Arclight Cinemas Restaurant.
And sitting and chatting.
I told her that I am giving serious thought about volunteering at the Sundance Film Festival this year.
I am having so much fun here at AFI.

Pictures are on WireImage.com
The Fountain - Arrivals
and
The Fountain - After Party



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Friday, November 10, 2006


AFI Film Festival Day 10

Tonight, while volunteering at the AFI Film Festival , I took tickets, handed out ballots, counted the badges - all sorts of things.
We were low on volunteers again.

The theatre I was in was pretty sleepy with no real excitement going on.
All the excitement was across the hallway for the screening of "Beautiful Ohio" .
Celebrities there:
Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Rob Lowe, and Chad Lowe.

As I went to the concession stand, Rob Lowe was right in front of me.

That theatre was sold out, so there was no way I would get in.

So I went and and watched "Triad Election" .

Pictures are on Wireimage.com
Beautiful Ohio Premier

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Nov 10 2006 Photos


Cinnamon Gets A Bath

Cinnamon the Cat Gets a Bath !!!


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Thursday, November 09, 2006


AFI Film Festival Day 9


Okay, this was one of those hectic, crazy nights.
Over at the AFI Film Festival to volunteer..
I didn't see any celebs. They have started to escort many of them in via the back doors, so they don't get stuck in the mad rush of theatre patrons who are coming and going to all the movies.
Ashley Judd was there, for "Come Early Morning" , but she was escorted in the back so I did not see her.

The worst thing about volunteering for any movie - anywhere, for any organization - is when they throw a party before the screening of the movie.
That means there are guests arriving to see the movie who are completely drunk.
And you have to try to get their tickets while they stand there and sway back and forth.
One woman was so drunk, she couldn't even get her hand into her purse to get her ticket. She kept aiming for the purse and missing. She was holding up the long line, and I was just about to get the Manager when she finally got her hand in her purse and got her ticket. Then she stumbled into the theatre.

And of course, being drunk can make some people obnoxious. I am only 4 feet 10 inches - so I can't fight people.
Some very well dress people came barrelling passed - very liquored up.
I politely asked for their tickets.
The woman snapped "We're VIPs" and they pushed passed, the smell of liquor fumes trailing after them.

The volunteer I was working with was so upset.
I looked for the Manager, and he had other problems he was dealing with.
I said "Let it go. Theres nothing we can do about it. We are only volunteers".
When the manager came by, I mentioned it to him just so he knew.

The screening was completely sold out, so I just hung out in the lobby.

Then, after all that - they asked me to stay and work a second shift.
They had added a midnight screening of "Pan's Labyrinth " and needed volunteers.
So I was there to take tickets again.

It was one of those movies where everyone wanted to see it. And there wasn't a single seat left in the place.
The line went down the hall, to practically where the escalators are on the Arclight Cinemas second floor.
They had a "Rush Ticket line near the box-office, but I don't think any of those people got in.

I have to say, most people in the line for "Pan's Labyrinth" were very nice, and well-behaved. They were just fans who wanted to see the movie.

One young hippy-looking couple approached me. The girl held her ticket upside down, so the print was facing the floor.
She held on to it, and wouldn't let me take it. She wanted me to rip it while she held it.
"No, I need to see your ticket, please."
Of course, I turned it over and saw that they had purchased a ticket for another movie, and were trying to sneak in.
"This is the wrong ticket" I said. And they got out of line.

Two more guys tried it. They handed me the ticket, I looked at it "Sorry this is the wrong movie."
They acted confused looking at the sign. I almost believe they were at the wrong theatre, their acting was so good.

Finally, the entire theatre was packed. And they wanted to release the rush seats.
The manager telling people "If you leave now to go to the bathroom or to get concessions, we are giving your seat away."
It was that crazy - and there was that many people who wanted in to see Pan's Labyrinth.

I got home close to 2 am.

Pictures are here on WireImage.com:
Come Early Morning Dinner & Screening
and
Come Early Morning After Party

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Wednesday, November 08, 2006


AFI Film Festival Day 8

Okay, I have to tell you. Everything is turning into a big Blur.
I am working my Full-time job in an accounting office. And coming over to the AFI Film Festival to volunteer every night.
I am completely enjoying myself.
Working really hard. Seeing lots of movies, and lots of celebrities.
But I am starting to forget when and where and what.

I have ended up driving the half block from my office on most days.
It feels safer than walking back at night, on Sunset Blvd.

Tonight, I actually drove the half block. And when I got to the Arclight Cinemas , there was no parking.
The structure was completely full.
so I had to turn around and drive the half block back to my office.
And leave the car there. Where it was to begin with. Then walk over.

All of the traffic along Sunset, along with the completely full parking structure,
It made me nearly an hour late for my volunteer shift.

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Nov 8 2006 Photos


West LA Garden

Gardens in West LA



West LAPalm Tree Reflections in West LA


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Tuesday, November 07, 2006


AFI Film Festival Day 7

Tonight was a pretty exciting night at the AFI Film Festival .
I saw lot of celebrities go passed me, even thought they were not in my theatre.

I was volunteering at the first theatre, which I really like - because you can see everything. And you can see everyone who goes passed.

I dashed into another theatre and saw a Shorts Program, which I enjoyed.
Then I saw "How Much Further", a film from the country of Ecuador - which I really liked.
And I saw "No Sweat" a documentary about the garment district in Los Angeles.

As I was working my volunteer shift, I saw quite a few celebrities go by, who where there for other theatres.
Brittany Murphy and Marcia Gay Harden who were out of the "The Dead Girl" screening.
They came out with the entire crowd of theatre patrons, and it was pretty scary watching them leave with a mass of people surrounding them.

Then Colin Farrell and Jon Voight walking together - Collin's arm around Jon Voight's neck - as they went to go see "Wristcutters A Love Story."

I asked one of the Managers "Is Collin Farrell here ? Is he in watching that movie?"
His answer "I can't confirm or deny that - but maybe"

Then, at the very end, I ran in to see the documentary "No Sweat", and Daryl Hannah was sitting not to far from me.
This is a very interesting documentary about the Los Angeles Garment District. It made me really want to read and get more information about Garment Workers.

Pictures on WireImage.com
Dead Girls Premiere

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Monday, November 06, 2006


Nov 6 2006 Photos


hollywood & highland

Hollywood and Highland



purple 1556 Purple in Hollywood



Reflection in West LA

Palm Tree Reflection in West LA



purple pink flowers

Flowers in West LA


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AFI Film Festival Day 6

I have my office job, in the same block as the Arclight Cinemas .
So I have been leaving my car in the parking structure of my job. And walking over to the Arclight for the AFI Film Festival to volunteer.
This is fine, on the way there.
But walking back at night, along Sunset even just a half block, it is pretty scary.

So tonight I decided to drive the half of a city block, and park in the Arclight parking structure.
It was going to cost me $6, but I felt safer.
Well, driving the half block - made me late for my shift !!!

It took me about a half hour to drive from my office to the Arclight, because of all the traffic.
Then once I got into the structure, I had to drive around and around and around - because the lot was completely full!

I almost said forget it, and went home. But I was glad I stayed.
There was a Gala Presentation going on in the Dome, which I was not doing.
I was in the smaller theatres on the second floor of the Arclight.
All the volunteers seemed to be over at the Gala, so they really needed people in the smaller theatres.
So they were short of people when I got there, and even though I was late, they were happy to see me.

I only saw one movie tonight.
"Air Guitar Nation" about the world-wide competition of Air-Guitar players.
It was so funny !

Then, across the hall in another theatre, the manager needed help.
He had had The Shorts Program previously. And he needed help counting the Ballots.
Well, counting the Ballots for a full length movie is easy.
But they had an entire program of Short films.
So we had make a Grid on a piece paper.
And I called out the votes on each ballot, while the Manager made tick marks.
It took us nearly an hour and a half to get all the Short film ballots counted.

Yes, I got off of my volunteer shift very late tonight.


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Sunday, November 05, 2006


AFI Film Festival Day 5

Okay, I saw Four movies again today, over at the AFI Film Festival . This time, one of my friends had another movie to go see someone else in Hollywood, so we did not meet up.
I went to the Volunteer Check-In table, and got more vouchers.
Then I got more tickets.

My first movie to see was "The History Boys" .
I liked it, but there was one scene entirely in French without subtitles.
And since I don't speak French, I was lost.

Then the next movie I saw was "The Secret Live of Happy People" .

Next, it was time to start my Volunteer Shift.
I didn't want to see the movie that was playing in my theatre, so I asked the manager
"What time does this get out? What time do you need me back?"

So I jumped into the theatre across from us and saw "Comic Evangelists" .
It is a really funny story about a group of comics in a church group, who compete in a big comedy festival.
It was very funny.

Pictures on WireImage.com
History Boys premier


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December 5 2006 Photos


Cinnamon

Cinnamon Wants her Chin Scratched

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