prettysmoker

From: Tereasa

Subject: Leaving       

Date: Mon, 24 May 2002 17:13:18

The count down to Nigeria has begun.  As the hours wind down Charlie and I find our “to do list” growing. The more we accomplish the more we remember what we are forgetting.  The past two weeks have been amazing. Charlie finally finished his thesis film, Wilcox Rode! This coming after his Jeep containing the master tapes was stolen two months ago. His screening went well. His professors congratulated him on a job well done.  Our school held it’s own Oscar ceremonies. Faculty voted on best students films. Charlie didn’t win anything. We both had an extra drink for that. The after party was held at Hard Rock Cafe in Newport Beach. The school bused us all there. It felt like high school senior trip all over again. Charlie and I really enjoyed ourselves.  It was the first time in a long time where we were able to relax and spend the evening without a million things to be done.  Charlie treated me to a shopping trip during the day for a new outfit. I was grinning ear to ear and feeling quite pretty that night.  We are all set for Nigeria.  We’ve attained our visas, passports and shots.

 Today was exciting. We cast the female and male lead for our movie.  We’ve  put these actors through the ringer over the past couple of weeks. Today was their screen test.  The purpose of the screen test is to see how they look on film. Some actors may look good in person but not as good on screen.  Charlie and I had already made up our mind we were going to cast them. It is not professional to let an actor or actress know they have been cast at the actual audition, but we were so excited to tell them we sort of blurted it out. Sonja was so excited she hugged us repeatedly.  Tim and Sonja made jokes about being on candid camera. So, needless to say they are very excited. They will fly over with Daron on June 22. Daron is the other American going with us. He is the director of photography. Charlie and I are both moving out of our apartments on Saturday. We will be moving to the LA area when we return to be near the studio we will set up  for post production. We will put all of our stuff in storage in the meantime.  Chapman University lets students keep their vehicles in the parking garage for the summer. This was good news because it would have been expensive to store our vehicles elsewhere.

We fly out of Lax on Monday at 5:30 pm. We fly to New York and on to London where we will get in at 11:45pm the following evening. Here’s the best part. We have an 11 hour lay over in London. We’ve already been told about a cafe to eat at. Then it’s onto to Nigeria. We arrive on the 29th at 5 am in the most populated city in Nigeria, Lagos. That evening we will attend the film premiere for the documentary we edited. We asked Bimbo (the executive producer) about what to wear. He said a tux for Charlie and a floor length gown for Tess (they all call me tess for some reason). Of course I had no problem having to go shopping for a formal gown. I have to find something affordable because we just spent an enormous amount of money on visas and shots (over $800). Granted, we paid for the rush job which cost extra and we had to overnight it, but the cost was a little hard to swallow.  At the premiere we will get to meet the president of Nigeria (whom the documentary is about) as well as all the heads of state.  Bimbo said we needed to look nice because most likely we will have to go up to the podium and take a bow. So there you have it, my childhood fantasy come true. I get to be a princess for the day. I will definitely fit the image now that I am a blonde!

To my worrying parents; I have all the information I need on what to eat and not to eat. I will be very safe. We will have on site security (I think they will be armed) and we will be staying in an American style hotel (the Sheraton  probably) with many other Americans. The oil companies have so many executives in Nigeria they cater to Americans in this area.  I may fly home around August 13th. We have left the option open for me to go home earlier  than that if need be. I’m sure Olivia will have a wonderful summer but if anything happens and she needs me I can return. I made it through finals and feel good about having finished my first year of film school. It has been truly amazing here. When we return Charlie and I will set up our avid editing station  in Hollywood. I will start post production on the film and will most likely hire an assistant because Charlie will be off on another job we have already lined up with Richard (the producer of this film). Charlie will be camera man for another documentary. He may even  fly to Korea and Ireland. That leaves me with our film. It will most likely take six months to complete post production. This is not a request but a demand on my part since we nearly killed ourselves posting the president documentary in just seven weeks. I will start up with school again. I will be beginning my thesis. Olivia will start kindergarten. I promised her a pet ferret when she comes back.

Charlie and I have reflected back to the fateful day of January 21, 2002. It was my 28th birthday. We were both jobless.  Charlie does not normally pray. That day, we were on our way  to six flags to celebrate my birthday. We rode in silence. Charlie told me he asked God to help us out in some way. He said minutes later his cell phone rang. It was a friend of his who said he knew of some producers who were looking for someone to edit their documentary. The rest is history, but Charlie and I feel divine intervention is the reason we are going to Africa on Monday.

Pray for a safe flight and return for Charlie and I. I will be in touch through e-mail and phone. I will send an e-mail when I have arrived. I love you all and would not be doing this without your love and support.  An amazing thing happened. While our actors rehearsed their scenes I saw my words, my expression as an artist and writer come to life. It was an amazing feeling.

Kiss Olivia everyday for me! Tell her always how much I love her and that I am coming back for her. I guess I worry she doesn’t know that. I will send my address as well if anyone wants to write an old fashion letter. It takes two weeks to arrive, but I will be there for eight.

Love and kisses,

Tereasa

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