ASC Awards – Film Biz Glam!

Last night I attended the American Society of Cinematographers award dinner at the Grand Ballroom of Hollywood and Highland.  It’s one of the few times I get to be on the opposite side of the camera!  Although I felt pretty all dolled up in my beautiful handmade Qi Pao, honestly I would much rather stay on THIS side of the camera and take cool photos of people.  🙂

On the red carpet feeling like a star!

 

Here’s a photo of me and the husband getting ready for the glam.

I have to admit, I was totally star-struck being in the same room with so many great Cinematographers whose work I admire.  They are the reasons why I decided to be in the film industry!  On the steps leading up to the ballroom, we stopped to say hi to some friends, and this good-looking man walked by.  I decided to be social and introduced myself.  “Hi, my name is Marie.”  “Hi,” he smiles, “I’m Rodrigo.”  We shook hands.  And then it struck me – this is Rodrigo Prieto!  Amazing cinematographer who most recently shot Biutiful, also helmed the lens for such wonderful and gorgeous films like Babel, Brokeback Mountain, Broken Embraces, 8 Mile, and Amores Perros!  I turned to him and said incredulously, “YOU’RE Rodrigo Prieto?!”  He smiles again.  “Yes I am”  Wow.  I screamed, and said, “I’m sorry, but I have to shake your hand again.  I LOVE your work.”  He seemed pretty used to things like this and shook my hand again.  Unfortunately I was too star-struck to take a photo with him.  Next time.  I did, however, have a photo of the equally amazing Roger Deakins (True Grit, The Reader, No Country for Old Man, House of Sand and Fog, The Man Who Wasn’t There, Fargo, Shawshank Redemption, the list goes on…) as he walked by my table after receiving Lifetime Achievement Award from presenter and long-time collaborator Joel Coen.

(Wo)Man’s Best Friend – Pet Photography

They are there when we are sad, there when we are happy, and there …when it is really cold in the middle of a rainy night to wake us up to go pee.

But we love them just the same!

Who’s your best buddy?  Here are some of mine…

This is Ginger, who was recently sprayed by a skunk and zoomed back in the house smearing herself on everything, resulting in a REALLY stinky house for a few weeks.  I washed her 5 times with different solutions (thanks to all my friends’ suggestions) and finally she doesn’t smell like Pepe le Pew anymore.

And this is MeiMei, a 15-lb. Maine Coon, one of the coolest cats I’ve ever met.  She loves to eat grass, hates guitar (or my singing), and hates to be carried like a baby (although her mom and dad beg to differ!)

Family Equality Council annual gala – Event Photography

House of Blues Marquee

Last weekend I photographed the Family Equality Council annual gala at the Hollywood House of Blues.  For those of you who hasn’t been there, it’s this shack-looking building on Sunset Blvd. with funky lights and really cool mural-liking paintings on the walls.  The event honors those who have fought for social justice and marriage equality, including the plaintiffs of Prop. 8.  The special guests included actress Jane Lynch, who plays Sue Sylvester in the popular TV series GLEE, and Dustin Lance Black, who wrote and won an Academy Award for MILK.

Executive Director of Family Equality Council Jennifer Chrisler with actress Jane Lynch

Academy Award winner Dustin Lance Black (R)

I know this is silly, but the entire time I was photographing Jane (with a throne of people who were in line to either shaker her hand or take a photo with her), I kept expecting someone to break into song and dance… and I almost expected her to show up in her famous track suit.  She actually looked marvelous in a jacket and pants, and was very nice and professional!

The entertainment of the evening was the Gay Men’s Choir, whose members not only all look gorgeous, but also can really sing!  I got goose pumps when they all started clapping and stomping during the finale.

The Gay Men's Choir takes center stage

Overlooking the main floor at the House of Blues

John Perez, Speaker of California Assembly, chats with screenwriter Dustin Lance Black at the event