Saturday, April 12, 2008

Lost in Translation?

I spoke to my friend in L.A. He said my landlord is over 80 and her English is not great. When she said "show the apartment" she meant show it to me. Hmmm okay.

Anyway she emailed me and said the contractors are working as fast as possible to get the floors down. She wants to meet next week so we can get to know each other. This should interesting. ha.

My friend in L.A. (he is from Rome and his mom is best friends with the landlord) told him if I needed a place to stay his mom said could stay with her. She also invited me to watch election results with their family (including said landlord) which is very sweet.

This morning I wrote from 6 - 9 and then went on a looooong walk. I cut through Borghese Park, walked down the Spanish Steps, on Via Condotti, to Piazza del Popolo, then back through the park.

It was good to talk to G. and C. yeserday. I met C. back in L.A. when she was working for the L.A. office of the Italian film company she works for. She told me to cut myself some slack. I haven't even been here two weeks yet. She is a native Italian and when she moved to Rome it was difficult.

She also suggested I rethink production work and focus on my writing. Film budgets here are much smaller and type of positions I'm thinking of are usually filled by the producer's assistant for no money. Also given that I was a producer on a movie with a budget more than 10 times the avg. Italian film, she said her boss would say I was overqualified and not hire me (plus there is that uhm, language issue).

She wants to read my book as a sample of my writing. They have a couple English speaking projects.

This morning I was thinking about our conversation. I know my move might seem to contradict this but I am a very pratical person. Sometimes too practical. I have looked at my budget for the rest of the year and I think...I have to get a job! Instead I should for the next couple of months just finish my script, let my manager keep shopping the book and know that things will work out.

I have had a few kick ass writing days since I arrived here. I finally "see" the script in my head and think about the characters and dialogue all the time.

Yesterday after lunch G. showed me the building Fellini lived in. That street is so gorgeous. Today we are meet at some political lunch thing then he is going to let me borrow a bunch of recent Italian language films.

I hope to finish the rough draft of the script by the end of the month. I'm feeling very motivated and inspired.

15 comments:

Homebody at Heart said...

Well, I'm glad it was just a mis-understanding! Your landlady sounds very sweet. Once when we cut through the Villa Borghese park, we came upon a horse show with the tallest and most highstrung horses I have ever seen. Imagine, a horse show in the middle of Rome!

Homebody at Heart said...

Sorry, I misread, your friend's mom said you could stay with her not the landlady. But, I'm sure the landlady will be nice to you, too!

Anonymous said...

C's advice to you regarding Italian film work is very, very wise... Budgets are much smaller here and crew is underpaid compared to American productions. Not to mention nepotism is rampant! My friends in Rome who work on film are always VERY excited when an American production rolls into town- they always say the American pay better and work better! (not so sure how many american productions will be coming here now that the euro is out of control though!)
In bocca al lupo!

Giulia said...

Glad to see that you are back on track with the landlady!

By the way, LOVE your new "About me" snippet! ;)

Claudia said...

since you have so much background, maybe you could even do some freelance work with an american company for work?
I hope the apartment works out.

glamah16 said...

Whew!!!! Keep moving along.

Anonymous said...

My Roman friend gave me this advice when looking for working in Italy. Sign on with a company outside of Italy!
Sad but true...

Texas Espresso said...

sounds like today was MUCH better! =) I think your friend is right - don't be so hard on yourself. I can imagine its hard to not get frustrated but you haven't been there long at all. and with Italian - well, I think it takes a lifetime to fully grasp it. do you have trouble understanding the Roman style of Italian? I was just curious - I find it harder to understand other areas of Italian since my husband speaks Italian in the Veneto/Padovan way.

Yay! I am glad things are looking up =)

ladonnadifilicudi said...

Brava Arlene... sembra che oggi sia andato meglio.
Prova adattarti al modo degli italiani. Fai tutto lentamente!! Avevano ragione gli altri! Sei stata soltanto in Italia per due settimane piu` o meno.
Abbi pazienza cara amica! Ti abbraccio forte!

Anonymous said...

The most appropriate word here would be TRUST, a simple word that is very great in it's power :)

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

Ciao tutti, yes the last couple of days were much better. Phew.

anon - there are two big movies coming this summer, one from Disney one from Sony. They have to shoot at least part of the production here since both movies "When in Rome" starring Kristen Bell and "Angel and Demons" starring Tom Hanks, take place in Rome. They are re-builing the interior of the Vatican on a sound stage in Culver City for the latter.

giulia - seriously I had to write that. Every person in L.A. referenced one of those books or movies when I said I was moving. Ha.

Liane Spicer said...

Glad you apartment issue got sorted out so fast!

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

wordtryst - I am so looking forward to unpacking after 3 weeks!

Anonymous said...

Ah, sounds like life is deliciously busy and deliciously wonderful. The 6-9 writing followed by the long walk sounds idyllic. Of course, yes, it would all be a tad more relaxing if you were sitting on a load of cash, but it sounds like writing is the way to go (with a little get-some-cash-break, if you want, when those movies roll through). Sounds exciting!

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

paula - A load (or even a tiny pile) of cash would be great. I am keeping my fingers crossed about my latest writing project. I would like to continue to write full time. I am much more productive.