EVAN'S BLOG - PART III

It was so very much fun working on GIRLFRIEND.

I've learned so much from this experience and working with the other actors. In my first film with Justin, THE REPLACEMENT CHILD, I really liked the other actors and others who worked on the film too, but I didn't get to be with them as much as I was with everyone from GIRLFRIEND since my part was very small. Working on GIRLFRIEND on our 20 day shoot, I felt more connected to my co-stars and everyone else on the film and had the chance to learn so much from them.

"THAT'S A WRAP," THE PARTY AND SAYING GOODBYE

The day came when the final scene was filmed and Justin said "That's a wrap!". It was fun to celebrate with everyone later that night at the wrap party, but I was also sad for it to end and to have to say goodbye to everyone. (Of course I didn't know then that I'd get to see a lot of these people later at TIFF).

Since then I've learned there was more to come, and not just Toronto. This is the 'after filming ends' work that I talked about.

I did know that Justin would be back in California with the film's editor, Jeff Castelluccio (who I hadn't met yet), editing the film. I understood that this was going to take some time, but I didn't know that I'd still have some fun stuff to do.

OUR TRIP TO NEW YORK (BROOKLYN), LOOPING/ADR

A few months later Justin called me and said he and I would need to travel to New York for some ADR (that stands for additional dialogue recording) or looping.

Boy was that a fun experience for me, and I learned a lot! Justin and I left Boston very early one morning, drove to New York and drove home later that same night.

In New York that day I was so happy to see my dear friend Shaun (my man!) again. Shaun introduced me to the film's editor Jeff Castelluccio (my friend) for the first time. Then I met Daniel Perlin from Perlin Studios where we would be working. Daniel is a very nice guy. Besides working with me on ADR he showed me and taught me a lot, also letting me hear how things would finally sound.

Our amazingly talented editor Jeff Castelluccio and I became fast and close friends. (Jeff and Shaun have been good friends for awhile). Jeff said he felt like he kind of knew me because he had been watching footage of me for months while editing. He is such a talented and gifted editor. He lives in L.A. now, but was originally from New York. He is a super friendly and funny guy. We have continued our friendship and still keep in touch. We have a lot of private jokes together. Jeff has the best laugh and I love to make him laugh (no matter what......!!!!) Sorry, private joke. I couldn't resist. If Jeff is reading this right now he's laughing A LOT!

After we finished our work at Perlin Studios, Justin, Shaun, Jeff and I went out to dinner at an Italian restaurant (I love Italian food and Mexican food). Craig Divino (my acting coach) who was living in N.Y. joined us for dinner when our work was done.

Later for dessert we went to another place and a longtime friend of mine and Justin's, Dan Zaitchik joined us. Dan, a Wayland classmate of ours, is pursuing his music career, living in New York now. It was such an incredibly fun day. Just like I was sad for filming to end, I wished this day didn't have to end. But, on the ride home Justin had a surprise in store for me.

First Justin and I spoke on the phone to producers Jerad and Kristina Anderson which was fun. Then Justin said he had to make another call. Justin knows that I am a huge fan and regular viewer of the soap opera 'Days of Our Lives' and that I was very familiar with two actors who had been on the show that Justin happened to know...

After Justin talked for a little while he said "There's someone here who wants to say hello to you." It was Rachel Melvin who had played the character Chelsea Brady! I was so excited to get to talk to her! It was a dream come true! We talked for 20-25 minutes and Rachel is so very nice. She and Blake Berris (who played the character Nick Fallon on DOOL) actually did voice-over work as soap opera actors on GIRLFRIEND. Since I'm a DOOL fan, that's really fun for me.

Since then, Rachel, Blake and I have emailed back and forth a few times. When Rachel first emailed me and said "I am very familiar with who you are.", I was so excited. Of course I was very familiar with who she and Blake are! They are both very nice people.

After arriving home from New York late that night, it was time to be patient again, or as Jerad and I always say, it was time to "Go with the flow!"

Check back soon for the next part of EVAN'S BLOG.

S