Field Notes - Los Angeles (Patreon)

Let me establish this first: I am well out of Los Angeles, now, and back on the east coast of the United States. I'm not quite home exactly, but where my partner is, I do feel at home. After a lot of crazy adventuring and field work, it only felt right to have some face time with the only guy who wasn't surprised in the least about my multiple insane decisions over the past few weeks.

Yeah, your relationship is pretty good when your partner knows exactly what kind of crazy idea you're entertaining and just carries on with business as usual. ::P

(And yet, even as we spend time and recuperate, I work, because I am an addict and business, for me, is pleasure.)

Los Angeles... where do I even begin?

The area of Texas I was in definitely had touches of California in its look, and sweeping hills and valleys that were real sights to behold.

Arriving in Los Angeles, the city made clear that nowhere in Texas could hold a candle to its natural beauty. Hills, cliffs, mountains, palm trees that reach up to the sky as if they're trying to become stars, too--nature itself is putting on a show, making clear its own celebrity status on a stage no team of environmental scholars and construction experts could ever really replicate.

You'll drive along six-lane highways surrounded on both sides by giant hills and mini-mountains that are crowned with mansions and buildings the prices of which could are as unfathomable as the nature they're settled on. I even once spotted a small waterfall construction--a series of half-pipes trailing down a hillside--with water churning so violently inside it was a trail of pure white. You only realized it was water when you noticed that the mass of liquid inside was constantly moving.

City elements are interesting. Certain spots in LA start out with high-priced office buildings and stores and then immediately give way to urban areas mixed with shuttered buildings and homes, only to change just as quickly to very polished (and packed) neighborhoods with homes that all look different, even while sporting the same California style. You can drive through three or four different zones of populated area and income bracket within the span of just 15 to 20 minutes.

And if you're not careful, driving will absolutely get you killed. The 405 is the safest area I was able to drive because it was all straightforward. Left turns are the worst luck in LA.

(Unless your rental car gets towed at the end of an amazing meeting. That's not fun at all. That's the worst luck you can get, but it makes for a funny "My first trip to LA" story.)

Crypt TV Stuff (Because I Know You're Reading for it):

Okay! Let's get to the element of the trip you ACTUALLY want to know about: my visit with CryptTV.

I was in LA for two full days. On the first day, I was on set for a film shoot for Crypt, the details of which I can't exactly give. But I did have my camera with me, I had a very specific reason for being on set, and I was there as long as the actors and crew, getting to interact with most of the people there. You'll be seeing the results of this in good time--just need to do a lot of footage splicing, make sure timing is good for everyone, and then it will be released.

The attitude on a set like this was very good. It was entirely professional, but not at all to a stuffy or "SERIOUS FACES" degree; everyone was there to do their jobs and do them well, getting things done, but the attitude of fun and enjoying what was being done was always there. In-between takes, there was conversation, light jokes, and a general aura of happiness and excitement. Then, when it was time to go for another take or set up for the next, it was right back to business... but with the same smiles on faces just generated from the prior moment.

I think you'll notice it in a lot of Crypt media, that sense of doing something big or professional, serious and scary, yet having fun and enjoying the experience at the same time. Yes, it's serious business... but don't take life too seriously--it's always ending on film in this world, after all, and sometimes in wonderfully ridiculous ways.

And here's something you'll be relieved to know, I'm sure--everyone I met was just as genuine and real as you'd hope, affirming something I've learned and re-learned all along my YouTube path: the numbers around a person might get bigger, but the best of those who earn success stay precisely as they were when they began in the most crucial of ways. Foundation is not broken or distorted, but growth and experience can occur. And that is beautiful.

I actually had the privilege to have a lot of real conversations with the actors on set, many of whom had only just come to the area and begun the scariest step of their journey so far, taking the biggest risk: Moving to Los Angeles. Some were young and just getting along on their path, while others were older in age and just as young as their peers in experience. For most, the real "on film" climb had just begun, even to the point of it being their very first day on set.

And I've got to tell you, it was a really wonderful thing to interact in this way, even having discussions about YouTube life and comparing journeys in the world of entertainment and creativity. I never felt uncomfortable.

(I was constantly self-conscious of not getting in the way of anything, but with people on set, I was always comfortable and the atmosphere was great.)

I can say that my CryptTV office visit was even better--(probably because I wasn't worried about bothering anyone or accidentally shuffling in front of someone adjusting their recording equipment).

I met with some of the personnel I've had the pleasure to speak to online and had conversations beyond just horror media and Crypt content. The office is a cool place, the atmosphere friendly and decorated to fit the mood and excitement about what everyone is involved with. I have some footage from this portion of my trip, too, and you'll get to see that in due time.

And in case you wanted a hint about the office environment's look, I'll tell you this... you can see all the way to downtown LA's skyscrapers and the hill bearing the HOLLYWOOD sign from the windows. If you want that impression of being "all the way up there" and seeing quite a sight, Crypt's office has it.

Mostly, though, it has some awesome and dedicated people, whose excitement and enjoyment of their work and upcoming projects is obvious. I got to talk to some people there on the same basis I did on set the day before.

Like I stated earlier, major details of my trip can't be discussed yet, but I can tell you it was an incredible experience. The awe of being in Los Angeles for the first time on business was one of the most amazing milestones of my life so far. I kept shifting between feeling on top of the world and asking myself how this was even possible.

And my mind kept coming back to you guys, just as it did in Texas. You guys are the reason any of this has been possible.

I owe you all a Darkroom and so much more when I get back home. I'll be in my main working environment again on August 9th and can communicate much more effectively.

Videos are planned as well, and I'm going to be doing some scripting in the meantime so I can also slam some video work in upon my return home. I'll also see about doing some webseries/ARG consultation work this coming week.

And yes, Binx is very okay. My dear sister has been taking care of him, and I do look forward to seeing him again. He certainly won't be expecting my boyfriend to show up with me, but Binx will be overjoyed at his favorite chew toy visiting again.

Once again, everyone, thank you immensely for everything. This July has been one of the most unexpectedly crazy, awesome, bold, risky, and adventurous months of my life, and it's been an amazing way to celebrate the third birthday of the Night Mind channel.

What are we going to do for the next one?! Haha, really...

But yes, this has been a milestone month for me in more ways than one, and I have you all to thank. I love you, bless you, and thank you so very much for being with me and making this possible.