Sometimes I forget how awful people can be. Call it naive, call it rose-colored glasses, call it what you want, but displays of utter lack of decency take me by surprise.

This past weekend I was on two overnights for a shoot (call time was 6:50 PM, I was getting a ride back to my apartment at about 4 AM). The first day (night) went really well. People passing by wanted to know what we were doing, what all the lights and equipment were for, etc. I’m sure they hoped that they had stumbled upon Chicago Fire (me too y’all, me too), but were totally cool when they were let down.

The second night had a visitor who was less than thrilled at our presence. Before I begin the story, let it be noted that all permits were in place.

It started when he had to maneuver around a camera set up to parallel park his gigantic truck. He let us know we were less than welcome by screaming “This is my house!” OK, dude, whatever, no one’s stopping you from doing anything. He parks and unloads his truck while his mortified teenage son tries to disappear into the sidewalk. We don’t think anything else of it.

Then, about half an hour later, when we’ve changed set ups and moved down a little bit, he comes barreling down the street in his truck, having un-parked and driven around the block.

He yells that he doesn’t care about the little “Art Film” and that this shouldn’t be happening on “his street” and he’s going to call the cops. Our fabulous DP replies to go ahead, call the cops, and shows him the permits.

At this point, the man gets angry and DRIVES OVER a traffic saw horse in order to speed through the set. He then parks in exactly the same spot.

Luckily there was no damage to equipment or person besides the horse he drove over, but that kind of behavior baffles me. What kind of day or life did that guy have to make him so angry? In other words, “What is your damage, Heather?”

As I begin this post, it’s 4:50. In the AM. I don’t actually remember the last time I’ve seen 4:50 from staying up all night. Oh, yeah I do. The last time I was awake this late it was a result of subjecting myself to a horror movie featuring terrifying ghosts. I couldn’t go to sleep until the sun came up. Yes, I realize that I have an over active imagination and that my emotions are easily manipulated by movies.

Today, however, I am still awake because I’ve been pounding out a screenplay. I’m trying to take the advice to create my own content seriously. I am posting this here because, allegedly, if I shout it out to the world I am more likely to follow through (that’s what the internet told me). The story is in its very preliminary stages. I have a rough outline and some dialogue. That’s not much, but it’s certainly better than nothing. Hopefully, in a year or so from now, the film will be on its way to being produced. Or, I will have learned so much from the process that I wrote another, better screenplay and it’s being produced. The way I see it, those are only two option. Success or success.

Here’s Peter O’Toole singing “The Impossible Dream,” from Man of La Mancha, to inspire us all.

In other news, I have been cast in another student film that shoots the first weekend of October.