Photo Shoot

We're here right now!  It's very exciting. I'm taking lots of pictures but I'm not sure if I can upload them from here.  We brought a crazy amount of clothes and the team has been picking them over and choosing her first outfit. She just got back from hair and makeup and now we are waiting for the photographer to be ready for us. We sat waiting for two and a half hours before it was our turn with the style team. G did really well just reading books and hanging out.

I think the big holdup right now is the fact that it's pouring rain. Her first location is the gazebo and the photos there are taking longer and she has to be escorted over there by umbrella. But hey!  She made it! And now I'm being the appropriate fade into the background mom that I'm supposed to be. I can't wait to see these pictures.

Sunday Night:
So I tried to real-time it, but it's a pain to type on the phone and there was so much going on that it was really hard to keep up!  Plus I knew I'd want to upload pictures and all that jazz as well.

Anyway.  Back to the beginning!  We hit a consignment sale last week and scored 2 pairs of jeans, 2 pairs of black pants, 3 skirts, 11 shirts, 6 sweaters, 7 dresses, and a pair of pajamas with slippers, all for $80.  I was quite pleased with that, and it made me feel a lot better about having enough choices for them to pick from.  I've been getting emails on updated packing lists that were making me nervous and kind of contradicted what the website said in terms of what colors were okay, whether or not to bring patterns, what kind of accessories, all that.  With the new clothes I felt better, and then we stopped at Target on the way to the shoot and got four new pairs of shoes off the clearance racks, for a total of under $20 for all of them.  (The biggest problem I have now is working all these new clothes into the tiny closet she shares with her brother, when she already was taking up the lion's share of it.)

Here we are upon arrival, in our assigned row, with all the clothes we brought laid out for inspection:

We got there at 11:15, 15 minutes early as always, and we waited until about 1:40.  We talked and ate and she read for awhile and colored for awhile and walked around and looked at everyone else's clothes and talked to them.  It went pretty fast, but at the same time it was a really long wait, if that makes any sense.  I was glad I packed a LOT of snacks and a LOT of books plus the iPad.

Finally, our turn!  Here is Maegan Bruce from the style team starting to go over all our stuff.  I didn't get a picture of the first outfit she had Gilly try on, but it was those purple jeans in her lap, plus the aqua t-shirt that's hanging over the back of the chair, with the hot pink ballerina flats on the floor.  Um.  Okay.  I would never in a million years have thought those colors all went together, but G just smiled and said yes Ms Maegan and went off to the bathroom to change.  So proud.  There's a LOT of stuff in the modules about how you don't know fashion trends but the team does, and how your job is to have a positive attitude and say yes ma'am and LOVE anything they ask you to wear.  She did.  I was glad.  I was also glad she had her change out of that outfit.  Not my favorite.

Outfit possibility #2, untucking the shirt, tucking the shirt, rolling the sweater sleeves, checking layer lengths... the pink shoes again...

Or maybe with the black shoes instead...

She wore that for awhile and I thought they were set on it, but then she had Bryson come over and they decided that shade of purple wasn't perfect.  They rifled through our selection of shirts and then decided that one of Emma's shirts was better.  Emma was the girl in the row behind us.  No matter.  Here's G in not one, but two of Emma's shirts.

I think I got the pictures out of order.  Looks like she just got back from hair and makeup in this one.  It's only chapstick, a bit of mascara, and some eyebrow gel.  So pretty though!

Trying it out with the black shoes again

And then the gray shoes, which is where we settled.  This is the outfit she ended up in for the first look.  And yes, Look One on the packing list says it should be black, gray, and denim.  Smile and say yes!  I love pink!  I love that I bought all those black and gray shirts we're not using!  She's not even wearing her own shirt at all!

And the hot pink ballerina flats?  Emma wore those for her shoot.  At least it was a fair trade.  :)

She went off to the gazebo in the downpour and from what I could see peeking through the windows, they had all kinds of cool poses and fun stuff going on.  I am dying to see how they turned out.

When she got back they started looking for her second shot outfit.  They had her in a dark blue top for awhile and then went with the aqua instead.  She's still got on the same skirt and shoes because this is for headshots so it didn't matter what was on the bottom half.  Then back to hair and makeup.  It took a lot longer this time and I was beginning to wonder what was going on when she came out.  Oh my.

That is my nine year old child.  I texted her dad this picture and then said, "I want everyone to lock up their sons."  His reply was "Wow.  Worried."

And she still doesn't have much makeup on at all.  Something shiny on the lips, not even any color added, and a little blush.  I don't know if I'm going to have to recreate that hair for Shine but it's super intimidating if I do.  I asked her what they used and she said, "um... not the one that looks like a stapler.  The fatter one."  Which made me fall down laughing.  Can you tell I don't own a flatiron?  She has no frame of reference for the word.  I do have a curling iron somewhere.  I hope it's fat enough.

So then she got her headshots taken in a different room with a different photographer, just for a varied experience, and after that we did showcase outfits.  I kind of wanted more specific directions than we got.  It was sort of, oh, acting showcases are easy, just wear something like this or this or this, with some good denim.  I wanted to be able to pick Exact Outfits That I Could Take Pictures Of And Know For Sure I Was Doing It Right.  But I think it will be okay.  I have a brain, and I watched the kinds of things they were putting together and the colors they liked.  At least they didn't say that what I have doesn't work.  They did tell some other people no, this isn't so great, you should go buy x or y.

But it's done!!  I'm ridiculously excited to see the pictures.  We'll get a flash drive with all the shots when we go to dress rehearsal in November, and they will pick the ones that they're going to use for promo and all that.  So much fun!!

TV Presenter

So here's the scoop on the TV presenter (AKA teleprompter) showcase.  She'll be given a script and have ten minutes to look it over and get familiar with it.  Then it will show up on the teleprompter, which will be in a small room with a camera right behind it, and her performance will be broadcast into the audience room on a big screen.  So the ten minutes should alleviate some of the "is it a question or a statement" and the "I can't pronounce that word" kind of problem.  I don't get to go in there with her for any of these- I'll just be sitting in the audience and it's all her.  Fun but scary.

There's a website called Cue Prompter where you can cut and paste scripts and it will roll it for practice, so that's what we're doing here.  There's a list of approved scripts on the AMTC site that we put in there.

So here's her first practice, after setting the timer for ten minutes and looking over the script.  We're working on stage presence next, as there is far much too arm flailing going on.  Also she needs to be looking into the camera more and work on her timing, since there are times when you can tell she's read too fast and is waiting for the next line to scroll up.  But doesn't it look FUN?  She thinks it would be cool to host the Cupcake Wars.  :)

Launch Weekend! Part 1

We just finished our first Launch weekend and we are wiped out!  It was from 10-7 on Saturday and 1-7 on Saturday, also throwing homework and church in between there too.  SO much to learn and do!  I feel like I've got about eight separate topics I want to write about now, so I'll just jump in and stop when it gets too long.

So first of all, there are a lot of different showcases you can sign up to perform at Shine.  The first three you choose are included, and then each additional one is $75.  We started out thinking well good grief, we're paying quite a bit as it is, and she's young and inexperienced, so three will be plenty.  She'll do runway and photography since that's her focus, and then on-camera for acting.  Done.

Now that she's seen and gotten to practice all of them, she also is really interested in, and pretty good at, scene read, cold read, product endorsement, and tv presenter.  And you know really, this is why we're going.  She feels called to do this, and it only makes sense to get her out in view of the VIPs as much as possible.  What's the point of doing the minimum if we're going to be there a week?  So now we're looking at doing six or seven showcases instead of three, which means more practice work and also more wardrobe.  I need to do several more shopping excursions to get the proper pieces before photo shoot.

Photo shoot is scheduled!!  It will be September 29.  That means I have only three weeks to get everything bought and ready.  Our team leader says it's not at all uncommon to bring two or even three suitcases to the shoot.  Then you lay out all your shoes in a row, all the shirts and jeans and pants and skirts.... and they go through all your stuff and mix and match and layer and tell you what to wear for the shoot, but also for every showcase you're planning to sign up for, so that you're dressed properly for the week.  I can take pictures of each outfit they plan for us and just pack according to that.  So I'm bringing as many things as I can possibly find that I think maybe might work.

And now my girl needs the computer to do teleprompting practice.  She's kicking me off.  :)  So more later.

Fabulous Fundraising Opportunity!

My friend Gwen sells 31.  Have you seen 31 bags?  I'm in love with them.  It's a home party business and they have tons of different purses and tote bags and baskets.  And you can monogram or personalize them.  Have I mentioned I love them?

So.  I'm hosting a 31 party, and Gwen offered to let me do it as a fundraiser for G's AMTC expenses.  So she is keeping all the free bags and hostess benefits I would ordinarily get from having this party, and I am getting the cash she would normally earn.  It's an amazing trade!! 

The party is at my place on September 22 at 2pm and I'd love to have you!  Bring a friend!  Eat yummy food and win prizes and shop like a fiend!  Or if you're far away or busy that day, please go through the online catalog and see if anything jumps out at you.  It's great gift stuff too. 

Order through this site so G gets credit!

I hope to update the ticker with lots of new funds!  :)  And by the way, I'm only putting extra money that was specifically marked for AMTC on that site.  I'm not including all the buckling down and extra work we've been doing.  We've made four payments already that total a lot more than that amount pictured.  YAY TEAM.

Paw Paw

My husband's father passed away in May of 2006, a few months before Gilly turned three.  She doesn't really remember him now, although we show her lots of pictures and tell her as many stories as we can.  Every now and then she'll have a vague memory of playing with him, but for the most part her memories come in the form of the anecdotes she's heard and the snapshots we show her.  It makes me sad.

 I wanted more of this.

And definitely more of this.

 And good grief, the man put on bunny ears for his baby girl.  More of this.  Look at her cheesy face.  She just ate him up.  Loved him so much.

We got a check from Gigi today to help with Shine.  Paw Paw had some specialized shoes still in the closet that she was able to sell and wanted Gilly to know that her Paw Paw loves her and would be so proud of her and would want to help. 

I cry while I type.  We miss him.  I'm so glad that she's got one more concrete thing to remember him by, since she didn't have time to make very many memories.  I think I'm going to use part of the money on the packing list, so that when she puts on those special shoes or that favorite sweater, she can think of Paw Paw.

Roommates!

I am SO SO excited.  Now that the summer season is over and the winter people (US!) are the focus of all the classes, we're starting to think about logistics at Shine.  It's at the Gaylord Palms.  For seven nights.  And even though we get a very good discount, it's still rolled into the hefty fundraising total.  They've got a deal where you can find another mom and daughter team to room with, and the hotel will allow you to split the cost.  We've been having a really hard time finding one- every girl G meets at a workshop is going with her entire family.  On the AMTC bulletin boards last week I found a family looking for roommates and we've been emailing.  Tonight I talked to the mom on the phone for an hour and I think it's going to be such a great match.  The little girl is wheat free also, and loves American Girl dolls, and is doing modeling and acting.  I'm very relieved and excited to have found people to room with that sound so nice.  This puts the hotel cost down to the equivalent of Motel 6, rather than a luxury resort.  Much more doable, plus we'll have friends to hang out with who understand our food woes. 

Now we just need to find cheap airfare!

Acting Classes

We've been signing up for every acting and modeling workshop AMTC is offering so I'm a little behind on updating.  She's in an interesting time with this- it reminds me of how I felt when she was a brand new tiny baby sometimes.  You get pregnant, you're SO excited and nervous to have this baby, you don't really know what to expect but you know it's going to be GREAT!  You're prepared and you know what to do and all your friends say you'll be an awesome mom!  Then the baby is up all night screaming and you can't figure out why and in the morning you're just so tired.  You don't feel like an awesome mom and you're pretty sure you're going to ruin this poor kid.... It doesn't mean you're planning to give up, and it doesn't mean you love that baby any less, but it's just been a hard night.  You're overwhelmed.  It's harder than you thought it would be.

That's where it seemed like she was after our last session.  She LOVES runway modeling- it doesn't make her nervous at all and she's got the moves down and thinks it's so much fun.  The photography part started to be harder this time and she got pretty frustrated.  The timing is difficult for her- they were trying to teach her how to move really slowly and just change one body part at a time so that the camera can have time to capture each pose.  She kept wanting to pop from one to the next, which is going to make for blurry pictures and not give her a big range of emotions on camera.  And when she's having trouble doing something it makes her angry, and so of course then it's even harder to get it down.  I like that they don't make a lot of differentiation between adults and kids- they just throw her in, but at the same time, there were only a couple kids in there and she was the youngest.  I think a little bit of one on one time would do her good, but they haven't had time to do that so far.  There are usually at least a hundred people in these sessions.

The acting scares her a bit too, but it's inconsistent.  I can't always predict it. Sometimes she'll get up in an improv act and get on a roll and just go with it, and sometimes she sits there frozen and lets the other people carry her.  Sometimes she struts up there and does her monologue with confidence, and other times she weasels up there sideways and mutters while wringing her hands.

On the drive home she was upset.  "I just want to be in movies and commercials and tell people about God.  I didn't think it was going to be this much work!"  Well, yes.  It's work.  I'm finding out that models do MUCH more work than it looks like from the outside.

So we have another workshop next week, and she's a bit apprehensive about it.  I'm hoping that this is the time she breaks through that wall and really starts to be confident and have fun.  Actors have to have no shame, and she's in the stage of life where everything is embarrassing and you wonder constantly what people think of you.  It's a hard combination.  I really think that if she gets it now though, it's going to save her so much grief later.  I'd love to have a teenager who didn't cave to peer pressure and did what she wanted and knew was right.

Here's a 60 second improv she did.  I don't know how well you're gonna be able to hear it but I'll give it a shot.  The prompt was that they are all neighbors on the same block and somebody new just moved in.  They're deciding if they should go introduce themselves.  I was really hoping she'd leap in and talk about gluten when they went in the pie direction, but she didn't think of it until afterwards.  My favorite is the two girls on the end- what if they're killers?  well, killers like pie!  let's take them a pie and maybe they won't kill us!  haha!!!

And just because, here's the hair we're not allowed to cut.  This was in May and it's even longer now.  I wish it looked this shiny and straight all the time.  She's starting to say she wishes they told her to cut it off.  I told her with that kind of attitude, she'd get a job like Emma Watson did for Hermione Granger and not be allowed to cut her hair for eight years.  :)