So here’s the abridged version of last week’s experience.
Ridiculous and serendipitous on all levels, thus completely worthy of being told:
Cast as a prim-and-proper accountant in a hilarious commercial produced by a company that specializes in funny filmmaking (Hmm, sound familiar?). Sitting next to an open airplane door, I don’t want to skydive, I just want to eat my Jack’s burger. Anyway, despite the fact that I’m not a professional actress, I was cast as both the stunt person and the actress. So I even had a few lines, got to act terrified, got to chase down my Jack’s in freefall, and got to bite my delicious burger bouncing to the beat in the end. Hahaha, honestly, it was heeeelarious. I loved every minute of it.
After the fact, the director told me how terrified he was that I’d suck, and then showered me with praise when I didn’t. Blew my diva head up like a giant balloon. Sweet. (Thank you, skydiving film festivals for getting me prepped.). Seriously it’s crazy that people pay anyone to do something this fun. On top of all of that, my best friend was hired to be my back-up. Essentially that means my best friend and I got paid to hang out together in Atlanta doing this ridiculously fun thing, meeting a ton of new awesome peeps, both in skydiving and out. I mean, does this kind of thing really happen??
The answer is YES.
What we give to others and the world comes back to us. It comes back.
(See: Shoebox Full of Cash) Do good things, do right by others, give of yourself, be grateful, work hard, laugh at everything, do what you love, and love unconditionally. I honestly believe these are the reasons I got this commercial, and was delivered this amazing experience with amazing people.
What is your approach to life?
What is it bringing you?
What, if anything, would you like to change right here and now?
Any insight you have, I would love to hear it. Blow up the comments like directors do divas and we’ll talk.
XO
Starting the day with wardrobe, hair, and makeup! Definitely not used to this…
Nista gets her turn in the chair!
Radiant light and reflection.
We got the ground shots first, me in my cardigan and makeup, terrified next to the open aircraft door. Mike was my “instructor” and he was awesome, totally gave me the right faces to remind me to look determined after my Jack’s gets sucked out of the door. Hahaha hilarious.
I pretty much laughed after every take.
For all the ground shots they had these big fans blowing on us so it looked like the airplane door was actually open. They positioned this blue-sky screen behind the windows, and I had to leap out of the door onto these big blue crash mats. I had to look determined as I left the door, I mean, sh*t, I want my Jack’s! Hahaha awesome.
Then it was time for the actual jumps, prepping with Will Mitchell, who shot all the freefall footage. We jumped with a weighted Jack’s bag on every jump which had it’s own flight characteristics to say the least, so prepping exits and dive flow was important.
Ready to jump with the bag! Shannon ready to roll in her matching cardigan and hairdo. PS. I look fat because I’m wearing my weight belt under my sweater set.. the bag fell FAST!
Jumps done, next shot was walking into frame, canopies landing, me with THIS hairdo, stoked to be eating my delicious burger. It was pretty crazy actually.. we had three chances to get the shot they wanted because there were three jumpers landing behind me about a minute apart. We had to time me entering the frame with the camera guy and with the dude landing. No time to worry about not getting it right, just had to buck up and make it happen. I like intensity like that, it’s like skydiving competition, intensity of focus to execute peak performance. On it. Who knew skydiving competition would prep me to enjoy a burger on cue and in time with the music? 🙂
Enjoying our midnight dinner in our new STF shirts, mirrors of course, and both completely still wondering if all that just happened. Entirely surreal. Still is. I mean, did that really just happen?? Really? Thank you, Universe. Tons of love and appreciation right back.
