So as it turned out, I made it to the weekend and eventually got on that plane to Paris. I had a great time! Caught up on 3 movies on the plane enroute from LA to NY to Paris. I arrived in Paris at 7:30AM this past Monday. The Paris Office sent a car to pick me up and I arrived at the office about 9:25AM.
I was greeted in the lobby by the main AV person who took me up to the studio offices. I handed over the four boxes of French and English trailer negatives which quickly made my one carry one piece of luggage a lot lighter and proceeded to enjoy a coca cola as I needed some caffeine in my body. I wasn't really able to sleep on the plane. I was tired but excited to be there. Hilary, the AV person asked if I needed to go to the hotel and I said "Nope, I am read to go!"
So I waited a few minutes and then people I have known for years started to come by.
Some I have meet at conferences and then some I have only emailed. It was great to be able to put faces to people I have known for years. I was given the tour of the place (saw their several floors of offices and their screening rooms and all the movie posters I have ever made were hanging in their hallways) and finally, I went to meet up with the General Manager, Fred, who is new to France. I had meet him before his job had officially started at an LA Convention this past year. There was much double-cheek kissing and welcoming. They explained that they had a day planned out for me which included a tour of the city to see all of the billboards, lunch and a creative meeting to discuss artwork needs for this summer's two blockbusters.
Basically I had a fabulous day at the Paris office. I worked till 6pm as I was helping them put together some creative briefs that needed to be sent to our London Office. It was absolutely amazing to see all of the billboard sites that I make artwork for. It helped me a lot to see the billboards in situation. They took me to lunch in an Opera House and I had the best meat (steak) ever! I told them about my tartar burger experience and they said that the Parisians love their meat rare. I think their term for rare is rarer than our rare. I think its pretty much drop it on the stove and take it off. Anyhow, had a fabulous lunch! After lunch we went back to the office and went through creative I had brought with me. I found out what they like and what they don't. It was a great learning experience. It was great to see how our business works from the side of the territory. I know the studio side and the London Head Office side so it was great to go to one of our local offices and see how the movie business works in country.
After work, Florence, the Marketing Director who I have meet in LA several times over the past 5 years, walked me to the hotel as it was very close. It was pretty swanky quarters at the Hotel Scribe (which was a Sofietel Hotel) which has been around since 1850's. Love the travel dept!!! I was so dog tired but I only had a few hours left so I decided to go out. I headed to the Eiffel Tower. My mission was to go up in it since I didn't do that last time. Well, I managed my way through the Metro System successfully only to arrive at the Eiffel Tower and have it begin to pour rain. Luckily, I had an umbrella but it rained so hard I still managed to get completely soaked! I purchased a ticket to go to the very top of the tower, Being windy and rainy, I must say, it was as much as an enjoyable experience as being uncomfortably wet would allow. I made it to the top but it was kind of scary to look over the edge since it felt like i could easily have been blown off the tower ala the dog from the Chevy Chase Vacation movies but I did it and saw a somewhat beautiful cloudy view.
I really, really wanted to take a taxi back to the hotel but I wasn't sure how much it cost and I just bought my metro packet of tickets and felt like I needed to use them or they would go to waste. This was a big mistake as the two Metro entrances to the Eiffel Tower were closed so I ended up walking further and got even more wet if that was possible. I kinda didn't pay attention too well to where my hotel was, as in the route I took from the hotel to the metro, so I spent additional time walking around in the rain trying to figure out where the hell my hotel was. That was fun. I made it to my hotel and I was starved, while I was concerned about spending company money on a taxi I wasn't hesitant to order room service. So at 11pm at night I sat down to the Parisian version of a club sandwich and a super large macaroon. I never had a macaroon before and it was quite tasty with the frosting.
I was greeted in the lobby by the main AV person who took me up to the studio offices. I handed over the four boxes of French and English trailer negatives which quickly made my one carry one piece of luggage a lot lighter and proceeded to enjoy a coca cola as I needed some caffeine in my body. I wasn't really able to sleep on the plane. I was tired but excited to be there. Hilary, the AV person asked if I needed to go to the hotel and I said "Nope, I am read to go!"
So I waited a few minutes and then people I have known for years started to come by.
Some I have meet at conferences and then some I have only emailed. It was great to be able to put faces to people I have known for years. I was given the tour of the place (saw their several floors of offices and their screening rooms and all the movie posters I have ever made were hanging in their hallways) and finally, I went to meet up with the General Manager, Fred, who is new to France. I had meet him before his job had officially started at an LA Convention this past year. There was much double-cheek kissing and welcoming. They explained that they had a day planned out for me which included a tour of the city to see all of the billboards, lunch and a creative meeting to discuss artwork needs for this summer's two blockbusters. Basically I had a fabulous day at the Paris office. I worked till 6pm as I was helping them put together some creative briefs that needed to be sent to our London Office. It was absolutely amazing to see all of the billboard sites that I make artwork for. It helped me a lot to see the billboards in situation. They took me to lunch in an Opera House and I had the best meat (steak) ever! I told them about my tartar burger experience and they said that the Parisians love their meat rare. I think their term for rare is rarer than our rare. I think its pretty much drop it on the stove and take it off. Anyhow, had a fabulous lunch! After lunch we went back to the office and went through creative I had brought with me. I found out what they like and what they don't. It was a great learning experience. It was great to see how our business works from the side of the territory. I know the studio side and the London Head Office side so it was great to go to one of our local offices and see how the movie business works in country.
After work, Florence, the Marketing Director who I have meet in LA several times over the past 5 years, walked me to the hotel as it was very close. It was pretty swanky quarters at the Hotel Scribe (which was a Sofietel Hotel) which has been around since 1850's. Love the travel dept!!! I was so dog tired but I only had a few hours left so I decided to go out. I headed to the Eiffel Tower. My mission was to go up in it since I didn't do that last time. Well, I managed my way through the Metro System successfully only to arrive at the Eiffel Tower and have it begin to pour rain. Luckily, I had an umbrella but it rained so hard I still managed to get completely soaked! I purchased a ticket to go to the very top of the tower, Being windy and rainy, I must say, it was as much as an enjoyable experience as being uncomfortably wet would allow. I made it to the top but it was kind of scary to look over the edge since it felt like i could easily have been blown off the tower ala the dog from the Chevy Chase Vacation movies but I did it and saw a somewhat beautiful cloudy view.
I really, really wanted to take a taxi back to the hotel but I wasn't sure how much it cost and I just bought my metro packet of tickets and felt like I needed to use them or they would go to waste. This was a big mistake as the two Metro entrances to the Eiffel Tower were closed so I ended up walking further and got even more wet if that was possible. I kinda didn't pay attention too well to where my hotel was, as in the route I took from the hotel to the metro, so I spent additional time walking around in the rain trying to figure out where the hell my hotel was. That was fun. I made it to my hotel and I was starved, while I was concerned about spending company money on a taxi I wasn't hesitant to order room service. So at 11pm at night I sat down to the Parisian version of a club sandwich and a super large macaroon. I never had a macaroon before and it was quite tasty with the frosting.
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