Hollywood has long been considered the movie-making capitol of the world. Thousands of wannabes make the journey there annually to try their shot on the big screen or more likely just get turned away by some nose-in-the-air talent manager. It may also be one of the most pretentious, celluloid, polluted landmasses in the United States. It takes a lot of gall to head west to the pearly hills, it takes even more gall to get your foot in the door somewhere. One lowly Duluthian has made his dream a reality. His name is Blake Reistad, a former Park Point resident, who ventured west with just $100 and a loaf of bread.
After landing a job as a valet attendant, (He boasts of parking actor Chris Tucker’s car) he found a job working at a Hollywood movie studio. While this catch maybe attributed to luck it’s more likely his impressive resumé, willingness to work hard and his quasi-psychotic charm and wit. Below is a conversation with Mr. Reistad about life on the set.

Reader: What sort of fun does your job include?
BR: Good question. I’m a sucker for fast golf carts, and my job requires a lot of riding around in golf carts at studios and different sets. My best experience in a golf cart would have to be tearing down the mountain side on a midnight shoot in the desert. I felt so alive. Also, secret naps.

Reader: Everyone probably thinks working on movie sets is like, so fun. Is it hard work?
BR: That’s a very good question. It’s a mixed bag. Working on set can be absolutely brutal, entertaining, or so boring that you can spend hours doing nothing but watch people fix a broken computer monitor. Today for instance, I spent two hours shoveling dirt into sand bags for a military bunker in 120 degree heat. The next four hours I manned a light switch that turned the air conditioning on and off between takes so that the sound stage stayed cool, but didn’t make noise when we were rolling. Either way, the shoots are often at least 12 hours and it’s not unusual to shoot ten days in a row with a one day break then shoot for another ten days. Hard or not, it’s very time consuming.

Reader: You went to school in London? Tell me about your time there, you cheeky slag.
BR:  London is bloody expensive, but it’s got some amazing buildings, stunning rose gardens, and there are top notch performances every night if you like music or theatre shows. They perform Shakespeare pretty well, but I think that’s because Shakespeare wrote most of his plays there.
My favorite part about London is the diversity in population. It’s more of an international hub than an English city. Saying you experienced England by going to London is like saying you’ve experienced the United States because you spent a week in New York City. Speaking of New York, Old York (simply known as “York” )over there is my favorite city in England. It’s like the 1700 year old Duluth of the UK.

Reader: What initially got you interested in scripting, writing/producing, movie stuff?
BR:  Jim Carrey. I never laughed as much as I did during his movies. I remember thinking, “How do they do that? How do they make people laugh so hard. I want to do that.” What made me choose It as a career was a mix of my love of movies and my love of reading. Reading got me hooked on creating stories, characters, and teasing emotions. Movies afford the opportunity to transfer those stories to a medium that is more exact as far as relaying the artist’s message. It’s a bangin’ combo.

Reader: How was adjusting to Hollywood life? Was it sort of a culture shock?
BR: It was a crazy culture shock. When I first moved out here I hated it. Now I hate it, and also like it sometimes. Seriously though, trading Minnesota folks and Minnesota weather for Hollywoodys and constant sweating was hard. If it weren’t for the great entertainment one can find on any given night and the career opportunities I would’ve moved back after a couple weeks.

Reader: What else have you been working on? What’s up next?
BR: Well Mark, that’s a good question. Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of freelance script consulting. Basically I tell people what I would say about their scripts if I was presenting it to my bosses. It’s a lot of fun because I get to read stories and help people get where they want to be artistically all at the same time. What’s up next is a movie called “Snow Sharks”. It is about sharks that learn how to swim through snow. Imagine all the problems that would cause! You’re having fun, skiing with your family and friends then BOOM. Devoured.

Reader: What’s your favorite thing about California?
BR:  I’d have to say, the opportunity for adventures. There’s the ocean to swim, the mountains to climb, an infinite amount of restaurants to stuff your mouth with, and enough music and comedy to keep you smiling until the end of days. If you’re ever bored out here, you’re doing it wrong.