The Cast & Crew

It's hard to believe this month has been so busy, with only one event that took place in July. Live Nation, a major ticketing company worked with us on a concept that I, yes the little intern, came up with. Originally, they had the idea to have people dress as Santas and hand out free ticket vouchers promoting "Service Fee Free Wednesdays". In our brainstorm for this project, they mentioned several other components they wanted to include, but they didn't have a concrete marketing concept. Finding that nothing quite fit together, I raised my hand and suggested the theme "Live Nation's Christmas in July". The event producer pitched the concept to Live Nation, and subsequently, this became the name and theme of the event. Needless to say, I felt very important.

The event itself went very smoothly. We had santas and snow, hotdogs and fans, free T-shirts and press. Very simply, it was a success and it was thrilling to see something come to life that I had initially put together and put so much work in. As snow graced the streets of New York, several bystanders marveled at the covered pavement and shouting santas. "Merry Christmas in July," they would say and I would smile, even though their shoes were too tight and their beards were not real.

I have realized now, in the beginning of August, that I have fallen into a sort of routine, a routine I had struggled with so much a few months ago. I can remember how the sun was still sleeping when I woke up at 6AM. I remember the rain that caused me to take a cab my first day, afraid of being a few minutes late and tarnishing new shoes. I remember arriving at the office too early, how I walked right past the building and was instantly lost until I found my way again. That feeling of lost lingered beyond that first day. When I finally found 53 W 21st Street, I saw a glass case and inside read "MKG Productions- 3F". I took steps inside an old elevator and pressed the number "3" admist unfamiliar faces. The elevator skipped floor three several times before I realized something was not right. I took the stairs twice, both times meeting a locked door and I finally decided to sit and wait on the first stoop for someone to help.

Within minutes, a tall girl with dark perfect skin walked through the doors and held out her hand. "Hi, I'm Maiah, Dushane told me you would be waiting for me." Dushane is my internship coordinator, the one who told me I got the job, and who had to deal with my elated self through the phone. After a few more minutes passed, a man stumbled through the doors with cut off jean shorts and a bicycle. "Hey, What's up? I'm Andrew," he said as he led us through the elevator, turned the key on the wall, and up we went. We entered an empty office with MAC computers, intricate ceiling, and empty Venti Starbucks cups leftover from the day before. Maiah led me to my desk, "Everyone's pretty much out today. There's an event going on, but I will show you the ropes. I'm an intern, but I'll be finished next week." Maiah showed me everything, how to copy paper, make binders, and navigate my white box that seemed so simple before. I dove in head first, trying to ingest every word she was saying, and write down at least half of them in the bright pink MKG notebook she had given me. My eyes glued on the screen, I heart my heart jump as a tall man in a plain grey t-shirt stuck a post-it to the top of my computer. "Leigh, I'm David, and this is your MKG e-mail address. Let me know if you have any problems." He quickly showed me how to access my e-mail and then walked away.

"OH MY GOD." I heard her from all the way across the room, a little girl with glasses, a dress that hit the floor showing a beige bikini top beneath, and voice tainted by cigarette smoke. She plopped down on the other side of the room and put her lips to a green straw, the highway of her latte. She didn't allow them to seperate until she heard the sound her breath made against the ice, the end. "OH MY GOD," she said again, this time she was closer, right next to my desk. "You are so pretty, so cute, totes fab. I'm Kyra." It sounded like she was speaking another language, but I nodded my head, swalled, and managed a "Thanks, I'm Leigh." "OH MY GOD, are you like totally busy right now? Totes swamped? I have a little project for you. Super easy. Super fun. You'll do great." Needless to say, Kyra is like a sorority girl gone business.

Those were the only people in the office that day, though I knew I was speaking to some I knew I would eventually meet as I answered the phones. As the week went by, I eventually began to meet the rest of the staff. Dushane, my internship coordinator, is great. His dreadlocks are almost always pulled back away from his face or hidden by a fedora. He has a great sneaker collection and proudly stomps them around day to day. Dushane has come to call me "Leigh Boo" and has welcomed me as the "Delta -tern". As I quickly learned, the MKG staff works in teams and Dushane's teammate is Jake, or JBH. Jake has become interchangable with JBH simply because of his deep v neck tees he loves to wear, which have been mamed the "JBH Deep V". American Apparel couldn't even come up with something that clever. Jake and I often bond over a show we both avidly watch, "So You Think You Can Dance". I watch because there's nothing better on TV.

MKG is essentially split into three sections: production, design, and operations. Along with Jake and Dushane, Ashley and Maiah are a team. Maiah joined Ashley as her assistant producer after her internship had ended, which I thoroughly plan on doing once I finish school. Ashley's hair is cut like a pixie and she almost always wears black. She also presides over the interns, helping us with learning tips along the way.

The owner and president of the company is Maneesh. I can remember my hand shaking when he first introduced himself to me. He is a friend of Anne Hathaways. He is going to Clinton Kellys wedding in the fall (the guy from What Not to Wear). And he travels all over the world. When I started he was in Korea and last week he was in Greece. He may be world renound, but scary he is not. Plus, he always manages to represent MKG on Fridays when he pulls out his designer jeans from the back of his closet to compliment his hot pink D&G sneakers. Maneesh's assistant, Peter, started a few weeks after I did and learning to coordinate Maneesh's phone calls results in a cacophony of rings. It took us a full two weeks to get it together, which is strange because one thing about Peter is that he always seems put together. He always has grandiose lunches, olive salad, or ornate dumplings. His shoes are always shined and his hair is always perfectly positioned.

I could go on with more of the "faboosh" (fabulous in MKG mantra) people I work with every day, but I don't think there is a blog spot big enough to fit all the words I would want to say about them. In fact, blogger may shut down all together. But I suppose this will suffice for now, for they have become a part of the routine. The part that makes it all worthwhile.