I’m not laid back, and I’m not friendly, and I’m in LA. Problem? Perhaps not.

I’ve got six days to get the hang of niceness—six days in which I am extraordinarily privileged to be part of a major event that Genevieve McGillicuddy 96G (yes, her last name is the same as Lucy Ricardo’s maiden name) has helped organize for Turner Classic Movies (TCM).

Arguably, TCM is curiously late to the dance. They, who are seemingly so mindful of dates (launching their network on April 14, 1994—exactly one hundred years to the day from the time of the first public movie showing in New York City), have taken their sweet time organizing a festival in this most movied of cities.

But, heck, they’re here, so I will stop complaining. Friday begins a movie festival of epic proportions—as if Genevieve were channeling Cecil B. DeMille. Although I will provide glimpses day to day, please do check out the full range of offerings right here.

Emory Magazine is here providing coverage of our alumni in the industry for the summer issue. Paige Parvin 96G, EM’s editor and a classmate of Genevieve, will be shadowing her during the festival and watching that single, harried human being attend to a multitude of details while the rest of us squirm in our seats as the lights go down.

Already, the aura of celebrity has gone to Paige’s normally sensible head. She asked the other members of the team out here if we could pick her up at the airport “bearing flowers and a sign with my name and the letters VIP.”

I wish I were kidding.

Tomorrow morning I have the honor of interviewing Sy Rosen 69C, a decorated television writer who has written for The Bob Newhart Show, The Wonder Years, Sanford, Maude, and many others. After that conversation comes an interview with a promising young actor, Chris DesRoches 02Ox 04C, who—along with his twin brother, Joshua—had a part in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008).

I haven’t seen any stars yet, but as the photo proves, I have stepped on quite a few. Now that I know from Paige how they act, I think that I will be a good spotter.

In addition to Paige and me, we are joined by our Communications and Marketing colleague David McClurkin 74C, who is investigating possibilities for product placement of Emory-branded merchandise.

Right now we are the only ones wearing the Emory sweatshirts. But the festival is young.

Read part 6; Read part 5; Read part 4; Read part 3; Read part 2

-- Susan Carini 04G, executive director, Emory Creative Group