Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from NJ! I hope everyone is enjoying family, food and wine!

I just talked to my dad and he just told me Lost was nominated for the Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series for the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards for season 3. My dad was the stunt coordinator for about half of the season and both Jon and I worked on it, so that is very exciting that we have all been nominated!

I still haven't seen National Treasure 2 but I am told that my name is in the end credits so look for it at the end of the movie under stunts. I am credited as Heather Vendrell Arthur. I am not really sure why sometimes they put your name in the credits and other times they don't. I worked more on Transformers and didn't get screen credit but on this movie I did get credit. Very strange but I am super happy.

National Treasure 2

Go see it. I worked on it last summer. I haven't seen it yet becuase when they had the cast and crew screaning Jon was sick. If you see it let me know if is any good. I will post some pics of when I worked on it when I get a chance. I hope to see it this week.

Mama Mia!!!

We arrived in NJ last night to spend Christmas with my in laws. After we landed we went home changed our cloths and was then picked up in a stretch limo and taken to the Winter Garden theater in Manhattan to see Mama Mia. It was such a great show! My sister in law was friends with on of the main guys in the show so we went back stage. It was pretty cool. 

Then we went to little Italy to get some dinner. I think it was the best dinner I have ever had, seriously. It was a really fun night. New York City is such a great place to be during Christmas time. I will post some pictures when I get a chance.

On CSY:NY...updated

I am on CSI:NY tomorrow night (10pm on CBS). I am the doubling the girl who gets killed (I am the one who gets killed). I will post pictures after the show airs. Enjoy!

Update: They ended up not airing the show I was in last week. TV Guide said it was the episode but it wasn't. Sorry guys. I will let you know when they actually do air it, but I am not sure when that will be. 

Slow Time

We had a great time in Washington visiting my family. I ate way too much but enjoyed every bite. We are back in LA now. Things are pretty slow around here due in part to the writers strike. However, we have been busy nearly every single night since we have been home catching up with friends and networking for work.

Apple Pie

Yesterday Jon and I made the 13.5 hour drive from LA to Washington state to see my family for Thanksgiving. We took our 3.5 month old puppy with us and she did so good on the drive up. I was very surprised. After our long drive, we were so tired, and as we walked in the door of my mom's house the smell of home made apple pie filled the air. My mom baked a pie to welcome us. It was amazing.

This week we will be traveling around see a ton of friends and family. We have a full next 10 days. I am happy to be out of LA where people actually smile at you when you walk by them and let you in when you are driving. It is great.

Our shows

We missed the original airing of Jon on Law and Order SVU which was this last Monday but luckily the episode will rerun this Saturday at 10pm (yeah residuals!). He is doubling one of the detectives when a bomb goes off he flies across a desk. If you aren't able to watch the episode you can see his stunt on the Law and Order SVU website under highlites of that episode by clicking here. Here are a few screan shots from his stunt.

In case you missed seeing me on Scrubs last night I was carring Turk to the scales. Yes I got paid to carry an actor. You need easy days like that to make up for day when you get hurt or get have a tough day ( I am still sore from my stunt last Friday).

Good Video on the Writers Stike

A lot of people have asked me about the writers strike and how if will effect Jon and I. Well most of the shows we have worked on since August are shutting down sometime before Thanksgiving. Meaning there is no work for us in TV, however there is still movies we can work on.

Here is a really good video that explains why they are striking. SAG (our union) could face a similar strike when are contracts are up in June. We would be fighting for the same thing as the writers so it will be interesting to see how this turns out.

On Scrubs Tomorrow

I worked on Scrubs a few weeks ago and I think the episode I am in airs tomorrow night on NBC at 9:30 pm. I have a short part but I am playing myself so if you look close you should see my face. Here is a picture of me and the two other stunt girls working that day.

Another Acura

We bought a second car yesterday because it is just so hard to get around LA with one car for the two of us. We bought a black Acura MDX with all the bells and whistles (navigation, leather, third row seating, sun roof...). It is great! Buying another Acura is a bit scary since we had two stolen last year but we hope that because this is the SUV and not the sports car in their line that we should be ok. I feel so adult with my SUV. We have no kids but have a car that seats 7 because we need room to store all of our toys. As quoted in college we can again say "Nice Acura" (Ben and Sean you are probably the only ones who will get this).

Writers Strike

I am not sure if people outside the movie business are following what is going on with the potential writers strike. From my understanding the writers are going on strike starting Monday. If this lasts for awhile it could really affect our jobs. In the short term there are a back log of scripts for movies and some for TV but eventually TV shows will shut down. Everyone in our business is talking about it. This will immediately effect daily shows like Late Night with David Letterman, The Daily Show...which will start showing reruns starting Monday. Here is a good article in the NY Times that goes into detail about the strike. We will have to see what happens but last time they went on strike in the 80's it lasted 5 months. From what I hear they are not even close to coming to an agreement. It will be interesting to see what happens.

A week of firsts

I worked for Sarah Connor Chronicles (SCC)on Monday and Jon did motion capture (they asked me to do it on Monday but I was already working), on Tuesday both Jon and I worked on motion capture. It was my first time doing motion capture. You have to wear this suit with little balls velcroed to the suit. We were doing movement, like walking, sitting, sitting with crossed legs, walking with a purse... for a video game. They then take that movement and use it for the people in the video game. Once the game comes out in a few years all the people you see in the game walking around or whatever will be Jon and I. It is actually really cool.

Today Jon is going on two auditions for commercials. Tomorrow I will be working on two different shows in the same day getting two contracts. I have never done that before. I am working on CSI:NY which is my first time working on that show and SCC. I will be doing a rachet (I have never done one of those before) which I am super excited about. A rachet is hooked up to air pressure which when released with propell me through the air. I will wear a jerk vest that will be connected to a cable which then is connected to a large crane that I will be pulled towards.

On Friday, I am doing my first air ram for camera. Last year Jon and I learned how to use them. If you remember from my post last year, you step on the air ram and using air pressure you are shot into the air not using any cable. Think of it like a gymnastics vault using air pressure as its power. It is pretty sweet. I have a busy week with some big stunts, working on new shows and having so much fun!

Holy Smoke

The fires that have been going on here in California are just crazy. Since we live surrounded by cement we have been safe. However, earlier this week we had a friend stay with us because he was evacuated from his house due to the fires in Orange County. He had the fence at his house burned but his house was fine. My heart breaks for those who have lost their homes. I know how much it stinks to have two cars stolen I can't imagine my house burning down.

The air is so bad here. I feel like I live in a smoker oven. My lungs have been burning the past couple of days. We could barley see the moon last night because the smoke was so thick. We were planning on going to Disneyland today but changed our mind because they are saying it isn't safe to be outside that long.

I am so Lame!

I swear I am not going to be one of those crazy pet people but I made a 40 sec video of our new puppy. I did this because we have so many friends and family all over the country who wanted to see our new puppy now named, Jersey (Jon named her if you couldn't tell). She has been so much fun but a ton of work. I have been home all week because I have been sick so I have been able to spend a lot of time working with her. Jon is also really enjoying Jersey. If she is asleep for the night when he gets home he will wake her up to play and snuggle. She loves to play but loves to snuggle even more.

The bummer part is she can't go outside yet until she gets the rest of her shots next Friday. In the mean time when we take her out we have to hold her. Enjoy the short video! (Make sure the sound on your comptuer is on because the video is much better with the music)

I got a puppy!

After years of wanting, and shopping and try to talk my husband into getting a dog I finally got one! I got a 9 week old puggle which is a designer dog. She is half pug half beagle. She shouldn't get more than 15lbs which is great for our apartment.

We don't have a name yet. It is so hard to name a dog. I have a few ideas but since I picked her out I will let Jon name her. He is still in NJ and won't meet her until tomorrow. I know he will love her. He has never had a dog before so I think he is still in shock. In the end I know it will be his dog because he will love her so much. (This isn't the best picture but it is all I have right now..)

Work

Last Fall Jon worked on the movie The Heartbreak Kid doubling Ben Stiller, which opened this weekend. He was Ben Stiller's stunt double for some driving scenes in the movie. We went to the screening (they show the movie for the cast and crew before the movie opens, it is different than a premier) for the movie last week. (The pictures are from when he worked on the movie. The girl next to him is the actresses photo double which is different than a stunt double. If it was dangerous driving like a car chase or anything fast then they would have used a stunt double for the girl instead, but they were just cruising along for some helicopter shots so a photo double is sufficient. The driver is almost always a stunt double.)

I worked most the week on the Sarah Connor Chronicles which went great. It is a fun show to work on. I am also working this week on that show. I just love to work!

Jon flies out to New York on Tuesday for a few dasy to work on Law and Order: SVU. Busy busy!

Here is my stunt!

Here is another verison of the commercial I was in and this time they HAVE my stunt in it. (That is me standing in the arch way). Enjoy!

Happeings

I worked last Friday as a high school student on 12 Miles of Bad Road which is a new show for HBO. I can't tell you how happy I was playing a high school student being that I am 26. It was pretty fun. I was a stunt actress ie playing myself and not doubling anyone but I had no lines. The other actors were so nice and we had a really fun day of work.

This weekend Jon worked on a movie playing a solider for a friend of ours who is directing a movie and trying to get his start as a director. I think he had a fun time.

I am working most of this week on the Sarah Connor Chronicles doubling one of the leading ladies. I am the second unit double and have been able to get some good work on that show. This show is a mid season replacement on FOX so hopefully it does well. On Thursday and Friend my dad was hired by the stunt coordinator to be the fight coordinator. I am looking forward to working with my dad again.

My Commercial

Remember last month when I shot my first commercial? I haven't seen it on the TV so I figured I would see if there was anything on the Internet. I found a version of the commercial here. They changed it from the story boards and totally cut out my stunt. You don't see me trip, fall and get trampled by the kids. I must have fell on my face 20 times (it was actually pretty fun and I had knee pads on). Oh well, this happens all the time. You never know what is going to make it through the editing room. I am still in it and it is a cute commercial. It seems like this is a rough cut but I really don't know. Anyway, at least you can see it.

Death on the Set of the New Batman Movie

I just came across this article in my morning reading and it breaks my heart. A special effects technician died during rehearsal for a stunt driving sequence. It sounds like the driver of the camera car crashed while following the bat mobile and one of the guys in the camera car was killed. It is not only stuntmen who put themselves in risky positions to get a great shot it is also camera guys or others on the crew. Often times they are in the car with you, following you or dangling off the side of the cliff with you to get that one great shot. I have so much respect for the camera guys and other members of the crew who put themselves out there. Think about that next time you watch a car chase or big stunt someone has to be there close enough to get the action. My prayers goes out to his family.