My
name is Shaina Holmes. I grew up in Cherry Hill, NJ where I spent most of my time
doing gymnastics and eating health food. I lived on the eastside of Cherry Hill
with my parents and many pets over the years. We had (not all at the same time)
2 mice, 2 hamsters, 2 box turtles, fishies, eels, 2 frogs, salamanders, newts,
geckos, and of course the 5 cats (one when I was little) and the iquana. What
can I say... we like animals. Here's a list of the animals we named and you can
try to figure out what animal it belongs to. Be careful, some aren't as obvious
as they seem: Amber (Whammy), Smokey, Watson, Turtle, Mycroft, Gamera, Gamera
II, Orson, Puffy, Stuffy, Snowball, Cannonball, and Waygo.
I
had the Bat Mitzvah, the birthday parties, the broken limbs, collected smurf figurines...
etc... a normal childhood. Then it was time to go to college. Unlike most people
who went to my high school, I didn't go to Rutgers. I went north into the cold
arctic winters of Ithaca College (Ithaca, NY). Also, instead of going into physical
therapy which I had started prep for during high school with the cadavers and
other nice smelling dissection classes, I became a film major.
What
a strange leap from the strict sciences to the free thinking artsy type. Well,
my Dad studied film in college, so I guess it wasn't so strange...but I definately
didn't fit the profile. I struggled through the storylines and visionary ideas,
but accelerated at the editing and more clear-cut organizational and technical
side of it all. Luckily, every film needs an organized gal to be second in command
to the frazzled director so that something gets accomplished...so that was me.
I found my place and I was happy. I got to work alongside some of the most talented
filmmakers in my school and in return made friends who helped me when I struggled
with my own projects. I am very appreciative and miss you all!
Ithaca
is also where I met Jon. We worked together on the set of some films and finally
at the last minute, we decided to become an item. After college we moved out to
Los Angeles, CA where we have been living together ever since. We hope to have
a long and happy life together. How perfect is
that to meet so young and be able to share so many new life experiences together!
When
I moved out to Los Angeles, I also found a great job. I work at Custom
Film Effects, which is a visual effects company that has grown a lot since
I started here. I started out as the intern and now I'm one of the supervisors
of the digital department. It's amazing how lucky I was to find this place. We
get to work on major motion pictures and some tv movies for HBO. So, one day I
might be digitally removing a wire from Vin Diesel's back that is helping him
do flips and the next making Jim Carrey's face dissapear! Haha... name dropping...
I'm sooo Hollywood... or maybe not. But anyways, besides getting to work on films
that may win best picture of the year (Chicago) to ones that will end up on lists
of the worst films of the year (Dumb and Dumberer 2), I at least get the added
perk that my name might show up in the credits. So now my friends and family back
home actually stay for the credits to see if my name is there. They all say they
are the last to leave the theater. Well, I'm glad I give them a reason to watch
the credits.
So,
what does the future hold for me? Well, hopefully one day soon Jon and I can afford
a bigger place to live in, get a bunch of cats, and be one big happy family...
but until then, we're enjoying living the simple life of work/sleep/pay bills
and once in a while treat ourselves to some nice outings.
Over
the years I've made lots of friends, but then have lost contact with most of them.
I'm hoping one day to find these people again and have some good talks, travel,
or just plain have fun together like we used to... but until then, I'll be thinking
of you.
