Our First LA Vlog: From Seattle to the Culver City Film Festival
- KJ Gerhard
- Feb 4
- 3 min read
Hey everyone! KJ here—editor at F7 Studios, and today, I’m taking you on a journey through our first-ever vlog / blog!
Last year, our team took on the Seattle 48 Hour Film Competition and the Seattle 48 Hour Horror Film Competition—two insane, sleep-deprived weekends that tested our creativity, patience, and caffeine tolerance. Once the dust settled, we decided to toss our finished films into the festival circuit, just to see what would happen.
And guess what? Both of them got accepted into the Culver City Film Festival in LA!
So, naturally, a few of us—Luis (our director/producer), Gio (one of our main actors), and me (your friendly neighborhood editor)—hopped on a plane to Los Angeles to experience our first-ever screening in LA. And because we love chaos, we decided to vlog the whole trip.
3AM: The Journey Begins
If you’ve ever had to catch an early flight, you know the struggle. Our adventure started at the ungodly hour of 3:00 AM, and somehow, we were still excited.
🎤 KJ: “Alright Gio, it’s 3AM, you awake?”
🎤 Gio: “Yeah, yeah. Excited for the trip.”
🎤 KJ: “What do you plan on doing in LA?”
🎤 Gio: “What am I not planning to do in LA?”
Classic Gio.
Bleary-eyed but hyped, we made our way to the airport and officially began our 48-hour whirlwind in Hollywood.
First Stop: Culver City Film Festival
We touched down in sunny Los Angeles, dropped our bags, and immediately headed to the Culver City Film Festival to watch our films on the big screen for the first time.
The moment was surreal. There we were, standing on the red carpet—our little indie projects from Seattle now being screened in LA. We were tired, slightly delirious from travel, but absolutely pumped.
🎤 KJ (grinning at the camera): “I’m the editor for our films Whisper and Never Go All In—and here we are, about to watch them on the big screen!”
As we walked into the theater, the excitement was real. Luis, our director, was running on zero sleep. Meanwhile, Gio, our leading man, had somehow managed to nap on the plane, so he was full of energy and ready to see himself shine.
Lights, Camera, Big Screen!
The films started rolling, and suddenly, we weren’t just filmmakers—we were audience members, sitting back and watching our hard work come to life.
The sound, the visuals, the storytelling—everything felt amplified on that big theater screen. Seeing our names in the credits, hearing the audience react, it was an unforgettable feeling.
🎤 KJ (after the screening): “So, how did it feel seeing yourself on the big screen?”
🎤 Gio: “Honestly? Huge accomplishment. This is a moment I won’t forget.”
🎤 Luis: “It’s so satisfying seeing our work up there. The hard work paid off.”
Even as an editor, I got one laugh in the entire screening—and for two drama films, I’ll take that as a win!
Late-Night Thoughts & Airbnb Shenanigans
After the festival, we crashed at our Airbnb—finally, a chance to breathe. But as filmmakers, we couldn’t help but brainstorm.
🎤 Me: “Alright, Luis, if you were to film a scene in this Airbnb, what would it be?”
🎤 Luis: “Hmm... I’d go with a comedy. Maybe a couple going through a divorce. Lots of back-and-forth in the kitchen.”
Yes, even on “vacation,” we’re still talking about making films.
At some point, I found myself doing laundry. Don’t ask me why. Maybe I just missed home, maybe I was losing my mind after such a packed day—but there I was, washing clothes like I lived there.
And then came the big question: “Should we all move to LA?”
🎤 Luis: “What if we got a place here?”
🎤 Me: “...Nope.”
Seattle is home. But LA? It definitely has a certain magic.
Next Up: The Paramount Studio Tour
Before we ended our trip, we had one more stop—a tour of the legendary Paramount Studios. But that’s a story for Part 2 of our vlog series.
For now, we’re just soaking in the experience. Two Seattle indie films, screened in LA, on a big screen. Not a bad way to wrap up the year.
Lessons learned?
✔ Take chances—submit your films, you never know where they’ll go.
✔ 3AM flights are brutal, but worth it.✔ Seeing your work in a theater is pure magic.
✔ Always charge the camera (seriously).
This is just the beginning, and we can’t wait to see where our filmmaking journey takes us next.
Thanks for coming along for the ride—stay tuned for Part 2! 🚀🎬
How’d you like our first LA vlog? Drop a comment, and let us know your favorite part! And if you haven’t seen it yet, check it out here.
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