danika--king

[danika--king]

[danika--king]

[danika--king]

Closed starter for @charlotteharriscos​

Tangled in Christmas lights, Danika’s latest project would be filming through the holidays, a fact that bummed out most of the other crew, but not her. She wouldn’t go home for the season if she could avoid it, so being under contract to film gave her a guilt-free excuse not to show up and instead promise great presents in her place with the money she would make. With the stress of that off her back, she was feeling rather chipper, brain free to think of happier ideas like throwing some decorations (of which there were many) up to make the staff feel better too. It was late and she had thought everyone had gone home after spending all day prepping the set for the first day of shooting, so it was the perfect time to decorate sneakily and have everyone come back to the following morning. All but skipping past the trailers with the jumbled lights in her hand, one of the trailer’s lights were on, causing her to pause and wonder who it could be. As she wasn’t first A.D., she admittedly slacked off a bit and hadn’t checked out the casting, having come on last minute. “Hello? Is somebody-- she began, inching closer cautiously when the door swung open, startling her almost as much as the face she saw coming out of the trailer.

“Ch--Char...lotte?”

[danika--king]

sweet winter asks

❄️: name something that makes you unique.

🍦: do you have a favourite holiday sweet?

🌫: what’s your favourite indoor snow day activity?

☃️: what’s your favourite outdoor snow day activity?

🌟: what would you wish for on a shooting star?

🎀: what’s the best gift to give a loved one in your eyes?

✨: do you have special songs that you like to listen to during winter?

💝: describe your idea of a perfect winter date.

🐇: would you say you’re more of a bunny, an owl, or a fawn?

💎: if you could be gifted a piece of jewelry, what would you like?

👼🏼: would you rather be an angel or an elf?

[danika--king]

josiewilde‌: 

The glare that lingered on her face vanished immediately when her eyes landed on the woman. Honestly, she didn’t make a habit out of calling someone out of their name. There were plenty of assholes in this town who thought being a total tyrant and billing those they worked with was the key to success, Josie was the exact opposite. “Even so, my frustration still was directed at the wrong person.” Josie clarified, an apologetic look remaining on her face. “Still, sorry, I don’t make a habit for screaming obscenities in public places. I save thar for closed doors and parked cars.” She added with a light chuckle. “It’s always on of those days in this town. A new day, a new pain in the ass.” Josie shrugged her shoulders, noting the woman’s heavy load. “Do you…uh, need help with that? Mind you, I can’t get far in these Jimmy Choo’s but I’m very good at convincing people to help me.”

Rubbing her sore arms, Danika didn't go to the gym as much as her figure seemed to say she did, often citing not having the time or being too tired as reasons. It worked to facilitate her laziness until moments like this, were she felt like a few times a month wasn't doing enough,especially if this was going to be part of her job. "It's really fine-- I'm pretty sure I called a wall a son of a bitch yesterday for being in my way while I was walking. The wall totally deserved it, though."  Danika attempted to joke, cringing inwardly afterward as she got a cruel reminder that she just wasn't funny.  About to waved off the assist, she paused."Not it really--" And looked tot he heavy ass props she was holding, then tot he woman's designer shoes, then the woman herself. While she avoiding glancing at her or sneakers, which were comfortable enough for being on her feet all day, but hardly anything to boast about like Jimmy Choos, she still figured this woman would soon be able to sit and rest in her heels while Danika herself would still be on her feet." Well, maybe just to that closet right outside? I'm pretty sure there's a cart in there I can dump these on that was left behind by catering."

[danika--king]

I. Hi! We’re happy to have you with us. First thing’s first, can you slate for us please?

“Danika King, thirty, she/her, assistant director... I was once told that I look like Kylie Bunbury.”

II. It’s great to meet you. So you have to know that everyone’s been curious about you, why don’t we start with where you’re from? Tell us where you grew up and what your childhood and family were like.

“I’m from Detroit, Michigan. It’s a place,  I guess. I’m sorry, I’m just not really used to talking about myself… Or my childhood. It was…rough. I know it’s not an original story but I grew up with a single mother for mostly – all, of my life. My father abandoned us at a young age which I guess was for the best sing he owed a lot of people money and we didn’t need them coming around the house all the time. Not that I think he left to protect us, cause they still came around for a while after, but when they realized he really didn’t care about us and that threatening us wasn’t gonna make him show us, they stopped. It wasn’t pretty; they were bad people who did bad things, but when they stopped bothering us it didn’t exactly make things better. My mom was still struggling to raise us on a paycheck that was criminal and that was a lot of stress on her. We ate cereal for dinner a lot – store brand, not anything fancy. Sorry, I just… Anyway it meant that I didn’t have a lot of a childhood cause as the oldest and with her working all the time, I had to raise my siblings. So my childhood was a lot of …that.”

III. Well, they say our upbringing molds who we become. I’m sure that you got your reputation for being maternal, organized, responsible, short tempered, needy, over-emotional from that.

“People love labels, what are you gonna do? If I worried about every label someone put on me I’d be in a way worse position. At least they’re saying nice things about me too.”

IV. And what about that lead you to your current career? How did that impact you enough to want to do what you do now?

“Chance and opportunity, really? I mean I never really had the goal of being an assistant director, it just was where I landed after life took me different places. I was really just focused on graduating high school so I wouldn’t have to struggle like my mom did, but when I did I knew I wasn’t in the place to go off to college. I had no money and I quit basketball junior year cause the after school practices ran long and my mom wanted me to help out more and get a part time job so I wasn’t in line for any kind of scholarship – not with my grades. So what was a steady B+ student supposed to do? I got a full-time job to help out more and I was pretty set to have that be my life but luck had other plans. I was working at a restaurant where the local news anchor had loved to visit. She took a liking to me and figured I was too smart or whatever to be a waitress and put in a good word for me at the station. The pay wasn’t much higher than the restaurant and there were no tips but it was a lot better than being bossed around and shouted at because someone’s soup was taking too long or their steak was overcooked. It’s also where I started to learn a little about productions and how they worked, which I actually found fun.”

V. That’s awesome. I’m sure our readers will love to hear that. So you knew you had a calling, what came next? How did you get yourself to Hollywood? What was your first job?

“Hollywood was a dream I didn’t even have. Hell I never  even thought I’d leave Detroit. I worked at that station for a few years before I even started to think about doing something else. I was an associate producer by then and while the job was fun, people went in and out of there and onto bigger things and I was the only one staying around. My mother said it was a good job and I shouldn’t have messed with it but I had my eye on things in other states and maybe a few classes. I knew there was a position available in Atlanta where my old boss relocated and I was honestly saving up for it for a while in secret. My siblings were old enough to take care of themselves mostly and I needed to take a risk so I went out there.  I didn’t get the job I wanted and for another year was stuck as an A.P. just in another place. I took classes, dated a little, had a comical series of roommates and aged a lot mentally before a friend I had made in a class was making a short film and asked if I could help out because I was the most organized person they knew. I said sure and that was my first time as an assistant director. I played around with it a little more and did a lot of research and realized that I could be making a lot more money just by telling people what to do.It seemed like a dream,but also a risk. But if I could find a job doing what I’m doing now and find the time and money to take film classes then I saw it as a risk worth taking. So I moved to L.A.”

VI. Of course, but we all know there’s a sea of faces out here trying to get famous as well, right? It must have been hard, the first few rejections or being told something wasn’t good enough. What was the most difficult thing you faced on your journey?

“Well yeah, of course I got rejected a few times, but I was used to it. I had a decent resume from years of working in a news studio and after I’d completed a course or two I had the paper to prove that I knew what I was doing,so I shopped myself around. I got a few more indie films before I got a steady job on a tv show, that was only just last year and I was still young by industry standards so I was second AD really, but none of that was really hard or difficult. The difficult part was my family,who had fell on hard times –well, harder times , without me there giving them every penny. My siblings were pretty upset at me for leaving and that they now had to get part time jobs to help out and couldn’t just hang out with their friends and be kids, but I had the same thing and I was taking care of them my whole life, they weren’t even thinking about anyone but themselves. And my mother she… Well she was always bitter at me for leaving but one of my brothers was acting up, skipping school, and somehow it was my fault because I wasn’t there to set her kid back in line.  It felt like my whole family hated me for trying to better myself and not carry them on my back, even though I still sent money home often.It took a toll on my work and in a moment of weakness I thought about giving it all up and going back, but what would that get me? It made me feel selfish but I had to put myself first, which was something I hadn’t be raised to do, so it was hard.”

VII. So then what was the moment that you realized you made it? Or are you still waiting for that moment?

“Oh no way have I made it. I’m still working a TV show and not the Game of Thrones, ten million dollars and episode kind, and eating Red Lobster or Outback seems like a luxury to me considering I like in a tiny one bedroom where I get home late, heat up a Swansons or make box mac & cheese because I’m too tired for anything else and then pass out on my couch. I think I’ll have made it when I can work five-six months on a film then spend a month on vacation not freaking out because I’m technically unemployed and I can go out to eat somewhere that doesn’t have a drive thru window and not worry that it’s my rent money I’m spending. (2 - The D List)

VIII. It’s amazing when you make it far enough in this town when so many people end up giving up and going home, isn’t it? So now that you’re here, what’s next for you?

"Well I just turned thirty and haven’t had to pack it up yet, so yeah, it’s great. In the future though I mean obviously I’d like to get first A.D. on a reall big production. A show with a huge budget or a superhero movie since those are huge right now – something where I can bring in a huge enough check to upgrade my apartment and bring my younger sibling out to live with me while they attend college.  I want to be able to say that even though I took risks my siblings didn’t have to and so I’d really love a solid gig to help make that happen.”

IX.  Now we know it’s personal but we have to ask,  do you have any comment about the rumors going around about you?

“Oh… I mean, yeah so that thing… Not that I’m saying that anything happened but lots of actors and crew members have flings on set so it can’t be that. I guess you mean my mother’s gambling habit…which I wish was a rumor…”

X. Thank you so much for talking to us today. Lastly, is there anything you want our readers to know about you?

“Well it’s a little sad but I’ve never been to Disney, though I really want to go. I have a feeling it’s a place where I’d live if I could, but it just always seemed like magic there. I want to take all my siblings and go one day.  It’s right up there on my bucket list with going to Korea. I’m kind of a sucker for Kpop, not even gonna lie.”

[danika--king]

travclarke‌: 

At some point during this meeting, Travis zoned out. Probably when the marketing and publicity teams got up to present to him, babbling about how best to position his latest film. The buzz words they threw out like “epic” and “cinematic event” made his eyes twitch behind the dark sunglasses he wore. This was his worst nightmare – actually, it was hell and he couldn’t wait for it to be over. With a half-hearted wave and a less than convincing smile, Travis left the room and finally felt like he could breathe. Not even out of the building, he began to pad around his jacket looking for his pack of cigarettes when a voice caught his attention. Looking up, he squinted (because he refused to take off the sunglasses that would make him see better) and eventually was able to confirm who it was. “Not necessarily – althought I can’t recall you being a sugar fiend, King. What’s with the assortment of pasties?”

Danika, having worked with a lot of directors in her time, had her shortlist of favorites. Travis was on it. It didn’t matter how great a movie was to her if the six months spent making it were hell for her, but thankfully that wasn’t the case when she worked on Travis’ project. She respected him even if not that many people took him seriously. She’d heard him belittled a lot by older, angrier directors who deemed him another ‘pretty boy actor playing at their profession’ but knew they were mad that his projects were being green lit. Still, he didn’t give up, which was a quality she admired in anybody. Lost in her inner monologue for a few seconds as he made his way to he, she shook herself back to reality.“ Oh, well you know how it is when you’re between jobs. They had nothing else available for me so I took up peddling diabetes. “She chuckled, pausing soon after when she realized it sounded a lot funnier in her head. Feeling awkward, she chewed on her lip for a second.” An intern fucked up so I figured I’d take these and make sure they didn’t go to  waste.” She said after a beat. “Don’t suppose you want one?

[danika--king]

camilasbrooks‌: 

“Fucking wannabes—“ Camilla spat venomously as she strutted through the sound stage, the clicking of Louboutins against the concrete as she walked. People moved, jumped, or she would’ve pushed them out of the way, it didn’t make a difference to her, so long as they disappeared from her path. Approaching the bay doors, she stalled, if only to pull out her phone. Catching the display, she pressed the side button to ignore it, as hues fell onto the person nearby. “You look lost,” She cooed, almost affectionately if she knew how to have any sort of human emotion. “The exit is that way.”

Her hands were busy texting and her head was down as she moved around the room, focused on her task more than what was going on around her because it was her job to make sure said diva actress was taken care of, their trailer not big enough and none of the things they asked for in it, prompting her to walk off set and freak everybody out. Danika was exhausted already and it was only a cameo. Sighing, she headed towards the set to get things sorted when she came across another woman. She wasn’t an actress -- Danika would have known her -- but her clothes and shoes didn’t exactly fit in with what typical fashion crew chose on long shoots. An exec’s wife, maybe? Girlfriend? Mistress? Before Danika could ponder on it, the woman’s comment knocked her back. Though she paused, her face soon returned to it’s usual stern expression. Never said I was lost,though I could have said the same to you, but it seems like you know where the exit it, so you can go use it.”

[danika--king]

Some nervous assistant or intern screwed up -- which wasn’t shocking -- but what was surprising is how badly they managed to. Whatever meeting they were tasked to feed would only have twenty or so people, and yet they ordered dozens of pastries and sandwiches -- far more than would be needed and more than could fit on the table. Danika had been there before, and in order to help out and not make them look bad, she took half on their hands. It was nice in theory, but now she was in possession of food that she had no idea what to do with. Without a set to be on that day or a crew to hand them off to, she cursed her kindness as she wondered if there were any homeless people hanging around outside the studio or a gaggle of interns she could make the day off. As she contemplated, someone passing by was targeted, Danika figuring sh e could at least free one treat from the pack. 

“Hey -- in the mood for a donut?”

[danika--king]

hernandezlaila‌: 

Looking as lost as someone can seem in a hall of an executive building, Laila was checking and re-checking the numbers on the door she was standing in front of. Her action was only interrupted upon hearing someone else walking by, someone who at least in her eyes seemed far more knowledgable on the office than her. “Excuse me, maybe you can help me? I’m… completely clueless. They told me that the meeting was here… 107. Either is not, or I’m extremely late, or extremely early.”  As proof of what she was saying, the meeting room in front of her was proven to be completely empty. If Laila was a mess, that mess only magnified during times of stress.  It wouldn’t be the first time she didn’t read a mail or a note correctly due to her nerviousness. “Do you have any idea of the meeting I’m talking about? Or if people around here call an office that isn’t the 107 the 107?”

As the barista had informed her, adding another shot to a redeye made it a black eye, but they couldn't tell her what a third shot would be called nor would the add it to her coffee without some pushing on Danika's end, but after a late night on set followed by a sleepless few hours of freedom, she badly needed it if she was going to make it through the day. Just having finished , she was now walking with a spring in her step and an eerily out of place smile as she tucked the reusable cup into her oversize bag when someone approached her. Their face was familiar, and Danika was sure that had she not been running of fumes she would have placed it easier, but still, she smile. " You lost, sugar?" She asked in an unusually cheerful tone as she glanced over the woman's shoulder. " I think said meeting might be a floor up from here, but I'm not too sure.."She admitted with a moment to ponder before she nodded toward the elevator. "Walk with me. I'm on my way up, but I can help you find it since I'm not too much in a rush."

[danika--king]

closed starter for @natrhodes​

As first A.D. there was always a lot on Danika’s plate. It was stressful, sure, but she loved that having a lot to do kept her mind from wandering to her other problems and she enjoined organizing and making lists, as weird as it sounded. Delegating work, she had set the prop department on a task of seeing what could be reused for and upcoming production while she herself kept on the screen play writers for the re-writes. It all had a deadline and it all had to be perfect before it was handed to the director, and thought her reward was technically her paycheck, Danika didn’t mind the pat on the back either for a job well done. At the end of a long, long, long day, Danika found herself nursing an Americano to keep her going as she marched her way to her current boss’ door. “ You busy?” She asked, poking her head into the meeting room before entering fully.” I just got an E-mail from the writer with all the edits you wanted done and there’s a a PDF of the call sheet and one for the list of items  the prop department found that could be reused for the shoot as well as a generalization from accounting on how much it could save the production.” She announced proudly as she handed Nat the tablet.

[danika--king]

josiewilde‌: 

For the most part, Josie liked to think of herself as mild-mannered but, when it came to her job, a different side of her often reared its ugly head. While she liked to be the ‘nice guy’ despite playing dirty for the sake of her clients, every once in awhile someone liked to push her buttons. “Look, you cannot publish that quote. It’s taken out of context and –.” Before she could finish the sentence, the phone was hung up, leaving the blonde speechless. No one hung up the phone on Josephine Wilde. “You stupid son of a bitch.” Josephine blurted out loudly, not really noticing or caring that she was in a public space when doing so. Throwing her phone into her oversized Chanel bag, it’s only when she rolled her neck did she realize someone was standing close enough to hear the insult. “That wasn’t directed towards you, I swear. I’m sure you’re not stupid or a son of a bitch.”

It was a well known fact that paper came from trees, so obviously the when several sheets joined forced they amassed the same weight as the tree they were cut from as payback for taking their life. That was the only logical explanation for why one book albeit a thick one, and three scripts were weighing down her arms so much. While it shouldn’t have been within her job description to lug props around, when someone wasn’t doing their job, it fell on Danika to fill that spot. Still, her arms were killing her, sore enough to make her throw caution to the wind and set it down on whatever nearby surface she could see to give herself a break and maybe call some assistant to help her. It was as she rested them on a counter that she noticed the woman nearby should. She didn’t think it was at her, but she appreciated the woman’ clarifying. “Well, I’m the daughter of one, so you’re not that far off...” She muttered under her breath before looking back up with a small smile. “It’s all good, I didn’t think you were talking to me.” She waved off, though the action made her arm hurt. Pressing down on her shoulder and rolling, she looked at the blonde and paused. “Just one of those days, huh?”

[danika--king]

Admin K,31, EST

Danika King

Thirty

Assistant Director

D-lister

Introducing Danika! She came from Detroit without much more than a dream that was more like a goal. She’s kind-hearted and driven, focused,too serious for her own good, and organized to the point of it being a little obsessive but all those things are what make her great at her job.

Socially she’s not so much awkward as she is incompetent. She’d generally too blunt about getting to the point as she’s not great at small talk and idle chit-chat but she’s great at networking and putting on a big smile when execs come around. Her time working in the news circuit is what she credits her shortness and love of getting to the facts and skill (if you can call it that) at smiling and staying silent while other people talk.

Her personal life is kind of a mess. Her family is the main source of her stress and the reason why no matter how many steady jobs she works and what kind of paycheck she pulls in, her bank account is still practically barren. She doesn’t have a ton of friends but it working on that via late nights hanging at dive bars when she’s not on set.

[danika--king]

Kylie Bunbury by Julianne Kaye

[danika--king]

Kylie Bunbury photographed by Paley Fairman

[danika--king]

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