Thank yous.

As promised, audience shot! Picture's worth a thousand speeches.

So...the Gala was a raging success. Thank you to everyone who came, everyone who dressed up, and everyone who was part of Episodes 115-117, they are truly some magnificent episodes.

Lauren introduced the Associate Producers, who led the evening.

Thank yous and gifts were given to everyone (sadly) leaving the show: Madelyn, Haley, me, and Laur.

Laur and I love the Castle...so fitting to end our BS careers here.

We've said for years that this is Bay State's golden age, and I hope it continues this way for years to come. We're submitting Episodes 114 and 117 to the College Emmys and the Tellys, so...cross your fingers for Bay State! The newest episodes are online already at butv10.com/baystate, and hopefully 117 will be up soon.

As the semester comes to a close, I'd like to reiterate how thankful I am to be a part of this show.


Reflecting on the past three and half years, it's been a quite the journey. If I can give advice to any aspiring PA, I would say: do everything that you can. Having been part of the writing, production, and editing teams, I've learned so much from this soap opera. It won't be easy, but if you can get through writing/editing auditions, both positions are so fun and rewarding. And, as I've said 100 times, being Director of Bay State was the most fulfilling and wonderful and exhausting job I have ever had.

So, it looks like this is my last blog post--at least until Amadeo starts requesting Alumni Guest Blogs. Hint. I've been thinking a lot about firsts and lasts, lately. The first Bay State shoot that Lauren and I ever went to--way back in 2006--was Mason's room, the ones with Emily and the famous line, "With all the pot smoking, I'm infertile!" How different in tone than our last shoot, and how much more difficult a production, with twelve scenes and six sets?

Reppin' the Bay State gear in the mid-Atlantic.

And then, at the viewing party last night, I remembered the first scene I ever edited: one of the frat basement scenes with Brock and James, the ol' "I always thought bonds of brotherhood sounded hot" scene. Last week, I edited my final scene--the montage at the end of Episode 117. I still have Nick Lattanzi's "Wired Cold" stuck in my head.

As different as some firsts and lasts have been, it's funny how things can be so cyclical. The first scenes I ever wrote were for the frat storyline in 108, specifically the "You can keep your job, but I'm going to need to take that baby" scene. I believe the treatment said, "Nick and Davis enter the newsroom, and let Ben know that the frat is taking over," but once I had the idea that Nick might take Lily...I had to write it, and for some reason, the rest of the writing staff went with it. So, advice to our latest writing staff: don't be afraid to take risks in your scenes. The worst that can happen is that the Head Writer will cut the lines out, and there's no shame in that.

The Archives!

The last scene I ever wrote was the epic 114 scene in the Archives. How fitting, as the serial killer storyline was born in the moment that the fraternity took baby Lily from the newsroom in episode 108. I toiled over it for days and days...forcing Lauren to read every new draft, and help me get it down to nine pages. I'm so proud of how it turned out--the ridiculous things the writing staff asks the production team to do seems to be upped every year...but only because we know you can handle it!

Directing in 2007

But back to cyclical stories...the first scene I ever directed--during the trials--was the bachelor party scene in Mercedes' penthouse. I remember having six set-ups, because the scene had so many actors, so many extras, and hit all three of our cardinal themes: sex, drugs, and murder. Well, a kiss, a drink, and a slap...but still. A year later, the last scene I directed on a Tuesday was the album release party scene at Mercedes' penthouse. That one, too, had the kiss...the drink...and a near-death experience for our favorite burgeoning popstar, care of the serial killer.

Directing the costume party in the penthouse.

There were so many firsts that year--the first adult guest star in years, thanks to Dean Zamoljski, first lesbian kiss ever shown on camera, first full-Tuesday location shoot at the BU Castle. What a journey. I never would have thought we could redesign the intro, that I could take this year's promo shots, or that we could have nearly thirty people come to Sunset Cantina after a shoot.

Lauren and I working on the new intro--finally got the soap turns!

A year ago, I thought that I would never love any job as much as I loved directing, but being Head Writer has been SO much fun. I've loved every treatment meeting, every set of edits, and every read-through. Being able to take pictures every week and share them on this blog has been so satisfying--I love showing Bay State off to everyone I know. If I could announce to the world how proud I am of the cast and crew, I would shout from the rooftops until my vocal cords deteriorated.

Thank you all, for everything.
I know that after the semester abroad ends, I'll be graduating, but...
a piece of paper doesn't mean I can't come check up on you :)

love,
Jenn