Leticia Battise and Ava Ahmadbeigi

00:02 Play my name is Ava ahmadbeigi. I am 26 years old. Today's date is Monday, January 13th, 2024 in Santa Monica, California. I'm here with my new friend my sympathies.

00:17 Hi, my name is Leticia Massey batis. I'm in my forties. I was born 1976. Today is Monday January 13th. And when the location of downtown Santa Monica, and I'm here with my new friend, who is my interview partner Ava Ava, you know English. So I'm like where you coming from? How long have you been here? I actually came here in 2009 on the other one. Is fisa. I'm actually a professional sag after bath after a matter of a few bits and pieces in a sense of like some vows and

01:17 Independent films and some web series. I've worked with some really cool performance like dub Jones and Felicia Day and some of the crew from Buffy regards to writers like Jocelyn stuff on some projects in regards to the other stuff that I've done way of life bathtub after Los Angeles. It's been a great organization. I'm still a member of it and I get to mingle is not the right word, but I got to associate myself with what everyday American cool. The A-list is the Hollywood Elite player on a professional level in the sense that it's like what we're doing now, and we would have liked sessions cool conversations with blah blah blah.

02:08 Script writing session or costing session what does industry tools in the industry sources is what is interesting because you actually get to see and hear and feel the vibe with these guys just like real regular everyday people.

02:24 In regards to the American twang, I haven't really picked it up and I basically being told off and I have my voice over tapes and you know that it's meant to be a newscaster kind of speak in a sense of give it a quick example of which is something along the lines of the Jenna Max and is and I haven't met you yet. I'm just want to let my own accents not fade away, but just blend.

02:56 In regards to that I'm so it doesn't sound like very chappy about all that but it's it's a profession is ongoing it has his ups and downs. Unfortunately the industry's it takes it takes a beating every now and again, especially when when films come out to a good it's a good example of tea is them the Batman film which unfortunately in one of those Cinemas there was a tragic incident, so

03:30 In regards to where I'm going. I suppose what I'm much more of a and this is what why I wanted to talk about the immigration issue because I'm much more of a consciously social we're human being and not filters into my performance. Is it filtered into me as an actor? It fits filters into me as an actor working with other actors and in a way a we kind of not really fooled into maybe a clique of people as actors who have that kind of conscious awareness and sometimes we don't always come across as like the glitz and glamour of I don't mean this with anyone from Glee please an example, you know, like the Shiny Happy People.

04:30 Doc Holliday

04:32 The reason I say that mostly because nowadays time is change.

04:39 I was born in 76.

04:41 And I feel like sometimes I'm sounding like a an older generation of folk who keep who said that phrase before but it has hit people so hard in this day and age that in the last couple of years. It's been shocking and I think more so because a certain celebrity himself he said in the is sitting in the White House and so is caused a few problems to the point of people stress levels going beyond the Amber Alert. Did you know that the amber alert for American citizen this is basically

05:23 And because of that were noticing up the everyday person is is just if not,

05:39 Become unapproachable to Hollywood in the in the in the form of sales in the form of the type of stories that's coming out of Hollywood nowadays in the form of how they approach celebrities nowadays, especially in regards to the media outlets and with the various magazines and all that kind of stuff. You only need to look at like previous award ceremonies and you see like the decline in bitting's just to shut we've noticed that a very

06:19 I'm probably going to get told off.

06:21 But

06:23 I would describe it as a and I think this is the right word and insula or a much more cocooned form of entertainment is taking over in the general Public's mindset, which is the gaming industry.

06:41 And

06:43 That has made us much more aware to the average person's life in the sense of online media online social media online lifestyle.

07:01 Just

07:03 Breaking down Society to a point where

07:09 The knot in groups anymore. Well we can and we can't release like confirm it but a lot of it is people that's very very isolated and the running now to like whatever these social media sites. So groupings may be expressing their opinions expressed in their viewpoints being Ultra kliki.

07:44 Defensive insula frightens, you know all those those those wedding and suffering bullying suffering a lot of bullying and not realizing or not knowing or even been all to it how to deal with it because there are a lot of people right now, but just

08:19 They don't want to deal with truths.

08:21 And because there's so much stuff that is being thrown out them. And I'm I'm talking about the general public is a whole immigration has been going on for a long time. And I said it came in on the other one.

08:37 And some since 2009 to now. She's 2028.

08:42 I mean, I'm just going to just quickly talk about Santa Monica and radical changes down here we Construction.

08:49 The construction all over Los Angeles and that's enough to raise people stress levels, but it's just

08:58 That is a kind of

09:02 Dead Space like a void and he's really felt it is really really felt what gay you think that it is a mixture of the current politics of today.

09:19 The goddess of what Trump does but basically that party in particular the fact that they see that California is one of the states that America dies major major reforms, but he's also

09:37 In bed type in a sense of finances is lacking. A lot of money unemployment seems to just has exploded to the point where basically people are employed and then all of a sudden the light of what would be a typical job for someone who's probably had like a 40 hour week job for spanning.

10:01 8 to 10 or maybe a little bit, you know where they get the the waltz and all that kind of stuff doesn't exist the banking system for an example. Its I mean is it has been Venturian online but it exploded.

10:27 Into the online market so fast that a lot of people don't seem to be able to catch up with it get to grips with it. The new Society will the new fighter or the password apps apps.

10:46 You know, it's it's taking over like a lot of people there's a lot of people that is that is into it cuz it quick money and then all of a sudden like, you know.

10:56 This this is Gillian apps for one for one thing the way that computers are nowadays. It's been so simplified the sanctions against trade sanctions is really affected people, but I just I don't really know what Hollywood is trying to do, but we're really trying to get a sense of what we will I think this is is community like rain people back into a sense of community and trying.. Dead feeling gone.

11:37 Econo gauge it. It's just it's like

11:45 It's just dead space. That's that's the only way that right now. I think I'm having all meetings and stuff. That would trying to figure out what is really the mood of the people what's really going on what ways old is insula isolation people going within but not in a positive word wrong with bonus with bonus. Not many people want to talk about politics. I mean, it's always been the Americans think you know, don't talk to me about politics. Don't talk to me about money. And my love life is. Conant you are mean but it's got issues. It's got worse and then there is the generation which is always been a generation cap, but there's a generational gap of

12:36 Code of ethics

12:39 And when I said code of ethics, I mean Code of Ethics in the sensor of there's a lot of people that don't want to help people nowadays.

12:49 And that is the breakdown of community. That's if that's a big breakdown of society. So

12:58 I know Donald Trump is to blame for a lot of things because he's English is not my English in his English is not your English and

13:09 Is American but I don't think he understands what American English it is and I can teach you things that he could have worded better. And then there's the war within the sexy women of, you know, the really expression is country hit the really fine so hard to not just returning the jobs but to climb even father and establish these jobs of a job the power I would say jump to change especially in politics.

13:45 And then we have the situation has as what people now see as a teacher, which is a teacher men to a teacher mental omoto.

14:00 Sid said and I touch lightly on the gaming industry cuz I could go on and on and on about that but do those things and those subtle thing, but at the same time the jarring and it has created like a deathbed of a Boyd's of a void of a void which has bred a form of ignorance that it's just it's just it's just created Dead Space. It's almost as if no one really wants to talk about it and when they do to a credit, I'm sorry, you get older people that you got all the people that that Shout.

14:37 Yeah, so what you're describing is a lot of kind of changing cultural societal political things that are going on that's creating a lot of weird things in the environment changes and how people are also talking about what Hollywood is trying to do and trying to create some kind of community. How how are you kind of seeing yourself in this space and what you're hoping for us on myself as foot soldiers. Oh us as foot soldiers of society and just you know, when people out and about in public

15:25 We're trying to the fuel always food so that we're able to ask sheet.

15:33 To try these subjects and not not be

15:42 Don't be scared to actually produce put you some material. We know it's the times I sent you sensitive and trust me. I think that's what the issue is. And that's why I mentioned stress so that this is stress is heightened stress relieving and Anna. Of heightened stress heightened sensitivity.

16:06 And major major major major major recluses

16:12 And for me personally goes through those those three elements is bad. If it's just it's just it doesn't matter. What Walk of Life you come from. If you live in an in an environment, whether it be a home environment, we School environment or just out in the community and you living in heightened stress and living in book loosen screws me.

16:35 Go to the stool and he stole and you may get the whole store with divide that is like all the stuff but working. Well, we will just go in and you just feel like all the stops working. Well because

16:53 It's so

16:56 The stuff the such a big influx of stuff done over so they probably this is something probably within the way that the stuff been trying. There's no there's nothing really to to grip them to say that they're basically the listening to each other all the helping each other. They anything that they got going for them is basically I got a job.

17:24 Political job and that seems to be what what is at the Forefront of everything at least I got a job. So they saying that and that doesn't really help with the Vault with with a positive vibe or positive to say. Hello.

17:41 I'm just trying to look at it from a very picturesque point of view as if to say and I would like if I was an artist and

17:49 I'm seeing all the stuff How would how would I depicted in my painting then? I would have to say a lot of people just darted around my canvas and they don't really seem to really connect. Just there and this is the environment is a scenery. This is is it true that the like as a couple of buildings and it's just people. It around my cannabis and you know, the facial expressions is just I have a nose I have eyes and I have a cheekbone and

18:21 It's very small, but good clothes on or something like that in the occasional transient walking around with all sorts of signs and stuff like that. But then again he's like

18:34 The transients now

18:36 There's a there's a hole right transients. They're not the transients at people were accustomed to 20 years ago thirty years ago. Are you are you feeling the stress and isolation and does things in your own life. I know there's a lot of it that you can work as a California security guard.

18:57 And I know that that industry doesn't have the best the best Outlook of of life right now. There's so many of them everywhere.

19:10 I get the every other every other place has a security guard.

19:16 And it's big big big big big business.

19:21 But

19:23 We have to

19:25 Work with our clients in regards to

19:32 Liabilities and the general public in regards to safety

19:38 Now in regards to the general public and safety that is a big issue because it's a big concern because a lot of people are feeling threatened by anyone that is in the general public because there's a lot of mental health issues going on in this time in this. Especially amongst the transient community and

20:02 Within the transient Community we're talking about the state of the country, which is going to be huge disasters in sense of climate economic to sew and then also the cultural issues.

20:21 Some people some people have got the immigration status some people having some people go to jail help some people having some people go home. Some people having some people living in the car some people that happened and then does the element of medication like what is medication

20:40 That's what I see and I'm dealing with it in the sense of when you said it. I feel like I taken so as in Knoxville Observer from the industry for my main profession working as an artist and then sideline in it with an everyday job in every day in American job. I really do feel this this void Cloud at the moment. You said that you came to Santa Monica or LA in 2009 in 2009. I was not live in Santa Monica 2009 I was living in

21:21 Love locks, and it wasn't far from blacks and I think it was more from LAX and then maybe a year later decided to move down into

21:43 Now, what is it called now?

21:49 So I put some I live on a mood ring around a lot and I'm just thinking of the name preset the back of the Beverly Center but in

22:00 West Hollywood area where were you before then?

22:05 I've lived all over the place. I lived in Hollywood. I've lived in Hacienda Heights. I've lived over in the valley.

22:22 The View

22:24 Have you had to experience other spaces outside of the Los Angeles area where you feel like, maybe you're seeing some of the same things that you're saying here only from working in the valley.

22:35 I need some work anybody. I want to go and nobody haven't lived in about it. I suppose living in the valley completely different lifestyle but working. Yeah, when I first came to America I spent time on the East Coast about two months on the East Coast around Normandy area, which is over the Brooklyn Bridge and that was what made me go. I know I want to see I want to live in California. I really don't like that part of America.

23:11 Too much like Europe. Really when I say that I got a lot of Americans that don't understand or they think I'm a bit strange but I might know is that she's very very very very much similar to Europe especially with the history. Anyway, so myself who's been born and bred in the UK and have an adult supposed to wear to live on this continent is either like in Miami, Florida to go down there.

23:46 Do you feel like I know that I know I'm sorry, but you know if it's at the sunshine everywhere, but I have to I have to behave as well and I was very fresh in a sentence for a coming-out have as well. I'm going to settle how old are you when you came out here. I would say in my late 20s early 30s.

24:08 I know that sometimes it can be difficult when with a country this big and also City this big will happen. If you see much of the city was watching American Friends of the. Haven't even left the country and I just move state to state and I like why do I need to leave of his everything is and then I'm wrong. So do you feel like when two came out here to California that you were going to be able to find some sort of community or something?

24:42 Yeah, and there's always going to be a community is just what is it?

24:51 What is the community of this day in age?

24:55 Did you find one that you liked?

24:57 Whatever it was to be honest. I like my profession. I like a lot like my profession a lot in regards to just people people. I don't mind. I'm very grateful and excited. I like to hang out with people. So do I mix very well?

25:18 It's just I not really fall into the state of awareness sister. You knows what is going on right now. Like you know, what what is what is happening with seen so many people wandering around the streets?

25:34 And I'm not describing it very well, but I'm just I'm seeing a lot of despairing people wandering the streets.

25:45 And it becomes frightening.

25:49 What a man do that. We only have a few minutes left, but

25:53 What are your what are your hopes for yourself for this place for your profession for a community?

26:01 I started a conversation a long time ago when it's a long time ago in a long time ago in politics are the elections coming up soon.

26:12 It annoyed me. And then basically I realized I had to drop this conversation with a lot of people which was

26:21 I was choked how history seemed to slip through the hands of the everyday American and mostly women.

26:31 Because there was a big opportunity for a woman to sit in the in the house.

26:39 I thought you understood what the issues were.

26:44 But at the same time I was very disheartened because

26:51 In the world of business

26:54 And being a president it is a business where they could use CEO of a big company in the big company. You know, it doesn't it really doesn't matter. What it is is a business and I just felt like that was really a woman's time to actually get into the into the into the office and the wasn't there wasn't that many women running in that campaign.

27:24 And again, we have a similar situation does a little bit more women, but it's just

27:30 Best it just seems like

27:33 The countries not very

27:36 But it's so far behind.

27:39 So

27:41 I just knew straight away. That was something wrong.

27:45 Many of the

27:48 Western countries of already had two women

27:52 Some of them have had like more than one.

27:55 So my hope is at somewhere.

28:01 Someone realizes that you know, we just like the way you know, it's like we had the black president regardless of whether it was male female. I want to come by every you know, it's a bummer but I'm just trying not to be I'm going to lie in this subject.

28:22 Someone's got to turn around and say I should you know, what? No, we need to put woman in the office.

28:29 And if it's not the best woman, we need to put adequate woman in the office with some real serious. Good support.

28:40 Because there is a strong message going out in the world of America about the role of women and men and he's not positive. It's not positive and I think that's why you know, we as people in Hollywood really are like looking at this time now cuz it is a historical time, but he is a heightened sensitive stressful time.

29:10 And it's a woman's issue but we had the the women's coat at the women's March women's Revolution not so long ago and it faded away. So

29:27 There's something basically that needs to be done for women. A lot of women's rights and speak all over the place. A lot of funding for women's projects seems to be going a lot of men feel like the women are leaving them.

29:43 Whether they be wives sisters daughters friends, and then the the the generational Gap the elderly and the Young.

30:01 I'm going to say elderly. I mean the people of a Six-Day and the people 20 below this big big problems. Let's end. This is Deere 2020 you no name gun, Ella Ella on. Yeah, but yeah, I will be gone tomorrow.

30:31 Marcia thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much.