Never worked for Ivan Reitman, but I had a pretty surreal encounter with him back in summer '03. They were doing the Central Park outdoor movies, and Ghostbusters was playing one night. It's one of my favorites, and Reitman was set to introduce it, so of course I had to go. <1/>

In the Time Out NY listing I found, I distinctly remember reading something about encouraging people to come in costume, and that they'd be giving out prizes after the screening for the best ones. <2/>

I'd made a pretty solid proton pack replica and jumpsuit for the Village Halloween Parade the year before, so I figured this would be the night it all paid off! I dug it out of the closet and dragged a very embarrassed @AustinCarr on the subway with me to Central Park. <3/>

Except. We get to Central Park, and NO ONE is in costume except me. Because I misread the ad. The costume contest wasn't for Ghostbusters. It was for the screening of Hair the following week, for which they wanted everyone to come dressed as hippies. <4/>

So now I'm feeling pretty embarrassed. We find a spot to watch the movie, and I'm taking off the pack when all of a sudden, the event organizers come running over. They're ECSTATIC that I came dressed up, and want to know: will I introduce Ivan Reitman to the crowd? <5/>

Apparently, in all their organizing, they never decided on who would do the intro, and figured some crazy superfan in costume would be as good as anyone. So I said sure, and waited nervously for the sun to set enough to start the movie. <6/>

Finally, it was dusk, and they brought me over to meet Ivan and his wife. I felt super awkward, because both were dressed really nice, and here I am in a cosplay GB suit, the equivalent of meeting William Shatner in a Star Trek captain's outfit. <7/>

But I managed to quickly explain the circumstance, and he laughed and said, "good costume." He looked at the pack up close, and was like, "wow, this is really good." <8/>

So I took the moment, without gushing too much, to tell him it was a favorite movie as a kid, and that making my own Ghostbusters movies on the family camcorder with my fellow 8-year-olds was probably the seed that eventually led me to be at Columbia studying film. <9/>

They called us on stage, and as we're waiting in the wings, all of a sudden, it occurs to me that I'm about to speak in front of a couple hundred people and I have NOTHING planned to say. <10/>

I think Ivan must have noticed me suddenly freaking out, because he goes, "A little advice? Keep it short. And just say everything you just told me." So I did. And it went great.<11/>

So that's my Ivan Reitman encounter! A strange, unexpected but most appreciated moment to thank someone for their contribution to my childhood. I highly recommend taking those opportunities, however they come. RIP, Ivan.<12/>