So, I've made my decision

I am letting go of the Wolfman Mac experience. I can't continue to give as much time to that as they require. I really have no job to speak of...all things being equal, and the RenFest internship is more of a detriment than anything else. I need an income that will actually help to pay the bills and help to finish the house in the event I have to sell it.

Mark has been remarkably charitable in driving me down to the production, but they want Tuesdays and Thursdays, and suddenly they were asking for Sundays for make-up shoots and writer's meetings, and evenings to go to appearances...who really has that time and money!? Seriously, if I were less worried about the car breaking down and the cost of gas and the freaking mileage needed to get to WARREN and all points SOUTH, maybe I wouldn't have had to choose this option.

But in all seriousness - and this has all been serious - I have been making myself sick over the inevitable choice.

I missed half a day's pay (at a shitty $8 per hour before taxes) because the shoot didn't get done until nearly three a.m AGAIN. By the time we dropped off another production person south of the studio and headed back home, it was 3:40 am by the time I made it home! Other people live much closer to this production person's location, and Mark was schlepping her home!!?!???

Really?

Too much in-fighting and squabbling. Back-stabbing and effort wasted. When I would contribute a character or script idea, I was told there was already something like it. But then, something would go (inevitably awry) and I would be asked at the last minute to actually do the character, it was so very last minute, so nothing was prepared - costume-wise, prop needs, etc.

When I was asked to do something, it was usually requested when I was at work! I am watched, you know! Hellooooooooooooo. I have hours I have to adhere to, and when I am at work, I am supposed to be working! What do you do at work?

And when the she-demon would want something done, it always has a 4 hour turn-around time frame (or less). I need to get to sleep. I need to have time....and I do not have the equipment some of them do to work with. To write a commercial is not hard, but I need all of the information you can provide and that the customer wants given. To ask me to write something and get it back to you while I am getting paid to work at my job - during the work day - is wrong! And calling me to hound me and ask after the status DOES NOT HELP! You waited until the last minute, you have to give me time!!!! Damn it!

I wanted to fix the audio screwed up in production on a commercial, but of course, it wasn't something that could be fixed. Even though it wasn't a me thing, I still felt as though I had let Mac down.

I find very few of the people involved have had training with their equipment...they just have the money to be able to purchase the cameras and the sound gear, etc. But do they know how to use it? NO, they do not (for the most part)! Do they accept constructive comments or questions...NO, they DO NOT! Why wouldn't we use the good mic as a boom and mic Mac for the spots that way? Geez there is a lot a wasted time and energy there.

Does the show look as though it were shot by monkeys in the dark? Yes, a lot of the time, it does. White balance!! Doggone it.

Are there ego's in the way of turning out potentially great stuff? Oh yeah, baby!

Are they taking too much time getting dumb extra shots that won't be edited in....oh you better believe it! Hey! I know that on FILMS a lot of material is shot and never used. Or, shot, edited in, and then for time, taken out. BUT YOU ARE NOT A FILM or a big $ production! We are volunteering our time and sometimes money to make this run. Did Mark ever get repaid for the $40 bucks or better in McDonald's he contributed to one late night session? NO!

This stuff happened all of the time, and she knows who she is who needs to get her crap together.

Hey, Martin Scare-sezzi (no Mac, not you), it's a cheesey, late night, b-flick production. Three cameras shooting the SAME scenes (from essentially the same angle) are a waste of time, tape, money and effort. Not to mention, all of the extra people standing around IN THE WAY!

Too much indecision, too much last minute EVERYTHING, too much drama. Oh, and not for nothin', but when you finally decide to send a note asking for people to print their own copies of the script and bring them to the shoot (which some of us already did - you're welcome), I would think ATTACHING A COPY TO READ AND PRINT would have been a good idea. Oui!?

As John Lennon said: I just have to ----- let it go.