Goals for 2009

Rather....A goal for 2009.

Since I missed my opportunity this year to create a post at 8:08 (a.m. OR p.m.), I am going to make certain I do it in 2009.

Yesterday was day #2 as a casting director, and man...it is everything I thought it would be, and I am certain that there is more. Once this bit is over (the how-would-you-like-to-be-in-a-movie search), come this Thursday, we will begin having people read, and that will take this into a whole other realm of wackiness.

Holy cow-a-roo!

I am having fun, though, so no complaints. More later. For now I have to get in the car and head north to the fair for the start of a whole new day of "hi there".

Peas out. (Yes, that was supposed to be funny...I know I typed "peas".)

:^) :^P

Yea! Houston, we have contact!

Can't believe how late it is already! I have been awake for the better part of two hours, but only just peeled my lazy arse out of bed...and the cats are trying to tell me it's breakfast time! LOL

As I sit here reading email and blogging, I can't help but smile at how cool things have become only recently. Even though this may be short-lived (God, please let this become something), it is still very cool to think about years from now - 'cuz I am a young, vibrant chic - being able to look back and tell my grandkids that granny once worked in the movie industry!

I opened my gmail account and was tickled pink to find two more replies to my note to Specs classmates. Hello, Sarah and Jill! I heard straight away from Bridget Clarkson and Scott M. Hello, you two! Then, I received word from Sarah VanRrrrr and Jill. Sarah is doing well as a producer - going on 4 months at the station which signed her on before we even left Specs. Jill is currently in CA with her father, who is fighting leukemia, however she also still has her internship with 106.7 the FOX. Jill sent me a lot of news on many of the folks I never even copied on the first send...so it was good to hear from her for a number of reasons. Scott is going for an interview - but I won't jinx it by saying where or when until he let's me know how it all turns out. Go get 'em, Scott! And of course, Bridget is busy as ever, burning that candle at both ends. Moving back to her home state shortly, but trying to cover lots of ground in the mean time. She has a job in CO to move home to, and impressive as all get out!

I am genuinely tickled by all of your accomplishments, and would love to continue hearing from you.

Please, if you noticed I missed folks in the alphabet, please forward the email to them if you would be so kind.

I know I didn't send to Mark and Brenden team...but mostly because I think I annoyed them in the last quarter and my email wouldn't have been well received. I think I annoyed most people...LOL...but I am quite annoying, so it's understandable. I also know I missed Carlos and Andrew Cuyula (sp), and I hear Matt D is in Israel of all places. Watch out Wailing Wall! I didn't locate an e-addy for Bridget Corkum, and my buddy Tisheena's email came back as no longer working. Waaah! However, please let these peeps know we want to read from them. Oh! and while I am at it, please let me know if I may post some of your information in here from time to time. NOT the crazy stuff which may make you blush and want to run me down with a car...but the stuff that fills in the cracks of where are they, what are they, how are they...you know what I mean?

Any how, I must shake my shaggy tail feathers and get moving. I need to stop by a printer to get fliers for handing to select people at the festival all weekend. We are in search of and doing open casting for core and extras for the film, and will be there to get names and photos, etc. So stop by, say HI and get your mug in my face. We want people in costume and not in costume...but you have to have availability. So do it!

Will post more later, but for now I have to scoot. Love to you out there.

OMG! Who'd believe it? Me...anchoring the news

Well, Channel 19 is now psuedo-broadcasting over the internet, and since they were the first community cable channel to sign up for the HD thing, they are now available to view on cable TV if you look for the station (somehow...I don't know how it works...we don't have cable here). But, I will find out and let you all know!

What I do know for certain is, we can be seen from Port Huron to the far western side of Monroe County, and from southern Lapeer County to the MI/Ohio border.

I am hoping the powers that be see the value in extending what it is we read on air, and what we cover. So far the scope is naught but Leonard, Oxford/Oxford Twp and Addison Township. [Yawn]

I first read the primary election news early in August, and have been getting more to read as others aren't available on the once a week news date. Also, I have been moved from camera work to reporting on the weekly "Our Community Access" program. I am the producer, camera person (at times), and editor for that show. Kinda funny, huh?

Ah well, gotta start somewhere, right? Watch if you can some time. As I said, I will find out how people can view from outside of the Oxford area and will post the solution here.

Until then, thanks for stopping by, and I'll see you in the funny papers!

Who's Ass Do You Have to Kiss? AKA: "OK...so miracles do happen!"

Holy cow! I finally have confirmation and a "report to" for my second production!

In case you haven't heard: for the last 3+ months, I have been working at the Michigan Renaissance Fair offices in the marketing department. It's been...well...it's been a nightmare. I took the VERY low-paying "internship" (yes, they called it an internship to get out from having to explain the poor wages) as a way to at least get some money coming in once the unemployment wages ceased to exist. Also, I had thought that the internship moniker would help on my resume - although I do not wish to be in marketing or sales! Yeesh!

Although, it turns out the owner is simply a cheap little b*stard who doesn't pay much more than $8.50 per hour to anyone he doesn't have to - and that's pretty well everyone in the offices and grounds crew...and on and on.

I have continued to look for work, to go on spartan interviews (those are tough to get around MI any more), and conduct phone interviews - when you can get them at a decent time of day (where it doesn't interfere with the darned hours of the poopy job). It has been nerve wracking, and that's putting it mildly.

I have also taken a VERY part time position as a studio assistant for a community access cable channel in Oxford. It pays even less than the "internship" [picture me making HUGE air quotes there] - minimum wage, in fact - and you cannot work any more than 20 hours in a week! LOL

My work is superior in several ways to what it is they are used to. My big problem is that I can't stop doing my particular brand of work and dumb it down to their standards...I just can't And I am getting a talking to shortly about it. LOL I know I should give them the value of their $7.40 pay...but it's my work and name which is being viewed. What should I do?

ANYwho......

Getting back to the great part: I have been hired to work as the assistant casting person on "Ye Olde Times", being shot at the Renaissance Festival in Holly! I accosted the producer (one of them) as he was exiting the building on Tuesday, and he smiled and said bye as he passed. I smiled, excused myself to the caller on the other end of the phone, put my phone down and asked: "Who's ass do I have to kiss to get a job?"

He laughed, then asked if no one had gotten in touch since we had first spoken. I told him no and that I had contacted everyone laid in my path...but no use.

Scott turned to his assistant and said, "Go find Cynthia - we have her aide. And get Beth's contact info again." Scott went out the door - poof! And his asst stuck by my side til Cynthia stopped at my desk.

Voila!

I know my mom would be cringing, but it worked. My crass question was well met, and I am now working for the production! YEA!!

The pay is far better than I have made recently, but I do have to reserve some to pay taxes at the end of the year.

With these types of jobs, everything is done with 1099's. Get used to it!

The hours will be uproarious...but I am gaining knowledge, insight, credit for my resume and possible avenues into other productions. Better than a stick in the eye! Plus, people in the loop are gonna see my work and come to know me...what better references could I hope to get?

I am totally geeked.

Of course, I still need to continue looking for work in the mundane world, too. Something to fill the coffures as the production work for this movie is only 4 - 5 weeks of pay, maybe 6...but definitely not going to last. I must always think like the ant and not the grasshopper.

So, be happy for me, and think good thoughts. I still need a job (or to win the lottery). Or, to marry a sugar daddy...hmmmm.

Please write and let me know how your worlds and stars are colliding out there. Miss you. Be happy.

It's been a year and a day...where are we now?

OK, I know...it's been a year and 2 days! After all, this is a leap year. ;^)

RTV-9-07 began its trek last August...a class of hopefuls. Freshly graduated many of us (from high school), or finishing one degree and making a decision to move off in another direction. Or, simply taking time to wander the road less traveled but often ruminated over.

So here we are (wherever that is), a year from the time we commited to learning something new, or to learn more of something which we had a taste of in school (my high school, back in the day, did not have these lovely new media centers to work with). Wanting to take flight in a new direction - whether it be for fame, or the fun, or what is perceived to be $$$ generating.

Some of my classmates had the money (or parents with money) to have the equipment necessary for this new future made available to them at home. Hurray for you! I wish I were so fortunate. I certainly hope you know just how blessed you are to have parents who can do this for you. My other great desire is to know that your parents have heard words of thanks from you for these opportunities and blessings.

I will have to be more frugal and crafty in how it is I get my hands on equipment and software.

But, it still makes me wonder how many are using what they've learned, and how many are going on to use it in a career move? How many have decided to continue with schooling to further themselves? How many have left the state to pursue a career?

Where are you, class of RTV 09-07?

It has been a busy time...

For good and for bad, I have been busy - but not in the getting-paid-great-amounts-for-the-time sort of busy. I am, however gaining great experiences and skills. Learning new editing tools and working with other cameras.

I have been enjoying my time with most of the folks at Channel 19 in Oxford, but there are always a few bad apples. To those people I suppose I am the bad apple, but I am not a time waster...and I am progressive and creative...they are stagnant and unmotivated. They get together in little sets and kvetch, and go online and monkey around, but never really do much useful work. The time spent in the studio is mainly blowoff time, and stroke their own ego time, while I don headphones and try to muddle through.

There is a huge need for these folks to hear themselves talk in spite of the fact they say very little which is pertinent to the tasks at hand. They interrupt thoughtful work time for "hey, c'mere and look at this" tomfoolery...or get into heavy-handed discussions of non-sense and (again) non-pertinent work matters, and then attempt to derail my thought processes to make themselves seem/feel/whatever more important.

But why?

If you are good at what you do, and do the things you say you will do - can do - then simply do it. Those things you can help others do - when asked - simply instruct, watch to be certain they are getting it, then leave them to their own devices.

Ah well. I don't suppose there are any areas of employment that won't be filled with prima dona's (and 'don's'), wannbe's and tremendously huge ego's. Everyone is so concerned about making themselves seem better than everyone else, or covering their asses for mistakes made instead of making certain something works and then commiting and owning the finished product, that they can't be happy when someone else creates work which is not so shabby and gets a little attention.

Don't feel threatened! Feel happy the team is stronger.

Sadly, this group is run by another person who may or may not have the skills he hires others to use to the station's benefit. He leads by example, and it is not a stellar one. So, this is why my excellent learning opportunity is tempered with caution and dismay. I am being paid minimum wage to work no more than 20 hours in a week...but it is becoming rapidly stagnant and disgruntling...and I had hoped the shine of a very creative new future would not wear off so quickly.

Take care of yourselves and be happy - I am still wearing my smile.

August, already....and I still do not have a job!?!?

This is what I have been up to, how about you?

TV PRODUCTIONS Oxford Community Television, Channel 19 Camera Addison Twp Supervisory Board Meeting, June 2008 Oxford Library Retirement Garden Dedication Shake, Rattle and Roll Car Cruise, June 2008 – b-roll and interviews Lapeer Symphony Orchestra, 2008 Independence Day Concert, July 2008 Yule Love It Lavender Festival, July 2008 – 2 day shoot Classic Car Show / Celebrate Oxford, August 2008 – b-roll On Camera - Interviews / MOS “Great Lakes Mercantile,” Our Community Access, August 2008 - interview “Celebrate Oxford,” Our Community Access, August 2008 – interview/MOS "Grizzly Bear in Hadley," Our Community Access, August 2008 - interview Editing “Yule Love It Lavender Festival” “Our Community Access,” August 2008 Nightmare SINema hosted by Wolfman Mac Writer - Film inserts - Commercial copy Lawton School Renderoni's Pizza and Deli Company Detroit Custom Poker Chips - Skits V.O. Work - Commercials World of Pole Lawton School Renderoni's Pizza and Deli Company Production Coordinator (Training) Editing On Camera Talent Lighting (1 show to date) P.A. (It’s a small crew) INDIE FILM PRODUCTIONS Red and Blue Marbles Art Department P.A. - Created draperies and set decoration - Painted sets - Still Photographs during pre-production