I have my share of support that always tries to remind me of the kind of stuff I've achieved in the last year alone but am constantly haunted by where the hell my next month of rent is coming from. not all but lets say half - think they're so bloody clever when all it would take is for them to just listen to themselves for a moment.
Despite a promising reputation I continue to grow on the UK's South coast, I'm still broke, thankfully almost free of the squeeze into a manipulative, piss-poor educational institute to help get myself by, working with entry level people half the time who - not all but half - pretend to be experts from day one when it would do them a far better service just to listen and ask questions rather than just crashing in. Jesus mate, there's no shame in being new at something - I'm always training up new people and you know what, I'd rather work with someone honestly admitting they need a bit of support better manners than someone who pretends to know it all and rarely uses any manners at all.
My applications continue to fly out the door as I pray for a steady flow of income at a respectable level in what I do. I managed to wrangle a camera assistant role for a called Graham, filming the Welsh elections in my first live broadcast for BBC Wales at their Cardiff studio. Talk about pretentious, the place seemed to have no young people in there at all, really. Whilst I was initially grateful for the experience, I soon found this guy to be quite condescending, which way a simple lid goes on a flight case, not to swear (not overtly obviously), whilst he was shouting and raving the words "FOR FUCK SAKE" multiple times when a button broke off his over-engineered jib then in the end stealing equipment that some of the lovely staff had given to me they no longer wanted like lenses and a couple of cameras, I could have used and /or rented!
For example, even after I promised I wouldn't produce for free anymore, like a dumb fuck, I came back to do one more - a short film called 'Flawless.' The writer and director was a youngster called Oli. I worked with him on a poorly constructed syllabus project during our BA's at that excuse for a University of ours and quite liked his filmmaking and acting. This project was taken by THREE MA producers who subsequently abandoned it... Thinking at least maybe some of the work would have been done already, this was not the case. It was an ambitious script with lots of complicated locations, mid-aged actors, props and needed an equally reliable crew & cast behind it.I would like to announce a change of the definition of producer in the dictionary to the following;
'People with the right connections and attitude to carry a project all the way and fix every problem, giving up their lives and be constantly on the phone, emails, networking, recruiting and negotiations 24/7 in order to ensure it gets to production let alone all the packaging it requires thereafter... Furthermore, are dickheads to do it for free!' - Dickheads like me, clearly!
By far the most awkward bastard of a production I've ever produced and being told an early 20's actor can play a mid-life crisis role...?! Right because the viewers won't notice, yeah?I like to have my filmmaking put to challenges but not questioned by someone who has no clue or relevant experience in what they're talking about.
Because there was no production studio or bank loan attached, I knew this production needed money, so I approach someone with a good reputation and due to my own, I try and get one of Dorset's known actors; Jamie Lee-Hill. "BECAUSE" of this, we raise over and above our target for which the actor can pay for himself (not as much as I would like but will be eternally thankful for his sacrifice) on a decent looking film. Rather than a 'thank you' my young director said he didn't want to pay him as much as I'd agreed and claimed I had "lied" to him - that 'I' said he would do it for free and that 'he' would not pay him what I'd agreed...?!
He was working for free, the money that came in was mostly down to his followers, not to mention some of my own, thus you're STILL not paying him nor I, nor anyone else a thing - this is not YOUR money - it's the production's! I already don't agree with paying one person more than anyone else on a production but if that person's involvement has alone, literally raised almost £700 then obviously, I'm prepared to bend my morals a bit by way of gratitude.
I took further offence when I'd been told that the props had broken the budget when as producer I had only been told about some 'masks' (which I agreed to) and my DoP's requested lighting gear. The words used were;
"Dan, you would have bought shit! You reckon you could have done better?"
NNNNNooooooooooo - You don't saaaayyyyyyyy!!!???
ALL this I was willing to let go as the guy's first time on a major professional short film - It is very stressful for a newbie and I let it go! He obviously had forgotten at this point who had approached who at the beginning of this thing and after all my hours over many weeks of phone calls, emails, negotiations, meetings, networking and training alongside my own life and other projects I had on, whilst working for free and going insane, I set this guy into stride with 80% of his crew and all his cast not to mention the time on location procurement. Furthermore, having to pay one actor out my own pocket at one point. I had even dragged my girlfriend into this to maintain the public face of the project but met with negligent responses to her simple production stills and interview requests to feed back to the generosity of the crowdfund backers, both the director and I had agreed to so... What the hell... Just get in with it!
Luckily, I've straightened most things out with this guy now, including most of my money back but I learned never to have my better nature ever taken advantage of ever again. It's a shame, I still like the guy, just unfortunately not the way he does business. I got told later that there were a number of my crew who felt mistreated and money spent on props beyond my permission as producer, that could have been used to treat them to a few pizzas or something at the end instead for example just wasn't on. Knowing I could have shut it down any time I want, I had too many of my own people attached working on this who deserve to get something for themselves and I would be going down this guy's level if I'd taken that decision. Although a great looking film, 'Flawless' I'm afraid, I shall be using as my example of why I shall never produce for free again. I felt I had been completely abused and taken for a ride.
The positives - I got Jamie Lee-Hill as my protagonist and even Justin Hayward coming back for his 3rd time with me, a make-up artist I've wanted for a while; Rachel Collins and Ben Chick - Ridley Scott's sound designer + I've even been able to find a brand new talent, Will Pattenden for my future productions and even got to work with my new sound recordist contact, Marta Batinic, who's really great to work with and also at an age where she takes things as seriously as I do and does it well.... and once again despite the speedbumps, the awesomeness of the others involved, we came through!
Whilst I've been going round the bend, I'll soon not only have this 'Flawless' project as proof of why degrees "are (I told you so) bullshit" but I also got my latest festival win with 'Accolade Global Films Competition' with my 'Last Light' film and even got to meet my LA composer, Michael O'Neill yesterday for the very first time. He was performing as 10 time grammy award winner, George Benson's guitarist at the Bournemouth International Centre and I got to see them both before and after the show for a chat. This will be own strongest 'power of networking' story I will be telling for years to come.
I already thought Michael kicked ass but we talked for ages. Yes, some of it even about the stupid result of Britain leaving the EU recently but it was great and the philosophies we shared though an entire generation apart in our creative pursuits, I only wished my dad took a leaf out of this guy's book - How awesome would that be?Take a look at George - 72 and STILL such a super cool cat to be around!
Once we hung out with George for a bit, I got to check out the dressing rooms and even got to walk around and chat for a bit in their £750,000 tour bus.
Not only did I find out I was a bigger fan of jazz than I thought by the end of the night but came to realise not only how powerful of a connection I had made but also a terrific damn right nice friend. Before the night was over I even got to meet the rest of the band before they had to jump back on the tour bus to play at their next gig in - guess where - the midlands!
I've also been contacted once again by Gilly Tully at FES that wants me to film their winning script at the pitch; Paper Stain by Ida Frank, which is looking like a big deal. Especially as I'm currently the face of the new Dorset Film Office on their website. I was asked to play a paid role on their first production 'Time Of Their Lives' in Portsmouth but unfortunately I was just too busy. Damn shame! Just the other day though I got another call from her asking for my possible involvement on their latest dealings into a co-production sports documentary, so will be interesting to see how that comes along.
Really hope this thing keeps going from strength to strength. All I know is I'll keep supporting Gilly with whatever I can, as long as I can.
I'm still trying to lock in regular clients as I just heard back from my BBC producers role that I wasn't going to get any further with it. Needless to say I was gutted! You wouldn't believe the amount of interest they expressed in my 'Survivor' project. Was actually quite flattering - Good luck finding a candidate who can put one of those together mate. I mean - 'COME ON' - who else has as many projects, awards, contacts and skills as me at this stage after all my several years of hard work, I mean, "just look" for crying out loud! - BEAT THIS! What more do you want?
Speaking of unreasonable, a funny thing also cropped up regarding my previous bullshit sales life with a company I hadn't had anything to do with in almost 10 years - Merlin Entertainments Group' and the fact something's simply don't change!
These two employees wanted me to film two things for them working for this company and edit it all for a poxy £200. Why the fuck is this the case when that sod of an organisation makes millions year in, year out?
For you employees - Please take a LONG hard look at our filmmaker role day rates before you waste any more of our time. You wouldn't like me to pretend I can do 'your' job as well as you without any training, software or know-how, would you? Moreover, work for an insulting amount.I obviously went and did part of the job as it's a big client, not to mention being desperate for the money but for fuck sake, "JUST THINK" - I know it may well not be their fault directly but given their employer couldn't have just bunged them a simple £300 or so when they plan on using this to represent themselves online internationally and rely on two employees who have 'no clue' what they're doing - You're a moron! Furthermore, when you're asking someone with my profile to work for almost 2 weeks on less than minimum wage and get all shitty with me when I refuse then I shall refer them as well as ungrateful directors from this point on to this image.
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