"Suck it up or quit"

Today, I woke up to a text message from our producer//post production Superviser telling me to carry the Director of Photography's luggage from one luxury hotel in Manhattan, to another. I was not given any quantifiable information about the luggage or hotel, just "do it." So, I asked if I was being asked to do this because of my physical ability, the fact that I can walk. I asked if the DOP was not able in such a capacity.

I received no response.

Later, in person I was told to take taxis, to take receipts, and petty cash it later. Everything in the company is expendable.

I followed through on the task, taking taxis as I was told and meeting two people. One door man from Miami who was launching a trendy cap company and the other, a taxi driver who was struggling to find healthcare coverage for his diabetes. He was very frustrated and dealing with answering machines and dead-end phone calls while driving me. I empathized with him.

Once back at the office, I retreated to my desk where I prepared for lunch orders.

And then the Post Production coordinator came in.

"Alex, are you busy?"

"Why?"

These questions always mean one thing. She then asked if I could go help the Editor pack up her apartment and make sure the boxes were delivered.

I told her no, if she wanted an answer, then mine would be no, I would not do that. That does not fall within my responsibilities as an editorial assistant.

She quickly became frustrated with me and told me to "suck it up or quit" and that she had it much worse when she was starting out. I assured her that she was part of the problem then, to perpetuate the torture and abuse of beginning workers. She did not appreciate this.

Event Planning Fun

It's my last week at IndiePix and I have finally been given something new to do (other than spreadsheet madness) which is exciting and challenging! I am currently working on promoting the premiere for our big summer release: Concrete Circus. The documentary is really interesting and everyone should watch it once it comes out even if you're not familiar with the skateboard/motocross/BMX world.
I'm completely new to the world of marketing and event planning and so far it's been fun. Pulling out contacts from people, I've realized that I even had a few personal friends who could help out. It was a lucky coincidence but one which made all the difference since it meant Red Bull giving us a shout out on their Twitter! Yay!
The other half of the work is all on spreadsheets, but it feels more like organizing research this time and less like busy work. It's all a give and take I suppose.

TDKR Premiere

After last night's events I wrote this post for the IndiePix blog. It pretty much covers what I've been feeling as an aspiring filmmaker.

Real Life New York Problems

A man on a bicycle ran into me today while I was waiting to cross the street. Not a pleasant day back after the long 4th of July weekend but it can only get better. The Dark Knight Rises premiere is coming up and I am SO excited! I'm sticking to my PMA (positive mental attitude) and reminding myself that not everyone here is a jerk on a bike. :)

The Water Cooler Repossession

The title of this blog post means exactly what you think it means. The water cooler was taken away at work today. I was sitting at my desk when a delivery man asked to see the person who was in charge. I went to find Leah, the temporary CEO after the slight "restructuring" that happened a few weeks ago. What happened after this....well it might be the subject of my first short film so I don't want to give away too much. Basically, we refused to relinquish the water cooler, siting lack of a warrant, and the water cooler guy said we hadn't paid for it in months. Money money money. That's always the problem it seems. Once the cooler was gone things were pretty awkward in the office. I think this was the first time I actually felt the financial burden of running a company. The film world is definitely one of luxury and in the current competitive market, I guess the water cooler can't even make it. :(

Nitehawk Cinema Northside Cont.

Today I was finally able to watch a film in the Northside Film Festival. There were complications Tuesday (as always the unpaid intern doesn't get told all the details...but no hard feelings!) but today was the day! After trekking what seemed like millions of promotional fliers to the theatre Monday after work (the one hour commute to Brooklyn from my UWS apartment is not fun, but I have to say...definitely worth it) I was finally able to sit down and enjoy one of New York's best independent theaters (and there are a lot, trust me).
I watched a film called Everyday, Saturday. You can read my review of the film here, and my Q&A with director Dorian Tocker here. It was really awesome to see someone so young have their film premiere at a festival in Brooklyn. The crowd was small but appreciative and I can tell this won't be his last film. It gave me inspiration to pick up my own camera and have some fun with it while I'm here. Sometimes you just have to create what you've been lingering on forever.
Nitehawk Cinema was also amazing. They have a delicious menu and really creative film screenings, as well as a wall filled with obscure and awesome VHS movies. Definitely a place I'll be frequenting for the rest of my time in the city. I love these midday explorations :D.

Media Mayhem

Today I covered the Northside Entrepreneurship Festival in Brooklyn. It was probably my first time ever really experiencing a social media conference like this one, and Williamsburg as well. So it was basically internet savvy hipsters. You can only imagine... But in all seriousness, it was an amazing experience. I learned a tremendous amount from the speakers about where independent film has been where it is now and where it's headed. It was information that I finally felt was relevant to me and directly to my future. If I want to get in this game I need to keep one foot out the door ready to jump onto the next boat and stay relevant in the industry. The field seems to be growing even more reliant on grassroots movements and on top of that very individual marketing strategies. More than ever learning and knowing how to market and promote seems immensely important.
The day got a bit weird when I ran into one of my ex-bosses. We didn't chat because she was really busy but it felt weird seeing her out in the world still working and doing things. I guess being fired really isn't the end of the world.

I spent the rest of the morning exploring the promoters for the event and their various apps. Very cool stuff which made me realize how expansive the film world can be. There were people there from screening venues, concession venues, and even a startup that helps you locate people. Everything seemed to be related and it was comforting to know that having a film studies degree will not be limiting at all.