You know I always
thought I understood the whole "Mo' Money, Mo'
Problems" attitude. And although this isn't about
money (hell I still haven't gotten paid yet), the
same theory applies. You fight so hard to get into the
game, and then realize you were never fighting at all.
Now you're fighting. And if you don't win
this fight you'll go right back to the bench.
Well I'm in the
game, and I'm shooting some great shots, but they keep
forgetting to start the friggin' shot clock...or are
they forgetting? Here's what I'm dealing with right
now:
-They didn't
play my promo on the show Monday. Hell they didn't
mention it, introduce it...nothing. I assumed
they'd actually do a piece on me as it makes THEM
look good. Remember, they discovered me... and now
they've hired me to work for them. That's news.
That's news that makes your segment look great.
Anything I experience in my career, they can
take credit for - and ESPECIALLY this. So
I figured when they re-introduced the segment,
they would make a big deal out of it... and then as
the weeks go on show just the clip - and of course
you know I'm scheming to make it even more, but on
their end I thought this was in their best
interest. Apparently not.
-Oh and even
more ridiculous about the internet crew? Two of the
contestants were on tape. No one in NY could put
them online for me to see. Y'all ain't gonna
believe this: They had to set up a live feed from
NY to LA. Then have them transfer it from their
beta decks to DVD and VHS and have it DRIVEN
to my house so I could write my script. This
all gets there at about 3 PM and I have to have the
script and all the audio timing done and ready for
the shoot the next day. At one point Jim just held
THE PHONE UP TO THE TV so
I could hear the contestants and then
DESCRIBED what they looked like as he wasn't sure
if we would have time to messenger it. I mean what
the hell. ANd had I not constantly pressed New
York for why I needed to see the contestants
(seems obvious considering what I'm doing)
I NEVER WOULD HAVE GOTTEN THEM.
Again, fighting for every scrap.
-Tuesday,
nothing. I left emails but they couldn't seem to
figure out what was going on. The department in
charge of taking something from the internet to
tape is so inept it takes them a week. A week. So
guess what they can never do? Show a current clip
from this week's show. !?!? How is this possible.
This is a network and the NEWS side of it to boot!
I can only assume I'm just that low of a
priority. Fair enough, but you made it very clear
this was a cross promotional thing and there's no
reason anyone except the people INVOLVED in
the contest will go to that section of your site if
you don't tell people why.
-Finally get
word Wednesday that they're going to run it on
Thursday and then every Monday from that point on.
When I go into shoot on Thursday Jim and
I check the tape... nada. Emails have gone out
and still no answer for why it didn't air or if
it'll even air tomorrow. Wait and see.
-Oh
and shooting on Thursday, maddening. We're
now at war with those in the newsroom who
wants us out of there. Apparently we're in
the way? So I have to get up at 5 AM to
try and shoot the announcer and Cameron
before 9 and then we're relegated to the
CREW BREAK-ROOM to do the green
screen stuff. ?!?! And THAT's not
intrusive? There's a hum from the air
conditioners that just kills the sound,
and we have to stop every few moments as
someone walks by. There's a moment in the
tape where you can hear the "Price is
Right" crowd being warmed up outside and
it luckily waits until just after I'm
finished with Dewey's take. Funny, but
goddamn that's pushin' it.
-The biggest
head shaker has been - NO FEEDBACK on the
first episode. I mean, no news is good news
I guess but for fuck's sake, when I wrote
just the treatment in New York I got scores of
emails. I at least got a call about the Test
Show and finally - the big premiere and not a word?
No email? Nothing? I have this horrible feeling
I've pissed them off. It all feels like I'm being
pushed aside and this will never run 13 weeks.
Why????
-The contract
maybe? Did we piss them off? We ended up at $1600
which is still low as shit for the work I put into
it, but out of exapseration we gave in. And they
threw in that they weren't gonna pay me a dime
until it was settled which according to Charlotte
is very strange. She said they almost always pay
the low end of the wage and what you're fighting
for is back pay. Seemed kinda cruel if ya ask me.
But my biggest fear is of course that
I somehow pissed off my biggest
supporter: Steve Friedman the VP. Did he take
it as a slap in the face that this wasn't settled?
Am I coming off like an asshole because I'm
demanding more money? No way of knowing...because
I'm not HEARING ANYTHING. It's
maddening.
It's kinda one of
two roads. Either there are some serious competency
issues with their internet department, communication
skills, and overall understanding of how to run things
- or I've gone from a low priority...to a no-priority.
We may have negotiated me right out of good standing
and are now left with this. Both scenarios are
mind-boggling, and I really don't know what to
think. The lack of any feedback floors me, but more
than anything - the lack of a piece on their show
about an EX-CONTESTANT now working for them?!?! Isn't
that Self-Promotion 101?!?!? I'm just beside
myself.
And the kicker?
Guess what happens once they do play it? I have
to fight for MORE. I have to keep pitching and
pitching and pitching to make this into anything that
even remotely has a chance of being successful. And
I'm talking about being successful for THEM, not just
ME. I feel like I have to pitch THEIR IDEA back
to them! Talent shows can be HUUUUUUUGE human interest
draws. Gigantic. And there are 27 contestants they
spotlight throughout the competition. They need to OWN
those people. What they're actually doing is buying
stock in future talent with a teeny it of air-time. A
10 second clip could mean millions in revenue if one
of those people becomes a name and they
discovered them. But it's like they don't even
uderstand that. They just go through the motions
without ever thinking ahead. You see the segment
itself? It's like 90 seconds of the fastest
"Can-we-please-get-through-this-already" segment on
the show. GRRRRR.
Steve mentioned to
me that the executive producer of the show wasn't the
biggest fan of the segment and I have to assume
there's some sort of power struggle between what Steve
wants to do and what the EP will allow. Only an
assumption, but you can't watch that segment (on a 2
hour show mind you) without thinking it's being rushed
like there's a pot of gold at the end of the segment.
So there you have
it. Lockity-lock lock. We'll see what happens
tomorrow.
