Today, I started working on a shoot for a series of Sonic commercials. The agency that produces the TV spots for Sonic comes here about 6 times a year to do these spots (you may have seen them -- it looks like hidden cameras in a car watching a couple of guys as they order/eat Sonic food). Anyway, a lot of the people I know in town here work on these spots. Well, today I finally had an opportunity to come on board. Of course my role on the shoot is a PA, or Production Assistant. So you all know, this is about the lowest position you can get on a shoot. Truthfully, I do a lot of PA work here in town -- it pays the bills and, since I have this desire to make movies or TV shows and nothing else (no wedding videos, corporate videos, commercials, etc.), I have never really pushed myself to work higher in this area. Unfortunately, in Phoenix, that's about all there is. So I am a perpetual PA. Normally, I just roll my eyes and say, "Whatever," knowing that it's money and I'm spending most of my free time trying to make bigger things, like feature films. But coming down after this past weekend when I was back in the director's chair making a creative and fun project, then stepping into this, I just felt like screaming. It was so strange, like I had really stepped forward only to step backward again. It's making me realize that if I want to be a director, I need to direct. Even if it's wedding videos, corporate videos, and commercials right now. But to keep stepping back just paints my coworkers' eyes with a sense that I'm not really going to get where I want. I need to make a commitment and start taking steps forward.
Of course I'll be on this Sonic gig for 3 more days, then a Suzuki gig later in the month. I'll have to keep PAing and taking some other work while I start getting my plan of attack together. How exactly am I going to go about stepping into the director's chair permanently? That is the question...
Anyway, I'm off to bed. Feeling a bit under the weather after the incredibly long days of my shoot.
The Movie Monkey
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3 comments:
Obviously being a PA isn't your first choice, and it's easy to understand your frustration especially coming off your own shoot. But you have to keep going at it. You don't give up. GIVING UP would be taking backward steps. Those who work with you will see that you're still pursuing your dreams...one day you'll have the PA...then you can assist them in reaching their dreams.
I say...is being a PA really that far from "directing" wedding videos? Sorry to tell ya, but if you think you're the director of that...have Mrs. Movie Monkey slap you on the back of your head! :p
Okay, I will now always think of you (well, you via your blog) every time I see a Sonic commercial.
Thanks for the kind comments, folks. I appreciate it. It gets frustrating sometimes, particularly when you're the bottom of the barrel. I appreciate your comments and know you're right. But I do know I need to clear some of the other junk on my plate so that I can start devoting more time to the things I really want and believe.
And so you all know, this summer, when the new Sonic commercials come out touting their Jr. Banana Splits, just think of me carrying new banana splits across the parking lot every five minutes. My exciting job today. ;)
TMM
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