Cog in the Wheel

It's been a long time since I've updated, partly because I was busy working on a couple films that consumed my free time, but mostly because I had nothing interesting to say. I was trying to keep the blog from falling into the mundane routine of my everyday life and decided to wait until I had something worthwhile about which to write. Basically, what I've been doing for the past few months is waiting...working part time, saving money, and killing time. I found out in May I'd be starting a new job, which just began two weeks ago!

I now work for ABC doing set inventory, as part of a talent and diversity program called the ABC Production Associates Program. It has several categories in TV production, with one or two associates in each category and has turned out to be a more excellent opportunity than just any job. I'd highly recommend it for anyone interested in working at television. The past year has definitely been the most challenging and educational of my life as I struggled to work and live in Los Angeles, but everything has turned out for the best, as, out of the hundreds of applications I sent out, I probably ended up in the best job I could have at an entry level. Set inventory consists of marking sets built on stages out of flats and logging them so shows know how to put them back together if they want and other shows can see how they've been configured before. Hopefully, this will lead to great contacts in art departments so I can eventually move to a specific show.

For now, though, it's exciting to witness everything at the highest professional level in the industry. Some people questioned whether I'd enjoy working at a major studio, simply because I'd be a number, another cog in the wheel made of thousands of employees. I definitely was concerned at the loss of creative endeavors, as I can rarely take on design projects anymore. However, after two weeks, I've learned there is something to be said for starting at this level. I lose the opportunity to work on projects as a production design department head, but I get the rare opportunity to see how a studio operates and how productions get put together on that level. I could've continued as a production designer on student and independent projects for a while, but I'd been struggling, and I didn't know for how long I'd spin my wheels at that level. At ABC, I'm starting at the very bottom, but I'm at least working in an area that feeds into the department of my interest where I can make specific contacts, as well as meet people in all areas of the industry.

Being a cog in the wheel has turned out to be less corporate than I expected. Rather than sitting at a desk all day, I'm out on various sets and visiting show's offices. I keep regular hours rather than the typical 12-hour production days. Besides that, I get benefits, which are particularly appealing after having been unemployed for a year. Working at a corporate company, and one that's owned by the Walt Disney Company, has its upside: it's cushy. It's nice. It provides for me because it can afford to. Eventually, I'd like to work my way back up to a creative production position, and I'll see how I feel in a year when my position is done, but I may take at least another year in this corporate world, if for no other reason than simply to save more money. Production is unstable, and I won't be gifted with benefits until I can be unionized. It's true I will never be afforded some opporutnities as quickly as colleagues at smaller companies, and I'll most likely never know the executives on a personal level. I'll always be a number in a crowd. But this number's come up, and it's got my name on it. I may be selling out, but I kind of like it...for now anyway. :)