The Production Manager - Temp-ting

So, I’ve not been working this week, which of course gives rise to some worry in this economy. Like everyone else I’m looking at what I can do to keep going through these lean times – which I imagine will be for the next 9-12 months at least. Fortunately I survived the aftermath of the dot com boom and continental relocation so I have no doubt that as long as I remember to leave my ego at the door I’ll be able to get through this one too.

I’m doing what a lot of people do, falling back on my other skills to make ends meet. My other skills include budgeting, helping people out with their smaller projects, in fact I’ve been working with a guy down in Virginia who wants to put together a reality show and somehow I’m moving into a development role trying to shape the idea into something that we can pitch to MTV. That would never have happened ordinarily. Fortunately my recent experience on the MTV reality show taught me quite a lot about how the networks like their shows packaged.  

But my one big fall back skill is dare I admit it, temping. Yes the dreaded T word that no one in TV ever wants to do. It amazes me how many people prefer to live on the breadline, take shockingly badly paid work rather than be seen as a ‘temp’. But temping is a great opportunity, not only does it keep money flowing in, but I get the chance to dip into the ‘other world’ the world where people go to work at 9am and leave at 5pm not 10pm, or 2am. The world where office politics involves trying to work out who cooked broccoli in the communal kitchen, not who’s to blame when the show goes over budget. The world in which I walk out the door at the end of the day without having a head full of worry about the budget, schedule and shoot arrangements for the next five day.

Fine the pay isn’t as high but then when my usual work is broken down into an hourly rate I barely make minimum wage anyway. I get less money but more life; I can see people after work, go to the gym I can even take those evening classes I’ve been so keen to do (interactive digital media courses in case you were wondering).  Sure I am the anonymous ‘temp’ and get given work to do that a donkey could do but so what? It’s a living and it can be really nice to remind myself what kind of other career I could have had and you’d be surprised what kind of new skills you can pick up. I remember once several years ago picking up an assignment at a construction company in their finance department which came in very handy when I started developing build budgets for our DIY show.

So that’s what I’m going to be doing to make ends meet between projects during these lean and slightly crazy times. What are you guys out there doing to get by?

I predict I’ll be temping just long enough that when the next big project finally does come in that eats up all my time, energy and headspace, I’ll welcome it with open arms.

Tags: Actor, Film, Movie, Movie Theatre, Hollywood