The Economy, The EDD, and Other Things That Suck!

Hello, trusty readers! I’m very sorry that I haven’t posted for a while. It’s been a crazy summer, and sadly I don’t mean that in the good way. I left my development job a while back and in case you haven’t noticed, the job market sucks. There’s nothing out there. Unless you worked for a big studio. Or CAA. Or spent the last 4 years picking up dog shit so your boss finally promoted you. Or you’re sleeping with a big name writer or director. But that’s it. And independent producing isn’t all it’s cracked up to be! The flexibility and freedom is nice, but the unemployment department doesn’t give a shit.  

And let me just go on a quick rant about California’s EDD (Employment Development Dept.) for a second. Now, all of us in CA – and especially LA – know that unemployment has reached epidemic levels here. Not just displaced agents and execs, but crew, vendors, stores, etc. Unemployment in CA is at about 70%. No? Oh, well maybe it just feels like it. I thought about getting a job selling oranges on the freeway, but alas, that job is taken. Turns out you have to be born into it. 

Anyway, I called EDD the other day to check on the status of my extension for unemployment benefits. After DAYS of calling -  over an hour each day at least – I FINALLY reached a human, who told me that because so many people are on unemployment, not only are they not checking claims on the phone anymore – but there is NO way to get information on your claim. The EDD has hired hundreds of new phone operators, but all they are trained to do – their whole job – is to take a message and tell the caller that someone will call them back within 5 days. Five DAYS! To which I asked – what if they don’t? She retorted, well then I guess you’ll have to do this again. Awesome. I actually got a response 4 days later, however, it was an EMAIL – not a phone call – and it did not answer my question at all. In fact, the woman had written down my question incorrectly, so this correspondence was worthless. So, here’s a little note from the bigger blogger to our esteemed Governator and the EDD – Eat Me!

The economy has obviously affected the business in a ton of ways. Over the last few weeks, I have called almost every major studio and financier to pitch a couple projects I am working on independently. And probably half said they weren’t really looking that hard at the moment. Sure, they’ll read it. But unless it has a big star, director or big money attached, they can’t do anything with it. Disney, Weinstein, Paramount, Vantage, MGM, UA, etc. – they are all just hangin’ out, waiting for the money truck to roll in. Even some of the biggest “independent producers” haven’t been able to make a movie in a year.  Not to mention that many companies have been quietly letting go of their development staffs.

Even with record setting summer box office numbers, the business is stagnant. So much so that more execs than ever raced down to Comic Con this weekend just to pretend like they had something to do. So what is an unemployed exec to do? You’ve got to make your own niche, find your own projects, your own writers. Or fuck it – just write something yourself as MANY of my friends are currently doing. And when all else fails, there’s always teaching. Because if there’s anything my education taught me, it’s that students don’t know when you’re full of shit. And if there’s one thing being an exec in this industry teaches you how to be – it’s full of shit.  

What makes me bitter about it all, is knowing how badly I am struggling, while seeing so many of the other execs out of work having a grand old time and not worrying about paying their bills. It made me realize something. Most people on the “creative” or “development” side of this business – come from money. I never really thought about it – but it’s largely true. Why else would their parents be okay with their kids going into an industry where starting salary is half of what a God damn janitor makes? Did you know that starting salary for an assistant at a studio is about $25-30K/year. It’s about $22-25K if you’re at an independent. It’s $400-500 a week at an agency. You can’t live on that in Bumblefuck, Idaho, much less Los Angeles. So they MUST have parental support! 

Most don’t give a crap about the EDD because they have mommy or daddy or crazy Uncle Trust Fund picking up the slack. They can work at their own pace, because they don’t have to worry about rent. The ones that were working for studios were making more than enough money to save and so they don’t HAVE to worry about finding another job. Hence, the bitter taste in my mouth. 

Here are the two things no one tells you before you move out to LA to pursue your dreams.  One – have a perfectly executable back-up plan. And two – have money. Don’t come out here with a dollar and a dream because this ain’t the damn Super Lotto. Money begets money in this town and that’s on a personal AND professional level. The indie producer who went to film school but doesn’t have any financing can’t get a movie made for years, but the guy who made millions as a car salesman and now wants to make movies but never even went to college, gets a three picture deal at Universal. That’s the business, folks! 

And if you’ve missed my biting wit, you’re gonna be downright depressed in a second because this will be my last post as the anonymous development executive blogger for filmindustrybloggers, at least on a regular basis.  I have loved writing for this site and saying things that could get me in trouble, even though sadly, they didn’t. And I thought being anonymous would be really easy, liberating and fun. But it turns out, everything I’d like to say would make it pretty damn obvious who I am. And being anonymous doesn’t let me promote myself, my projects, my company, find a job, make money, etc. And if I’ve taught you all anything, it’s that you always have to look out for number one – yourself – because no one else in this town is going to. Unless you’re Gay. Or Asian. Or went to Harvard. Or worked at CAA. But that’s it – everyone else has to look out for themselves.  

So, I have to put my energies towards something that is going to pay the rent. I thought about selling myself on Craigslist or on YouTube like ScriptGirl, but sadly, it doesn’t pay enough. Not unless you have boobs like she does.  

Man, this blog felt good. I haven’t been able to go on a good rant in a while. I feel like Bill Maher, but without the coke and hookers. So, while I wont be a “regular” contributor anymore, perhaps I’ll post a good rant every once in a while just for kicks. Or therapy. Or to keep things interesting. Or to remind myself I’m still alive. But that’s it – just once in a while. Thanks all and good luck! You’ll need it!