Relentless

I STILL have not been paid my final amount from the client that I worked with just following A to Z. This means that they are overdue by 4 months on some of it and 2 months by the rest.  The total amount due is just over $6000 now and most of it is my payment for the months of slaving and putting every effort in the world toward the end product.  Unfortunately, I can't even console myself with finished TV spots that the client approved because they sat on it so long that none of what we shot was even viable in the end.  This means that they also cannot look at the finished product and feel like it was well worth it.  Does this justify them not paying me?  Um, hell no. Like a wise man once told me, it doesn't matter whether or not you eat the pizza, if you order it, you pay.  Well this client ordered the pizza.  I spent many nights awake and worked my tail off and truly the end result could have been stellar but the client got in it's own way.  Isn't that so true of us? We get in our own way more than anyone else.

Well, suffice it to say I'm ticked off and the next move will be talking to an attorney.  It's a suck fest alright but I will be victorious because I cannot allow myself to be taken advantage of like that anymore!

On another note, I went to Seattle to the AFTRA convention and it was wonderful.  I really do love getting out of Ohio almost any chance I can. My next trip is to LA, say it with me... Yippeeeeeeeeeeeee!

If anyone is still reading

Hmm, well, here's one more thing I've learned from A to Z and there are many.  People saw me do my project for one year. They watched me cast, produce, act and react all of the darn place.  Obviously, the acting stuff was not new to me but the producing and various other aspects were things I had only dabbled in at most.  The upshot of their watching me and the overall production is a bell went off in some heads.  In some people's minds they started seeing me as a producer, a casting director, a production coordinator.  They figured that if I could do all that with little resources, imagine what I could do with more.  So I worked my tail off just to get more acting work but to date I have gotten offers for producing, casting, and behind the scenes work more than anything.

This has me both distraught and flattered.  I'm glad they obviously felt I pulled it off to some extent or they wouldn't put that kind of faith in me to work on their projects but well, I don't have to tell you how I feel about it NOT leading to more acting work.

So, now I must take this new skill set and use it to bring me acting work. Hmm, I'm thinking again ... this could be dangerous.

More Lilith News

Well, I guess the time has come and they are beginning the advertising for the film I was in last year.  Here's a link to more information. 

http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/45326/lilith-crawls-our-way

It was fun working on that film and I hope it's a breakthrough hit!  I have a feeling I will be afraid to watch a lot of it because it's in the horror genre but nevertheless I will see it and be excited that I got the opportunity to work on it.

Meanwhile, back at the farm, my space bar is stickingon my new computer and I can't decide what to do about it and inother news I have a pieceof garlic onmy leg to attack aweird bump there. Do you see how annoying the space bar thing is now? Yikes!

Wrapping up is hard to do

That's a new song title to the tune of Breaking Up is Hard to Do and believe me, I'm feeling both!  I finally think my work with the client that came after A to Z is completely over.  I need to fedex one CD and get my final check to the tune of 5800 and I can put this baby to rest.  I'm not financially strapped in any way but I really want to put it behind me and not think about owing others money or being owed money.  It has been a real burden.  I also finished that week long project I did last week after adding numbers and counting a wad of cash about 25 times. Now I cannot wait to drop off the money and the props so I can put that behind me as well.

Next up I have a trip to Seattle for my union convention in July and a trip to LA in August where I am getting  my new pics and where I plan to network, hike, take classes and spend a wonderful week doing acting stuff that I love.  Two things I very much look forward to and have for some time.  It's nice to see them in the near future. As for the immediate future, I'm attempting a breather where I do a lot of physical exercise and mental clean up.  The stress of this past year has been grueling and it's time I chill, so I will.  What will you do this summer?  Catch some rays?  I also look forward to basking in the sun.  Ahh, I'm relaxing already.

BTW, sorry this post is so boring, nothing very exciting to report right now but I'm sure something else will pop up soon! I will let you know.

The New Math

So I did this gig last week.  I was on the production side of the camera, aka in hell. But I digress. Actually I don't really think crew work is so bad but it's just not for me.  Disclaimers aside, once again, I was entrusted with the purse. I was given 1000 to buy materials for the shoot, some of which would be returned to the store.  At least a few hundred were nonreturnable.  Still, I was working everything out to the penny and doing very well until I did the Math last night.

I added all of the return receipts and the money received and the money came up short. I was extremely tired so maybe I counted wrong but it seemed pretty off. Now I must get up and do new Math. We'll call it the I only slept four hours cuz I was so worried Math and then get on with my day.  I also may take a trip to my car where I could find that the money fell out of my purse or some hidden items or something!!!  Oh well, we'll see. Wish me luck and easy calculating.

Catching Up

For those of you who haven't heard from me lately, here's why.  After A to Z wrapped, my next gig was Producing and starring in several radio and TV spots for Indiana Beach Amusement Park and Resort.  Next up was a stint with Vitamix where I was not the talent but instead the on set stylist. I was in charge of making the background of the shot look beautiful. My duties were to buy any and all props necessary for food closeups and backgrounds of 20 recipes, not to mention fill all of the kitchen cupboards and decorate the counters so they tied into my theme. Then I have to return as much of those props that I possibly can ... 900 dollars worth! As if that wouldn't keep me busy, when I got to set I was asked to do the clapboard and I became a runner, literally.  I ran up and down the halls of the Viking store delivering props, food and news to everyone else involved.  Basically I was everyone's assistant, or at least that's what I stepped up to do. It just didn't seem possible that all would get done without a lot of hustle.

With that said, Producing the spots, and working crew is definitely NOT what I want for a career.  It brought me money.  I am appreciative of the trust and faith that people have in me as someone who is more than just a talent but once again I am ever so grateful that I love what I do and I will forge ahead to find more opportunities for me to be on camera and doing voice over.  That's my love and so I will go for it.  I hope you are blessed enough to know what you love to do and be able to do it.

In other news, I never did hear from Meryl Streep but I haven't been putting the effort towards that lately so maybe I just need some focus.  I better get some binoculars because I want to zoom in on the future.