Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Off and On: Star Whores
Off and On: Star Whores: Well, the temp agency still didn't call back for when I start the full time spot they got me so it's back to prostituting ourselves for the ...
Star Whores
Well, the temp agency still didn't call back for when I start the full time spot they got me so it's back to prostituting ourselves for the movie business. Yes, it's more work as extras. Mike has already worked one shoot this week for a pilot called "Wild Card" in which he sat in Orleans Parish Prison for 13 hours doing...absolutely nothing. Granted, being an extra is a lot of hurry up and wait, but this set of folks are incredibly disorganized. Forty people sitting in a cell block and doing time, waiting for their turn to get out. If they were going for realism, they got it. He did get to see the tilapia tanks, though. Yeah, I had to ask him to repeat it when he said it too. Apparently the prison system used to have a fish farm and provided 90% of the area's restaurants and grocery stores with their tilapia. After Katrina, it never opened back up again and now they just have empty fish bins. Tomorrow, it's on to the glamourous town of Thibodaux for more work on "Parker". Sorry, no explosions this time.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Off and On: A Small Retraction
Off and On: A Small Retraction: While all the rest of the post earlier was true in, "How We Gonna Pay, How We Gonna Pay" Apple is not guilty of the aforementioned sales tac...
A Small Retraction
While all the rest of the post earlier was true in, "How We Gonna Pay, How We Gonna Pay" Apple is not guilty of the aforementioned sales tactics. It turned out to be a true interview session with Apple's corporate culture at the forefront; cheering upon introductions and running down the aisle to get nametags. Great enthusiasm throughout the whole thing. And while it'll be Wednesday before anything is heard, I can thankfully say that Apple is at least showing growth and gumption. I apologize for the unintended slur, Apple has my thumbs up!
Off and On: How We Gonna Pay, How We Gonna Pay...
Off and On: How We Gonna Pay, How We Gonna Pay...: Ugh, life sucks right now. We're two months behind on rent and the landlord is getting antsy. My lease is up and he's allowing me to go mo...
How We Gonna Pay, How We Gonna Pay...
Ugh, life sucks right now. We're two months behind on rent and the landlord is getting antsy. My lease is up and he's allowing me to go month to month but unless we win the lottery things are going to be bad for awhile. Mike is currently at another interview, this time with Apple at the mall.
I'm going to rant for a minute now, hold on to your hats. We all know it's a tough economy and money is tight. Sales is one of the worst businesses to be in because nobody with half an ounce of sense is spending on anything they don't absolutely need. Anyone who can do sales in this environment and actually make something of it nine times out of ten has my kudos. What I have a problem with is what appears to be a new trend in "sales" tactics.
In the last two weeks, I, my friend Lodie, and now Mike have all applied for what appeared to be straightforward positions that turned out to be sales pitches to a captive audience. (See blog from 8/22/11 "The Crab People" for my experience.) Lodie had this happen to her not once, not twice, but four times in one week. Now Apple is doing the same with Mike as we speak.
There will always be people who want something for nothing. Case in point, the people who've never entered a contest, yet win a "free boat". Upon arrival to collect the prize, they're told that they're being arrested for past tickets and/or warrants. People who show up for time share meetings thinking they're going to walk away with a thousand dollars or a free vacation for two with no investment or time wasted get what they deserve. I get that. There's a time and a place for ploys like this.
Deliberately wasting the time, energy, gas, and already strained financial resources of people who are only trying to find honest work to support themselves and their families is shameful. In each of these cases the ad that was responded to was made to look as though it were an application for a job, nothing else. And while a "group interview" in the most informal sense possible was held, it counted for nothing. The worst part is, if you're really desperate for work you don't want to get up and leave the diatribe because there's the chance the company might still hire you. So you are reduced to being a captive audience in the worst possible way; having no interest in purchasing any product from the company but paying attention because you never know when the sales patter will stop and the actual employment related questions begin.
And to any businesses out there who might be considering this as a way to get people in to listen to your spiel? Don't. Ok? Just don't. The depression won't last forever and if you do manage to survive it, there will be a lot of people who will remember the shady tactics you resorted to in the name of profit instead of doing something effective like, oh, say cutting the CEO's bonus. Revenge is a dish best served cold and I guarantee that's the temperature of the reception you'll get when you try to make a profit off the crowd you duped. Dishonesty never pays.
Ok, rant over. Tonight's gourmet meal is red beans and rice with sausage. Film at 11:00.
I'm going to rant for a minute now, hold on to your hats. We all know it's a tough economy and money is tight. Sales is one of the worst businesses to be in because nobody with half an ounce of sense is spending on anything they don't absolutely need. Anyone who can do sales in this environment and actually make something of it nine times out of ten has my kudos. What I have a problem with is what appears to be a new trend in "sales" tactics.
In the last two weeks, I, my friend Lodie, and now Mike have all applied for what appeared to be straightforward positions that turned out to be sales pitches to a captive audience. (See blog from 8/22/11 "The Crab People" for my experience.) Lodie had this happen to her not once, not twice, but four times in one week. Now Apple is doing the same with Mike as we speak.
There will always be people who want something for nothing. Case in point, the people who've never entered a contest, yet win a "free boat". Upon arrival to collect the prize, they're told that they're being arrested for past tickets and/or warrants. People who show up for time share meetings thinking they're going to walk away with a thousand dollars or a free vacation for two with no investment or time wasted get what they deserve. I get that. There's a time and a place for ploys like this.
Deliberately wasting the time, energy, gas, and already strained financial resources of people who are only trying to find honest work to support themselves and their families is shameful. In each of these cases the ad that was responded to was made to look as though it were an application for a job, nothing else. And while a "group interview" in the most informal sense possible was held, it counted for nothing. The worst part is, if you're really desperate for work you don't want to get up and leave the diatribe because there's the chance the company might still hire you. So you are reduced to being a captive audience in the worst possible way; having no interest in purchasing any product from the company but paying attention because you never know when the sales patter will stop and the actual employment related questions begin.
And to any businesses out there who might be considering this as a way to get people in to listen to your spiel? Don't. Ok? Just don't. The depression won't last forever and if you do manage to survive it, there will be a lot of people who will remember the shady tactics you resorted to in the name of profit instead of doing something effective like, oh, say cutting the CEO's bonus. Revenge is a dish best served cold and I guarantee that's the temperature of the reception you'll get when you try to make a profit off the crowd you duped. Dishonesty never pays.
Ok, rant over. Tonight's gourmet meal is red beans and rice with sausage. Film at 11:00.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Off and On: Comfort Food
Off and On: Comfort Food: Yesterday was a rough day. Poor Mike got extremely sick with heat exhaustion, nearly to the point of heat stroke due to the ineptitude of t...
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