The Table Read

Unfortunately the table read for Episode 3 has been pushed back again. I'd like to take a moment to talk about disappointments and taking them in stride.

I was informed that people were dropping out of the read last minute for reasons here and there. Furthermore, the venue was going to become increasingly difficult to get to - as a result of cottage traffic. I made the executive decision five days before the reading to cancel it. I'm not going to lie, this is one of the first instances of discouragement and disappointment I've had to deal with on this project. For about 24 hours, I didn't take it that well.

I guess the message I'd like to take away from this cancellation is that everything can't go my way. I haven't put a lot on the line for this project. It's been more or less my baby. I feed and nurture it - but I'm afraid to let other people hold it, see it, etc.. The more people who see it increases the chances of being told that my baby isn't special, isn't beautiful, isn't the best baby in the world. The point of this industry isn't to create something that will transcend those comments - it's to take those comments and either pass them off as unwarranted, or learn from them. Either way, I think this was a lesson in taking criticism and disappointment in stride - and I don't feel like I completely failed or went off the deep end. That being said - there's always room for improvement.

Since then I've thought about ways to make the next dinner even more enjoyable and appealable. I think scheduling the dinner close to the end of the summer was difficult for the academics in my social circle to accomodate; furthermore, it can be difficult to get out to Barrie/Oro - especially on the weekends with traffic. I also admit I wasn't as prepared as I'd like to be for the dinner itself. It was going to come together very last minute.

So what have I been up to since the cancellation? Not a lot unfortunately. I've been spending about 3-4 hours a day at Rogers TV working master control for the First Local News. This is a different experience than videography, and something I think I enjoy a little less than camera work. The switchboard is fun - something I think that will hold relevance in my future work. I've also been learning VTR (which is like a fancy 5-deck VCR, with more controls) and audio. I don't take the opportunities I should to learn more about audio (the soundboard, microphones, etc), because its probably the most relevant skill I'd need to work on for the show.

A few weeks ago I'd asked a friend, L.B. to complete a little assignment for me on Ontario/Canada arts and small business grants. She'd sent me the file last week and I'd wanted to thank her in person before I mentioned it here; but thank you very much again, L.B..

Though I feel like there's a lot of work I'd personally like to dedicate to the show, there are obviously things that fall into the specialized fields of other people, and I'll never be able to complete the work as efficiently as they can. As I move closer and closer to production on Episode 1, I begin to realize just how many other people are going to be involved on this project. I talk a lot about starting "my" production company. Though it'll be mine in the sense that I started it, I have to become more comfortable that the production of the pilot won't belong to just me. In keeping with the baby metaphor - it takes a family to raise a baby. So far, I'm just a single parent.

There are some goals this month I'd like to meet and maybe I can start nailing them down post-by-post. I'm still aiming to have eight more posts this month, bringing the total to a record-setting ten. I'd like to have a concrete vision for the rescheduled table read. I'd like to have episode 5 finished and the dilemma on 5 and 6 resolved. I'd like to have begun applying for grants. I'd like to have selected a crew that's available to work. I'd like to track down a cost-friendly solution to studio-space and sets. I'd like to increase my twitter profile and get myself more attention on that venue.

I think what I'd ultimately like to happen this month is to make the ultimate decision of whether SOUNDTRACK will be my full-time job, or my part-time hobby. So far I've been leaning towards the latter, but a project this big deserves more than a recreationalist. It deserves a professional.

I'd like to close off by thanking everyone so much for their continued support, both on the project and on this blog. Thank you everyone who was planning on attending the table read, but had to drop out for various reasons. I'm not so infallible that I'm without emotional reaction - but I truly understand that things can't always come up Dustin.

I hope everyone's enjoying the changes in weather, the rest of their week and the summer that's coming to a close.