Jun. 20, 2020: In Aug. 2014, I wrote this post:
counseling/ should I continue into TV production? (Part 1)
http://badcb.blogspot.com/2014/08/counseling-should-i-continue-into-tv.html
In May 2015, I wrote this post:
fit for the job/ should I continue into TV production? (Part 2)
Tracy's blog: fit for the job/ should I continue into TV production? (Part 2) (badcb.blogspot.com)
May 19, 2017 Should I continue into TV production?: Here's another email/ blog post about it.
Pitch to US companies: I found this note I had written down to pitch my script to the US companies. My co-worker M at my first restaurant job told me that in 2014. I have only pitched in Canada.
Volunteer at a TV company: She also told me to volunteer at a TV company. I have tried that before with trying to get internships. There aren't that many TV production companies in Edmonton and they aren't hiring or need volunteers.
https://badcb.blogspot.com/2018/11/dynacor-media-job-interview-its-do-or.html
2009: The Year of The Vertex Fighter: I was constantly pitching my script. I was able to get 3 TV producers/ TV production companies reading at the same time in Jun. 2009.
I even met with a producer John Kerr to talk about it. I also really liked working at the Soup place and I didn't really want to go work at a TV production company.
However, I did work at Call Centre #3 on the weekdays for a few months, and the Soup place on the weekends.
2010: The Year of Unemployment: I was laid off from the Soup place and was constantly looking for a job. I was unemployed from Apr. -Nov. and worked at a couple of restaurants and call centres that lasted from 1 day- 2 weeks.
The TV production and script pitch was on the back burner. I needed to get a regular job first and on the side pitch my script.
2011: The Year of the Office Job Search: I worked at the 1st restaurant job part- time and was running around all over town attending job interviews at offices and clinics.
Pro: In 2010 I started reading the business section of the newspapers like the Edmonton Journal, the Globe and Mail, and the National Post because my family subscribed to all 3 of them.
I was becoming more business and career- oriented.
Con: Also the effect of how hard it was to get a regular job at a restaurant in 2010, kind of affected how I saw that it must be really hard to get a TV production company job.
2012: The Year of New Directions: I worked at a few temp jobs like Telemarketer #1 and #2, and that Call Centre #6.
I tried to start my own TV production company by attending the Business Link meeting.
I rebooted the TV production company job search because:
1. I know more about buses and Google maps and know how to navigate the city more so I can get to the jobs.
2. I know more about business and careers after reading the business section of the newspaper for a few years.
I guess my confidence was built up.
The reality: I went in and looked up every TV production company in Edmonton that I could get to (like max 2 buses to get to). I passed my resume as an administrative assistant.
They were:
1. It was too far away.
2. They weren't hiring.
3. If they were hiring, the positions I'm not qualified for.
4. It was mainly there aren't a lot of job opportunities (TV production companies and TV stations) to work at.
One month of a lot of time and effort, I had probably passed my resume to 20 places.
I got 2 interviews.
1. A 3 day temp job at a TV production company.
2. A sales job at a TV production company .
If I was living in British Columbia and Ontario, I would probably get a job in a TV production company or a TV station.
Or at least I would be able to apply to more jobs and the job search would last more than a month.
Script pitch: I was pitching my script for 5 yrs all over Canada. I can sit in front of my computer in Edmonton and pitching to anywhere in Canada.
Jun. 19, 2020 Vancouver Film school: As a teen I have heard and thought about film school. However, I was mainly aiming to get into NAIT's TV program since I first found about this when I was 16.
2004: When I was 18 yrs old, and I didn't get into NAIT's TV program, I did research the Vancouver Film school for like an hr. I read student's negative comments like how there is more students than equipment, and how the school is close by to the ghetto, etc.
This is going from my memory. I then talked to my dad about going to another city for school. It was a short conversation. I can't quite remember what was said.
However, I know myself. There are a lot of 18-22 yr olds who go to college in a new city and live at a dorm or on their own. They go to school, work, and live on their own.
I wouldn't be able to do all that and pass school at 19 yrs old:
1. I'm not good at school. Well when I was in Professional Writing in MacEwan for 2 yrs, I was successful and graduated. That's because all I did was mainly school, and I never worked during the school year.
2. I would have to cook and buy groceries. I would buy canned foods and instant noodles.
3. I would have to do my own laundry and housework. It depends on where I live, but I wouldn't put much time in housework.
4. Social life and partying: I never partied. When I was at NAIT and MacEwan, I was watching TV for fun.
This would be too hard, stressful, and overwhelming for me to live on my own and go to school.
I looked up how much it costs to go to VFS:
What if Tracy moved to BC to get a job in TV production?: I would choose BC because Ontario is too far away from my family.
Pro:
1. I'm in my 30s now. I have never lived on my own, but I know how to buy groceries, and make instant noodles and eat from canned foods.
Con:
1. I have to find a place to live. I have to get a job in BC first, and then look for a place to live.
Well I can do both simultaneously by going on the internet.
What if Tracy moved to Calgary to get a job in TV production?:
Pro:
1. I have lots of aunts, uncles, cousins that live there. That is where most of my extended family live. I can live at one of their houses until I find a place of my own, or I can pay rent to live in their Aunt C and Uncle T's basement.
Con:
1. I looked up how many TV production companies are in Calgary, and I counted 11.
https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALeKk03b2HAiebvywaeNSvZSGwO4Y4TXrw:1592577252106&q=calgary+tv+production+companies&npsic=0&rflfq=1&rlha=0&rllag=50997020,-114033908,7424&tbm=lcl&ved=2ahUKEwingY7LjI7qAhVbGTQIHdbhCKwQjGp6BAgLED4&rldoc=1#rlfi=hd:;si:;mv:[[51.113134599999995,-113.9393566],[50.947648699999995,-114.1284611]];tbs:lrf:!1m4!1u3!2m2!3m1!1e1!1m4!1u2!2m2!2m1!1e1!2m1!1e2!2m1!1e3!3sIAE,lf:1,lf_ui:2
Film and Television Company list in Calgary Economic Development:
https://calgaryeconomicdevelopment.com/assets/PDFs/Industry-Quick-Lists/Film-Television-2019-05.pdf
Saskatchewan: This was back in 2009. I was pitching my script to TV productions all over Canada. In Saskatchewan, there are like 10 TV production companies.
When was the last time I thought about moving to a new city for a job?:
It was 2013 and I thought about going to work at a temp job at a hotel called the Bayshore Inn. Mainly I didn't go because it was a lateral move from one restaurant job to another:
https://badcb.blogspot.com/2013/08/island-bayshore-inn-low-classes.html
You don't know this, but in 2019, I thought of going to work at a temp job at a hotel in BC. It was because I was working really PT at my 1st restaurant job and I could go to another city to work for a few months.
However, my 1st restaurant job said if I'm gone longer than one month, I can't work at the 1st restaurant job any more.
2013 The Year of the Office Job: I worked there full-time with my 1st restaurant job on the weekends. I decided to concentrate only on work.
2014 The Year of Education and Research: I was researching all these college programs and put this on my blog.
2015-2019: Here is the Cole's Notes version: I hardly ever pitched my script. I was mainly looking for an office job and working at my restaurant jobs.
2019 Video production company job: I attended 2 interviews and I got hired. However, I went there for the first day of work, and I met the boss. The woman who interviewed and hired me did a little training on this computer.
I met 2 other workers. One was a teen boy who did editing. The day I wasn't really working. I really felt like they didn't need me. I knew then that this job is not going to last.
I was scheduled to come in next week. Then I talked to the woman and there was something about the boss changing a lot of things and decided not to hire anyone.
I didn't get paid for the 1 day I was there. I am not angry at all. I have nothing bad to say about them.
NAIT's TV and Radio program: I probably wouldn't have done well in either of these programs even if I was accepted. I don't 100% know this because I never even did a Student- for- a-day to see what a regular day was like.
Dilbert comic: Writing this whole thing reminds me of this comic strip I cut out. Maybe it was in 2017:
Panel 1:
Boss and Dilbert are sitting.
Dilbert: We tried that before, and it didn't work.
Panel 2:
Boss: Stop living in the past.
Dilbert: Stop refusing to learn from previous experience.
Panel 3:
Boss: Whoa, how come it sounds like we're both right.
Dilbert: Yeah, it's kind of freaking me out a little.
Conclusion: I don't love TV production, I love writing.
I like TV writing. I like my blog where I get my message and news out there.
May 19, 2017 Should I continue into TV production?: Here's another email/ blog post about it.
Pitch to US companies: I found this note I had written down to pitch my script to the US companies. My co-worker M at my first restaurant job told me that in 2014. I have only pitched in Canada.
Volunteer at a TV company: She also told me to volunteer at a TV company. I have tried that before with trying to get internships. There aren't that many TV production companies in Edmonton and they aren't hiring or need volunteers.
What's stopping you?: I don't want to pitch my The Vertex Fighter script to US companies, because I don't have energy for it. I feel like I don't want to start pitching all over again.
Dec. 31, 2019 TV production company job search reboot: For the last week I was rereading all my filmmaking articles saved into my emails/ blog posts drafts. I am trying to get inspired and motivated to get into TV producing.
Documentary: Now I thought of making a documentary. I never thought of making a documentary before. I watch news magazine shows like 20/20 so that's kind of similar.
Play to your strengths: I am good at creative writing and I will stay with that instead of financing.
Call centres:
Call people to do surveys over the phone: I can do that.
Telemarketer: Call people to sell tickets and ad space to them. I can't do that.
Jun. 8, 2020 Why didn't you reboot the TV production company job search a year later?:
2008: The Year of the Soup Place: I passed like 10 resumes to TV production companies and TV stations. I know I passed my resume as a administrative assistant to CBC in City Centre.
I got a job interview at Dynacor Media in 2008. I wrote about it in 2018:
Dec. 31, 2019 TV production company job search reboot: For the last week I was rereading all my filmmaking articles saved into my emails/ blog posts drafts. I am trying to get inspired and motivated to get into TV producing.
Documentary: Now I thought of making a documentary. I never thought of making a documentary before. I watch news magazine shows like 20/20 so that's kind of similar.
Play to your strengths: I am good at creative writing and I will stay with that instead of financing.
Call centres:
Call people to do surveys over the phone: I can do that.
Telemarketer: Call people to sell tickets and ad space to them. I can't do that.
Jun. 8, 2020 Why didn't you reboot the TV production company job search a year later?:
2008: The Year of the Soup Place: I passed like 10 resumes to TV production companies and TV stations. I know I passed my resume as a administrative assistant to CBC in City Centre.
I got a job interview at Dynacor Media in 2008. I wrote about it in 2018:
2009: The Year of The Vertex Fighter: I was constantly pitching my script. I was able to get 3 TV producers/ TV production companies reading at the same time in Jun. 2009.
I even met with a producer John Kerr to talk about it. I also really liked working at the Soup place and I didn't really want to go work at a TV production company.
However, I did work at Call Centre #3 on the weekdays for a few months, and the Soup place on the weekends.
2010: The Year of Unemployment: I was laid off from the Soup place and was constantly looking for a job. I was unemployed from Apr. -Nov. and worked at a couple of restaurants and call centres that lasted from 1 day- 2 weeks.
The TV production and script pitch was on the back burner. I needed to get a regular job first and on the side pitch my script.
2011: The Year of the Office Job Search: I worked at the 1st restaurant job part- time and was running around all over town attending job interviews at offices and clinics.
Pro: In 2010 I started reading the business section of the newspapers like the Edmonton Journal, the Globe and Mail, and the National Post because my family subscribed to all 3 of them.
I was becoming more business and career- oriented.
Con: Also the effect of how hard it was to get a regular job at a restaurant in 2010, kind of affected how I saw that it must be really hard to get a TV production company job.
2012: The Year of New Directions: I worked at a few temp jobs like Telemarketer #1 and #2, and that Call Centre #6.
I tried to start my own TV production company by attending the Business Link meeting.
I rebooted the TV production company job search because:
1. I know more about buses and Google maps and know how to navigate the city more so I can get to the jobs.
2. I know more about business and careers after reading the business section of the newspaper for a few years.
I guess my confidence was built up.
The reality: I went in and looked up every TV production company in Edmonton that I could get to (like max 2 buses to get to). I passed my resume as an administrative assistant.
They were:
1. It was too far away.
2. They weren't hiring.
3. If they were hiring, the positions I'm not qualified for.
4. It was mainly there aren't a lot of job opportunities (TV production companies and TV stations) to work at.
One month of a lot of time and effort, I had probably passed my resume to 20 places.
I got 2 interviews.
1. A 3 day temp job at a TV production company.
2. A sales job at a TV production company .
If I was living in British Columbia and Ontario, I would probably get a job in a TV production company or a TV station.
Or at least I would be able to apply to more jobs and the job search would last more than a month.
Script pitch: I was pitching my script for 5 yrs all over Canada. I can sit in front of my computer in Edmonton and pitching to anywhere in Canada.
Jun. 19, 2020 Vancouver Film school: As a teen I have heard and thought about film school. However, I was mainly aiming to get into NAIT's TV program since I first found about this when I was 16.
2004: When I was 18 yrs old, and I didn't get into NAIT's TV program, I did research the Vancouver Film school for like an hr. I read student's negative comments like how there is more students than equipment, and how the school is close by to the ghetto, etc.
This is going from my memory. I then talked to my dad about going to another city for school. It was a short conversation. I can't quite remember what was said.
However, I know myself. There are a lot of 18-22 yr olds who go to college in a new city and live at a dorm or on their own. They go to school, work, and live on their own.
I wouldn't be able to do all that and pass school at 19 yrs old:
1. I'm not good at school. Well when I was in Professional Writing in MacEwan for 2 yrs, I was successful and graduated. That's because all I did was mainly school, and I never worked during the school year.
2. I would have to cook and buy groceries. I would buy canned foods and instant noodles.
3. I would have to do my own laundry and housework. It depends on where I live, but I wouldn't put much time in housework.
4. Social life and partying: I never partied. When I was at NAIT and MacEwan, I was watching TV for fun.
This would be too hard, stressful, and overwhelming for me to live on my own and go to school.
I looked up how much it costs to go to VFS:
VFS Cost of attendance
My opinion: As an adult, I'm not going to VFS. I am not that passionate or interested in going to film school.What if Tracy moved to BC to get a job in TV production?: I would choose BC because Ontario is too far away from my family.
Pro:
1. I'm in my 30s now. I have never lived on my own, but I know how to buy groceries, and make instant noodles and eat from canned foods.
Con:
1. I have to find a place to live. I have to get a job in BC first, and then look for a place to live.
Well I can do both simultaneously by going on the internet.
What if Tracy moved to Calgary to get a job in TV production?:
Pro:
1. I have lots of aunts, uncles, cousins that live there. That is where most of my extended family live. I can live at one of their houses until I find a place of my own, or I can pay rent to live in their Aunt C and Uncle T's basement.
Con:
1. I looked up how many TV production companies are in Calgary, and I counted 11.
https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALeKk03b2HAiebvywaeNSvZSGwO4Y4TXrw:1592577252106&q=calgary+tv+production+companies&npsic=0&rflfq=1&rlha=0&rllag=50997020,-114033908,7424&tbm=lcl&ved=2ahUKEwingY7LjI7qAhVbGTQIHdbhCKwQjGp6BAgLED4&rldoc=1#rlfi=hd:;si:;mv:[[51.113134599999995,-113.9393566],[50.947648699999995,-114.1284611]];tbs:lrf:!1m4!1u3!2m2!3m1!1e1!1m4!1u2!2m2!2m1!1e1!2m1!1e2!2m1!1e3!3sIAE,lf:1,lf_ui:2
Film and Television Company list in Calgary Economic Development:
https://calgaryeconomicdevelopment.com/assets/PDFs/Industry-Quick-Lists/Film-Television-2019-05.pdf
Saskatchewan: This was back in 2009. I was pitching my script to TV productions all over Canada. In Saskatchewan, there are like 10 TV production companies.
When was the last time I thought about moving to a new city for a job?:
It was 2013 and I thought about going to work at a temp job at a hotel called the Bayshore Inn. Mainly I didn't go because it was a lateral move from one restaurant job to another:
island/ Bayshore Inn/ low classes
https://badcb.blogspot.com/2013/08/island-bayshore-inn-low-classes.html
You don't know this, but in 2019, I thought of going to work at a temp job at a hotel in BC. It was because I was working really PT at my 1st restaurant job and I could go to another city to work for a few months.
However, my 1st restaurant job said if I'm gone longer than one month, I can't work at the 1st restaurant job any more.
2013 The Year of the Office Job: I worked there full-time with my 1st restaurant job on the weekends. I decided to concentrate only on work.
2014 The Year of Education and Research: I was researching all these college programs and put this on my blog.
2015-2019: Here is the Cole's Notes version: I hardly ever pitched my script. I was mainly looking for an office job and working at my restaurant jobs.
2019 Video production company job: I attended 2 interviews and I got hired. However, I went there for the first day of work, and I met the boss. The woman who interviewed and hired me did a little training on this computer.
I met 2 other workers. One was a teen boy who did editing. The day I wasn't really working. I really felt like they didn't need me. I knew then that this job is not going to last.
I was scheduled to come in next week. Then I talked to the woman and there was something about the boss changing a lot of things and decided not to hire anyone.
I didn't get paid for the 1 day I was there. I am not angry at all. I have nothing bad to say about them.
NAIT's TV and Radio program: I probably wouldn't have done well in either of these programs even if I was accepted. I don't 100% know this because I never even did a Student- for- a-day to see what a regular day was like.
Dilbert comic: Writing this whole thing reminds me of this comic strip I cut out. Maybe it was in 2017:
Panel 1:
Boss and Dilbert are sitting.
Dilbert: We tried that before, and it didn't work.
Panel 2:
Boss: Stop living in the past.
Dilbert: Stop refusing to learn from previous experience.
Panel 3:
Boss: Whoa, how come it sounds like we're both right.
Dilbert: Yeah, it's kind of freaking me out a little.
Conclusion: I don't love TV production, I love writing.
I like TV writing. I like my blog where I get my message and news out there.
Apr. 24, 2021 Ask good questions: These are like journal prompts to dig deep. I wrote the 1st question down and slowly answered the question here and there. The 2nd question was after reading all my answers.
1. Why do you want to be a TV writer?
2. If you were to die tomorrow, what would you regret?
From 2008-2012 (22-27 years old): I would be upset if I died and my script The Vertex Fighter didn't get produced. From 2013 on, I don't regret that this didn't get produced. I tried for 5 years of pitching to every TV production company in Canada.
I want to ENTERTAIN people as a TV writer.
Now I want to EDUCATE and INFORM people as a blogger.
A small part of me wants to be a TV writer.
A big part of me wants to stay as a blogger.
TV production and filmmaking will always be an interest.
This week's theme is about filmmaking and TV production:
"Screen time" (Edmonton Screen Industries and Josh Miller)
Vancouver Film School
My week:
Apr. 26, 2021 "Edmonton revamped bus system causes some confusion during morning commute": Today I found this article by Dylan Short and Lauren Boothby in the Edmonton Journal:
I haven't gotten on the bus yet since they started this week. When this big of a change comes, ETS did give us a month warning that they'll be changing it. There were some negative comments:
Apr. 27, 2021 "Scam artists use Rogers wireless outage as a lure by offering fake compensation":
TORONTO -- Scam artists have been using last week's wireless outage at Rogers Communications Inc. as a way to trick people into clicking on fraudulent links.
One fake claim that's made its way to social media falsely says in capital letters that R0GERS WIRELESS INC. is offering a $50 credit to make up for the inconvenience if people click on a link.
One clue that it's a fake is that the message spells Rogers with a zero instead of an O, though that's harder to see because the company name is spelled in capital letters.
In addition, Rogers is offering credits but that $50 flat-rate figure is bogus and the link is potentially dangerous because it doesn't come from Rogers.
A Rogers spokesman says the real credit is equal to one day's service, so the amount depends on the customer, and a credit will go automatically to May bills, so don't click on the link.
A Rogers web page about frauds and scams also asks anybody who gets a suspicious text message to forward it to 7726 (SPAM) because the company doesn't send credit notifications by text.
Leo opinion poll:
Katheryne Dorval from Lévis , QC, would like to know:
Should college education be mandatory?
No: 77.53% (5325)
Yes 22.46% (1543)
My opinion: No, college education should not be mandatory. If someone isn't interested or good at school, then they shouldn't have to.
Apr. 28, 2021 "Edmonton-based fabrics company donates 3.5 million face masks to Food Banks Canada": Today I found this article by Jeff Labine in the Edmonton Journal:
An Edmonton-based fabrics company has donated 3.5-million medical grade face masks to Food Banks Canada.
Ennis Fabrics said in an April news release that the masks will be distributed to employees, volunteers and communities to better protect them from COVID-19.
“The donation of 3.5-million masks means we’re helping protect millions of people across Canada, which makes our organization very happy,” company CEO and president Jim Ennis said in the release.
“Working with Food Banks Canada has been nothing short of pleasant and we’re excited to work with them again in the future to continue helping out communities in any way possible.”
Across the country, provinces and territories have varying mask mandates. For example, the Yukon requires masks in all indoor public spaces but not at workstations if there is no public access. Alberta requires masks to be worn in all indoor public places, workplaces and places of worship.
Chris Hatch, CEO of Food Banks Canada, said in the release that Ennis Fabrics’ donation will help volunteers and employees continue to provide for Canadians experiencing food insecurity.
Apr. 27, 2021 "Disney is closing down all retail stores in Canada":
Looks like a St Albert bus with 1 person on it. Secondly thought no it couldn't our buses run empty most of time running around spewing pollution all over the place