Up, up and away!

Just wanted to say goodbye as I am now off to Sardinia on a major climbing trip for 9 days.

I will be back to all of you guys on the 10th of July.

See you then!

Well I'll probably just stab you in the front

I ended work last night in a thoroughly foul mood. A pity because I was heading over to Jailbait's house for a discussion about our Sardinia holiday next week and the poor boy had to deal with me ranting and raving in regards to work for about 20 minutes before I finally calmed down.

It's funny. Here in the office there is a great comradeship amongst all of the Production staff. We're friendly to each other, we regularly go out for lunch and use each other for sounding boards about work problems and ideas.

HOWEVER

Underneath it all the claws will come out.

There is intense competition about who is going to get what show, who's contract is being extended, who is paid the highest and most important - who is going to get that long dreamed of promotion.

The problem is that we are mostly contracted so after the show that you are on there is a fair chance that the bosses will not extend it. Plus there are certain shows that we all want to work on - but of course only 1 of us can get that joy.

We're also not supposed to discuss our pay. But of course we all do. The reason for this is because then we might discover that the bosses are in fact lying to us and we are NOT on the highest wage for our position. This recently happened to one of my colleagues. I mentioned my rate, she realised I was x amount more a week than her and requested a pay rise. She firmly got told that she was on par with all the others and at this point they can't do it.

Uh oh.

Now she can't say anything cause then I'm in trouble - but believe me you WANT too!

I was annoyed because the powers that be know that I am angling for a promotion at the moment and keep fobbing me off with slightly more money and a promise that as soon as there is a position available that they can try me out in then it will happen.

The liars.

A new girl who started a couple of weeks ago just got contracted onto the junior position that I want.

They told me there were none available at present.

Does this mean I'm not good at my job or that they'd rather I did it on another show?

*sighs*

I really hate the politics.

They are putting me on an amazing show next and I am going to gain some invaluable studio experience on a live awards ceremony surrounded by celebrities - but part of me would rather have had that promotion.

I've made a boo boo

I always say that it is not what you mess up but how you deal with it and fix it.

Classic example is a horror story that my Production Manager told us about today. A few years ago he was in Post Production (editing and actually putting the programme together) of a certain show and had been for about 3 weeks. One day the Producer called him up and requested certain footage from the rushes (raw material shot onto the tapes during filming) that were missing in the edit.

My Manager asked the Researcher who had been working on the show where the footage was.

She said it had gone down to the edit 3 weeks previously.

He proceeded to spend the rest of the day on the phone arguing between the Producer and the Post Production Editing Company who had obviously gone and lost the rushes.

*This is everyone's worst nightmare. I feel physically ill imagining having lost rushes. This is not footage you can go back and re shoot if you're working on a documentary. It is lost. Scary.*

Suddenly this happened

Researcher goes completely white

Researcher: Oh. My. God.

Manager: What? What? What?

Researcher: I know where the rushes are. Holy crap.

Manager: Desperation in his voice WHERE???

Researcher: Terrified tiny voice They're in the cupboard back at the ski lodge in France. I forgot them.

Manager: Holy crap.

The Researcher then organised to go back, get the rushes and bring them back ASAP to the office.

All I can say is hats off to her for actually admitting it. She could have continued to pretend not to know where they were and avoided having herself in the firing line. No one would have been any of the wiser.

That must have been absolutely terrifying.

I'm so glad I wasn't her.

Quaking in my boots

It has started.

The awful Production Executive has moved in behind me.

She started exerting her authority immediately this morning and even managed to upset my Production Manager with her loud demands and louder complaints about our little piece of the office.

Apparently it's too cluttered, boxes need to go, coffee areas need to be cleaned up, fire extinguishers moved and we all need to do it as fast as possible in order to pacify her.

She scares me.

She's big and loud and cranky. The worst part is that she can see directly onto my computer screen. I've angled it slightly though so it isn't completely in her eye line but still.

*sighs*

Least she is out at a lot of meetings during the day and I technically only have until the 1st of August and then I am moving floors so won't be near her BUT STILL!

Bossman: Miss M do we have to come in tomorrow?

Miss M: I KNOW!!!! I'm terrified!

Bossman: ME TOO!!!!

Least I know I'm not alone.

Let's go shopping

Major panic stations in our little area of the office yesterday. Turns out that one of the Directors was paid his salary more times than he should have been.

No one is really sure of how this happened.

Thing is, it isn't like it was only a couple of hundred pounds that appeared in his bank account - we are talking over £7000!

How does one not notice something like that?

I mean seriously.

Or did he hope that no one would notice that we paid him that much?

How would we NOT notice? But then again I suppose it has taken us 6 weeks to notice but it was bound to happen eventually.

Now we can't get a hold of him as he is away on holiday - blowing that extra 7 grand no doubt.

I mean seriously! What was going through his head?

Director: Ooo it appears I've been paid a bit more this month

Director: Wow, my rate went up

Director: Hmmm my dodgy dealings have finally paid off ...

Director: Wow man whoring is paying well these day!

Or maybe he is just like me and never checks his bank balance for fear of what he might see?

Well all I know is that he now has to pay us back £7000.

That would suck.

How boring

I wish I had a fun and entertaining story to tell you today.

But I don't.

Off to go and see an outdoor screening of Rocky Horror Picture Show tonight. Jailbait has never seen it.

How shocking is that?

Power Mad

I think I'm starting to get sick.

Not really 100% sure; my nose is all itchy and runny and I can not stop sneezing - however I don't feel particularly sick. It might just be hay fever?

It is making me exceedingly grumpy though and I do pity some of my fellow colleagues.

I don't have a lot of power in my job, in fact most of the time I'm the one answering to everyone else on the Creative side but sometimes - just sometimes - I can with hold things in a bid to have some sort of power. It's pathetic I know, but hey I was feeling sick and cranky today ok?

My least favourite Editor has this thing about getting his taxi's home in the evening if he works past 8pm. He's the only person who does this and because good Editors are hard to come by and exceptionally rare we cater to his desire and generally just turn a blind eye. I'm the poor sap who has to book them though and let's just say that this Editor really must thing that I have nothing better to do with my time than book his cars.

1315pm

Hi Miss M, can you please book me my taxi for 2300 tonight and let me know the reference number? Thanks.

1430pm

Hi Miss M, did you get my earlier email regarding my taxi?

Now I'm not petty, but for some reason I just didn't feel like answering him. Perhaps it is that power thing I was talking about?

1500pm

Mobile rings, I don't recognise the number and figure since I'm sitting at my desk I'll ignore it as if it is work they'll call the land line number.

Message: Hi Miss M, it's Editor. Just trying to chase that cab. Can you please book it?

Yes. It must be that power thing. He is so desperate for that taxi.

1530pm

Land line phone rings. I'm on the other line so put it through to voicemail.

Message: Miss M, please let me know!

Shame, the poor sap. He's really getting desperate now.

1615pm

Mobile rings. It's my boss! (He was down in another Edit)

Bossman: Hi Miss M, Editor just rang. Apparently he's trying to get a cab booked and he can't get through to you?

Miss M: Ja I know, I heard and saw all the messages and emails! I'm just busy and didn't feel like doing it yet.

Bossman: Laughs

Miss M: I think I get some sort of perverse joy out of with holding it

Bossman: You're insane Miss M

So I gave in at 1710 and booked it for him. 4 hours later.

He wasn't impressed.

Sheesh. Can't please some people can you?