I’m sure you can tell that this type of post is going to be a yearly post.
Well let me tell you, this has been one hell of a year. Definitely full of ups and downs, I’d like to think that it was more ups than downs. To be honest, thinking about it now I don’t really remember what my goals and resolutions were for the year. With that being said, I do feel like I accomplished quite a bit this year.
So let’s review this year shall we?
JANUARY
- Started off the year in New York with my mom’s side of the family – had a white Christmas and New Year
- Did an adult thing and got myself a gym membership
- Started working for the school for my last semester as a coordinator on shoots and a student assistant in the classroom.
FEBRUARY
- I reconnected with an old boss and got to work on a spec pilot that I recently learned is going to Sundance, which is really exciting!
MARCH
- I signed on to be a Line Producer to a ULB (ultra low budget) short in July
- Took a spontaneous trip with the family to the central coast #whereintheworldisMichelle
MAY
- Coordinated my first PSA (and got a spot as an extra 😉
- Graduated from college
- Watched U2’s Joshua Tree Anniversary tour
JUNE
- Worked on my first commercial and television series
JULY
- All Time Low’s Young Renegade concert – got introduced to a new band (Waterparks – if you haven’t listened to them, you should go and check them out)
- Production for short
- Travelled to Solvang to decompress from the short I had Line Produced
AUGUST
- Worked on Jameson First Shot – first APOC (assistant production coordinator credits!)
- Signed on to be a UPM (Unit Production Manager) for a short shot in November
SEPTEMBER
- Worked wrap out on a YouTube series
- Worked on a reality shoot – I was a walking disclaimer for a cool minute
- Visited my best friend in Washington #whereintheworldisMichelle
OCTOBER
- Worked on a feature for the entire month (yay being employed for a month)
- Went to the Rams vs. Seahawks game
- Saw Tom Hanks do a promo for his book – thanks to NPR
NOVEMBER
- Wrap out of the feature
- Prep, shoot and wrap out of a short
DECEMBER
- Saw Tommy Wiseau in person for a screening of “The Room” at the Egyptian theatre
- Worked on my first music videos (two in one shoot) – the exciting part about this job? I was the Coordinator!
- Did a holiday horror double feature (also at the Egyptian) – and went on a general adventure for the rest of the night afterwards
- Went to my first ballet, The Nutcracker (and I got to put a new coat of mine to the test)
I feel the downs that I experienced weren’t that many. If anything I would say, the few (three days to one week) breaks that I would get, I would start to get bored and question my ability to do a job because I wasn’t working. But then again I feel like that happens to most people who work freelance.
Just a word of advice to newcomers to the freelance film world…
Don’t be down because you’re not getting work. Just keep applying and hustling and sooner or later you’ll land a job. And remember: no job is too small. Don’t think that you’re better than being a PA, everyone starts somewhere. And remember, don’t let your mistakes define you. Apologize, then do better.
With that being said, and me explaining how my year was, how was your’s? Feel free to comment below!
Michelle Morte 