Tuesday, May 22, 2012

creative thinking/ FAVA/ Meetup

May 16 Creative thinking: This is also from the job advice article by Julie Labrie.  The closing tip was: "Your search will require hard work, investigative research, and some creative thinking.  Stay optimistic, keep at it, and you will succeed."

I have never heard of creative thinking applied to a job search.  I will do that now.  I use my left brain for my job search, and my right brain for my writing to think up story ideas.  Now I will use some creative thinking when looking for jobs.

FAVA: Today I added FAVA as my friend on Facebook.  It stands for Film and Video Arts Society of Alberta.  On the site it says: It's a "not-for-profit, charitable society that exists to facilitate and support the creation and exhibition of independent film, video and media arts in Northern Alberta."

There are all these film making classes.  I want to be a TV writer, not a film maker.  However, there were tips from TV producers that I should make a short film.  It would then be my "calling card" and then you can see my writing and work.

I have now went through every page.  There are a few job postings, but it's more like someone needs some video to be converted onto discs.  You can rent gear to film your movie.

http://www.fava.ca/30th/

Flashback: I'm getting some flashbacks of when I was 15 yrs old and I was reading about film making.  However, I was putting the cart way before the horse, because I still had to finish 2 yrs of high school, and then do a year of upgrading.  High school was really hard so I had to really concentrate on that. 

I didn't get to go get a camera and start filming.  I did continue to write my scripts in school.

On the Lot: I also got a flashback of the reality TV show called On the Lot.  It's about: "16 aspiring filmmakers compete to become the next big Hollywood director and sign a development deal with DreamWorks."

I watched those short films they make, and then the 3 judges then critique.  It's really fun and creative to watch.  It was back in 2007 and there was only 1 season. 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0790557/

Alberta Health Services: In my notes I wrote "Alberta Health Services Secretary I."  I looked it up and most of these positions need an office assistant diploma, and 2 or 3 years of experience in a busy environment.  To get experience start off at a small clinic which I tried to get.

Meetup: Have you ever heard of Meet Up?  It's an online social networking site that creates offline group meetings.  I signed up for Edmonton Filmmaker's Alliance.  I also signed up for Edmonton Screenwriter's Meetup.

I found a note I wrote a few months ago.  My friend Angela told me to look up Edmonton book clubs and dance classes.  It was the time I told her I met Neil at the bus stop.  If you have an interest, you can go to Meetup and find other people who are into the same things as you.

I like reading and dancing, but I really want to get my script produced.  So I'm leaning to film making and screenwriting.  Here's the website:

http://www.meetup.com/find/

Job sites: Also in my notes are these job sites: www.eluta.ca and www.indeed.ca.

I have those on bookmarks with www.simplyhired.ca.  There was one that wasn't bookmarked www.careerjets.ca.  There is wowjobs.ca.  If you go to all those sites, they all look the same.

TV production assistant: I went to those above job sites and typed in "TV production assistant" and only got administrative assistant positions.  I'll have to look elsewhere.

STC Alberta: I found this brochure that I think I got back in 2008, when I was in college.  They're looking for technical writers and the location is in Calgary.  I went to the site and there are Edmonton positions, but they need 7-10 yrs of experience.

http://www.stc-alberta.org/wp/contact-us

May 18 Schedule: Since I got this 2nd part-time job, I decided to get 2 days off at the restaurant.  I will work at the restaurant for about 24 hrs a week and the 2nd job will be 20 hrs a week.  That will be full-time 44hrs a week.

I usually work 30- something hrs at the restaurant.  If I keep it with 30hrs and 20 hrs combined, that will be 50hrs a week.  I will burn out.  Also my new job is Call Centre #7.  I will be sitting and it won't be physically challenging.

I will leave my restaurant to get to Call Centre #7, and will sleep and read on the bus.  Then I get to work and there will be time before work starts so I can do the same thing as I wait.

May 19 Telemarketer: You might as well disregard that last section, because I was dismissed.  I have to write about it so I can get over it.  I haven't worked in a call centre since 2010.  It's okay that I didn't last because it was only supposed to be temporary.  It was an average job. 

It was telemarketing so it was harder that calling people to do surveys.  It was a little easy because it wasn't cold calling. I'm calling people who have bought from us before.

I had told my friend about my new job.  She was interested.  Then I told her about I'm not working there anymore, and then she says she's not interested.

Performing: I was thinking about working at your job and performing.  I never thought about when you're working at a call centre, you're performing.  You're reading a script either on the computer or on paper. 

May 20 Call Centre #5: I was going through this newspaper, and I found a job ad for Call Centre #5.  I worked there for 2 days in 2010 to call people to donate to charity.  They have moved and have a different company name.  I think it's the same company because the job ad looks the same.

May 21 New direction: I feel like I'm losing focus and motivation in my new direction.  I have emailed all my office assistant resumes to TV production companies in Edmonton.  There are some I haven't because I have to take 3 buses to get there.  I got rejection, and a few interviews.  I met and talked with some producers.

Script pitch: Now I have reverted to pitching my The Vertex Fighter script again.  I have pitched to all these companies in 2008.  I saved it all in my drafts in my email account.  Now I'm going to pitch the script to them all over again. 

It's been 4 yrs.  They may have an opening for my project.  I have also done several rewrites and got lots of tips from producers and writers.  I also have MMA fighter Kit Cope attached to it.

The challenge is that I email the companies, but some people have left the company and don't work there anymore.  I have sent some emails and it says it can't send.  So I have to find an alternative email address or a website to contact them.

May 22 New strategy: The new strategy is this:  I look for an office job 5 days a week.  2 days a week, I look for a TV production company job, pitch my script, and write my script.

In 2011, it was like 7 days a week of looking for an office job.

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