MrBiffo
patreon
MONDAY TOP TIER UPDATE; WORK AND WHATNOT
🕑 Added 2021-01-25 16:28:20 +0000 UTCHello, gang.
As you know, my day job has been hit massively by Covid. The industry stopped entirely last year. I had shows cancelled, and others got hugely postponed... and then cut back.
I won't whine about the impact all this had on my income, but suffice to say... thank you all for your continued support...!
But anyway, though Covid still seems to be a way off of going away, which, let's face it, they're saying won't ever happen entirely, the industry is at least now finding ways around it.
A kids' show of mine that was meant to go into production last summer is at last due to go before cameras in a week or so - minus three of the originally-scheduled episodes (due to 30% of the budget now needing to go towards making the production Covid-safe). It's insane the number of new rules and regulations that need to be in place. I got sent them this morning, and it's pages and pages and pages of waivers, and insurance, and zones, and bubbles... logistically, it looks like a nightmare. Fortunately, the main impact this has had on me from a story POV means having to lose a plot line set in an old people's home! For obvious reasons.
Today we had our read-through for the series, which - in a first - was held over Zoom. It, like all of the meetings I've had this year, seemed to work fine for us not being in the same room. I have a chronic aversion to meetings - mainly because 50% of all meetings, in my experience, seem taken up with idle chit-chat, 25% people saying things to justify the time it took them to get there, and 25% doing anything actually productive. I always feel I could've been better off using that time working, so I'm hoping that this ends up being a permanent change. There's something about being on a video call which seems to focus everyone.
In all honesty, in terms of workload, I don't know how the rest of this year is going to pan out for me. Normally at this stage of the year, I'm just starting to work on scripts that'll film over the summer - which is when most kids shows shoot - but given there are tons of productions backed up that were meant to film last year, I've no idea what's going to happen.
I'm oddly zen about it, though. I'm confident that something will emerge, and as tough as 2020 was in a lot of ways, I've kind of gotten used to working at a less frenetic pace. 2019, as I think I've written before, was the busiest year of my life, and it took its toll. It wasn't healthy to take on that much work, and if nothing else... Covid has demonstrated that I can squeak by with less money, but a much better work/life balance. Which, even if things do get back to something approaching normality, is what I shall aim for.
Anyhow. Thought I'd just check in with you all, let you know what I'm up to. This week's Digi might be a tad late in terms of getting you the ep early. We would've filmed today, but... read through. And then tomorrow morning I have to take my dad for his Covid vaccination. But we're aiming to start filming a couple of eps when I'm back.
What I can say is that this week will be a very special Corner Shop Corner. Oh, and you lot should get an exclusive Patreon-only ep, and another little video special thing that Sanja and I filmed at the weekend. It's a follow-up to the Slinky ep. We went to the drug addict stairs...
Comments
John Whyte
That's really interesting because I find the exact opposite. I have found that working from home means so many more meetings because what used to be a 5 minute talk in someone's office is now a 1 hour call where everyone is hanging around, not paying attention, to get to their 5 minute part. Obviously different things work for different people, but I cannot wait to stop working from home.
Kelvin Green
Good news indeed! Especially about the Drug Addict Stairs™ as I was disappointed they didn't feature in the Slinky video. ;)
Paul Rose (Mr Biffo)
Filming, hopefully, in two weeks, John! And yes: lots of glam people in that shot. I was slumped on the sofa in a pair of tracksuit bottoms and t-shirt. Hence my cam being off!
John Veness
Thanks for the update, Paul. I hope your shows get filmed this summer so you can get paid. Loads of people in that Zoom screenshot look very glam!
Kathy Holloway (Silph)
After my mental health crash in 2018 I dropped to 4 days per week with Wednesdays off. One of the best things I ever did, especially given that I had to keep attending the office all through the lockdowns. Having a decent work/life balance is so important.
Dan O'Connor
Very much looking forward to the drug addict stairs.
Craig Hall
I couldn't agree more with you Paul about IRL meetings, they are the bain of my life, this last year despite everything I've been loving WFH full time. Forget all that dressing up for the office rubbish, gone are all the never ending face to face meetings during which time is wasted either by people just sounding off to their favourite sound being their own voice or as you say people trying to justify what they're doing in the meeting in the first place. As much as I'm sick of this quarantine crap now I'm in zero rush to return to the workplace.
