What did you guys and gals do, if anything, before you got into film? I did basic construction work for years. Hated it. I guess the good part is all the experience I learned from it and the fact that it comes in handy if I work behind the camera.
Previous employment
- Thread starter aceofspades70
- Start date
I repair musical instruments and run a private and group music lesson conservatory.
Oh man, I did masonry for a year and a half until my boss moved away. Not to mention my other jobs of concrete, vinyl siding, roofing, floor covering, sawmill, tobacco fields, etc. Just working to make other people money.
"Mundane" jobs - pumping gas, waiting tables, food service, operations manager for a securities firm (worked my way up from a part time telephone service rep), salesman at music stores (dept. head for the local store of a national chain and then operations manager for a local music store).
I was also a performing musician. I started in the usual dive bars and worked my way up to musical director for a well known oldies group. I played some famous venues with them, including Carnegie Hall, the Apollo, the Ed Sullivan Theatre, the Beacon Theatre, Westbury Music Fair and similar places across the country as well as outdoor music festivals (audiences of 10,000+). I retired when my arthritis got bad. I then worked as a studio engineer recording bands, etc. before migrating to audio post production.
EDIT - As a teenager I spent two summers as the mate on a charter fishing boat. And from 16 to 19 years old I played piano and ran audio for a dance school, and I was the organist/choirmaster for a small church.
I was also a performing musician. I started in the usual dive bars and worked my way up to musical director for a well known oldies group. I played some famous venues with them, including Carnegie Hall, the Apollo, the Ed Sullivan Theatre, the Beacon Theatre, Westbury Music Fair and similar places across the country as well as outdoor music festivals (audiences of 10,000+). I retired when my arthritis got bad. I then worked as a studio engineer recording bands, etc. before migrating to audio post production.
EDIT - As a teenager I spent two summers as the mate on a charter fishing boat. And from 16 to 19 years old I played piano and ran audio for a dance school, and I was the organist/choirmaster for a small church.
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I am selling copies of my film and writing my next script. It's very slow right now, but it's only been out for a month and a half. Just gonna have to bite the bullet, or maybe break out the tools again.
In the present tense (as I'm not anywhere near the making a living from film stage), I'm a massage therapist, and I'm going to school for elementary education 
Actually, today is my first day of class! Wish me luck!
Actually, today is my first day of class! Wish me luck!I currently make my living as a VFX artist, DP, editor, and occasional director.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1093050/
Before that, I was:
A waiter
A host
House keeper
Wood stacker
Disney Mouseketeer
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1093050/
Before that, I was:
A waiter
A host
House keeper
Wood stacker
Disney Mouseketeer
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Lets see if I can remember everything... (more or less in chronological order)
Donut Maker
Pizza Cook
Pizza Delivery Driver
Best Buy computer salesman
Gas Station clerk
Mobile DJ
Nightclub DJ
System Administrator @ a dvd authoring company
Marine Corps infantry
Radio DJ
school bus driver
truck delivery (drove a truck to the location of its new owner, all over the country)
oil delivery driver
Car salesman (for about a week and a half)
and presently, system administrator/web software developer
whew.. I've had a few jobs in my day.
Donut Maker
Pizza Cook
Pizza Delivery Driver
Best Buy computer salesman
Gas Station clerk
Mobile DJ
Nightclub DJ
System Administrator @ a dvd authoring company
Marine Corps infantry
Radio DJ
school bus driver
truck delivery (drove a truck to the location of its new owner, all over the country)
oil delivery driver
Car salesman (for about a week and a half)
and presently, system administrator/web software developer
whew.. I've had a few jobs in my day.
oh lord, car salesman, yeah I tried that for about 3 months and surprised I lasted that long.
In the present tense (as I'm not anywhere near the making a living from film stage), I'm a massage therapist, and I'm going to school for elementary education
Those who can't teach get jobs in the "real" world. Teaching is the hardest profession and the most honorable! Enjoy your studies.
My list:
Busboy
Pizza driver
knick knack salesman
inventory worker
school bus driver
horse trainer
tech support technician
network/systems administrator
Embroidery machine operator
Database Administrator
Sales support staff
camera operator
wedding videographer
Lighting Tech for a christian metal band
Manager at a charity operation
Derby driver (I don't recommend this one)
Student
Internet business owner (before anyone realized the internet existed - pre .com bubble)
Programmer
Actor
Cook
Welder
...I'm sure there's more, but these are the ones I've bothered to remember.
Busboy
Pizza driver
knick knack salesman
inventory worker
school bus driver
horse trainer
tech support technician
network/systems administrator
Embroidery machine operator
Database Administrator
Sales support staff
camera operator
wedding videographer
Lighting Tech for a christian metal band
Manager at a charity operation
Derby driver (I don't recommend this one)
Student
Internet business owner (before anyone realized the internet existed - pre .com bubble)
Programmer
Actor
Cook
Welder
...I'm sure there's more, but these are the ones I've bothered to remember.
Oh that's right.. I forgot actor. I've had paying gigs, so it counts now.
Before I got into film I spent 9 months at a recording studio that
did the audio for cartoons. My after school job. I made copies of
sides, fetched coffee, cleaned up the booth and threaded the tape
machines. I got to meet Gary Owens and Paul Frees. Then I did a
national tour of “Godspell” for 18 months. During that time I was
always making short films so I guess I was always into film. But I
started in TV and theater.
did the audio for cartoons. My after school job. I made copies of
sides, fetched coffee, cleaned up the booth and threaded the tape
machines. I got to meet Gary Owens and Paul Frees. Then I did a
national tour of “Godspell” for 18 months. During that time I was
always making short films so I guess I was always into film. But I
started in TV and theater.
I've been in video for the last 20 years. Before that I owned a small window tint/auto graphics shop in Lubbock, TX.
I still dabble with that in a show I produce called Moddin' Art.
I still dabble with that in a show I produce called Moddin' Art.
Retail & customer service for the better part of the last five years:
Hollywood Video (clerk)
Sam Goody (clerk, until it closed down)
Winco (overnight stalker, er, stocker) Didn't last too long.
Security Guard in a hospital ER
Rite Aid (clerk)
But, seeing as I'm going to film school next year, I'm just biting the bullet until after I graduate and could go after some actual film jobs. I hope so at least, retail sucks.
Hollywood Video (clerk)
Sam Goody (clerk, until it closed down)
Winco (overnight stalker, er, stocker) Didn't last too long.
Security Guard in a hospital ER
Rite Aid (clerk)
But, seeing as I'm going to film school next year, I'm just biting the bullet until after I graduate and could go after some actual film jobs. I hope so at least, retail sucks.
Hodies RULE... you masons can clean your own dang boards next time 'cmon, take you 10 seconds to reach over and pick that brick up from the NEXT pile.. Lets see you throw a 15 pound shovel of mud over your head and hit a 2 foot square of wood without splashing a single spot on the wall!
As me old pop was fond to say..
Pick that up, now.. put it down.. good
Born into masonry, youngest of 5 sons for the crew.. never held a trowel on the job. Except the 12 inch variety with the 4 foot handle
Havent done it for 16 years now.. and couldn't be happier!
aside from that..
GuitarCenter PorAudio
Line Cook for Marriot
Grill Cook (interesting my first job anywhere near HIGH TECH was grill cook at MS campus.. ) two years later I was on the other side of the grill.. )
Bass player (god like in my time)
warehouse monkey
Fork Lift driver (several companies)
Lathe operator (one week, but it was fun)
Chop saw operator (cutting ReALLLy long pieces of aluminum of areo planes)
Side girder operator for wood stove manufacture(got a scar from that one!)
Student
Software Tester (anyone remember the MS NT ping of death!) I was in on that action (testing the fixes at MS)
Software Eng
Buildmeister
'cmon, take you 10 seconds to reach over and pick that brick up from the NEXT pile.. Lets see you throw a 15 pound shovel of mud over your head and hit a 2 foot square of wood without splashing a single spot on the wall! As me old pop was fond to say..
Pick that up, now.. put it down.. good
Born into masonry, youngest of 5 sons for the crew.. never held a trowel on the job. Except the 12 inch variety with the 4 foot handle
(AKA a shovel)
Havent done it for 16 years now.. and couldn't be happier!
aside from that..
GuitarCenter PorAudio
Line Cook for Marriot
Grill Cook (interesting my first job anywhere near HIGH TECH was grill cook at MS campus.. ) two years later I was on the other side of the grill.. )
Bass player (god like in my time)
warehouse monkey
Fork Lift driver (several companies)
Lathe operator (one week, but it was fun)
Chop saw operator (cutting ReALLLy long pieces of aluminum of areo planes)
Side girder operator for wood stove manufacture(got a scar from that one!)
Student
Software Tester (anyone remember the MS NT ping of death!) I was in on that action (testing the fixes at MS)
Software Eng
Buildmeister
It is really amazing to see how different our society is different from
western in the sense of jobs and education .
In India college education is a must and that too you should be very intelligent to get a job which pays much . My son he is a graphic designer . He is a Diploma holder in Electronics and graphics yet he is underemployed .
padma
western in the sense of jobs and education .
In India college education is a must and that too you should be very intelligent to get a job which pays much . My son he is a graphic designer . He is a Diploma holder in Electronics and graphics yet he is underemployed .
padma