Cut!
It's my birthday tomorrow. It's taken me exactly 28 years to finally stumble across a possible social use for myself. It seems I'm talented at extracting money from other people *if*, and only if, it's for bona fide good cause (I was fired from a sales job once because I just didn't care). I've been canvasing for UNICEF at Alberta university and I made a lot of money for them this week. My bright, bubbly supervisor kept trying to make me extravert more to pull people in but she eventually realised I can get people interested in my own way. It's challenging convincing people to part with their money for a cause that's purely in the abstract for them as privileged white westerners. I kinda like it though despite all the constant people contact. It's a good job for me right now while I spend time considering my next move and volunteering at the community radio station.
It's interesting comparing this job with the job i'm struggleing with for extra cash. - selling subscriptions to the local newspaper door to door. It's the perfect job for my musician housemate. He does this 3 hours per day and makes enough money to support his lifestyle and has plenty of time to do his music. It's commision-based but pays remarkably well. I find it tough. It's not as interesting as canvassing for UNICEF because there's not much you can say about a newspaper. Either people want it or they don't. I cringe when I hear the stock phrases 'sorry, I don't read', or 'sorry, I only read the Sun (i.e the crap tabliod rag).' It's also extraordinarily cold trudging the frozen streets at night. So cold infact that my supervior picked me up half-way through my shift last night and warmed me up in the van with a hot chocolate and heat pumped up 100%. Torwards the end I was having trouble spitting out my words 'cause my jaw was tightening up. I'm chalking this one up as character-building!
The good thing about a booming economy is not only the abundence of jobs but opportunties to do other cool things. I did something else I probably wouldn't have done back home - a 3 day acting course. I answered an ad in the paper for a course run by a veteran film director from California. I was skeptical at first and gingerly found a spot at the back of the room on friday night. Even a couple of hours in I was looking to ditch it because the guy came across as a typical hollywood smart-ass with cheesy politically-incorrect jokes flying about. My attitude completely changed over the course of the weekend though as we got into it. It turns out this guy is the only real film director who actually travels around and sussinctly teaches real practical acting skills for the camera.
So it was all highly technical. I've got a new appreciation for film and TV actors. It's bloody complicated memorising lines quickly and being in the exact spots on the floor at the exact time the camera passes over, *and* acting in a natural and non-wooden manner at the same time. Apparently even many experienced actors totally bomb out auditions because they read lines to the camera with very little expression. I had a really great time doing this. I'll probably never use these skills again but the lady who organised the course said I have 'natural comedic timing.'
MG
It's interesting comparing this job with the job i'm struggleing with for extra cash. - selling subscriptions to the local newspaper door to door. It's the perfect job for my musician housemate. He does this 3 hours per day and makes enough money to support his lifestyle and has plenty of time to do his music. It's commision-based but pays remarkably well. I find it tough. It's not as interesting as canvassing for UNICEF because there's not much you can say about a newspaper. Either people want it or they don't. I cringe when I hear the stock phrases 'sorry, I don't read', or 'sorry, I only read the Sun (i.e the crap tabliod rag).' It's also extraordinarily cold trudging the frozen streets at night. So cold infact that my supervior picked me up half-way through my shift last night and warmed me up in the van with a hot chocolate and heat pumped up 100%. Torwards the end I was having trouble spitting out my words 'cause my jaw was tightening up. I'm chalking this one up as character-building!
The good thing about a booming economy is not only the abundence of jobs but opportunties to do other cool things. I did something else I probably wouldn't have done back home - a 3 day acting course. I answered an ad in the paper for a course run by a veteran film director from California. I was skeptical at first and gingerly found a spot at the back of the room on friday night. Even a couple of hours in I was looking to ditch it because the guy came across as a typical hollywood smart-ass with cheesy politically-incorrect jokes flying about. My attitude completely changed over the course of the weekend though as we got into it. It turns out this guy is the only real film director who actually travels around and sussinctly teaches real practical acting skills for the camera.
So it was all highly technical. I've got a new appreciation for film and TV actors. It's bloody complicated memorising lines quickly and being in the exact spots on the floor at the exact time the camera passes over, *and* acting in a natural and non-wooden manner at the same time. Apparently even many experienced actors totally bomb out auditions because they read lines to the camera with very little expression. I had a really great time doing this. I'll probably never use these skills again but the lady who organised the course said I have 'natural comedic timing.'
MG
posted by Matt G at 5:48 PM
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