As with most things in my life, this story begins with hockey. But, for the ugghh-sayers (I’m figuring some Yanks and the lot of the UK who reads this, being three of you), this is still understandable, so you may read on.
Having said that, I’ll assume you know we had no National Hockey League season last year due to labour and union strife, and the end result has been that teams must operate under a salary cap, which limits the amount of money a team can spend on players, and hopefully level the playing field, making more competitive matches, and supporting teams earn a profit again (yup, financially, it’s that bad).
Needless to say, the players felt they got a raw deal, and saw a change of guard with the union boss. However, this succession has loopholes in it, and the players whinged about the changing of the guard. Now, another resignation, as Steve Larmer has resigned as head of player relations. All of this leads me to ask this one question.
What ever happened to operating for the love of what you do?
Now, fair enough, even the best of players rarely play much into their forties, and are trying to build a nest egg. To which I ask two questions. One, is it at all possible to save some of those millions a year they earn (at the fan’s expense)? And two, if your income can’t be properly financed into a early retirement income, has any thought been put into working in hockey (or any aspect at all) after your career in the NHL is done?
At this point I feel I should bring in my point of view. Currently, to a certain extent, am at a sort of crossroads. Being a recently graduated film student, and been ingrained with an independant, business like sense for film, I have been appalled by certain realities here in the Vancouver film industry. They include, but are not limited to, the “not my job” mentality, people putting their own priorities above those of the film (which links to number one), confidence erroding tactics, backstabbing, and more recently, the inter-union politics (there are 4 unions/guilds that exist on any one production in Vancouver) that exist, and have in the past, brought high budget features to a standstill.
Whatever happened to being commited to the picture, the artwork, and the crew?
Such noble elements have gone out of the window in this uber professional environment. Is money the root of all evil? Even my better half and I have fought, and bickered, which at the end of the day boils back to money (or more appropriately the lack thereof). And I am pondering this as now, with full time film work now slowed a considerable deal due to the number of productions wrapped, I have free time to use what remaining brain cells I have to put together some foundation work for short films, short and long subject documentaries, music videos (well, if I ever hook up with a band, or if Will needs me to shoot one for him), and coporate video. It boils back to what a certain Genny Op (one of the good guys also, by the way) told me. Don’t wait to ascend to said level. Be it now. And as I want to direct and produce ultimately, I have to start now.
With film being such a collaborative artform, I need to find the crew and key creative people who believe in my vision, ie out of the union. Thankfully, I think I found my first, a co-worker at Best Buy, a graphic design/multimedia expert with a host of NLE editing experience to boot. It’s what this country needs to jump start a stagnant, indigenious film production industry. Thinking beyond the box, and a lack of dependance on the American dollar.
