RUIN OF THE SOUL

I love life...Yeah, I'm sad, but at the same time, I'm really happy that something could make me feel that sad. It's like...It makes me feel alive, you know. It makes me feel human. The only way I could feel this sad now is if I felt something really good before. So I have to take the bad with the good. So I guess what I'm feeling is like a beautiful sadness. (Trey Parker and Matt Stone, South Park, Raisins, 2003)

This very moment I am comforting myself listening alone to my self-talk. Thanks to Parker and Stone, who tell me to be happy because I am sad.

This morning we had internal meeting with the agency for our new board. We are planning to produce commercial using an international icon and target an April 08 break date (airing). Considering the status of the artist his talent fee is ranging from 10-15 million (isn’t this overwhelming?). His talent fee alone will eat up the budget for the production, nevertheless we are optimistic that client will approve it considering the impact he will give to the product. The problems are:

a.) We don’t yet have Director in hand to present the board and estimate the additional cost.
b.) Timetable is changing day after day, and an April 8 break date is beyond reach.
c.) What is the talent’s availability for shoot? Can his talent fee be negotiable?
d.) With several projects (commercials) plus a big event in our hand, I don’t know how my mentor Producer will tweak and twist our schedule so as not to miss meetings and presentations.

Late this afternoon a little revision on our teaser material “Family” needed to be done. Since there is no available slot from the Post House, the supplier will make the revisions and dub the materials this morning take note around 2am. So tomorrow I just need to check it when I get to Makati and asked somebody to deliver it to the agency. Good thing I am an associate producer who “somehow” has a power over things in production. Thanks God, I don’t need to stay over night.

In between the day we are bombarded by different information and instructions from agency about another project in hand. The saga of “Winner”, production of this started since mid of January and will last mid of April.

a.) Sunday is our shoot date March 04, 2007 BUT we still don’t have our talents. Talent is our topic from the x times of meetings we had. Until now it’s not yet final. The client is looking for fat talents who can lose weight and look like a sexy dude by April. The heck is there is no option but make him/her lose weight, else we are not airing any commercial and all our sleepless nights, countless phone calls and follow ups, myriad numbers of meetings, location check and preparations are futile.

Why are there people so difficult to understand huh?

Work in advertising really is a cutthroat kind. If you’re a weak little creature, you won’t survive a year…

Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul.
Edward Abbey (1927 - 1989), A Voice Crying in the Wilderness