I Can't sleep...Worried about My Filmmaking, My Girl, My Job....

[insanebrain]

I'm 27 and I have a good job, been here 4 years. They like me here. I have somewhat good Job Security.

 

 

I'm also an aspiring filmaker. I know it's a vast valley of hard work and there

 

are no guarantees in anything, but it's a passion of mine. During the past couple of years, I've called in

 

sick or taken personal days to do shoots or chase opportunites, that really haven't panned out.

 

I once faked sickness and too a week off to do an indie film, that went nowhere. But it was an experience.

 

Here's my Problem. . . .

 

Another cool opportunity has come up, would be kinda good for me, not supergood, but i want to go for

 

the experience. I'm in L.A., but the job is in Colorado.

 

I would have to call in sick thursday and friday and drive out there so I can be there for the shoot friday

 

night, then come home to be back to work Monday.

 

 

 

My GF of 5 years loves me and supports me. But she just doesn't want me to jeaopardize my job, by

 

calling in sick. Work is really busy and I'd leave 2 people in limbo if I call in. I do feel bad about it because they

 

would be down one man, and were already down.

 

 

I guess I just need to know if I'm being stupid for trying to go on this shoot. I don't want to be at this job forever,

 

but I also don't want to ruin things over here at my job. It really bothers me. I lay awake at night worrying about it because

 

I want to be a responsible man for my girl. I have the bigger paying job. I want to propose soon. Anyway.

 

Anyone think I'm silly for following this dream of mine?

[quankanne]

surely you've been there long enough to have acquired vacation time? even though it's short notice, see if you can arrange to take off a few vacation days, but be sure to spend the next several days busting butt to make sure you're as ahead as you can be on the projects you've got at work.

 

if you've got a boss/supervisor who is pretty open minded and you have a good working relationship with that person, let him/her know that you have an opportunity coming up to participate in filming something, then explain where it is and how long you expect to be gone. Again, be sure to get ahead on the work you've got to do so that you don't leave anyone in a lurch while you're gone.

 

I get the feeling that your boss/supervisor will respect your honesty and openness a whole lot more than if you were to call in sick, then get found out! If your job isn't tied into your hobby, your boss might actually be accommodating because he doesn't feel what you'll be doing interferes with what your job is because they're different things.

 

you're not silly for wanting to pursue these things, but you've got to remember that now you're a grown guy, you can't really make the kinds of decisions like faking an illness when you've got other, better avenues open to you, like personal time or vacation leave.

 

it's pretty much a bad idea to call in sick unless you really are sick, or feeling bad enough to the point where you know that you just cannot be productive if you were to go to the office because you can't concentrate from being ill.

[insanebrain]

thanks. . .

 

 

you're right. i am a grown man now. that's one of the reasons why i feel dumb doing it.

 

i feel like i'm getting too old to be calling in sick to follow a silly dream. A lot of guys I know who

 

Do the same hobby as me, are usually between jobs or they'll quit a job, do the shoot, then just

 

Look for another job when they get back. I don't really want to do that.

 

Although i have a good job here...it's a small business and taking too much Vacation is looked

 

down upon, since there are so few of us here. Sometimes shoots will be on days when my boss is

 

out of town...then I'm screwed cuz I can't ask for vacation when he's gone, it's not really allowed. I have to be here.

 

 

I guess what it really boils down to is the fact that I'm trying to figure out What I Should Be Doing. Should

 

I be calling in sick for these shoots? Should i be focusing on getting a better more flexible job? Should

 

I be focusing on a dream that's a lot more fruitful and a lot more stable?

 

I guess it depends on What Matters to me the most, huh?