Soul-Crushing...Have You Ever Been This Low?

A couple things before we get into the actual post. What happened to me on April 16th might be the genesis for this latest blog that you are reading. So if you enjoy my writing style, you can thank the dipshit I recently had the displeasure of speaking with. More on that in a sec.

I liken video editing and motion graphics to playing a musical instrument. Or more specifically trying to be a rock star. It's a heavily-saturated market and only the truly best of the best will rise to the top. You have to have the chops and you have to stay relevant. The showreel don't lie. Just as you're not going to get into The Show without the ability to hit grand slams or pitch no-hitters, you'll be regulated to the bush league with your bottom-tier work. So you gotta have a dynamic sizzle reel to wow the potential client or hiring manager. And it truly is an industry of egos and assholes. Simply awful people. Retirement can't come soon enough!

I don't claim to be amazing in the world of video production. The facts don't lie: I drive a Honda CRV and have very little net worth at the moment. If I was "good" I'd have a lucrative job for Netflix, BBDO or what have you. And I'm not trying to sad fish for your compliments here. I know my worth and talents. Better than some of you, and hell of a lot worse than many out there. I probably value "play" a bit more than "work", but let's keep that between you and me. 

Now, I know from the giddyup that these LinkedIn "instant" job applications are a pile of shit and for me they never go anywhere. They're absolutely FLOODED with applicants. Maybe at some point we can do a deep dive on how legit some of them actually are based on how long the job postings stay live. I've always found networking and word of mouth is the best way to land potential clients and jobs. Not online applications. Blecch. 

So flash back to last week, I applied to one because it was local to where I live, Port Saint Lucie. The focus of the role was creating videos for Facebook to generate a buzz. In a sense of desperation I pinged the recruiter who posted that I was indeed an editor who lived locally. The pay was pretty shitty. Not the worst, but many of you would be quick to call it out for being insultingly low.

Anyways, I got a reply. Was it a potential interview? Oh no, quite the opposite. Read on:

A simple "we've moved on with other candidates" or "They're not interested" would have sufficed. But this dipshit recruiter felt the need to cut n' paste the hiring manager's feedback: "We're looking for someone that is passionate about social media, ideally up to date with social trends. Scott's style looks very dated".

Well, fuck. With nothing to lose at this point, I told said recruiter he could relay a hearty "go fuck yourself" to the hiring manager. (and good luck finding someone talented to fill the role for the crappy annual salary) He said he was being "transparent" by providing their feedback. And after my rude response he actually replied back "We'll keep you in mind for future opportunities".

To which I told him that HE TOO could go fuck himself. I'm not dealing with someone who has zero sense of emotional intelligence. Plus he reeked of used car salesman when I talked to him on the phone. You can draw any conclusion you want from my story, but I say he was a scumbag. (Oh, and if we want to talk "dated", the website of the company he worked for looks like a steaming hot pile of dog diarrhea) 

Well, bottom line, it SUCKS getting old. Being told your reel looks dated. They might be right.

But I would bet you top dollar that the company doing the hiring has a shit social media campaign right now. And they probably offer a crap product and are hoping for a miracle. "We need something to go viral"! Even with some top-notch video wizardry they'd probably only get posts with 6 or 9 likes. Cuz no one cares about commerce when they're trolling around on Facebook or TikTok. 

I don't know how to land this bird. There's no moral or lesson. I shared this story with a buddy of mine and he said, "They did you a favor". He is correct. It's just not a particularly good time to be a 52-year-old freelance video editor. Perhaps it's just my wonderful attitude that keeps me out of the loop. 😄  I wish I was a rock star.

Namaste.

Back to the ol' drawing board.

Fuk dis industry. Bitch I'm in the streets.