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Just lost my job and I couldn't be happier!

MovieCutter

MovieCutter

macrumors 68040
Original poster
May 3, 2005
3,342
2
Washington, DC
Well, it's been three years since I started at Al Jazeera English here in DC and it's been a fun ride. I've been around the world 4 times, skiied in the Swiss Alps, been shot at in Mumbai, explored Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur, laid on the beaches of Punta Cana and Langkawi, and so much more. Unfortunately my show ends next week, and the show that I had pitched to replace it, named, and got the ball rolling for development on combined the position they promised me with another position and gave that to my best friend.

So why am I so happy? The last year I've done nothing but sit in my edit bay for 7 out of my 8 hour shift and do nothing. Our budgets were cut so we couldn't take any trips like we used to, and the show just lost steam. Oh well...I got 4 months pay out of them and can go back and freelance for them in 6 months and charge them double, and freelance for other clients in the meantime. I also still have my weekly show that I do on the side for AJE so I'm feeling pretty damn good about the whole situation! Guys at work told me they wish they could be in my position since they hate their jobs and are bored out of their mind, but can't quit because they don't get a severance.

Just had to vent, looking very much forward to the life of a freelancer and finally...a documentary filmmaker!
 
Awesome! Congrats!

You've gotten to do some really awesome things and now you've got the money and time to find and do more of what you want!
 
Well congratulations, I guess! :D

Sounds like you're going to enjoy your work more and be your own boss.. sounds like a good deal to me!

BTW: What kind of documentary work do you want to do?
 
On the doc front: not sure. I've got a few feature ideas in my head but haven't had the motivation (sitting in a dull edit bay isn't conducive to creativity) to flesh them out. I have several friends who are freelancers who would join me to form a team and they all do different parts of pre/post production (budgeting, planning, grant writing, etc). So between us we have a few ideas, just takes time to research and form a treatment to present to potential investors and contributors. It'll be exciting though. I've been wanting to quit for a while, but knew about the end of the show so I waited for them to give me a severance.
 
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