News from the home front includes the Governor deciding to completely eliminate the Hawaii State Film Office at the end of the month! It's absurdity rivals the city building its billion dollar monorail that doesn't go anywhere. With tourism listed as our major "industry" in a year of cutbacks everywhere, it is expected the State is looking to save money. Our already poor public education system (with the highest percentage of students attending private schools in the nation) is furloughing teachers, programs being cut, and others being planned. Eliminating a proven money making department that has made getting permits easier and solving problems before they arise is unfortunate. The State also all but eliminated the film tax credit which was directly responsible for the work I had in 2008 in a double blow to the industry. While the film / TV industry isn't tied directly to the economy in general, investment in the business is. Given the lack of government support of the industry here, the plantation mentality of the legislature, the bad economy and the false belief that all the good workers are on "LOST", there does not appear there will be any work until mid 2010. Currently there is another Lifetime film going on but the Jerry Bruckheimer pilot has been postponed again. I'm not sure there could be any more nails in this coffin right now. I guess if professional mourners were paid, I might consider continuing to wait for the phone to ring. The reality is that I have had some success in other areas and I'm continuing to pursue work in them for now.
I hope that within a week or so I will have most of my past work online. Until I can get rickromer.com up and running, I think doing flickr albums of my photos is a good start. Working in a field where photos are the only evidence of my work sometimes makes it more difficult to convince others how good I am! Present tense, of course.
So I'm not sure if this really counts as a posting or just a rant? If neither works for you, I did enjoy a bowl of granola, a mug of coffee and a glass of carrot juice. Mmmmm, yummy!
1 comment:
Hey Rick,
Good rant. I began to feel bitter just reading it. It's too bad to here that the Hawaiian Government does not support your industry. You do need to spend money to make money and that is why we offer incentives in Canada. The fact is that employed people with money spend money. So, what are your new money making pursuits? I could see your skills as being quit transferable. If you have time, I would like to hear more about how the elements effect decorating both on location as well as on set. I know you've touched on it before put probable have more to say. I know you have the heat, sudden rain and maybe that gross disgusting humidity we get here at times in the summer (I'm not a meteorologist so I'm not sure). Anyways, let us know if you have more to say on the topic (Magnum set and others.) In the meantime, try to make money until the economy and the shows it brings turns around. You have your experience speaking for you so chin up and good luck. You should also try leaving the granola at home and going out for egg benedict every now and then. It's good for the soul and helps keep bitter feelings under control. Just think, soon you will be to busy working on the next hit show to write what you had for breakfast on this blog.
Susie
Post a Comment