I just quit my job....
- Thread starter Dangitskang
- Start date
Luis Caffesse
Admin
I quit my job a few months ago.
As much as I knew it was the right move, I agonized over it -
I'd gone freelance before..but that was when I was single.
I wound up getting another fulltime job after my wife and I got married in order to have a little financial stability while we prepared to buy a house.
Well, we got the house and my soul was getting sucked away little by little at this job.
But the thing that kept me there for a while was the fear of the risk I'd be taking if I quit.
Talking to my wife about it - she put it in perspective (like she always does), she told me "It's only going to seem riskier as time goes on - and you're only going to get more talented at what you do, so you can always go back to another fulltime job."
Damn I'm lucky.
Long story short - I quit, I worried about it....and without exageration I can tell you that every single day since then I've been completely reassurred that it was the right move.
I've been able to take advantage of opportunities that I wouldn't have even known existed if I"d stayed at my job.
And as much as I complain about it - I know I"m lucky to be busier with work now than I ever was when I was working for someone else.
It may not always be easy - but it's definitely more rewarding.
Good luck Tommy.
As much as I knew it was the right move, I agonized over it -
I'd gone freelance before..but that was when I was single.
I wound up getting another fulltime job after my wife and I got married in order to have a little financial stability while we prepared to buy a house.
Well, we got the house and my soul was getting sucked away little by little at this job.
But the thing that kept me there for a while was the fear of the risk I'd be taking if I quit.
Talking to my wife about it - she put it in perspective (like she always does), she told me "It's only going to seem riskier as time goes on - and you're only going to get more talented at what you do, so you can always go back to another fulltime job."
Damn I'm lucky.
Long story short - I quit, I worried about it....and without exageration I can tell you that every single day since then I've been completely reassurred that it was the right move.
I've been able to take advantage of opportunities that I wouldn't have even known existed if I"d stayed at my job.
And as much as I complain about it - I know I"m lucky to be busier with work now than I ever was when I was working for someone else.
It may not always be easy - but it's definitely more rewarding.
Good luck Tommy.
Tom Marshall
Actor!!!!!!
Thanks BMan 
Matty - Umm... I think I'll be ok with my living situation. If I moved in with some girl and her parents, I'd probably either kill her or the parents... :grin: We should get together and film some stuff. I've got some great ideas.
Thanks Luis... I feel ya... well, not really. This is my first time not having a boss and it's got me a bit worried. But I have no debt, really, and I'm not married and don't have kids - so in that regard I'm good.
The problem with the job I have now (that I've had for the past year and a half) is that I'm married to it. It's almost impossible to get away from the office except for a lunch break. The thing about the acting profession, is it's the auditioning profession - and that's just it. If I can't audition during weekdays, then I'll never get to the level of acting that I want to achieve. It's fun doing stuff with friends on the weekends, but there's a point where you have to begin to take it to the next level - and my only goal in life is to be a serious actor who can choose the roles that I want. It's not about the money, it's about the art... I'm the quintessential artist. I just want to make art, not make money... corny, but true.
Matty - Umm... I think I'll be ok with my living situation. If I moved in with some girl and her parents, I'd probably either kill her or the parents... :grin: We should get together and film some stuff. I've got some great ideas.
Thanks Luis...
I feel ya... well, not really. This is my first time not having a boss and it's got me a bit worried. But I have no debt, really, and I'm not married and don't have kids - so in that regard I'm good.The problem with the job I have now (that I've had for the past year and a half) is that I'm married to it. It's almost impossible to get away from the office except for a lunch break. The thing about the acting profession, is it's the auditioning profession - and that's just it. If I can't audition during weekdays, then I'll never get to the level of acting that I want to achieve. It's fun doing stuff with friends on the weekends, but there's a point where you have to begin to take it to the next level - and my only goal in life is to be a serious actor who can choose the roles that I want. It's not about the money, it's about the art... I'm the quintessential artist. I just want to make art, not make money... corny, but true.
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Hey kool, congrats Tommy. :beer:
Welcome to the "Man of Leisure" club.
I have been lucky, in the 2 years I've been doing this, only twice have my GF and I been flat broke due to my freelancing and filmmaking. In December we were two months going on three months behind rent. The other time is right now :shocked: Hopefully it will be just a bump in the road like the last time, but we are freaking out right at this moment.
Send checks to ... (jk) :grin:
Welcome to the "Man of Leisure" club.
I have been lucky, in the 2 years I've been doing this, only twice have my GF and I been flat broke due to my freelancing and filmmaking. In December we were two months going on three months behind rent. The other time is right now :shocked: Hopefully it will be just a bump in the road like the last time, but we are freaking out right at this moment.
Send checks to ... (jk) :grin:
Beat Takeshi
Two-Hip Shakur
Congrats Tommy, you will love the first day you wake up and not have to go to "work". The bad thing is the slow time I'm finding out now. I'm so broke I can't pay attention at the moment and lucky for the big ass box of Ramen noodles we bought when I was still working cause its feeding everyone at the moment. Cosco rocks!!!
Shortly before graduating (BFA Art Media/Film) I picked up a couple industry directories and contacted every company in LA that looked like a possible employer (since I started in VFX, that was Apogee and Design Setters and Universal and Wonderworks and Image G, etc) and used part of a business trip to SoCal to meet people and show a portfolio and ask for advice. Got one job offer, which I had to defer because I wasn't located in LA yet; when I moved here I started with them. And met people and developed contacts and moved on from there.
Only taken one non-production-related job since; spent about six months back in 1992 working for the largest law-enforcement/military/commercial arms dealers in the state. And wasn't that fun.
There's usually a certain amount of leisure time built into Film/TV work. Although sometimes (like, well, the last couple years) you can go eighteen or twenty months without any time off, at all...
Keep your overhead as low as possible, for the Gods' sakes avoid using credit cards for *anything* except maybe financing yerself a little film... and keep up your drive to move ahead.
Only taken one non-production-related job since; spent about six months back in 1992 working for the largest law-enforcement/military/commercial arms dealers in the state. And wasn't that fun.
There's usually a certain amount of leisure time built into Film/TV work. Although sometimes (like, well, the last couple years) you can go eighteen or twenty months without any time off, at all...
Keep your overhead as low as possible, for the Gods' sakes avoid using credit cards for *anything* except maybe financing yerself a little film... and keep up your drive to move ahead.
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Ok back from the abyss:
"Ring" ... "Ring" ...
Me: "Hello?"
Friend with movie car business: "Jack we need you on location Friday, Saturday, and Monday to babysit one of our cars."
Me: "Sweet!"
It seems like it always happens like that, Tommy boy. (knocking on wood, throwing salt over shoulder, no jinx backs, jump down, turn around, pick a bale of cotton.)
The most random was the zero injury, 10 shots fired shootout with the cops ON MY STREET, which I taped the arrest for and swat team storming the building and sold to five networks.
Girlfriend's Mother: "When one hears ten shots fired outside one's house, the normal reaction is NOT to grab one's camera and run outside."
"Ring" ... "Ring" ...
Me: "Hello?"
Friend with movie car business: "Jack we need you on location Friday, Saturday, and Monday to babysit one of our cars."
Me: "Sweet!"
It seems like it always happens like that, Tommy boy. (knocking on wood, throwing salt over shoulder, no jinx backs, jump down, turn around, pick a bale of cotton.)
The most random was the zero injury, 10 shots fired shootout with the cops ON MY STREET, which I taped the arrest for and swat team storming the building and sold to five networks.
Girlfriend's Mother: "When one hears ten shots fired outside one's house, the normal reaction is NOT to grab one's camera and run outside."
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Haha, yeah, we are on the upper left coast
I think they do gigs as far as D.C. but that's about it.
....
In honor of Tommy's new life choice ...
From the book
Hipster Haiku
by Siobhan Adcock ...
"I've just decided
Freelance videography
A bad career choice"
"Aspiring DJ
Spins at Mervyn's on Sundays
Mondays at Payless"
:grin:
hipster haiku book (love it)
webpage
_
I think they do gigs as far as D.C. but that's about it.
....
In honor of Tommy's new life choice ...
From the book
Hipster Haiku
by Siobhan Adcock ...
"I've just decided
Freelance videography
A bad career choice"
"Aspiring DJ
Spins at Mervyn's on Sundays
Mondays at Payless"
:grin:
hipster haiku book (love it)
webpage
_
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Susan Ee
Member
Congrats, Tommy. I quit my job 2 years ago. Wish I had run across a thread like this back then because I sure could have used the reassurance. I kept asking myself this question: when I'm 90, how much would I pay to get this year back?
In the past 2 years, I've written 2 feature screenplays, a novel, a ton of short stories and I just posted up my first movie on YouTube (got over 600 hits in 6 days and a film festival invite!). I'm now gearing up to start trying to sell my screenplays and novel. I'm also in preproduction for my next film.
I woke up this morning so happy not to have a job (even though I still stress over money).
To the 20 YOs reading this thread -- I agree with that other guy's advice on getting your college education. It's your best fall back. Once you get it, you'll always be able to quit your job and know you can get another job if you need to. Besides, you might qualify for student loans which will keep a roof over your head.
Good luck, Tommy. And keep us updated.
In the past 2 years, I've written 2 feature screenplays, a novel, a ton of short stories and I just posted up my first movie on YouTube (got over 600 hits in 6 days and a film festival invite!). I'm now gearing up to start trying to sell my screenplays and novel. I'm also in preproduction for my next film.
I woke up this morning so happy not to have a job (even though I still stress over money).
To the 20 YOs reading this thread -- I agree with that other guy's advice on getting your college education. It's your best fall back. Once you get it, you'll always be able to quit your job and know you can get another job if you need to. Besides, you might qualify for student loans which will keep a roof over your head.
Good luck, Tommy. And keep us updated.
mindzeye
Well-known member
if you know what you want go get it!! buy what you need and not what you want... and if art is your thing... surround yourself with artists to keep you on top of your game... keep creating until your blue in the face... someone will recognize true talent and passion for the art. good luck!!
My girlfriend is looking at quitting her job and taking a part time (less than half the pay) working for a documentary filmmaker in the bay area, and freelancing w/ me as a team (she's much more organised and responsible with working with clients than I am, and she knows FCP better than I do, though I'm better w/ the camera). I make enough each month to cover rent so we're not too screwed if anything goes wrong, but I imagine if she's able to turn her attention to what she's capable of outside the rigid structure at her work place, she's going to really shine.
Luis Caffesse
Admin
Costco definitely rocks.
And yes, the slow times suck.
But I've found that, at least for me, they seem to be seasonal - so now I can prepare for them better than the first time I was working on my own.
For example - for me at least - November and December are usually pretty much dead. I might get the occasional job coming in, but nothing significant.
Now that I know that, I prep for it, like a squirrel storing up nuts for the winter.
Its hard at first to resist the temptation to spend spend spend when you have a good month. The problem is you never know what the next few months are going to bring - at least not at first.
It's just a matter of remembering that it's not that you DON"T have a boss, YOU are now your own boss - so you have to get a split personality going.
Make yourself work the hours you need to work - and pay yourself a salary on a regular basis, and keep the rest for the times when the work isn't coming in...
and for gods sake - don't forget about taxes.
cecil995
Well-known member
I've been reading this thread and its great to hear these stories of how people took a leap of faith and are doing what they love. For me, the choice was either I freelance and start my own video business or I do something completely unrelated, and basically accept that my huge student loan debt was for nothing. So, I did a simple sole proprietership and its been a slow process of getting steady work. I guess I am lucky because my wife has a full time job with benefits for our 15 month old daughter, but even with that its a huge stress builder when it comes time to pay the bills. I basically get to play mr mom and pick up work when she is off.
The hardest thing is getting known, and I found that most of my work has come through referals and networking with other video guys in the area. I've made decent progress but now its to the point where its time to make that big equipment investement, and its hard to jump when you don't know where you are going to land. But I have found that the bigger the risk is, the greater the reward is in the end.
P.S. You guys without kids have it made, make sure you take advantage of your freedom while you still have it!
The hardest thing is getting known, and I found that most of my work has come through referals and networking with other video guys in the area. I've made decent progress but now its to the point where its time to make that big equipment investement, and its hard to jump when you don't know where you are going to land. But I have found that the bigger the risk is, the greater the reward is in the end.
P.S. You guys without kids have it made, make sure you take advantage of your freedom while you still have it!
Tom Marshall
Actor!!!!!!
Thanks dude. I'd say good luck, but I've read the thread before and see that you made a few bucks off of your video...
Thanks Aram. Yeah, I'll probably wind up making a list of things that actually need to get done first... like clean my mess of an apartment... I'm lucky because I can work on the filmmaking stuff and if it gets slow, I can pick up some freelance web development projects. I know several people who have to turn down clients cause they're too busy... plus I don't have a family - no wife or kids.
Good advice, Ka rl. The thing that's going to bum me out is having to give up my new (well, 2003) Mustang... but it is an excess and it means a 330 / month car payment, plus insurance. I've got 3 cars, actually. The 03, an 87 Mustang, and a 67 Mustang (which I'll never get rid of).
Haha, yeah, we are on the upper left coast
I think they do gigs as far as D.C. but that's about it.
....
In honor of Tommy's new life choice ...
From the book
Hipster Haiku
by Siobhan Adcock ...
"I've just decided
Freelance videography
A bad career choice"
"Aspiring DJ
Spins at Mervyn's on Sundays
Mondays at Payless"
:grin:
hipster haiku book (love it)
webpage
_
Beautiful... just beautiful... :2vrolijk_08:
Thanks Susan. I completely agree. I've been there for a year and a half and it bothers me that I've wasted that much time there... I sit in my office every day counting down the hours until I get to go home. But for every hour I wish passes faster - that's an hour of my life that I'll never get back. Once I started thinking in those terms, it made the decision to quit and go it on my own much, much easier.
And I'll definitely keep everyone up to date with how things are going. :beer:
Hey mindzeye, thanks for that! I'll have to buy you a beer one of these days just for this post.
No kidding... especially in the acting world!
I say she should do it. If that's her passion, then that's what she needs to do.
That's precisely why I don't have any kids at this point in my life and I'm no longer 20something...