Anxiety & Underpants

My Secret Life

They say “fake it til you make it”. And there are many aspects of this film making process that require me to do just that. In order to get certain people on board, I have to present my project in a certain light. Sometimes I get quite caught up in it all. Like when I have talent agents calling me asking soooo nicely if they can get their client an audition for the film. Or random weirdos adding me on facebook because they heard about the project. It’s easy to feel a bit powerful when these things happen. But the reality is, I have something to bring me back to earth. My day job.

For many artists, having a survival job is essential – unless you come from a rich family who can pay all your bills while you “follow your dreams”. My current day job is babysitting. I babysit about 4 days a week for a few different families. And as far as survival jobs go, it’s not too bad. I really like the kids and it also allows for me to multitask, so that I can give people the illusion that I’m a full time artist. Which can sometimes backfire:

Real Life Example One -  

I’m on the phone to a potential investor, pitching the movie, pretending I’m calling from my office when our conversation is interrupted with a loud 4 year old yelling from the bathroom “SOPHIE – CAN YOU PLEASE WIPE MY BUTT?”

"Hey, can I call you back?"

Real Life Example Two - 

I pick up one of the kids I sit for from school. He’s eight. We drive past a huge billboard on Sunset Blvd. It’s for a new sci-fi thriller TV show and has a large picture of an eyeball with a worm coming out of it. The following conversation transpires:

KID: That eyeball poster gives me nightmares.

ME: Me too. It’s gross. Don’t look at it.

KID: Are you gonna have big posters like that up for your movie when it comes out?

ME: Probably not. They are very expensive.

KID: Well then how will anyone know about the movie?

ME: Well, we are trying to build our audience online with social media and stuff. Like.... I’ve started blogging.

KID: What’s blogging?

ME: It’s where I write about my experiences and then post them on the internet for people to read.

KID: Why would people wanna read that?

Silence.