Over the course of the last year I’ve worked on three film festivals and my own independent film series.  I just started to fill out the online application for positions at Sundance but I stopped. Should I apply? Should I uproot myself from my life in New York, my family, my friends and my comfy apartment for Park City, UT? The ambitious adventurer in me says, HELL YEAH! It’s one of the things that you’ve always wanted to do. Go to Sundance. Actually the dream was to be invited to Sundance but as I put away my camera and stopped writing down my film ideas, I realized that the dream would need to be altered to… work at Sundance, get involved with the programming, special events or maybe even The Sundance Institute? A great opportunity to network and work on something that I am truly passionate about it.

Then REALITY sets in.  $550 a week for most positions. I made  more money my first year out of college. 8 years of experience in TV, Film & Event Production and that’s all I’m worth? I guess it’s not a question of worth, it’s more of they can get away with it. If I don’t want the job there are 100,000 people who would be glad to take it.

So what’s a girl to do? The optimist in me says, it would be worth it! A once in a life time experience. Negative Nelly says “they’re just going to use and abuse you - for $550/week”.

I should probably just finish the application. See if I am even selected as a possible candidate for the position.

I am totally qualified for the position. I can program, plan events, secure logistics, work with others, well versed in marketing techniques and can even make behind the scenes videos! There is really no department that would not benefit from my involvement. Except for maybe the foreign language. Sadly, never continued a language in college. Time to get out that Rosetta Stone CD!

I’ll start with completely this damn application.

Or maybe I really need to make a video. How else would I stand out among all the other highly qualified candidates?

Sigh.

Ah, August in NYC . You know what that means. It’s hot, it’s smelly and the Summer is almost over. The Back to School commercials are playing and the last of the Summer trips are being planned. Oh and Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds comes out in a few weeks! 

As this Summer starts to wrap up, I’m starting to gear up. This week I start on the Art Under The Bridge Festival which will take place September 25, 26 and 27 in DUMBO, Brooklyn. 

For those of you who are not familair with this festival as there are SO MANY art, film and music festivals happening at any given time here in NY. Let me fill you in:

ART UNDER THE BRIDGE is a multi-site happening unique to Dumbo since 1997, the historic post-industrial neighborhood spanning the East River waterfront between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. The event’s enduring magic is the transformation of an entire neighborhood into a vibrant platform for self-expression over 3 days once a year. New artworks by young visual artists are created on-the-spot everywhere and anywhere: they may be specific to a particular site or they may wander. They may be projected or afloat. They may be performed or make sound, they may glow in the dark or ride an elevator, they may occupy a corporate lobby or beg your interaction, or they may just sit there and demand your attention.

I have been asked to curate a series of “Green Films” starting in August and going till September. I’m currently accepting submissions from local NY/Tri-State area filmmakers. I am accepting  both short, feature, fiction and non-fiction films. 

The aim of this series to to focus on issues that reflect the public and the enviornment. I am also accepting films that were made with the “Green Code” of filmmaking that may not necessarily have an eco-narrative.  

Will be accepting submissions till August 1st 2008. If you are interested in submitting a film please email me at staceyburgay@gmail.com with the subject GREEN FILMS SUBMISSIONS-YOUR NAME

I have been going back and forth on here as to whether or not I should be sharing my constant struggle to find freelance work (or any work) on my website. Since my website is both a blog and my professional site I walk a fine line. 

As I am just finishing up here on day 7 of my extreme self challenge to find some long-term work in 10 days, I am started to get a little stressed and restless. 

Last night I won a free hour consultation with a “career coach” who reminded me of THE FONZ.

He looked at my resume and said that if I sent it to him as en employer he would throw it in the trash. I knew there were some things I could do to give my resume a boost but this guy was brutal. 

Annoyed and frustrated I hopped on my bike and headed downtown. I parked my bike with the good people at the Bicycle Film Festival (Transportation Alternatives was providing free valet) then met my friends at the WATER TAXI BEACH for the NYC FOOD IN FILM FESTIVAL. BIKES. FREE FOOD. FILMS. GOOD FRIENDS. I’m feeling better, ready for day 8!

Don’t forget to check out both festivals this week! Food Festival ends on Friday but Bicycle Festival (6/19) goes till Sunday (6/21)!

I have been doing some prep work for my next side project which is going be a recycling collective art project of sorts. Which as soon as I finalize the title, I will finish the visual and upload the project to KICKSTARTER.COM. 

In my research I came across this documentary series called WASTE? A series of webisodes that features people redefining waste: from canners scouring the streets for redeemables, engineers powering their breweries with waste water, architects constructing homes out of tires, and more.

This series features spirited individuals that survive or create using waste. Their stories will educate and motivate attitudinal and behavioral change. Waste? explores what motivates people to reuse waste through conversations with garbage anthropologists, yardists, artists and companies. The intent is for viewers to reflect on their relationship with waste, recycling habits, consumption patterns, and to take relevant action.

For more information and to help support their efforts check click here

I’m on day 6 of my 10 days to get a job before my unemployment runs out challenge. I got two rejection letters today, one from Google and the other from Meetup.com. On the bright side I did get a free bang trim, a free beer and won an hour phone consultation with a career counselor named Bernie thanks to Galapagos’s Pink Slip Party. Although I do have a few notes for them for their next event…

Tomorrow’s a new day which brings new possibility, new opportunity and a new attitude! “INSERT UPLIFTING MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE OF YOUR CHOICE HERE”

For those of you who haven’t been following along here on Slightly Overexposed I’ve got 5 Days (4 days and 1 hr) till my unemployment benefits run out (or at least that is what I am telling myself as an additional motivator). Some people have said that I may be eligible for the latest extension…  I was laid off from Viacom last year and since then I have been collecting unemployment in-between a number of great freelance opportunities. I am afraid the time is running out and I’m about to loose my security blanket! Waaaaaa

So end of Day 5 I HAVE lined up some new work for next week (yay!) but did spend the majority of the day trying to get an insider contact at Google for a posting that I saw on Google Jobs.  

Is it harder to get a job at Google or Pixar? I have been thinking about this ever since I saw “UP” this past weekend. As I’m sure almost everyone would drop what they are doing and go work for either company if they got the call. Two companies that provide the world with innovation and joy! Also two companies that send out recruiting ninjas into the world and bring back the finest minds of our time. 

How come we all can’t work for companies that treat their employees well and provides them with resources to create wonderful things while also getting the added benefits of health care, dental, child care, free lunch, etc.? 

I’d like to share Scott Heiferman, CEO of MEETUP.COM’s great job comparison of working at Google vs. working at Meetup.com

At least I know this meetup.com has a sense of humor. Wonder if they are hiring…

No, I’m not talking about A GUY, I’m talking about THAT COMPANY. I’m on day 4 of my extreme self-challenge to find work before my unemployment runs out.  I don’t have any work booked till August. What’s a girl to do?  I consider myself a Producer, so I’m going to produce myself a job.

There are certain companies that I have been writing letters to and calling for years. I call these companies CRUSHES.  I want them but they do not want me. They don’t even know that I exist. If only they would give me an chance and get to know me…

There is the NEW GUY, a company that I didn’t know of but sparks my interest immediately. I introduce myself to the new guy, there’s some flirting, only to find out in the end that he has a girlfriend or boyfriend. No positions are opened right now but maybe check back in year. This company leaves a lasting impression and a longing of a love never obtained.

In-between CRUSHES and THE NEW GUY, I have the DATE GUY, he’s normally a short-term position with no benefits, it’s never a bad experience, just not one that results in any long term work. Then there is the ONE NIGHT STAND a quick job offer that is thrown my way to make a few extra dollars. This ONE NIGHT doesn’t even require skill or a resume. If you don’t respond fast enough to his advancement he goes for someone else. 

Yes, this all comes from 4 days of calling people, sending resumes, meetings and applying for random CL jobs with very little response or interest.  I even got a “sorry we got a lot of responses and don’t need any more help” FROM A JOB THAT WAS HELPING A SCHOOL OF ROCK MOVE FROM ONE FACILITY TO ANOTHER. I can’t even get a job carrying guitars? Doesn’t matter I really wasn’t interested in it anyway. 

Oh how I long for THE ONE, that one company, that one right opportunity, the one right collaboration that will open doors of possibility for me. Where are you? How do I find you? How do I get you to meet with me, return my phone call or answer an email?

                         The other day I was in a Kate’s Paperie walking around the store while a friend of mine insisted on wrapping her own gift at the gift wrapping counter. I found myself immersed in their small book section and came upon Caffeine for the Creative Mind and Extreme Office Crafts.  I started to flip though the pages of Caffeine then stared the debate with myself as to whether or not this was a “necessary purchase”. When funds are low this is always the question. How come libraries don’t carry books like this? On second thought why don’t libraries carry coffee table books a all? I ended up putting the book down. 

After reading (and writing about) A Play Date With My Imagination, an article about creativity and age. I knew that I had to do something to keep my creative mind going. I don’t want it to shrivel up like a raisin by the age of 40. These books are perfect examples of ways to get those juices following. 

“Caffeine for the Creative Mind” is a collection of short, focused creative exercises that get the brain working along a path that is more in tune to creative invention. The book contains over 250 “creative stretching” exercises. The exercises are brief, fun and are meant to invoke creative, thought-provoking responses

“Extreme Office Crafts: Creative & Devious Ways to Waste Office Supplies & Company Time”  Now this book is important if you are a creative stuck as an office drone. 

If you can’t afford the luxury of buying books right now, I will also suggest you visit SNOWGLOBE, Caffeine’s daily blog on stretching that creative mind of yours. 

I had this idea to start a vlog chronicling my next 10 days of work/job/gig hunting. I know it’s a recession, depression, whatever you wanna call it BUT I’ve got two weeks till my unemployment runs out (which I have been leaning on to help me out in-between jobs). So here I go! 10 days to find a job, whether it’s a great career opportunity OR waiting tables. I am a Producer, I will produce myself a job!

Before I could even get started on this idea I had a challenge. No camera (mine was stolen 2 years ago). Then I remembered that I won a raffle for a three day camera rental. BINGO! I picked up the camera (in the rain) and then realized that I was missing one important thing. A tripod! I then asked the person who gave me the camera if I could borrow her tripod. Guess What? She doesn’t have a tripod! (really? a working video professional?) Fast forward to today, I found a friend to come over to be my tripod only to end up decided that maybe I should just get a webcam. Especially since I had to give up the camera at the end of day 1.

The webcam I just bought doesn’t save video files to my computer. Only works with iChat or Skype. Damn! Guess I have to rename this project 10 Days to get a job blog. 

Hopefully I’ll resolve the camera issue soon and go back to the vlog idea! I would like to take the camera with me while I hit the streets of NYC to find employment.