Angry Letter Critique

PART 1:

Look man, I know you've been jam packed wall-to-wall these days. Moving, teaching, and renovations is bitch all at once. I also understand that I’m also not in the thick of it like you are. That's why I’ve been patient for some time now and I try to give you a fair amount of space to handle things.

But I need correspondence. I’ve been pretty nice about trying not to inundate you with tiny project details on a daily basis, but it’s building up to a massive point now. We start shooting in a week. Apparently you’re the de-facto director for this project, which means I actually need your thoughts before we move forward on anything. The habit of you replying back to me in a 72-hour window is getting PRETTY OLD.

I sent you a video three weeks back for the ML on a 5D MKIII. Your opinion was KIND of damn important.It showed what our project could look like if we move forward with ML on a camera with a good sensor. Call me lucky, I found the exact model on Borrow Lenses with ML already built-in, at a rental steal! (it also comes with a super fast CF card in the bundle) Isn’t that awesome? Oh… no response from you. I guess I should go fuck myself, right? We also haven’t even nailed down the movements or test shots. Rose throwing ideas at us that night at the studio is not sufficient. we need a concrete guideline of what's going to happen (how’s that story board looking BTW?). I refused to have this be a fly-by-the-pants operation. We aren’t at Emerson anymore, we can’t just bullshit something in 48 hours and all will be dandy. This isn’t the project that “shoots itself”, there is TOO MUCH that needs to be done if this is going to be good.

It’s getting harder to sleep on the fact that I’m made to feel like an asshole only for trying to do the job I was brought on for. I don’t want to write letters like this just to force you to respond to something.

Welcome to the world of relying on other people to create shit. I have a lot of experience in situations like yours and ultimately I have just changed my vision to be totally DIY, self-sufficient. But that's just me and my project is niche.

1. Are they paying you?

2. It sounds like you care about the quality of the video more than they do. Yeah?

3. What exactly are you doing? Cameraman? Editing? Audio?

You should never send an angry letter or message, you should send a firm and succinct one.

My best guess is that they are going to just keep fucking around until the day is coming in hot and scramble to get everything arranged at the last minute.

Sorry m8, so many fucking musicians are just amateurs who hide behind the rockstar mentality even though they're never gonna make it if they can't even put out a decent product.

PART 2:

Everyone keeps saying “Let’s meet back with Andrew for this…”, I have to interfere into your personal time/life to get questions answered, and I’m suddenly the bad guy. I’m fucking over it. Need I remind you once again, We start shooting in a WEEK. All I’m asking now is, are we doing this or not? If you and the band want this to be GOOD, we need to communicate. Marcus can't answer most of my questions, and neither can Rose. Because apparently they're waiting on you. But from where I stand, I'm not sure if you're good for either of us right now.

>>17732318

Hey,

1. Yes, I'm being compensated. Not handsomely, but enough to pay a few bills here and to look nice enough for my portfolio.

2. They do care, but it's more important for me because as a a filmmaker it's important that I step my game up with each project.

3. I was brought on as a cinematographer. but each and every meeting I'm being addressed to things that are larger than what my role entails, so line between DP and director is being blurred.

The thing that sucks is that these guys are good friends of mine, but the fact that they are artists also means that they are literally running around with their heads on fire most of the time. Sometimes I can't tell if they are doing this to fuck with me or if they are really as lost that they're acting.

LMFAO
whew lad an ANGRY LETTER oh boy it's time to let him k ow you'er serious!

if you had a pair and weren't a gigantic faggot you'd have already slapped this motherfucker for not getting back to you in a timely fashion after you've reminded him multiple times that he has an obligation to his project and you're getting sick of him not being present

instead of finding this guy and making sure he knows that you've got better things to do besides do his work for him
You're gonna
Write
A
Letter
!!!

>>17732351
>if they are really as lost that they're acting.

Protip: they are. It is typical unprofessional behavior to talk and talk but never get shit done.

My advice is to not send an angry letter at all, but stay persistently reaching out to the director and whoever else to make sure that you can get the equipment, that you know what you need to know to have a general idea of the plan, and that you know where you need to be & when.

My second bit of advice is this: go there and do your best. Show up and kill it to the best of your ability. Edit it, make it the best you can, and go from there. If they don't like it, do a reshoot. If they like it but you don't, you don't have to put it in your portfolio.

Don't send the letter, get the gear, show up, do your best. The project could turn out great in spite of itself.

>>17732405
To be completely honest, Mate. I'm fucking tired of doing that. Having work that I know could be better, but because the sounds of complacence on the talent they keep things as they are. I refuse to have work like that in my portfolio. It's not wrong for someone to want good things when their name is attached to it.

I know for a fact that I can do good work. I'd like to do even better work without the talent becoming complacent and saying "ahh, fuck it. Looks good to me."

>>17732419
In that case I would say that you ought to go talk to the director guy in person and say the things you wrote in the letter. Sooner rather than later.

>>17732419
Here's what needs to be in writing:

I've not heard back from you in spite of repeated attempts. I want this effort to be representative of our talent, as I'm sure you do too. Therefore, I've had to make some decisions FOR THE GOOD OF THE PROJECT.

Then list what you did, what you're going to do, etc. Just do it. Don't complain and quit yapping your trap. Be the action you want to see. Next time they hire you they will know that you move forward whether you hear back from them or not.

Good luck. Artists can be assholes and often are responsible for their own lack of success.

>>17732440
One of the things that I know about this dude is that he hates in person meetings. He feels that most meetings can be an email or text that he may or may not respond to.

I just sent him a super watered down version of the letter in a small SMS. I doubt I'll hear back from him.

>>17732419
Aren't they paying you? If they want to pay you for subpar work, that's their business. I'm not trying to be a dick, but it sounds like you need these guys. Otherwise you would have other work lined up so this one wouldn't be something you're so upset over. If your work is as good as you say it is, then you shouldn't have trouble getting other gigs.

>>17732478
You're right. Not gonna doubt your truth there. The weight is on me, because they're paying me. But, if I want to keep up my reputation of professionalism, its best to be transparent about everything. Including when the only paid client Ihave ATM is being a total fucknut.

>>17732478
Look at it like this: if your were paying me a decent chunk of money for creative services you need do need in a certain fashion , you would want me to tell you when you aren't being cooperative. A "get-it-done" mentality isnt going to help when the one person that stands in the way of getting it done is the client.

>>17732395
This is hilarious. I guess I'm just at odds whether or not I should chew out my friends. I can risk the professional relationship, I am just afraid of looking like a primma donna.