My Work Expirience

[Reginald]

Starts on Monday.

Basically, I have to take the hour train from Tunbridge Wells to London, then catch a tube to Oxford Street, then take a 5 minute walk to my work.

But when I get there, the whole thing will seem utterly worth it. I'm working at a place called Empire Design who make film posters, trailers, TV spots, promotional photography, radio ads and even specially-designed premiere tickets. BAsically every day for the first week I do something different and then I decide what I like best and work on it properly for the second week.

Also, if they choose to go out on a shoot, which means taking publicity shots on a set, I get to go with them and help out which sounds REALLY exciting. They do about 5 photo shoots a week, so I should be doing something interesting, even if all the others are taking photos of props.

Today, on my tour, I saw footage of a new Vince Vaughn film (not sure how much I can tell you about that, I don't sign any papers along those lines until Monday. ) and saw them working on an advert for a BBC production due out in Autumn. On Monday, they are starting a "major, new, exciting project" which I will have major input into working on.

I'm sincerely hoping it's Casino Royale cause they are doing all the publicity for that. XD
Also, I may have a hand in designing a bus-side poster for whichever film it is which could be utterly awesome.

Anyway, I will be using this thread to keep you all updated on whatever I get up to, which stars I meet (if any) and what I think of the films I get a sneak peek at. :O

 

[Ennui]

awesome, keep us informed!

 

[gick]

Wow, lucky you! Sounds like your going to be having a lot of fun.

I spent my work experience photocopying things :|

 

[The Brick]

Holy aweshens! (off topic: no one noticed yet Shens changed his name to Ames? I saw it like 2 weeks ago)

This makes me want to quit my morning paper

 

[Majestic XII]

Sounds like a dream job to me

Something I would like to work with actually, congratz on your sweet job.

 

[myth]

there is nothing more satisfying than doing something that u like to do.

 

[swiss]

My work experience was pretty dull - it was at a government office by parliament. I couldnt do anything productive or get involved much.
At least i know now that I do NOT want to work in public sector - everything is done slowly, there is no pressure or excitement in the job.

 

[myth]

My work experience was pretty dull - it was at a government office by parliament. I couldnt do anything productive or get involved much.
At least i know now that I do NOT want to work in public sector - everything is done slowly, there is no pressure or excitement in the job.

even though the exitment and fun factor is missing in a public sector job, the job u do is always secure.....

The survival factor also counts these days.

 

[kirovman]

Cool stuff

 

[Sulkdodds]

Gah, I did mine at the bloody Council IT department. D:

Admittedly it did have its moments, like when we got calls from people needing things fixed and had to leap into action, shouting "TO THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT!" but yours is much better.

 

[Reginald]

Admittedly it did have its moments, like when we got calls from people needing things fixed and had to leap into action, shouting "TO THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT!" but yours is much better.

You've even told us that story before. :hmph:

 

[Harryz]

Thats a brilliant work experience, can't wait to hear more.

I did mine mine at a piston ring company, yes you heard right. Daily routines consisted of shredding paper, photocopying, filing and MORE ****ING FILING - basically, all the jobs that the ****tard employees were too lazy to do.

 

[SimonomiS]

Experience.

 

[Reginald]

Experience.

You really suck. I've spelt that wrong my whole life so far and I aren't changing now.

 

[SimonomiS]

Sucking can come in useful.

 

[Reginald]

Sucking can come in useful.

Prove it. :naughty:

 

[sabre0001]

Enjoy it!

One thing though - show enthusiasm for ANY job at all...even if it is making tea or packing envelopes and be prepared to do some menial tasks too (you may not have to but just in case...)

Good luck!

 

[DreadLord]

By the way you UK'ers are talking this doesn't sound like it's a normal job.. What exactly is "work experience"?

 

[Sulkdodds]

Unpaid and unpermanent, basically.

In Year 10 (one year before you do your GCSEs at 16) you do a work experience thing with the school - a week long 'placement'. But you can also do it later...it's just arranging volunteer work for a certain period of time so you get 'experience' and some extra meat for your CV.

 

[Smoke]

I went to the army for a week as my WE, it kicked so much ass.

 

[Reginald]

Unpaid and unpermanent, basically.

In Year 10 (one year before you do your GCSEs at 16) you do a work experience thing with the school - a week long 'placement'. But you can also do it later...it's just arranging volunteer work for a certain period of time so you get 'experience' and some extra meat for your CV.

We do it in Year 11. You'd think after the three weeks of exams they could have let us have some time off, but no. It's straight into two weeks of hardcore working.

 

[DreadLord]

Unpaid and unpermanent, basically.

In Year 10 (one year before you do your GCSEs at 16) you do a work experience thing with the school - a week long 'placement'. But you can also do it later...it's just arranging volunteer work for a certain period of time so you get 'experience' and some extra meat for your CV.

Ah, I see. 'Tis a good idea. We have similar such things, but normally with the local police, firestation, library, etc.. Not with privately owned companies. So should you decide you like this job, when you finish school do they allow you to take the job? Or is it more like just a sample, and you would need apply like everyone else?

 

[Sulkdodds]

You'd need to apply, but I think you'd have an advantage if the people in charge were already predisposed to like you.

So it would count for you, but perhaps not all that much, because people aren't necessarily suited to what they do for work experience. While some choose theirs, others get it picked for them and work shifting horse manure or something.

 

[Reginald]

Update 1. Just been on my first day.

The morning train journey was unstressful and I arrived at my workplace about half an hour early, so I went and had a coffee at a local cafe.
When I went in, I reported to "The Boss" and talked through some stuff. Then I was sent into the "library" (basically a huge room full of DVDs and folders with film posters in) to file some promotional booklets whilst various people were led in to be introduced to me.
There were some pretty cool people, including two great people who were working mainly in the library too who share the same ultimate aspirations as me, but were further down the career path so they were interesting to talk to.
The filing however was boring apart from the odd really well-crafted piece of advertising. For example, the premiere ticket for 'The Last Samurai' was a sort of scroll with lots of Japanese symbols on with English explaining what they meant.

Then I went to have lunch. Egg and Sausage Sarnie. RAWR!

In the afternoon I worked in the main office section, and made some phone calls and some emails and worked with some really great people. It was basically 5 minutes of work before 5 minutes doing something else like 'finding people's houses on Google Earth' or 'watching a really funny video on the internet.'
Then I went to the Monday meeting where I learned all the films they are working on throughout the week.
These included:
Casino Royale :E
Cars :|
Sunshine :E
The Break Up :hmph:
And a few more.
I also learned that Vince Vaughn may be coming in later this week to do some final stuff for The Break Up. Which would be awesome. XD
Then I went back up to the office to do a few more phone calls before the trailer guys came up with a promo they recieved in the post. It was called "Smokin' Aces" and it doesn't come out till 2007. A promo is basically a 15-20 minute clip of the film, often with some effects not finished, but to give the designers a rough idea of what the film is heading towards.
Anyway, this film is from an unknown director and it's about some guy (Ben Affleck) being hunted down by lots of assassins. For whatever reason. It's possibly the most hilariously violent thing I think I've ever seen. A woman using her sniper rifle in the opposite building shoots people and their bodies just flip and slide along the floor, and some invincible assassin guy with a chainsaw saws off a chandelier which impales some person on the floor. It was awesome.

Then I found out that someone who I was working with was on the poster for Hard Candy. The body double for the girl standing on the bear trap on the poster. All shot where I was working.


Overall, a truly awesome day. XD

EDIT: Synopsis for Smokin' Aces. It WILL be the big film next year. Possibly.

BUDDY "ACES" ISRAEL (Jeremy Piven) is a Vegas card sharp cum gangster and former member of the La Cosa Nostra (LCN), one of the largest criminal organizations in the United States. In exchange for a vanishing act with Witness Protection, Israel (who is currently hiding out in the penthouse of The Nomad Casino in Lake Tahoe with his posse of bodyguards and hookers), has agreed to testify against his former mentor, PRIMO SPARAZZA, and the LCN.

When the terminally ill Sparazza takes out a $1 million contract on Israel's life, word quickly spreads through the underground crime world. The catch: Sparazza wants Israel's heart. FBI agents RICHARD MESSNER (Ryan Reynolds) and DONALD CARRUTHERS (Ray Liotta) learn that Sparazza has hired "a specialist" to do the job and that rogue LCN members SERNA and PADICHE are also recruiting someone to take Israel out. Realizing that it is only a matter of time before the rest of the world is hipped to Israel's whereabouts and seeks to cash in on the contract, FBI director STANLEY LOCKE (Andy Garcia) dispatches Messner and Carruthers to Lake Tahoe to secure their key witness.

Simultaneously, bail bondsman JACK DUPREE (Ben Affleck) and ex-cops HOLLIS ELMORE (Martin Henderson) and PETE DEEKS (Pete Berg) are hired by Israel's lawyers - who were left holding the bag when Israel skipped bail - and sent to Tahoe to pick him up and return him to Vegas.

Meanwhile, Serna and Padiche's recruits: diva assassins GEORGIA SYKES (Alicia Keys) and SHARICE WATTERS (Taraji Henson), master of disguise: LAZLO SOOT, torture extremist: PASQUALE ACOSTA and neo-Nazis: THE TREMOR BROTHERS all make their descent on Lake Tahoe with the same intention - take out Israel by any means necessary.

Chaos ensues as hit men and FBI converge on the penthouse of The Nomad - bullets fly, loyalties shift and lives end - and shocking secrets are revealed involving FBI cover-ups, hidden motives and true identities.

 

[sabre0001]

Excellent...Good to hear you got on well - and you had some of the menial work I was talking of so at least illusions are shattered.

But the work does sound amazing - Nice find! :thumbs:

 

[Sulkdodds]

If I kill you in your sleep and wear your skin, maybe nobody will notice.

 

[Reginald]

Providing you point the promo of Sunshine in the general direction of heaven, I will be happy. Although... I guess I could just see the whole thing in heaven. :hmph:

 

[DreadLord]

Sounds awesome.

 

[Reginald]

Today was like... three times as good as yesterday. XD

When I first arrived I sat in the kitchen for an hour with some other people cause we had no work to do. I talked with them about boring stuff. But it was still fun.

Then I went to a meeting which was talking about films that we are working on. That stuff is classified so I can't tell you much about that.
Then, I was taken upstairs into one of the edit suites where I got to see a film that the trailer team were just about to start work on. Sadly I'm not actually allowed to tell you which film it was. Let's just say it was very funny, due out in 2007 and when the trailer comes out, I can tell you. And remind you that I worked on it.
The, in the afternoon, I was given an introduction to the designing and making of posters. I helped design the "Cars" poster for the UK, and made my own poster for a village fair that one of the staff was going to at the weekend and was too lazy to make the poster himself.
I also saw the Spiderman 3 trailer. Which was awesome.

Actually not much to tell today because 3 hours is all confidential, but I enjoyed it.

 

[The Monkey]

I first working day ever was last Monday. I get US$45/day for watching TV in four hours, then go home because there's nothing to do