I started my job around six years ago. I was glad to have it, but I thought I would be doing bigger and better things by now. I'm still here, which is kind of sad, although I still have a job, which is pretty good.
I was pretty lucky to even get a steady gig in the first place. I happened to be friends with this guy Ross Asia, who was the roommate of the guy who was leaving the position, who I will call Michael J. Cox. Ross hadn't even seen any of my work but he recommended me highly to Michael.
Ross and I were actually more of acquaintances than friends. On Thanksgiving '98, my friend Rose Asia (no relations, especially since these are fake names) went to visit Ross at his dorm, and she asked me to tag along. It was just a quick visit, but after that, Ross and I would say hello and sometimes exchange a few words when we would see each other around campus.
So I guess it's good to be nice to everybody because seven years later, that association led me to steady employment. Michael even said he remembered me, even though we only saw each other that one time. I don't recall this at all, but he had a camcorder and he's got me on video on that visit. I'll have to ask him for a copy of it.
Before my job interview, I told Ross that I only knew how to edit on Avid. He said to tell that boss that I've worked on Final Cut a lot anyway. So I did. After my interview, the boss asked me to spend some time with Michael so that he could give his opinion of me. It was pretty much just a formality with him, and he told the boss he liked the fact that I was asking questions about the job, how to handle clients etc. The whole time though, I was paying attention to what Michael was doing because I had little idea how Final Cut worked.
I then spent the next few days at the school's editing suites learning the program. The funny thing was, my professor saw me there one day and approached me. He said that one of the tutors had to cancel, so he asked if I could teach Final Cut to some students for a couple of sessions. I'm not sure why, but I said yes. I taught them all I knew at the time, which was basically setting up your scratch disk and capturing, and I told them that their regular tutor would teach them the rest.
I was pretty much learning on the job when I started in October 2005, but what really impressed my boss was my attitude. I was good with handling clients and keeping my composure with some of the more difficult ones. With all my complaints about his managing style and commitment, I'm very grateful that my boss gave me a chance.
In November, a client came in and asked for a sizzle reel. I had never done one before, not even anything like it in college. This was right before Thanksgiving, and with the break coming up, I decided to take advantage of the days off and learn how to do it.
So my girlfriend and I decided to make a day of it. We planned on going to the parade in the morning, but we woke up late. We saw a few balloons near the end of the route at Madison Square Garden. We picked up some chili from the Wendy's in front of the Empire State Building and headed to my job at 38th Street.
And that's how we spent Thanksgiving '05. I was learning PhotoShop and how to incorporate layers in Final Cut, and my girlfriend was on another computer on MySpace. (Remember MySpace?). Just the two of us at my new job, and it turned out there wasn't any heat in the building. It was a cold Thanksgiving that year, probably because we decided to come out to the parade. The other time we went in 2009, it was freezing also. All the other years, like this year, were nice and mild when we decided to stay home.
Actually, we weren't always alone there. Michael J. Cox stopped by to work on a freelance project, but I'll save that story for another day.
My girlfriend and I came back that Friday with a small space heater. I don't remember if we came back on the Saturday and Sunday. But that's how we spent that Thanksgiving day, with me trying to get better at my job and my future wife sitting by my side.
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