#3rd ad

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fE8AmWl08ZU)

|| Rock on. My little collection of ‘stress rocks’ ||

Stress. It’s a big part of my life. And sometimes I really believe that I am a little addicted to it, because I certainly don’t go out of my way to avoid it. When I’m not working, deadlines are really important to motivate me, but that doesn’t mean I do anything until the last minute anyway. I like the stress of rushing. The same thing applies every time I get up to go somewhere. I’ll hit snooze until the last possible second and barely have enough time to shower and dress before I have to leave. (thank goodness for breakfast on set...)

Stress can come from a number of places. Sometimes it’s internal, my long term addiction to putting pressure on myself, always striving for perfection, and rarely achieving my own ridiculous standards. I like to be halfway out to adjusting a background action before the director even thinks to say something. I like to say to my boss that the cast are already bugged and standing by before he can ask. I pride myself on it.

Sometimes it comes from being too relaxed and misreading the set. That attitude of “nah, I can wait another 5 minutes to call for the extras” suddenly becomes “Great, now I only have a minute to dress 30 extras in.” Those are the moments I really kick myself because it’s avoidable stress. I didn’t have to make life so hard.

Sometimes it comes from above. If my boss is stressing about time (and even if they aren’t showing it) I feel that, and take it onboard. At it’s best, I become super switched on, hyper vigilant and watch my teams back, make sure we aren’t surprised by unexpected delays. At its worst I can border on micromanagement.

Sometimes my stress is driven by hunger. If we’re getting close to lunch and my blood sugar level is dropping, then watch out. I get angsty and suddenly any little concerns become a big deal.

Stress management, there for is a HUGE part of my life on set. Here are some ways that help me manage my stress levels:

1. Carry Snacks - Whether I stockpile them from the trolley, or bring them from home, my set bag always has a snack in it. Usually hunger-stress hits right when I can’t get to the tea trolley, so carrying a snack means that I don’t have to stop what I’m doing to get my emotions back in check.

2. You Can’t Control Everything - This ties in with my need for perfection. I have this written on my notebook to remind me that no matter how bad things are getting, stressing about what I could have done is not going to help fix the problem now. It also reminds me that shit happens and you just have to roll with it.

3. ‘Stress Rocks’ - The rocks don’t actually do anything, but I have always found comfort in having something to play with. Often I’ll take a couple in my bag (not all of them because it would be too heavy!) and if I’m feeling a bit strung out, I’ll grab a rock. It helps especially when there’s nothing I can do to solve the problem. It gives me something to do. Five of them were gifts. The others I bought because they appealed to me in some way. For example, the gold one is a bit showy, but I like the way it feels when I hold it. The same for the reddish one near the back. It has a neat little dimple in it which is perfect for my thumb.

After - Web Series

Context: Gained experience as a 3rd assistant director/trainee assistant director on the set of the web series After starring Robin Dunne. Duties included co-ordinating actors through hair, makeup, and wardrobe; locking up the set; relaying instructions to the crew; and generally assisting the 1st assistant director on set.

Release date TBA

Role: 3rd Assistant Director / Trainee Assistant Director