August 20, 2005
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Another Puzzle… and some of this and a little of that….
Here’s another pieced together mosaic/puzzle of a different sort.
Hawaiian Tile artist Robert Voglund completed this pool for Pixar’s President, Dr. Ed Catmull, featuring characters from ‘Finding Nemo.
Although I sure hope Catmull doesn’t have any little kids because that mural of Bruce the Shark would stop any 3 year-old in his/her tracks. I mean, look at that thing — it looks 3D! No way any kid is dippin’ any toes in that pool.
As you might be able to tell from the past 3 entries: I’ve been unemployed.
Not that I’m complaining or anything, because I was simply fried after shooting 4 projects within a 2-month span but you do notice the lackadaisical turn the entries have taken, yes?
I’ve just been spending an inane amount of time on-line these past few weeks, just searching for… stuff. Random, cool stuff like the pool above… well, that and putting my house on the market, making yard sale signs and getting ready to move the family into the new house. I think I can stand a few more weeks of just chillin’ and then I’m ready to get back into the saddle.
Speaking of which – since the inception of my career in ’97, I’ve kept a running spreadsheet of all my projects. The sheet tracks everything from my
auditions/booking ratio, salary, number of days between each project, how many of them were films/tv shows/commercials, etc. That way I have a tangible layout of how the career’s going when I annually reassess things and set goals for the following year. And this time, I noticed something as I was updating the chart: In the 8 years I’ve been working as an actor, I’ve only worked 211 days.
A conventional job, with 2 weeks of vacation a year (toss in about 10 days in misc. holidays) works out to be about 240 working days. That’s nuts!
I haven’t even worked a conventional year yet!
Eh, that tidbit probably did nothing to help the “lazy bum/get a real job” profile actors always get. But you know what? I don’t think people were put on this planet to work that many days out of the year.
Everyday for the past 4 weeks, I’ve been able to see my daughter smile at me when she first wakes up in morning at 11am (the girl can sleep for 11 to 12 hours straight–like father, like daughter). Stuff like that makes me feel so fortunate having an actor’s schedule, it totally makes up for the lack of financial security. This quote sums it all up: “On your deathbed, you’ll never say, ‘I wish I spent more time at the office.’”
Although, I have to say one thing about being employed — it does keep you more focused. Because I am all over the place with this entry.
And in a related note to the first part of the entry… I wanted to acknowledge a wonderful artist who died in a car accident last Tuesday. Joe Ranft was one of the creative forces at Pixar and served as the company’s first Head of Story but also provided the wonderful voices behind: Wheezy the Penguin in “Toy Story 2“, Heimlich the Caterpillar in ”A Bug’s Life” and most recently Jacques, the cleaner fish in “Finding Nemo“.
I was always in awe watching this guy work behind the mic during the behind-the-scene featurettes on Pixar’s DVDs. So, thank you Mr. Ranft. Your talents definitely made this world a better place.
In lieu of flowers, the Ranft family respectfully requests that donations be made to: ‘The Joseph Henry Ranft Memorial Fund’ c/o Pixar Animation Studios, 1200 Park Ave., Emeryville, CA 94608
“Finally, I’m a beautiful butterfly…
from way up here you all look like little ants!”
Comments (21)
the artwork in the pool is amazing – scary or not… randomness can be cool… have fun changing castles!
That is the most incredible pool I’ve ever seen.
Good luck with the move!
well if u’re living comfortably and have worked less in your career than what I have in one year, then you’re pretty well off! Who says actors don’t have it made?
ooo that pool is awesome! i saw some similar artwork like that except the artwork was on public streets. here’s a link to the artist’s page w/ the pictures: http://www.kurtwenner.com/street/
I think you do yourself injustice. Are you counting only 211 actual paid work days? Just because you aren’t getting paid, doesn’t mean you aren’t working. I’m sure if you tallied all the days of auditions, callbacks, headshot organizing, resume putting together, taking classes, teaching classes, speaking to schools, etc., it would be way more than the normal work schedule.
I was just about to write that I do think that a good number of actors should get real jobs (not you, I actually like your work). Then I thought about your entries and they have changed my perception. So I was going to write about the hard “non-acting” work that you do. Then I saw Mike2Cents’ comment and his pretty much sums up what I wanted to say. So instead, I’m leaving a comment explaining the comments I was going to leave.
hm. i think y’guys are missing the point. or maybe i am… but it sounds like the calculation was just a way to quantify the hours of paid work. i don’t think this served a self-injustice at all. not like this calculation defines quality or dedication – by any means. just some interesting trivia.
this was a beautiful post, btw.
yeah, that shark kinda freaks me out too. oh my gosh, the penguin was my favorite.
SCHWEEEEEET, DUDE!
nice.. and with your previous post about the lego church… that’s insane and crazy and really amazing.
Wow… you know, your ideas about unemployment kind of make me want to be an actor. (Too bad I can’t act >.<)
Best of luck.
cool pool
u kno wut they say, the best jobs are the ones u enjoy and its better to have been paid to “never work a day in ur life.” don’t forget to add in the, workout, eat right, all the good stuff it takes to fill the shoes of the artistic. u’re an inspiration! nice pool, still think the church was cooler.
wow-this is the first xanga ive stumbled upon that is……..so professional lol. good luck with everything!
awww thas so cool he can do so many dif’rent voices! and i would love ur job!! i dun spend enuff time w/ my son cuz of my job and it’s ok to say that u only worked 211/240 days in 8 years cuz it still helps provide for ur family and ur moving to a new house!! Other people who’s worked most of their lives can’t even do that!
i’d love to have that pool… shark and all.
can you put a pic ofyour daughter up? i wanna see her
I hope you work situation changes for the better real soon. Your a great actor.
The shark thing is cool, but I wouldnt want it at the bottom of my pool. Forget it being scary to a 3 year old, it would scare me.
By the way the lego post were awesome and I hope everything goes well with your move. Keep your head up.
youll find work bro, youre too good. that pool is messed up.
don’t give up trying to find work. you’re one of the few brothers that are on their way to break the glass. you are an unsung hero to many…
Glad to hear from fans of this tile pattern!
Glass Mosaic Tiles