:: Chris Turner's Journal ::

:: Thursday, May 26, 2005 ::

The Suicide Hotline

Suicide hotline to open only from 9 to 5

TORONTO (Reuters) - A Canadian province will shut its 24-hour suicide hotline and replace it with one that operates only during business hours.

Prince Edward Island, a small province on Canada's East Coast, says it is too expensive to operate the hotline around the clock. Starting June 1, it will be open only between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The plan drew protest from mental health groups across the country on Wednesday.

'How many times, when you get upset or worried or concerned about things, is it in the middle of the day? It's usually at 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning when you wake up,' said Joan Wright, executive director of the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention based in Edmonton, Alberta.

The hotline received about 1,400 calls a year and about 50 were from people contemplating suicide, health groups said.

'One of the things I was hearing is the government felt there weren't enough suicide-related calls,' Wright said.

Prince Edward Island, Canada's smallest province with a population of about 137,000 people, is trying to tame its budget deficit. The hotline cost about C$30,000 (12,965 pounds) a year to run.

'It's a very small amount of money in our view,' said Reid Burke, executive director of the Canadian Mental Health Association.

'(Given) the economic cost of a suicide, if governments pay attention to dollars and numbers, not what happens to people, it just doesn't make sense.'"

:: Plod 01:04 [+] ::
...

Odd Job Offer

Here's a good example of how the "film industry" works. It's an email I got today, unabridged, which gives a typical example of how so many people in the business are expected to work. Note the "embellishments" (such as the sound recordist using radio mics - no shit) and the plugging of people most won't ever have heard of. Make of it what you will:

"Hi there,

SUPER16 SHORT FILM.
Falling Heart First, written by profesional music promo director Roxy
Erickson, is a modern fairytale about love and the acceptance of fate.
Told through the discussions of two would-be lovers, it’s a tale that
takes you through the motions of the Can I/Can’t I fall in love.
Rosy has been used up and spit out by her ex. Rufus comes into her life
and falls for her while she's putting herself back together. The
pair of them find their way through their own hearts with the story
culminating with the idea that no matter what you discuss, dissect, or decide
about love, fate takes it’s own course.

Director: Roxy Erickson grew up in Midwest America; she studied
advertising photography at Rochester Institute of Technology in upstate New
York. Having moved to London after and because of the disasters of Sept
11th, Roxy started a successful photography business photographing
bands for many clients including Warner, Universal, and EMI. She has also
worked for several magazines including Q, Dazed and Confused, Loaded,
Kerrang, and Rocksound. Roxy started directing music videos in early
2004. Falling Heart First is her first short film, and the faith in fate
is something that she is all too familiar with. To see examples of her
work please go to www.roxyerickson.com

Producer: Justin Darnes credits include the award winning Gary & Blue.
DOP: Shooting on Super 16, Director of Photography John Watters will
make use of the metaphors in light and dark.
Sound: Sound will be done by Tom Barrow, using surround booms and radio
mics.
Actors: Rosy is played by Ruth Kestenbaum, whose credits include Nathan
Barley for Channel 4 and several plays for Soho Theatre.
Guy Faulkner ‘Welcome to the Latin Quarter ’amongst a number of
acting roles will be taking on the part of Rufus.
Location: Played out in an East London flat, the film will create a
mood and feeling that everyone can relate to.

I WOULD LIKE TO ADD YOUR NAME TO THIS LIST OF PEOPLE -

ARE YOU AVAILABLE THIS WEEK TUESDAY 24TH - FRIDAY 27TH????????? MONDAY
WOULD BE A BONUS BUT NOT CRUCIAL!

WE WILL BE SHOOTING IN BETHNAL GREEN ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, WHEN
YOU'LL BE EXPECTED TO CARRY OUT RUNNER DUTIES, HOWEVER ON TUESDAY AND
WEDNESDAY YOU WILL BE ASSISTING THE ART DIRECTOR IN DRESSING THE LOCATION.

UNFORTUNATLY AS WITH MOST SHORT FILMS OUR BUDGET DOES NOT ALLOW US TO
PAY FOR YOUR TIME, BUT ALL EXPENSES, FOOD AND A COPY OF THE FILM WILL BE
AVAILIBLE.

ALSO IF YOU ARE OVER 23 AND CAN DRIVE, LET ME KNOW AS AM ALSO LOOKING
FOR A DRIVER TO COLLECT KIT AND PROPS.

IF INTERESRED IN WORKING ON THE FILM PLEASE CONTACT ME ON xxxx-xxx-xxx
ASAP.

Thanks for your time Justin Darnes (producer)"

:: Plod 21:29 [+] ::
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Addiction

I dunno if you've ever been addicted to something, but I'm on a high right now...and only slowly coming off it. Have you ever wanted something so much that it takes over all your rational thought? It's crazy - when you look back on what you did to get your fix, you look like a total madman. But when you want one, you'll do anything to get it - no matter how obsessive you have to become.

:: Plod 02:33 [+] ::
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Miserable Bastard

Hmm. I've just been looking over some of my archives of the past 3 (!) years... I seemed to be a much happier character a couple of years ago, judging by my writing. Now, most stuff I seem to write in here is negative and emotionally heavy. Is this some sort of early-twenties crisis?

Answers on a postcard.

:: Plod 23:11 [+] ::
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End of Contract

Well, it looks like my time at the BBC is nearly at an end. My contract expires in two weeks' time, and I've been unable to find another job over the summer period. It sucks, but I guess it's the nature of the business. The irony is, if I'd have walked out on the show in April (when my contract originally expired), I'd probably have been able to get onto another show that was crewing up in Spring to last over the summer - but instead, by being loyal and staying to finish the series, I've now missed the boat on other shows and am faced with at least two months of no pay. Things look okay for August through to October, and November onwards looks fine - but I guess it's going to be a return to the old ways of no money for a while now. I'm looking around the independent sector, but so far, no luck.

On a slightly brighter note, I've got an interview for a Trainee Assistant Editor's job up in Birmingham, but I'm not 100% sure I really want to branch into post-production. As soon as you get Post skills on your CV, everyone thinks you want to purely be an editor - despite the fact that they also tell us they want us to be multi-skilled. I've been a Runner and a 3rd and 2nd Assistant Director - you wouldn't believe how hard it is to push yourself as an Assistant Floor Manager, which is something I'd really like to do - instead, I get pigeonholed. And I'd be screwed if I wanted to be a Researcher - despite the fact I could do the job standing on my head (and have been doing it for the last 6 months, just not getting paid at Researcher rate), people look at your CV and say, "Oh, you're an AFM / AD with editing skills...you can't be a researcher, then." What crap. Like I say, it's silly - they demand that staff can plug in to virtually any role required of them, then when you try and diversify a little from your existing experience, you come up against a lot of closed doors. Nice theory, fails in practice.

Things have got a little better between me & Fay. She's still worried about jobs, etc, but at least she seems to have come out of her shell a little bit now. We had quite a long chat about things the other day, so hopefully they'll sort themselves out. I think I've done as much as I can. I really need to see her, but haven't been able to while all this stuff is going on. I think we both need a break from our working lives...but we have to do it cheaply. Ah, hell. I'd just be happy spending more time with her.

Anyway, I'm off - I have a 5.30am start tomorrow and a 4 hour drive ahead of me. And a live show on Saturday.

:: Plod 22:41 [+] ::
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The Trough of a Wave

Things are a little stressed out round here tonight. Fay's searching for jobs for next term, but she's hardly spoken to me in the last week...and whenever she has, its been pretty unpleasant. I want to be around for her, but she's shutting me out right now. I sent her some long dopey email which I regret right now, but it seemed like a good idea at the time - Note to Self: No long, drippy, emotional emails in future - they never work.

It's weird...I don't know if anyone else feels the same way. It's like I go all apologetic for wanting to be there for someone, but being sorry for being there - like I'm in the way. Does that sound odd? It sure sounds fucked up to me when I write it like that. But then you want to apologise in case you screwed up in the first place, and that's why you're being shut out. Bizarre. You're sorry for being there, and sorry for not being there at the same time.

:: Plod 01:30 [+] ::
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New Script

I finally managed to find the willpower to start work on a new script today - hopefully this will be one I actually finish. I'd like to get some more of my work "out there" so I can take my first tentative steps as a "proper" writer, but I have a long way to go yet. I need to be a bit more disciplined, but it's often hard with work to find the energy to write - I have to be in exactly the right mood before I put pen to paper, else I struggle for hours and just write complete shit.

:: Plod 00:12 [+] ::
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