Hello Beanywood.... Hello New England Film Makers..... How are your lives going?????
Mine is in the gutter..... This site doesn't even acknowledge my existence after 25 posts & over 14 thousand views....... But hell.... I'm just a nobody BUM that spent 12 year working & living & paying my BILLS in HOLLYWOOD... Ya know... The "REAL DEAL".... A guy that knows SOMETHING about Hollywood... But I'm just POND SCUM compared to the REAL players out here in NEW ENGLAND!
So here's what I've been up to..... I got my first gig EVER out here in New England after almost 4 YEARS OF BEGGING PEOPLE FOR ANY CRAPPY PRODUCTION JOB..... It was as an editor for an online gambling website located in Beverly Mass... The pay was $17.25 an hour.... Just enough for me to buy crack.... (NO Hookers), Just lousy Crack... Anyways I took the job.. Smiled... worked hard... kept my mouth Shut & listened to MORONS Bossing me around.... I did what I was told... & after less then 2 months.... After going through 2 BOSSES... (the first being a nazi, Gestapo Rude Arrogant Loser... Who called himself a DIRECTOR... & spent all day trying to figure out ways to boss me around & I took his CRAP Daily.... HE was finally FIRED..... & then my NEXT boss... ended up being the SON of the owner... A completely UNHINGED, DERANGED, DANGEROUS, PSYCHOPATH of a LOSER who's LIFE'S AMBITION was to be a COP!!!!!!..... Long story short.... This pathetic loser... Who for some screwed up reason had the audacity to claim to be MY boss... ended up CHASING me OFF the JOB by threats of TAZERING ME.... Assaulting ME... BEATING ME up... (Because I refused to TEACH HIM Final Cut Pro) & HE was going to HUNT ME DOWN & GET ME.... All because I refused to take HIS CRAP anymore...... I never got payed my last weeks pay.... (I have since gone to the Mass Attorneys General's Office & complained about my pay & how I was THREATENED & CHASED OFF THE JOB.... & have not been PAYED as of YET.... BU T THEY are still looking into it!!!!!)..... And FOLKS...... That was just my FIRST & ONLY JOB offer that I finally got out here in NEW ENGLAND!...... So ya gotta wonder Folks..... Who the hell else is working out here for MONEY????..... Anyways..... Lets fast forward to just the other day...... After sending out over 2,000... Yes Kids, that's right..... OVER TWO THOUSAND Emails to EVERYBODY.... Looking for ANY kind of WORK..... I RECEIVED a COUPLE RESPONSES!!!!!!!!..... Whoopee!!!!!!!.... YAhhhhhhhhh.....
Here's response ONE: It was for an ad making $50 dollars a day as a BOOM Operator.... Yes sir, FIFTY big ones a DAY!.... I Gladly responded not once.... but TWICE with my PHONE NUMBER & QUALIFICATIONS & RESUME WITH LINKS TO MY WORK...... For $50 Freakin Bucks a DAY!..... I received a email back with NO NAME.... NO NUMBER...... NO INFORMATION WHATS SO EVER......... Just the CRYPTIC Words...... WE might be all set for this Boom gig... BUT HANG TIGHT..... WE MIGHT BE CALLING YOU!.... Zooweee..... Wowee....... THEY "MIGHT" be callin ME???????...... I eventually received a CALL at 7:00 AM On a Sunday Morning &, believe it or not... I MISSED THE CALL!!!!!!...... When I called the number back... (there was no Message.... NO Name... NO NUMBER.... & NO reference whatsoever as to what the call was about) I reached a Women who stated that HER Brother was making a MOVIE & MAYBE he HAD called ME?????..... Believe it or not... I still left MY NAME & NUMBER & REASON for calling & have YET RECEIVED a CALL BACK!!!!!!
Here's an example of another Response from another GREAT NEW England Film Maker........
RESPONSE NUMBER 2: This guy had an AD Looking for a camera man to shoot in DOWNTOWN Boston Mass for 3 HOURS with a PROFESSIONAL CAMERA..... I SENT him all MY info & patiently waited for a reply.... After several hours & hear back from him & the gig paid $60. Dollars...... Thats Right FOLKS..... SIXTY DOLLARS!!!!!!
Whopppeeeeee..... Zoweeeeee......... I can't believe MY good Fortune!.... I quickly & Politely EMAILED HIM right back & stated: Make it, $100 dollars.... & you have a deal!....... NEEDLESS TO SAY....... I NEVER HEARD BACK FROM THIS BIG TIME, NEW ENGLAND ENTREPRENEUR.........
& the FINAL KICKER OF THE DAY....... (This all occurred Yesterday folks, On Sunday May 11, 2008)... I emailed an AD FOR A BIG NEW ENGLAND CASTING COMPANY Looking for a CASTING DIRECTOR.... I told them, my background was primarily in Video Production, But that I was looking to EXPAND my horizons & felt that I could be quite good at working for a New England Casting Agency considering that I spent 12 years Working & Living in Hollywood California & that I have over 30 years in the Entertainment Business.......
I will now give you an EXAMPLE OF OUR EMAILS:
MY FIRST EMAIL RESPONSE TO THIS AD FOR WORK AT A NEW ENGLAND CASTING AGENCY:
On Sun, May 11, 2008 at 12:29 AM, Craig Amabello wrote: Hi, I noticed your post... I am qualified in video production & have over 30 years experience in Show business... I would like to speak with you about this position... Maybe I could be the right candidate for the job... I am looking to expand my horizons & would feel right at home dealing with many sorts of talented actors, etc.
I have enclosed my resume for you to look at. Thanx's Craig Amabello Located in: Southern New Hampshire. Contact me @: Laconnection101@aol.com
And of course my resume shows my MANY YEARS EXPERIENCE IN VIDEO PRODUCTION....
I then receive THIS BACK AS A REPLY FROM THIS BUSINESS PERSON...
On May 11, 2008, at 1:58 PM, XXXXXXX wrote:
Hi,
What can you offer Our Casting Company?
SO I THEN.... CALMLY... PROFESSIONALLY..... ANSWER HIM BACK WITH THIS, SINCERE RESPONSE!
On Sun, May 11, 2008 at 2:23 PM, Craig Amabello wrote:
A) I'M HONEST...... B) I'M HARD WORKING...... C) I'M INTELLIGENT....... D) I AM GOOD WITH PEOPLE...... E) I'M CREATIVE...... I write, make music, do photography & do Video.... F) I CAN SHOOT VIDEOS OF YOUR TALENT FOR AUDITIONS G) I CAN SHOOT STILLS OF ALL YOUR TALENT FOR HEAD-SHOTS, ETC. H) I CAN GIVE DIRECTION.... OR I CAN TAKE DIRECTION... I'm a team player.
And I have a good, basic, common sense about ALL the basics of Show business.... With over 35 years involvement.
Do you have any other questions that I could answer for you? Please feel free to ask me anything. Thanx's Craig Amabello
and this piece of crap MORON scum-bag HAS THE AUDACITY TO EMAIL ME BACK & SAY!
On May 11, 2008, at 2:26 PM, XXXXXXX wrote:
Thats wonderful Craig...but really didn't answer my question. WHAT CAN YOU OFFER MY COMPANY?
So I email this absolutely, Arrogant, Delusional, Hollywood WANNABE .... THIS RESPONSE:
May 11, 2008 5:31:33 PM EDT To: XXXXXXXX
From Craig Amabello:
MONEY?... BAGS OF GOLD?.... The best WHORES IN THE LAND?... DRUGS?????...... An Invitation to the White House????
DUDE.... I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL YOU MEAN BY THAT QUESTION???
IT'S A VERY NEBULOUS QUESTION.... VERY VAGUE..... VERY ESOTERICAL????
PLEASE.... I'M JUST A DUMB COUNTRY BOY WITH NO COLLEGE EDUCATION....
I LIKE THINGS SIMPLE & SWEET & SPELLED OUT FOR ME!!!!!!
I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL YOU WANT ME TO SAY??????
I AM NOT GOOD AT PLAYING GAMES....... I'M A SIMPLE GUY......
REALLY DUDE..... DON'T YOU THINK YOUR GETTING A LITTLE STRANGE WHEN I DO THE BEST I CAN TO ANSWER SUCH AN OPEN ENDED QUESTION SUCH AS YOU GAVE ME & THEN YOU EMAIL BACK & SAY I DIDN'T ANSWER YOUR QUESTION????
CHRIST........ TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT??????????
This ALL pretty much explains MY HATRED TO THE NEW ENGLAND FILM COMMUNITY...... ALL THE PEOPLE THAT I HAVE COME IN CONTACT WITH OVER THE PAST 4 YEARS ALL ARE SO DESPERATELY ATTEMPTING TO " MIMIC" WHAT THEY THINK HOLLYWOOD TYPE PEOPLE WOULD ACT LIKE...........
PEOPLE.... THIS IS SO EVER WRONG!!!!.... Will will you people ever learn??????
Hollywood is made up of MOSTLY money GRUBBING sharks that would RAPE your lil sister or your mother for the next BIG DEAL!!!!
So many of YOU "NEW ENGLAND" FILM PEOPLE are so DESPERATELY TRYING TO MIMIC & FOLLOW THIS TYPE OF ATTITUDE & BEHAVIOR that it is DESPICABLE!.... DISGUSTING!!!!!!..... DEPLORABLE!!!!!...
PLEASE PEOPLE....... PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO MIMIC!!!!!!!
TO BE JUST ANOTHER HOLLYWOOD SCUM-BAG DOES NOT MAKE YOU CLEVER..... BETTER.... NOR, PROFESSIONAL.....
WE ARE HUMAN BEINGS HERE FOLKS..... WHY CAN'T WE HAVE THE SIMPLE COMMON COURTESY TO TREAT EACH OTHER WITH RESPECT??????
TRUST ME PEOPLE.... I AM ONE OF THE "ONLY PEOPLE" ON THIS DAMN SITE THAT HAS SPENT 12 LONG YEARS WORKING & LIVING IN HOLLYWOOD....... I HAVE SOME KNOWLEDGE OF THE PLACE.... I HAVE SOMETHING VALID TO SAY!!!!......
PLEASE PEOPLE.... I BEG OF YOU.... STOP TRYING TO MIMIC THE "WORST OF HOLLYWOOD!".....
Try to act like decent, civil, human beings with a little respect for other humans........ Life can still be good this way...... PLEASE PEOPLE...... UNTIL YOU HAVE SPENT THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT I HAVE SPENT DEALING WITH HOLLYWOOD ASSHOLES........ YOU WILL SOON REALIZE WHAT A SIN IT IS.... FOR "ALL OF US" TRYING TO DEAL WITH "PRETEND" WANNA-BE HOLLYWOOD ASSHOLES!!!!!!!!!!!
DOES ANYBODY OUT THERE HEAR WHAT I AM SAYING??????
DOES ANYTHING I SAY MAKE SENSE TO ANYBODY OUT THERE??????
I AM SO LOST & FRUSTRATED OUT HERE IN NEW ENGLAND..... KNOWING THAT ALL I DEAL WITH OUT HERE ARE LOUD MOUTH WANNA-BE HOLLYWOOD SCUM........
IT HURTS US ALL..... NOT JUST AS A BUSINESS.... BUT AS A PEOPLE AS A WHOLE!
PLEASE..... I BEG ALL OF YOU TO HEED MY WORDS.... THIS IS WHY AFTER 12 YEARS OF LIVING & WORKING IN HOLLYWOOD THAT I LEFT!
I COULDN'T STAND THE FAKE... PHONEY.... BULLSHIT... RUDE... ARROGANT BASTARDS ANYMORE!!......
& NOW I COME BACK HOME TO NEW ENGLAND & FIND EVERYBODY & THEIR BROTHER TRYING TO MIMIC THIS VERY SAME BEHAVIOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PLEASE PEOPLE....... WHAT I AM SAYING IS TRUE!.... I CAN NOT BE THE ONLY ONE EXPERIENCING THIS BEHAVIOR OUT HERE!!!!!
GROW UP....... BE HUMAN.... STOP BEING RUDE, DELUSIONAL ASSHOLES!!!!!!!!
From your very SAD, DEPRESSED X- HOLLYWOOD REJECT...... Craig Amabello.....
I will always tell it like it is...... Please people.... HEED MY WARNINGS!!!!!!!!!!
Hello good people of Beantown. This is Craig Amabello your truly twisted & demented reporter signing in again.
For an X-Hollywood reject like myself, I sure am receiving a fair share of good responses & emails from some very Cool people out there that are enjoying my blogs.
I thank you all for the compliments & I am glad that I have opened up a SERIOUS, (yet, demented & silly) discussion on Hollywood verses Boston.
Entertainment has always been my game, & as long as I can see that some people out there are being entertained (& hopefully Informed), by my writing style, than I will keep on blogging.
Many Boston people out there keep trying to Insinuate that "what I have done" & "where I have done it" means NOTHING! But that is a bunch of CRAP!
I know in life, it is MOSTLY "WHO YOU KNOW", but damn it..... You just can not discount the fact that I spent 12 long hard years in Hollywood bustin my ass & I have very little to show for it in Tangible goods. But I most certainly have LOTS of Knowledge on Hollywood California that many people out here could truly benefit from.
Most people out here dream of going to Hollywood & already have what they think is "necessary attitudes" to prepare them to go to the Big city of Lost Angels.
But their attitudes SUCK. All big words.... Saying things like: "Get me a C-64" as opposed to just asking for a damn clothes pin! People out here are TRYING SO DAMN HARD to emulate what "they think" is standard procedure in Hollywood.... & boy let me tell you.... They have it all wrong!
People are people everywhere.... But Condescending attitudes, smarmy looks, big 50 cent words, DO NOT MAKE YOU HOLLYWOOD READY! You have to be able to Actually, Physically DO THINGS... ACCOMPLISH WORK. As opposed to just being able to BOSS people around, saying film maker terms, Pointing your finger & putting on your Director & Producer hat & just staring at a monitor all day.
Many days I had to shoot an entire short story, Documentary, Industrial, Music video, with limited scripts & NO pre-production in just 24 hours. There are NO BOOKS FOR THAT. You have to be able to wing it, & communicate with people to get the job done. Every time I worked on a production in LA with a producer or director that did nothing but bark orders, the day would not only be miserable, but VERY NON-PRODUCTIVE.
All these college edumacated Directors & Producers out here, with big 10 cent words, but NO REAL LIFE, PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE, make me laugh. Experience that I have, after actually working in the trenches of LA. Experience that has taught me that no matter how nice I try to be to people out here, they think, or assume.... "I BROUGHT MY HOLLYWOOD ATTITUDE BACK WITH ME!". I don't have an attitude, that's what confuses people. I just want to work.
Do you want to know how I learned my craft of digital film production? By Doing it! Not dreaming about it... Not learning fancy terms... NOT talking about it.... Not getting others to do my work for me.... Not getting on a high horse & acting all full of myself. I just did it because I had to to make a living & survive. To learn to Light, Direct, Shoot & Edit, can truly only be done by DOING IT YOURSELF! No one taught me, no one was there to catch me if I fell. I had to PRODUCE WORK, or I was FIRED.
In the 12 years of working in Hollywood "I NEVER CALLED MYSELF A DIRECTOR". But that's what I was. I must have directed at least 100 projects. I almost never had MY NAME on credits... I just wanted to get paid. A title meant nothing to me. Out here, many people seem to be more in Love with their damn titles than anything else! You would be amazed at the amount of Directors & producers, here in Boston, that I have emailed, spoken to & written to that haven't even done any real PAYING GIGS! Yikes.... Is it me? Am I stupid? Do I have it all backwards? Have I truly gone insane? Or am I just old fashioned? My philosophy is simple: Work well with others. Do the best work you can. Treat people with respect & just GET THE JOB DONE. Save the big words & titles for MORONS that think thats what's important.
This is what gauls me with these Producers & Directors out here, acting like big shots, & treating me like shit, with no respect, like I'm just some loser that fell off the turnip truck. I don't have BIG TIME credentials, or a perfect resume with big projects & big names. But at least a million people have seen my work, from cable, to tv, to DVD's, training tapes ect. But for the most part, when I am trying to get gigs out here, I am treated like some rank amateur. A bum. A lier. A loser. And boy let me tell you, IT GETS FRUSTRATING.
So if it sounds like I am constantly blowing my own horn..... Its because I am punch drunk from having to explain myself to others out here. All I want is PAYING GIGS... I don't care what it is... As long as it is LEGAL, I'll do it. Just treat me with some common courtesy & respect & pay me when the day ends.
I have bent over backwards to give people information about myself when applying for gigs. I have been polite, courteous, kind, complied with all their requests & for the most part.... I NEVER HEAR BACK FROM THESE PEOPLE.
So Bizarre. So Weird. People advertising out here that they need a Pro Editor... Pro Director... Pro camera operator..... & when I send them my resume, they just Blow me off!
The people that run this site STILL REFUSE TO EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE MY BLOGS & won't even put them up under the new postings section....... WHY?????..... I am getting good responses from my blogs. I believe I am driving some traffic to this site & helping this site by writing my point of view on Hollywood. Getting people involved. Opening up real discussions about the business. Hopefully entertaining people. Hopefully Giving them some insight into Hollywood verses Boston.........
But I STILL DO NOT GET RECOGNIZED AS POSTING NEW BLOGS UNDER THE "NEW BLOGS SECTION!
After my very first blog... Lindsay said "that I was surely Blacklisted now!" I thought she was kidding. Obviously my opinions piss people off. People that are shallow... Jealous & just plain don't get it.
I am honestly trying to contribute to this site & yet I am being FREEZED OUT by the people in CONTROL........... IT MAKES NO DAMN SENSE.
To me it just shows the small minded nature of so many people out here in Boston, ( & yes, the rest of this country is no better).
I am done rambling... Sorry to bore you with my tirades... But I am hoping that some of you people out here get what it is I am saying.
LEAVE THE ATTITUDES AT HOME. Show up for work, be creative... HAVE FUN.... make money.
SHOW BUSINESS is a job, just like any other job.... I just wish more people understood that & would stop watching so much damn TV that makes them think Hollywood wants people that are ALL ATTITUDE & COOL.
All Hollywood wants is: people that can make em money & not be a pain in the ass to deal with.
LEARN TO BE REAL PEOPLE.... HAVE CONFIDENCE IN YOURSELVES... WITHOUT ABUSING OTHERS.
We are all just people, trying to get thru life & have some fun....
WHY MUST THAT BE SO DAMN DIFFICULT!
Not everyone in Hollywood is as demented and Useless as Paris Hilton!
I wish all the cool people out there.... A long life... Happiness... Health... Fun... Sex & Success!
Rock On.
From your truly demented reporter of life, Craig Amabello
