Im referring to, of course, about 90% of the people in the industry... but that's besides the point.
My current job is divided in to many responsibilities. One of which is renting out the unused office space in our building to temporary productions (i.e. commercials, music videos). Just this Monday I got my first renter (all by myself)! The guy that inquired about the space was very nice, very gracious and very accomodating (he wanted the space ASAP and was happy to get it, even though the ceiling is damaged and the internet is shotty). On Monday I met his crew, all very nice, and got them set up in their (very discounted) office.
On Tuesday the renter introduced me to his Production Coordinator (let's call him Sven - only cause Sven sounds like a... well, you'll see). My tenant explains to me that Sven will be dealing with me mostly, and if I need anything from them to talk to him. Perfectly fine, I say. After being introduced for only 5 minutes, Sven starts in... Coordinating. And here is my issue:
I don't have a problem with people doing their job. I don't even have a problem with people who need to be a little pushy or aggressive to get things done (it happens). What I do NOT have tolerance for is people who feel they need to be rude be cause thatshowitsdoneinthisindustry.
Sven's demands were not outrageous, but the condescending tone he took and the "my job is more important than you" attitude was. He asked first about a noise coming from the back office. I told him I had never heard a noise and "let me go see what you're talking about". Of course when I walked back there I didn't hear anything. Sven, obviously upset and thinking I wouldn't believe his claim, began insisting "no, it was doing it just a minute, I SWEAR". I assumed the noise they were hearing was just the sound of the AC kicking on as the unit is old as is the roof. Sven told me it couldn't be the AC and can we look in to it because it is distracting him....
Fine. I call my AC guy to come out and have a look. Meanwhile Sven has a new request, "We can't get internet in the back room". Now, internet is a sore subject in the office and something that I am working on fixing for the entire building. I explained to Sven that we are having some issues with the internet, and I hope to have a solution by next week because I need to get the technician out to fix the problem. "Ok well we NEED internet" Sven spouts. I'm not dumb, I know you need internet. "You guys are more than welcome to come and sit with your computers in the conference room in the interim" I say to Sven, "I see no one is scheduled to use it, so feel free. You'll be closer to the router that way". BIG sigh from Sven, "maybe i'll just go get a junction box". He looks at me as if he wants me to come up with a better option... "That sounds like a good idea" I say. He rolls his eyes and walks away.
At this point I am feeling slightly annoyed that he expects me to drop everything I am doing to solve his problems, but at the same time slightly upset that my building is, in many ways, falling apart. In my defense when they called looking for rental space I told them that they could have the space for a HUGE discount because it wasn't quite ready for rental. Now, Sven is coming at me like I am a full service corporate management company, and is starting to ruffle my feathers.
Day two:
My attempts to be cordial with Sven only get me blank stares. My air conditioner guy shows up and takes a look at the unit. There's nothing wrong with it, that's just the noise it makes when it kicks on, there's nothing we can do about it. When I tell Sven he seems upset and rolls his eyes again.
Later in the day Sven says he wants to print, how can he do that. "Well," I say, "we can set you up on the printer with an account and we'll just bill you for the usage at the end of your lease". I send the assistant over to help Sven set up the printer; and watch, sadly, as Sven argues with the assistant (who has done dozens of computers already) on how to set up the stupid printer.
Once set up, Sven is still not happy. "Why is it not printing landscape? What is this smudge on the page? Can I print in color? Why is it taking so long?"
At this point I'm thinking "Coordinator??? COORDINATE!" If you don't want to deal with someone else's internet, printer, or COFFEE get your own!
I refrain from yelling back at him and quietly slip back to my desk to work on anything but what he wants me to do. About 15 minutes later Sven is back at the machine trying to fax, "How do you fax on this thing?!" Figure it out d-bag, I think, but that would be wrong. My assistant tries as politely as possible to show him the fax, but as soon as he jams the feeder because he was trying to fit too many pages in the tray, Sven yells "FU** THIS!" and storms away with his pile.
And that's it.
I will no longer help you Sven. You want to come in to my office, complain about these COURTESY'S and leave your friggin garbarge everywhere... be my guest, but don't expect me to go out of my way to help you with anything in the future. You want to print things on the shared printer? Bring your own paper. You want coffee? Make it yourself.
You see my friends, just because this is your first job where you have one or two people working beneath you doesn't mean you are entitled to be a jerk. People who rely on being a-holes to make themselves seem more important are not making any friends, and are certainly not doing themselves any favors professionally.
Hollywood, for some reason, has created this sub-culture of mildly-important people who feel like it is their duty to pass on the "A-Hole" gene.
Please, for the betterment of the entertainment industry, and man kind... can we all just make a pact right now to not be jerks, learn people's names, treat people around you with respect, and start doing our jobs instead of passing things on down the line?
Thanks.
I don't have a problem with people doing their job. I don't even have a problem with people who need to be a little pushy or aggressive to get things done (it happens). What I do NOT have tolerance for is people who feel they need to be rude be cause thatshowitsdoneinthisindustry.
Sven's demands were not outrageous, but the condescending tone he took and the "my job is more important than you" attitude was. He asked first about a noise coming from the back office. I told him I had never heard a noise and "let me go see what you're talking about". Of course when I walked back there I didn't hear anything. Sven, obviously upset and thinking I wouldn't believe his claim, began insisting "no, it was doing it just a minute, I SWEAR". I assumed the noise they were hearing was just the sound of the AC kicking on as the unit is old as is the roof. Sven told me it couldn't be the AC and can we look in to it because it is distracting him....
Fine. I call my AC guy to come out and have a look. Meanwhile Sven has a new request, "We can't get internet in the back room". Now, internet is a sore subject in the office and something that I am working on fixing for the entire building. I explained to Sven that we are having some issues with the internet, and I hope to have a solution by next week because I need to get the technician out to fix the problem. "Ok well we NEED internet" Sven spouts. I'm not dumb, I know you need internet. "You guys are more than welcome to come and sit with your computers in the conference room in the interim" I say to Sven, "I see no one is scheduled to use it, so feel free. You'll be closer to the router that way". BIG sigh from Sven, "maybe i'll just go get a junction box". He looks at me as if he wants me to come up with a better option... "That sounds like a good idea" I say. He rolls his eyes and walks away.
At this point I am feeling slightly annoyed that he expects me to drop everything I am doing to solve his problems, but at the same time slightly upset that my building is, in many ways, falling apart. In my defense when they called looking for rental space I told them that they could have the space for a HUGE discount because it wasn't quite ready for rental. Now, Sven is coming at me like I am a full service corporate management company, and is starting to ruffle my feathers.
Day two:
My attempts to be cordial with Sven only get me blank stares. My air conditioner guy shows up and takes a look at the unit. There's nothing wrong with it, that's just the noise it makes when it kicks on, there's nothing we can do about it. When I tell Sven he seems upset and rolls his eyes again.
Later in the day Sven says he wants to print, how can he do that. "Well," I say, "we can set you up on the printer with an account and we'll just bill you for the usage at the end of your lease". I send the assistant over to help Sven set up the printer; and watch, sadly, as Sven argues with the assistant (who has done dozens of computers already) on how to set up the stupid printer.
Once set up, Sven is still not happy. "Why is it not printing landscape? What is this smudge on the page? Can I print in color? Why is it taking so long?"
At this point I'm thinking "Coordinator??? COORDINATE!" If you don't want to deal with someone else's internet, printer, or COFFEE get your own!
I refrain from yelling back at him and quietly slip back to my desk to work on anything but what he wants me to do. About 15 minutes later Sven is back at the machine trying to fax, "How do you fax on this thing?!" Figure it out d-bag, I think, but that would be wrong. My assistant tries as politely as possible to show him the fax, but as soon as he jams the feeder because he was trying to fit too many pages in the tray, Sven yells "FU** THIS!" and storms away with his pile.
And that's it.
I will no longer help you Sven. You want to come in to my office, complain about these COURTESY'S and leave your friggin garbarge everywhere... be my guest, but don't expect me to go out of my way to help you with anything in the future. You want to print things on the shared printer? Bring your own paper. You want coffee? Make it yourself.
You see my friends, just because this is your first job where you have one or two people working beneath you doesn't mean you are entitled to be a jerk. People who rely on being a-holes to make themselves seem more important are not making any friends, and are certainly not doing themselves any favors professionally.
Hollywood, for some reason, has created this sub-culture of mildly-important people who feel like it is their duty to pass on the "A-Hole" gene.
Please, for the betterment of the entertainment industry, and man kind... can we all just make a pact right now to not be jerks, learn people's names, treat people around you with respect, and start doing our jobs instead of passing things on down the line?
Thanks.
My dad would love this post. He has worked with some real assholes in his day. He even hates the Academy Awards, et. al. because he thinks it's a bunch of smug back patting.
ReplyDeleteThere is a real book called "The No Ass**** Rule" which is currently on loan to my friend, Cathy. I'll get it back for you, but you must promise to write:
ReplyDelete"The Asshole's guide to "thatshowitsdoneinthisindustry""