- I'm the only one who knows how to make videos
- No one else is interested
The videos include content like:
- How-tos
- Comedy sketches
- Interviews with biz partners
Here are the issues I face:
- Alone
This assignment placed me in a single-person department (myself only), and I've been churning out videos ever since. However, since there's no one to bounce around ideas with (or get inspired by), I find myself alone in a tedium.
Working alone puts me in a creative rut, so I've been asking for new ideas from my colleagues, but they don't contribute. They still enjoy watching my new video whenever it comes out. Their reaction makes me both happy and leeched.
- No collaborators when needed
Furthermore, I produce comedy sketches at the request of my boss, who likes SNL and thinks funny content going viral will be good PR.
But he won't hire actors. He insists on having me find coworkers willing to act in sketches. However, almost no one wants to appear. They even respond in a condemning tone for suggesting that they appear in a video.
One time, I asked one of my colleague to appear. I ended up getting yelled up by the person sitting next to her.
- Financing on my own
Additionally, my boss complains about how producing live-action videos takes time and money. However, it's frankly difficult to make videos without buying a memory card to record footage on camera. I end up spending some of my personal money to get equipments without dealing with complaints.
- Cancellation of completed deliverable
Worst of all, one of my completed deliverables got cancelled before uploading to YouTube. (Think of it like "Batgirl" with Warner Bros.) After one of my coworkers appeared, she reverted her decision and withdrew her permission after editing was finished. It was a perfectly fine sketch that my friends outside work had fun watching.
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I need to produce more videos, but I don't feel inspired anymore. I keep staring at my blank script, resenting that no one is helping me. HNers, what can I do to get out of this rut?
If the company cannot afford it the equipment you need to perform your job then you should be out looking for a job. If they can afford it, they should pay for it without issue.
Also, it's worth saying 'No' to things you're asked to do if the request is not realistic given the limitations they have placed on your resources.
Boss: Can you make a skit video about our new product?
You: Not without additional funds to hire talent.
Boss: Use people in the office to save money.
You: No, that doesn't work. It's more expensive when you consider they have to stop doing the job they are getting paid to do and perform a job they are untrained for.
If that is not the path you want to go down, I'd try to find other folks who are in the same boat. Are there marketing meetups (virtual or in the physical world) you can go to? I am the only person in my department right now and I meet regularly with practitioners outside my company for feedback and camaraderie.
I'd also make the business case for a budget, including actors and equipment. Tie it to the professionalism of the videos and how that will improve the business's image. Do research, have real numbers, and explain how spending this will improve the videos (quality, speed, views, topics, etc).
As far as getting colleagues to act in sketches, I'd ask for help from your boss. "Hey boss, I've had a couple of issues getting folks to appear in sketches. I'd prefer to pay actors, but do you have any other ideas how to get folks involved? I wasted a lot of the company's time working on
This is some Michael Scott level of delusional.
> Additionally, my boss complains about how producing live-action videos takes time and money. However, it's frankly difficult to make videos without buying a memory card to record footage on camera.
Good, make him complain more. Don't spend a penny of your personal money. Get a budget or don't move a finger without one. Make the whole thing more expensive, not less. Make it as stupid as possible (your boss deserves it).
BUT
You do appear to be asking for help. So I'd suggest reviewing some of the things you have control over:
Do you have any conversations with your co-workers?
Maybe at lunch?
Do you express an interest in their work?
Do you offer to help them with things in their areas?
Do you express an interest in them as people?
Healthy boundaries of course should be practiced.
Let me tell you a story about when I was consulting for a religious High School. They had a 3 man maintenance crew. These guys did _everything_. Keeping the grounds, parking control, all handyman activity, repairs, plumbing, digging, heavy lifting, decorating and undecorating. Anything that required muscle.
They were overwhelmed. They had a board where request notes were posted and they would triage them and try to focus on tasks in a given area for a day at a time. If anyone needed something "now", they were told to fill out a request and wait their turn. But it was not that way for me. Why? Every time I saw them unloading a truck or moving a mass of stuff from one place to the other, I'd chip in and help. Not a whole lot. But my acts of kindness earned me a lot of good grace with them. I really enjoyed working with them, it was a lot of laughs. I'd also buy them each a case of Heineken at Christmas time, as a way to say thank you for all the times they would drop what they were doing and come help me.
IOW, I treated them like human beings, not the hired help.
It's unprofessional to approach people and ask them to do something outside of their job description.
Nope, big mistake. I'm sure others will chime in with good advice, but the number one problem I see is that you're not standing up for yourself. That's not going to get better if you just find another job.