I am completely forgotten when people are celebrating the success that I contributed to

[CaraGrace]

Some years ago I worked in a film company and was in charge of the publicity and promotion of a film produced by us. Since it's an indie film we didn't have much budget to do promotion. There were no advertising dollars and so it relied largely on doing publicity. I worked very hard on it and arranged so many media interviews for the director and actors, who were all not well-known at the time. I also came up with different strategies and campaigns to promote the film without spending much money, the things that were spent most were my time and efforts and energies. I even worked 7 days a week non stop for 7 weeks during the promotion period. The film turned out to have impressive box office and word of mouth, and also won some important awards. The director and actors have since become popular and more well-known and successful. At the time many people praised the effective and creative publicity, but I know at the end of the day no one would remember or thank me for my effort and input (even the film title was my idea but no one remembers that it was my idea). Still, I have always thought that I had a great part to do with the film's success, even though I know people would forget about me shortly.

Years passed and the film's sequel is made. I am not working in that company anymore and thus I have nothing to do with the sequel. But unlike the time when I promoted the first film, this time they didn't do much publicity and promotion, and I believe it's firstly because local cinemas have been locked down for months and no one knews exactly the reopen date, and secondly because the director and actors have all become more well-known and they have a fan pool already. Anyway, what I want to say is it's so much easier to promote this sequel than when I did it for the first film. At the same time, the film company has also just launched its cinema which is a big news in the industry. I was happy for both good news, and I also knew the sequel would be released on the same day of the cinema's grand opening. I have slightly thought about whether I would be invited to the opening and premiere, but then when I didn't hear any news, I thought it's because of the covid restriction that they had to keep the event small with limited invitations, not to mention local cinemas have been locked down for some months and only just reopened exactly on the same day of their opening and premiere. 

But then, on the opening and premiere night, I started to see many of the people I know from work back then were invited to the event. At first I was only a bit disappointed. But later that night, an ex-colleague who is still working in that company texted me saying that she suddenly recalled how hard I worked for the first film when she was watching the premiere, and felt sorry that they didn't invite me. She went on to explain to me that their new cinema has very small capacity and thats why they didn't invite me.

At first I thought it's fair enough. But the next day I went on to realize many of my ex-colleagues, who are not working in that company anymore, were also invited. And then I was told my ex-colleague, who was my junior when we worked on the first film, has a cameo part in the new film. It seems I am the only one who was left out and forgotten, despite the fact that I took such a huge part in the promotion of the first film that made it a household name. Then they texted me again saying that they will send me free tickets to watch the film at their cinema because they now felt sorry that they didn't invite me. But somehow this made me even more angry because it proves the fact that they simply completely forgot about me, not because of limited seats or whatsoever. I was just completely forgotten. I know it might sound rude but I replied that I don't need the free tickets, and "I would buy ticket myself IF I watch". I just simply don't think I want to watch it anymore. 

I just feel so disappointed because at the time when the first film was made, the whole industry deemed that it would be a total flop because it was low-budgeted, unknown, and not particularly well made (by a first time director and new actors). There were  zero advertising dollars. I used my time and effort to create so much publicity and word of mouth to slowly get people to know about the film. It took me over 6 months working on its publicity. And actually at that time I had already resigned but I only extended my stay to finish the film's promotion. The 7 weeks that I worked non stop for film were the last months I stayed in that company. At that time my boss and everybody were so grateful that I stayed till the end. They saw how much I cared and sacrificed for the film. And soon after that I flew to another country to take a gap year and so I missed the award season when the film won several important awards. I was not there in those ceremonies and celebration parties. But I thought while people were celebrating they wouldn't be forgetting me right away just because I wasn't physically there, but now I know I am very wrong. Just because I worked very hard and take things seriously but not necessarily keep socializing and having fun with people make me a complete outsider. They need me when time was hard but forget about me when they succeed and having fun. 

 

[ClearEyes-FullHeart]

That's definitely a hard thing to experience. I am in PR (though in a diff sector) and it can be a thankless job. Being overlooked is very painful and I just wanted to comment to say hang in there and don't let that pull you down. Ultimately a few of them did remember and recalled your amazing work on the first film, and while it was too little, too late to be invited to the event, you were in fact remembered. Not sure if you are still in the same industry but if so, hopefully you have a very powerful case study of your work to show new clients/prospects/employers, including coming up with the name and all the rest. Bottomline is you know your value and what you achieved, and that's all that matters

Edited February 19, 2021 by ClearEyes-FullHeart
typo

[CaraGrace]

3 hours ago, ClearEyes-FullHeart said:

That's definitely a hard thing to experience. I am in PR (though in a diff sector) and it can be a thankless job. Being overlooked is very painful and I just wanted to comment to say hang in there and don't let that pull you down. Ultimately a few of them did remember and recalled your amazing work on the first film, and while it was too little, too late to be invited to the event, you were in fact remembered. Not sure if you are still in the same industry but if so, hopefully you have a very powerful case study of your work to show new clients/prospects/employers, including coming up with the name and all the rest. Bottomline is you know your value and what you achieved, and that's all that matters

Thanks... PR is absolutely a thankless job, you understand my pain because you're also in PR, but many people just don't understand how hard it is and they never thank us for what we do for them. What we do is always surpassing what we're paid for. I didn't get any overtime pay for all the hours I worked non stop while other colleagues were having day offs, taking rest, spending time with loved ones... I sacrificed all the time I could have spent with my family and boyfriend, I slept so little... just because I saw the film as my baby too. When everyone deemed it as a flop I never gave it up. I've always seen it as the most important and happy and successful project I've ever done. I promoted a slogan/tagline of the film to make it so popular that people are still using/saying it today in different occasions. The tagline was printed out and stuck everywhere on the streets to make people wonder what it was about, instead of using any visual (because firstly the poster was ugly and secondly no one knew and cared about the faces of actors they didn't know). Because the film was about street dance I did many street promotion to reach young people. This tagline campaign was quite successful, it created mystery and curiosity and people were taking photos and posting on social media asking what it's about. I have always been so proud of what I did, but now I know no one remembers it was my idea.

I worked in PR as a freelancer for some more years after I left the company, and I have to admit that the work I did for that company, including this film I'm taking about, have gained me reputation and so I had no problem getting different kinds of job when I started as a freelancer. But recently I have given up because I have been having different kinds of mental and physical conditions working too hard but not feeling accomplished or satisfied. People are always asking for so much from you like there is no limit. Let's say, I worked on Blade Runner 2049 here, there were already so many publicity done but when the film was released it was still a flop EVERYWHERE over the globe. So it's definitely not because I haven't done my part, but people only kept asking me why and what I could do more to make people go watch the film. They asked me to do a second round publicity, but normally my work is completed once the film is released. They won't pay me extra if I work extra. It just gave me so much stress, like when the film succeeds, no one thinks it's part of my contribution, they only think it's because the film is good, the director/actors are good, the poster/trailer look nice, the advertising is done well etc... no one thinks publicity takes a great part in the film's success. But when the film flops, it's always my responsibility. 

[ClearEyes-FullHeart]

48 minutes ago, CaraGrace said:

Let's say, I worked on Blade Runner 2049 here, there were already so many publicity done but when the film was released it was still a flop EVERYWHERE over the globe. So it's definitely not because I haven't done my part, but people only kept asking me why and what I could do more to make people go watch the film

I am so sorry about all that you put up with. I work in tech PR and the same stuff happens - and the part quoted above reminds me of a tech company years and years ago that wanted PR to save it from being delisted from NASDAQ. Fortunately we did not take that client, but believe it or not I have to fight like heck with my boss to decline it (who guess had revenue goals to hit but taking on a  client who is unrealistic is never smart, not to mention their ability to pay was in doubt!) The struggle is real (!) and today I run my own small agency and can pick and choose the clients and have a better work life balance. 
 

[LivingWaterPlease]

I am so sorry CaraGrace. I've seen this type thing happen in other instances and careers. It's never easy but just know it happens to many others, too.

 

[CaraGrace]

5 hours ago, ClearEyes-FullHeart said:

I am so sorry about all that you put up with. I work in tech PR and the same stuff happens - and the part quoted above reminds me of a tech company years and years ago that wanted PR to save it from being delisted from NASDAQ. Fortunately we did not take that client, but believe it or not I have to fight like heck with my boss to decline it (who guess had revenue goals to hit but taking on a  client who is unrealistic is never smart, not to mention their ability to pay was in doubt!) The struggle is real (!) and today I run my own small agency and can pick and choose the clients and have a better work life balance. 
 

Yes, many clients are so unrealistic but most of the time, the boss would just accepted whatever they asked for, and PR is always the one who suffers. Many times, the product (be it a film or any other projects) itself is a disaster, so bad that it shouldn't ever exist, but they rely on us to turn it into a miracle. But when we really make it happen like we're magician, people forget about us and simply think that it's because their product is good, or say it's just a miracle - not a result of our hard work.

Though I don't run my own agency like you do, the reason I switched to freelancing is also hoping to be able to choose clients and jobs and to have work life balance. It did went quite well the first 1 or 2 years, but then I just got so fed up because it's always the same old story... I've worked with so many people and companies in the industry, they are mostly the same, very exploitative and keep asking for more while they never increase my pay, saying they have tight budget and ask me to do a favour, but they never return the favour. I am just so fed up with this industry. The memory/experience of working on that film was one of the few things that I was happy with and proud of, but now not anymore... 

[CaraGrace]

4 hours ago, LivingWaterPlease said:

I am so sorry CaraGrace. I've seen this type thing happen in other instances and careers. It's never easy but just know it happens to many others, too.

 

I understand that things like these happen, but I am just so furious. I am furious when I see other people are treated this way too. This is why I never take advantage of people and I always remember who have helped me and I would be very grateful and return the favour when I have the chance. But I am never treated this way. People just take advantage of me and never thank me even I always go the extra miles to help them. I am just so disappointed. 

[LivingWaterPlease]

I'm so sorry, CaraGrace! One would hope that people would be appreciative of your great efforts and include you in the festivities of the film. It's very sad and disappointing that they didn't.