The surprising perks of being unemployed

Let’s be honest here – being unemployed sucks. Especially when (like me) it is the second time in 6 months. I have to say, the first time was not by choice but in the second instance, it was. But I am so glad I did because it’s allowed me to reset. And recharge. In a creative industry like TV the term ‘permanent contract’ ceases to exist. Shows or projects are mini companies that have a CEO equivalent, that being a showrunner, director, producer etc. There are many moving parts to the wider machine and you are simply a smaller cog. To those coming in fresh to the industry, it can be a shock to the system.

After 12 months of being in the big smoke I was released from my FTC into the wide world. Yes, it was painful since it also collided with the 2023 WGA Writers Strike and the job market froze. I had no job to go to - a first for me, since I had always hopped from one thing to the next, picking up bits in-between. The fact how it all worked out for the Runner before me who was picked up as a Trainee etc. also made me feel worse as I was in the firing line of unemployment / being stuck in my professional career. Work was scarce but I managed to grab a retail job to tie me over (thank the skiing gods). In all honesty, it was good training and helped me get to where I need to be both personally, professionally and in my writing trajectory. My previous BBC contract spat me out into the same maelstrom (only the job market on a whole was worse). Except this time, getting casual work was impossible. Yet I felt slightly more confident having survived it before, not knowing I was going to be in the same boat in 5 months time.

Full story here.