Lesson from Asst Editor

An assistant editor gave me a little pep talk yesterday and I felt like sharing it.

This is all in regards to a messed up lunch order in which the director's assistant didn't get what she wanted.

-----------------------------


"First of all, this is not coming from the Director's assistant... this is just coming from me and I'm just looking out for you.  I know that yesterday the director's assistant didn't get lunch.  But you really have to take care of her.  She might only be a director's assistant on this movie, but she might end up getting credited as an associate producer.  And hey, if not today, she'll be a producer tomorrow on the next show.

All I'm saying is that it would really benefit you to look after her.  If her lunch order doesn't come out right, volunteer to run wherever she wants you to go to make it right.  Especially with lunch -- it's one thing that people look forward to all day and it's something that, if it goes wrong, will stick with them for the rest of the day, too.

I knew a PA who took off jogging when we were all out of diet Coke.  Someone mentioned we were out and next thing we know, the PA is gone and we didn't know where he was.  A few minutes later he came back with some cold diet Coke from the corner store -- he literally jogged there and back just to get us some cold diet Coke. This made us remember his extraordinary effort much more than his mistake of letting the diet Coke run out. 

I'm  just looking out for you, but next time it would make you look really good if you took care of the director's assistant"

---------------

Now, his point was valid and he told me these things in a good way.  On one hand, I was glad he told me... but on the other hand, I was a little hurt.  It's always embarrassing when someone notices your mistake -- especially when they point out you missed a chance to really impress everyone.  At the time of the "pep talk" i was probably more mad than appreciative, but now that I'm looking back on it, I'm really glad he told me.  It's a good reminder to put other's needs above my own and to always strive for excellence.