My job isn't fun anymore

I know the above title is a bit dramatic, but there have been some changes made to the videographers' priority on the ship while in the Caribbean.

These changes were implmented this cruise,which is just about over. This cruise was the test run pretty much to see how things went.

The changes made: well my main job is to shoot and edit tours, make small docs to create the souvenir DVD. Well, sales and promotions goes into that as well. Now, what has changed? Well a number of weddings take place on ships. If they wanted a video we'd( both video peeps) would shoot it, we'd get 50 bucks to split. Not to bad. We'd shoot it than send out the tapes to get edited.

Now, what they are doing is making us shoot every wedding regardless of whether or not its wanted. We shoot it, make a teaser, than try to get them to buy a full edited version, for some obscene price.

Good right, you'd think well at least there is some extra cash to be made. No, commission went down to $10 for just the videographer that does the walk around with the couple around the ship. Photogs still get there salary, 25, and 10% of whatever they buy from what they shoot. I don't know ppl's opinion of that, but I'd like ppl to share.

So, where does this leave reflections? It takes a back seat. If there is a wedding, events AND tours don't get shot. We don't get to go on tour if there is a wedding. They are taking away the best part of the job.

Its hard enough to sell reflections, but if there isn't much on these DVD's I doubt we'll get any orders.

I understand why the company is doing this. They have to make money some how with us, there aren't enough passengers buying the DVD while in the caribbean. We were selling in New England, but sales dropped ridiculously once we got here. We've been trying a lot of different things. Nothing. Its difficult to try hard and produce something good when I know no one is buying it, which probably doesn't help.

With me understanding all of that, I don't get why we have to do more work, but incentives are cut.

The fact that we have to edit these weddings on board locks up the editing suite, so I can't edit reflections if lea is working on a wedding.

I sure did not sign up to work weddings. If I wanted to do weddings I'd do it on land for a massive amount of money.

I'm sorry but $10 is insulting. I'm not saying hey a wedding is easy to shot, but after the ceremoney and walk around the photogs are done. They just have to print sample pages, than print what the couple ordered. We have to spend hours editing a teaser and than a full edit, oh and a slide show of the stills taken, which is actually the photogs job, but princess failed to give them the software to do so. And if the couple doesn't want the video we wasted an hour or so shooting the event, and a couple hours editing it. Oh and an hour meeting with the couple to try and convince them "hey, buy my video damnit." if they do buy it yay great princess gets more money. Our commission doesn't change if they decide to buy the video or not. Still only $10 is given to the senior videographer.

I think this is a lot of bs. A lot of unfair things as far as commission. A lot of videographers are not happy with the changes. Me and lea are looking to transfer out of the department.

I didn't even mention the stress of the management above us. Oh and not to mention the equipment we have is just not great for weddings. We received two new cameras, but they've been giving us nothing but problems. A brand new piece of shit is what we got. Don't get me started on the chapel we have to shoot in, and how difficult the captain can be. And all we have to do is put a lav mic on him for the most part.

I don't know what the future holds for princess videographers, but I know they'll be hiring soon. Fleet wide ppl are transferring out.

Once my job isn't fun anymore, its time to switch it up.