Having worked in the entertainment industry since 2009, I can’t help but feel disappointed at how some things never change.
During my career online and on TV I have met various types of people, and gained a fair amount of experience and knowledge. I have enjoyed most of it, and am proud of what I have achieved with Some Guys One Mic and Overdrive.
I have never spoken out about the massive difficulties someone in my position encounters, nor did I mention the metaphorical sucker punches I received from the people in the industry. However I have had enough with people coming up to me and asking me what happened to all my inspirations for Overdrive back when I launched it on the Independent.
I have always been an honest person and always lived life without a filter. That is something that will never change, and the few people close to me know that.
During the past three years we have fought hard for the future of Overdrive, to make is as interesting and honest as possible. But there was always a wall of limitations blocking our path. If it’s not the endless changes to the scripts by the car providers, then its an older marketing rep/manager threatening to cancel all contracts unless you do the same old shit over and over again, or perhaps someone requesting commission to lend us the cars we want from his/her boss.
I let it pass most of the time, but as time went by I felt like Overdrive became the same shitty show, albeit I still consider my scripts as being a cut above the rest and manage to give our show something others don’t.
The straw that broke the camel’s back came last Summer. I drafted a proposal and story board for a three part special which would have been filmed abroad. It would have been the boldest special we ever made, showing users how a specific sports car is made, and testing it on a proper track. We also planned to try a tough off-road challenge in a Dakar spec. vehicles on a proper off-road track with the guidance of an ex. rally driver.
This would not have been one of the regular episodes we usually produce. The story board took a lot of time and effort to develop and I am sure you would have loved it. The proposal was finalized and handed over to one of our clients back in April, who went quiet for sometime. Telephone calls were not returned, emails were not answered, and we never heard back from them, even though they stopped communication mid contract.
We even had regular episodes booked and scripted but couldn’t produce without them handing over the cars. Something they couldn’t have fucking done since they broke off all communication.
Five months went by and we met the company’s marketing rep at a press get together and we asked what happened. This person simply responded that the proposal was never received (even though I had sent it with a read receipt – I am no fucking idiot). I played along and explained the proposal in detail. The response? I am glad you asked…
“Oh, that sounds like a great idea, however another show which is on national TV, is doing a special exactly like that in the coming months. We already signed a contract with them.”
What the actual fuck?!
All that hard work, all the time wasted drawing up the storyboard and researching the costs and logistics of it, all down the fucking drain. I am no idiot, the proposal was straight up forwarded to our competitors (if you can describe them as so) to be adapted on their show. I had no way to prove it, but how in the hell can a show that has been on TV for ten years come up with an idea and storyboard with the same exact structure as mine at the same exact time and proposed to the same exact client.
I was shattered, demoralized, and downright pissed. However in an industry that only believes in national TV as the leader for media, I should have seen it coming. I can understand those shows getting more sponsors, more cars, and more money than us. But to rob us of our idea after proposing it in confidence; that is downright fucking despicable.
I am not going to name and shame the company or the rep. I am not that petty. But I made it abundantly clear to them that I know what they did. Which brings me to the though decision I took, a decision that took long to take, but had to be done for my peace of mind.
I am leaving Overdrive. I cannot take the industry’s nonsense anymore. My departure does not mean that the show will end, no. The show will keep on going, with Mark heading the project. I moved my blog to my this website www.someguysonemic.com in a bid to revive it. Who knows I might even revive the podcast for old times’ sake.
It has been a great couple of years and has been a learning curve for me. I would like to thank the fans out there who supported me every step of the way, and encourage you to keep watching the show. With your support who knows, the show might make a difference. To all the people that made this decision easy, especially the assholes I mentioned in this post, suck a bag of dicks.
