# What happens if you fall ill in the middle of a project?



## bwmusic (Apr 14, 2015)

Is it the end? Or is it not that bad as it sounds?


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## Daryl (Apr 14, 2015)

Simple answer. Don't.

D


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## windshore (Apr 14, 2015)

Daryl @ 4/14/2015 said:


> Simple answer. Don't.
> 
> D



Ha! this is probably the definitive answer unless you already have a team in place.


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## bwmusic (Apr 14, 2015)

Daryl @ Tue Apr 14 said:


> Simple answer. Don't.
> 
> D



Please reveal your secrets of keeping viruses and flus at bay using sheer will power alone, D :shock:


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## Daryl (Apr 14, 2015)

bwmusic @ Tue Apr 14 said:


> Daryl @ Tue Apr 14 said:
> 
> 
> > Simple answer. Don't.
> ...


Man Flu. Yeah. Don't get that either. :wink: 

Look, in all seriousness, if you are working on a big studio movie and you're the lead actor the studio will carry insurance to allow for delays in shooting. For everyone else there is unemployment. So if you're ill you either have to soldier on, or you have to give the gig up and hope that it doesn't close the door on future gigs. I can tell you a story about an A-lister who was unable to fly to the States for a meeting and consequently got fired off the movie.

D


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## windshore (Apr 14, 2015)

Seriously the business does not care what happens to you. If you are under contract you have to get it done. That doesn't mean they won't work with you IF they have the flexibility... But if they don't, you HAVE to figure out a way to do the work or get someone else to do it.


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## RiffWraith (Apr 14, 2015)

Daryl @ Wed Apr 15 said:


> Simple answer. Don't.



But if you do - simply hire a ghost writer.

Ok, I'll get me coat.


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## José Herring (Apr 14, 2015)

bwmusic @ Tue Apr 14 said:


> Is it the end? Or is it not that bad as it sounds?



As long as there's breath in the mirror you keep working. You can rest when you're dead, at least for a little while. :lol:


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## Hannes_F (Apr 14, 2015)

It's the fate of the freelancer. I can't count the times where I was working with conditions any doctor would have put me on the sick leave. Usually you don't even tell the client.


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## Daryl (Apr 15, 2015)

Hannes_F @ Tue Apr 14 said:


> It's the fate of the freelancer. I can't count the times where I was working with conditions any doctor would have put me on the sick leave. Usually you don't even tell the client.


Luckily for me I tend only to be ill when I don't have work.

Certainly the life of the self employed/sole trader is not easy, from a health perspective. I remember when I was at the BBC that if you were ill during the holidays and turned up with a doctor's note, you would get time off in lieu. :lol: 

D


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## Hannes_F (Apr 15, 2015)

Daryl @ Wed Apr 15 said:


> Luckily for me I tend only to be ill when I don't have work.



It's strange, isn't it? When it is a performance/gig the body is so under adrenaline that I don't even have any symptoms, but wait for the next day ...

Studio work is a bit different though.


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## Daryl (Apr 15, 2015)

Hannes_F @ Wed Apr 15 said:


> Daryl @ Wed Apr 15 said:
> 
> 
> > Luckily for me I tend only to be ill when I don't have work.
> ...


Not for me, it isn't. When deadlines are looming I find that there is still adrenaline to keep me healthy. Or at least not ill....! If it didn't, I'd be catching flu or at least a cold every week. I would even had to consider moving to Florida for the winter. Hmmm. Now there's an idea. A "company" property. Must be some scope for tax avoidance there :wink: 

D


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## Hannes_F (Apr 15, 2015)

Daryl @ Wed Apr 15 said:


> When deadlines are looming I find that there is still adrenaline to keep me healthy. Or at least not ill....!



Deadlines are good but I found night shifts to be derogatory. I always feel my throat to be scratching after that and need to avoid the flu. Chocolate and sweets are a no no then. This was better 20 years ago


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## Daryl (Apr 15, 2015)

Hannes_F @ Wed Apr 15 said:


> Daryl @ Wed Apr 15 said:
> 
> 
> > When deadlines are looming I find that there is still adrenaline to keep me healthy. Or at least not ill....!
> ...


I don't work nights. You still do? What are you thinking? :lol: 

For me the whole point of doing library music is that I don't have to work until stupid o'clock, or listen to the ridiculous "suggestions" of idiot directors and producers who seem to know, better than I, how to write my own music. Having said that, I have done rather too many weekends recently.

I think that pretty much everything was easier 20 years ago. Other than writing that particular brand of cr*p for which I've become well known. :wink: 

D


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## murrthecat (Apr 15, 2015)

Paracetamol or Ibuprofen!


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## TheWillardofOZ (Apr 15, 2015)

Rub some 'tussin on it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd-EBG3a7jU


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## gsilbers (Apr 15, 2015)

get some sort of liability insurance if the client thinks you breached the contract, I would guess


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## benatural (Apr 15, 2015)

It's happened to me before. Violently ill with food poisoning. Get a ghost writer to pick up the slack while you recuperate. Not joking about that, depending on how aggressive your schedule is, you need to maintain the illusion that all is well and progress is being made. 

I've lost gigs from saying "no" or "not now".


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## Kejero (Apr 16, 2015)

Daryl @ Wed Apr 15 said:


> [...]or listen to the ridiculous "suggestions" of idiot directors and producers who seem to know, better than I, how to write my own music.



Well technically, you're writing *their* music, otherwise they would be an easy problem to ignore


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## Daryl (Apr 16, 2015)

Kejero @ Thu Apr 16 said:


> Daryl @ Wed Apr 15 said:
> 
> 
> > [...]or listen to the ridiculous "suggestions" of idiot directors and producers who seem to know, better than I, how to write my own music.
> ...


Actually that's not strictly speaking true. They may call the film "theirs" but actually it can only be theirs if they complete all of the creative roles themselves. Films are pretty much a collaborative process and good directors know this. There is no point in surrounding yourself with experts and then thinking that you know better. This is particularly true with composers, because whilst a director may have directed a few films, a composer at the same level will have scored many time that number, and be far more experienced. Good directors know this. Many directors don't. :wink: 

D


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## Daniel James (Apr 16, 2015)

I forget the event, but there was a talk recently where Bear McCreary covered this point. He basically emphasized the importance of a team you trust and you know can perform. If you have an assistant who can pick up the slack while you are out for a few days, it could save you the project. 

-DJ


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## RiffWraith (Apr 16, 2015)

Daryl @ Fri Apr 17 said:


> They may call the film "theirs" but actually it can only be theirs if they complete all of the creative roles themselves. Films are pretty much a collaborative process and good directors know this. There is no point in surrounding yourself with experts and then thinking that you know better. This is particularly true with composers, because whilst a director may have directed a few films, a composer at the same level will have scored many time that number, and be far more experienced. Good directors know this. Many directors don't. :wink:



Which can easily explain why there aren't many good directors. :idea:


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## benatural (Apr 16, 2015)

Daniel James @ Thu Apr 16 said:


> I forget the event, but there was a talk recently where Bear McCreary covered this point. He basically emphasized the importance of a team you trust and you know can perform. If you have an assistant who can pick up the slack while you are out for a few days, it could save you the project.
> 
> -DJ



Exactly. This is critical.


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## Jimbo 88 (Apr 16, 2015)

If you get sick you work thru it. Set up a workstation in your house. It is not like you are digging ditches in inclimate weather. Just suck it up.


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