Starving Artist or just a fucking idiot

Having degrees in technology and art does not necessarily equate to money and fame. I do digital media? Desperate for money to support me and my kids, a friend kindly gave me the opportunity to make a bit of quick cash. $200 for a short video - perhaps for the internet and promotional. Yup, I can do this, I have the camera, I can edit video and I need the money and can upload video.

The sunrise, palm tree, urban filming of exercise gurus looms, so I start to prepare. Retrieving my camera out of storage, not one of those big hulking professional cameras ( you know, with the external mic, square front etc -) mine is a small 6 year old hand-held Canon that has been repaired 3 times already. With a new mini DVD tape in hand and charged battery, I press the button to eject the old tape and ..... bing ........ no movement...... bing.... bing...bing...fuck! the tape is stuck again!! Do not push, slam or pry the tape out is in big letter on the under carriage - I have attempted all before so I know!!! Quietly and purposefully I keep pressing the button and praying. I doesn't budge. Shit I have a week to go and no functioning camera .....panic.

Too late to fix the old camera, I convince myself, "not a problem", this is business! So on-line I go and start my research. I have a week to prepare. I am not phased my credit card isn't maxed out and I know what I am doing. After several hours of research and reviews I have my camera chosen. The Canon Vixia, HF 200. Not to cheap and definately not expensive, will work on all computers, this is not an educated guess. Cost $645 - and that is a good deal. But it has to be shipped over night ..... i'm time is running out ..... $35.

The Camera arrives the night before and now I have to quickly figure out how to use it. Not a problem I am a digitally savy, educated artist. Remember I have a degree in digital media. On goes the camera, I find the record button - stuff all the extra things like time setting and menu I have to see if I can film. I press the button and nothing happens. What the fuck is going on? I search the LCD screen No memory. But the guy on the phone said it had internal memory. No memory? $35 for an 8G HD memory disc and $49 for a new tripod. I had forgotten I sold my old one in a garage sale last Autumn ..... needed the cash. Not to worry only another $100 dollars.

The filming was a success, fantastic color, movement and a great performance by the exercise gurus. I left the performers with a huge smile saying "the video will be theirs within the week". Hunkering down in my studio that night I read the instructions, feed my computer the necessary CD's and start the transfer of data. Nothing happens??? I try all my software .... I try the camera software .... I scan the internet for suggestions ..... 4 hours later I am on the phone breathing heavily down the phone. Canon wouldn't and couldn't help, the problem is now mine. I sort of remember reading reviews about problems transferring the data but I know better? Desperate, I ring my computer people ....HELP ME..... "Oh I'm sorry Miss your 3 year old top of the line laptop is out of date you need new software. WHAT I NEED To update my software - are you out of your mind ..... $199 .... What the hell lets chuck in a new battery for my beloved computer ....$135...luckily shipping was free.

So one week later - my due date past. I am sitting in my bed, the rain is pouring down outside ...... waiting .... for the new software, in the hole for over $1,000. Sounds like good business to me.