Working Class Values

Tuesday October 9th, 2007 - Chicago, IL

Another comedy class began tonight at Zanies. This one is going to be a challenge as it’s most of the students who just took a beginner class last month. They’re nice people and all but it will be more difficult to get them prepared since they don’t have any experience yet.

I used to have a graduation included with beginner classes but that got to be a hassle for many reasons so we decided to move it to the intermediate level. In a perfect world it’s an ideal set up because it would in theory be a mix of people getting stage time regularly who come together to sharpen their skills and hone their craft and meet new people on the way.

This class already knows each other for the most part and we only have two ‘outsiders’ who are getting back into the game. Everyone is nice and I know we’ll have fun but I have always wanted to give all my students more than they pay for and I still do. These guys are pretty green so I might have to hold back a little and stress more beginner fundamentals so they can get the most out of it. The last thing I want to do is go too fast and lose them all.

This has to be much like coaching sports on various levels. This would be a little league team. That’s not an insult, just a fact. Everyone has to start somewhere and all of this class is basically starting from ground zero. It’s a challenge as a teacher in a way and I accept it but on the other hand sometimes it can be more fun to work with a more advanced level.

Warwick and I met for a while to talk about where to take the classes and how we think we can get them there. What we’re doing now is fun but not profitable. Everyone needs to eat and we are no different. I’ve worked on these classes since 1994 and Warwick hooked up in about 1999 or 2000. We’ve worked a lot harder than what we’ve made since then. It was fun and still is but now it’s time to take it to the next level and make it a real product.

By ‘real product’ I mean we need a lot more textbooks and workbooks and CDs and the testimonials of a bunch of the hundreds of students that have taken the class and loved it. I have poured my heart and soul into this project for many years and I still do as much if not more today. I am improving all the time and I will continue to do that but I am way behind as far as making this attractive to a corporate or seminar market. That’s where any kind of real money will be with this and who said there’s anything wrong with going after some?

It’s all about marketing and Warwick is very good at that end of it. But this is my vision so it’s up to me to crank out the products in the proper order and make them up to what I deem to be my own quality standards. I have a very high bar set for myself and that isn’t a way to get things done quickly. I admit I’m a control freak to a certain degree and that’s a good thing at times but at others it can be a hindrance. I’m trying to delegate things more.

As if I need more things to do I am back at the keyboard with the movie script lately. I’ll feel a whole lot better when that’s finished and I am encouraged with the progress the last couple of days. My partner Rick has been sending me scenes and I’ve been punching up as much as I can and we’re making steady progress. Today I worked on it from 8am to noon.