03/10/2022
Hi folks, firstly I hope this message finds you in good spirits.
When I launched JMac Creative it was during the pandemic lockdowns. It came from a place of concern and intrigue. Concern in regards to my income ( Although like many others I was " lucky " that my place of employment worked through the whole lockdown ) But with my gigging schedule, which mind you wasn't half as busy as it used to be in my younger days, but alas the whole thing was taken from all us musicians over night.
Intrigue because I had always enjoyed video shooting and editing, since my high school days. I was that kid who always had a handy-cam in the pocket to document memories with friends and general good times. But also the fact was that I had in my time in bands taught myself to shoot better quality videos, and shot a bunch of music videos for Cactus&Cardigan, Chancers & NeonWaltz to name a few. And that was great fun and a challenge I relished in as it was in a setting & surrounding that I was at my most comfortable. The music.
Now when the lockdowns started to ease up and the creative side of life started coming back and bookings slowly started picking up again, it was almost a scramble to get back to it. Like a ju**ie craving his next fix. This was great but one of my failings in life is being able to say no to helping people. When someone asks for my help I've always since a young age gone out my way to help said person even if it's to my own detriment.
Gigs were back. Video bookings were coming in. Engineering sound jobs were coming in. And because it had been snatched from my life, as soon as it was back. I grabbed every opportunity that came my way. Now this felt great but in time it started to bite back in a way I didn't even cross my mind.
Now it's no secret to my close friends and family, that I have struggled with my mental health since before I was a teenager. And touch wood, I haven't had a bad slump in my mental game since 2009/2010 But this past 6months - year things have started to slip again. And I stress this isn't something I'm ashamed of, as I'm a big advocate for normalising peoples mental struggles as there are more of us than we know out there struggling. And I am in the mids of rectifying this and hoping that things will turn the corner again soon.
But with this, I have fallen behind with where I'd like to be sitting with JMac Creative. Weddings were the big gamble for this project, and I am so glad and thankful to the 4 couples who booked me this year to film and capture their special days, but on the other end of this, I feel like I'm letting them down in how long it's taking me to edit said videos. Like I said above my other creative outlets started to come back and I was taking on everything I could to almost make it feel like making up for lost time.
Effectively calling JMac Creative another job that brings me up to 4 current places of employment. This coupled with trying to get my gigging life back on track has sadly been more detrimental to my mental health than I was first willing to admit.
I'd like to apologise to the couples who are all waiting on replies from me regarding their weddings next year and further ahead. The current state of my main employer. ( Royal Mail ) it has made it impossible for me to commit to dates next year, 1 because of the way they work their holiday rotas and 2 because all our terms and conditions are up in the air. ( hence the further striking )
I am there for sadly notifying everyone that I will no longer be taking on wedding bookings for the foreseeable future. ( It is something however at a later date I might revisit ) The added pressure that I put on myself. ( and I stress this hard that it's me putting pressure on myself not the couples who are currently awaiting their videos ) Isn't something I can sustain given where my mental game has been this last year.
I'm am proud and glad that I gave the wedding videography a go because if I didn't I would have always been left with the " what if? " And we can't be left with them! They suck!
So to Carley & David, to Laura & Adam, to Gavin & Chloe and to Lorraine and Garry. I can't express my thanks to you lot enough for putting your faith in me to capture your special days. It's truly an honour and a privilege. And I promise you all that your videos will be worth the wait, if not a little longer than I had personally hoped for. So love to you all.
To the couples who are awaiting my availability for the next year and such, I'd like to thank you for your enquiries but unfortunately I won't be able to take on your bookings.
In turn of this I'd like to recommend a close personal friends videography business - Satellite Films
Thank you for taking the time to read this long winded post.
Jack x
