We go to sea for months at a time. We miss birthday’s, holidays, deaths, weddings, our children being born, and any other type of life event you could think of. Does missing all that suck? Of course.
Do we love what we do? Most of us.
Do we get paid well enough for the amount of time away from our family? Depends on who you ask.
Our personal lives are no different than many office-workers that travel for extended work, or a truck-driver away from home for weeks, except we get paid more(sometimes), and sometimes e-mail service is shitty.
Speaking for myself, I wouldn’t want a film crew filming my family’s day-to-day routine especially when im gone. Some of my neighbors know what I do but some think im semi-retired. My family does not discuss when im leaving or coming home except to our extended family and close friends. I prefer it this way.
[QUOTE=salt’n steel;148148]Speaking for myself, I wouldn’t want a film crew filming my family’s day-to-day routine especially when im gone. Some of my neighbors know what I do but some think im semi-retired. My family does not discuss when im leaving or coming home except to our extended family and close friends. I prefer it this way.[/QUOTE]
I agree. Who wants people to know that the “little lady” is at home by herself for a month at at time? I would worry that people with less than honorable intentions might take advantage of that knowledge. Sort of the same thing as not posting your vacation plans so that the burglar can plan his crime.
I’m not sure that celebrating holiday’s or birthdays on other than the regular days is all that interesting. I’m not sure that it’s going to be all that intriguing to learn how the women folk have gotten adept at using the lawn mower and weed eaters.
I mean, that’s pretty much how it is. Your schedule is your schedule and you just deal with it. Your spouse just deals with it. Your kids just deal with it. Internet and phone service may or may not be good… and you deal with it. Celebrate Christmas when dad comes home… Generally, it isn’t much longer than 28 day shifts for a lot of guys… and when you are home… you have full days to do whatever you want. Having a spouse with a flexible schedule helps because then you can spend more time together when you are home.
I guess there are two sides to every coin right. This set up might work well for some people, especially if the spouse is a more independant type of person. If you have a spouse who can’t do much for themselves… hope you have a lot of family around to get them through I guess… or your relationship might not last long…(or your job). No guy needs the wife/girlfriend calling every day with some “emergency” and trying to get him to come home early. It might even make some relationships stronger… not as much “togetherness”…lol.
I think that most families (of mariners who have been successful at making it work)… try to concentrate on the good (paycheck, time home from the boat)… and not dwell on the bad (missing occasions like birthdays, holidays etc). Our armed forces do it… and generally their deployments are much longer. In the grand scheme of things, 28 days isn’t so bad.
While the husband is away on the job, the casting director is at home with mama making another jr. That won’t work, besides who says that the oil company or the boat company is gonna aloe you on their vessels. Do you realize all the safety you would have to go through before you could even think about coming offshore. Needless to say, NOT gonna happen here.
Nothing personal to the casting director but the show concept is just plain BORING and no one but a self absorbed “hey we’re gonna be on TV” type would do it anyway. My company would balk at cooperating and even if they did, the humility of being fired or something go wrong during filming makes me cringe.
I like my job, my family supports me by keeping everything in order while im away and we all enjoy being together when im home. We have drama like any other family but not enough to entertain.
It will be boring unless they find some miserable pyscho paths. Exactly what they want to portray, because happy people loving heir lives and putting up with the daily grind doesn’t sell.
Who’s to say they wont? Same was said about the crabbing, trucking industry and even aspects of the military…there is always a way to get access to something if you cover it the right way. As far as why this would be interesting? From the people I have talked to the wives arent just at home dealing, a lot of them actually dont fully express how they are affected by this and choose not to make it an issue because its something their husbands love to do and many of them sacrifice their own happiness for the sake of ours. So no, it is not much different in the military in that sense but it actually is quite interesting the amount of women that pick up new careers, find different hobbies than they did before or learn new ways of coping because this is not a lifestyle that they are used to. These are the kinds of things I have been asking about so despite the sarcasm and push back from some members of the group, most have been VERY helpful… So thank you to those who hold their skepticism and have given your input. At the end of the day you’re all entitled to your opinions, positive or negative but imagine how it is approaching a group of strangers and asking for help about something you’ve never encountered in your life??? Many of you complain about the shows you see not being ‘REAL’…so why not help create one? REAL PEOPLE MAKE REAL TV.
I respect you doing your job which is finding topic for a new show. Your in the entertainment business- no argument there. I’ll stick with my convictions and say good luck but definitely not interested.
Why the focus on families? Wouldn’t it be nice to show the public what we do for a living and the variety and challenges? I think this was tried with a show on the Great Lakes but that didn’t last very long. Would like the American public to see why we are important to the economy. Capt. Phillips sans pirates (and Phillips).
Maybe a documentary film would be better?
I mean, do you really want to film Mr. C sitting at home after work watching Pawn Stars in his underwear, with a cat on the arm of the sofa flicking her tail in his face? Not very exciting.
One thing we do not need is to be stereotyped as yahoos on the water, and there is certainly enough of that to go around with all the other programs.
Well, that is just it. Now, he mentioned families apart for a long time. I am not sure that the offshore two to three (or four) week rotation would really fit. That said, the deep sea ocean going fleet would be a better fit for what he is looking for; however I am not so sure that it would make good television. Perhaps he would do better to float this idea over with at one of the maritime union halls. He better hurry because the days of ocean going US mariners is quickly dwindling. . . . Now THAT angle would make for good TV. . . sad, though. . .
[QUOTE=catherder;148177]Maybe a documentary film would be better?.[/QUOTE]
Documentaries are done by people who at least aspire to produce work of value by relying upon talent, know-how, creativity and journalistic skill. This OP’s background is in low budget talk show and reality programming (see LinkedIn Profile). Shitheads like this are able to exist by appealing to self-obsessed wannabes who conflate self-promotion with achievement.
[QUOTE=salt’n steel;148168]I respect you doing your job which is finding topic for a new show.[/QUOTE]
False. You are not obligated to respect a person just “doing their job” if the work product of said job lacks value and rides on the pretense of practicing an actual profession or art. Affording the same respect to both perpetuates a false equivalency which diminishes the achievement of actual journalists.
We had a camera company a few years ago on our boats. Everything was fine until they wanted fake arguments created. My wife does like me. Wakes up gets the kids up off to school and work. No drama. Something breaks call a professional. Nothing a camera crew cares to record
Ok, I was trying to be nice but I should have used understand vs. respect. Frankly I haven’t seen any reality show episode from start to finish yet. I miss days of Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom - RIP Marlin Perkins!
“There’s a lot of research and development that go into all of the ideas you see on television no matter what the content is…” Umm…no there’s not. “The people you see on TV CHOOSE to be there, no one is drafting you to be on a show and on one MAKES you act a certain way…” ummm… yes they do.
Man, sounds like there are some serious inferiority complexes around here. Get over yourselves.
Yes it’s tough being gone for long stretches of time but the money is good and we get lots of time off. It’s tough to have a family, you gotta find the right woman. Most of us cant imagine doing much else, you get spoiled on the money and the time off. I think the show is a great idea and i wish you all the luck.
[QUOTE=CastingProducer;148143]Actually, I never asked for personal drama, I asked for accounts of what it is like being on the sea for long periods of time and how it affects families. Every one has an “idea” of what they think I do as a producer but in fact you do not. Not to be offensive to anyone in this forum but the same way people have no idea what it is you guys do, the same goes for my profession. There’s a lot of research and development that go into all of the ideas you see on television no matter what the content is and its not just putting people in front of a camera to look dumb as you may see it. If you think this lifestyle sucks and its boring then fine, but why troll this post when all I am asking for is information. IF you do not want to help, thats fine, don’t. But there was a time when if you wanted information from someone about something, YOU ASK. That’s the school I come from. JetRyder23…I am in fact asking for information and no TraitorYankee I am not looking to put a couple of families through misery!!! And just so I know how is it that I would be responsible for something completely voluntary? The people you see on TV CHOOSE to be there, no one is drafting you to be on a show and on one MAKES you act a certain way. We are all adults and make decisions for ourselves everyday, man that’s pretty unfair. This is to determine whether this is a industry that would even be followed for a television show, its totally up in the air whether this will ever even come to fruition. Either way thank you to those who have responded either personally or publicly, there have been some willing to allow me into this unique world and I appreciate the information. God Speed.[/QUOTE]
Thank you CastingProducer. I am on here trying to decide wether I want to pursue a career in the Gulf of Mexico mainly on OSV’s… I think. Im having to sift through a lot of bullshit to read what I need to read. My biggest concern is being away from my girlfriend and family on a rotational schedule. They are in South Florida.
How often do I see my family?
Do you guys fly home somewhere after your rotation?
Is the pay and experience worth it?
Do you all have other plans outside of that job? business ownership, retirement, switch over to yachts?