So for future updates, please visit the new site! This one will remain up only until the info is collected.

Thanks!

- Ian

Sean the cut-out doll

American Way magazine published an excellent article on the One Week Job project. Here’s a taste:

“This story is one Confucius could have written. A story whose end might be found in its beginning and whose beginning might lie at its end. One in which the search became the grail; the question, its own answer; the journey, the destination.”

Aside from an awesome piece, they also created the coolest graphic portraying Sean as a cut-out doll with various job outfits.

Read the full article here.

1. What was the worst job you’ve ever done? What was the best?

Leslie Evans likes rollercoasters. Hates spiders.

The worst job I have ever done is….sorting fruit when I was young, my first job. It was the worst because of all the spiders - I HATE spiders!

The best job would have to be one I didn’t actually get paid for, so maybe that doesn’t count as a job. I was an assistant coach with a community Special Olympics swim team.

I got to wear the craziest hats I could find, and no matter what the day turned out to be, you were always certain there were happy people at the end!

2. What are the types of things you’re passionate about?

Smiles. Laughter. Seeing people accomplish something and the look on their face when they do it. Rollercoasters. Yes, definitely passionate about those!

3. What do you find most interesting about the One Week Job project?

The fact that someone is doing what everyone has always wanted to do. Trying things you would never in your right mind think you would enjoy, but trying anyway.

4. Why did you decide to donate toward the One Week Job film?

I donated to kick up my karma count! Joking!

I donated because if I can’t do it, why not help someone who can, someone who will have the ability to show young people its okay to search, really search, for the things you want to do in life.

It’s hard out there for young people (even older) to find a career they love, there is so much pressure to know from the time you hit high school that someone proving we all don’t know right away what we want to do is something worth giving to.

5. What do you hope to see represented in the film?

I hope to see choice represented. The choice to like or not like a job and celebrate in that choice.

Become a One Week Job documentary producer - Donate online right now!

Kyle MacDonald is a fan of trading things for other things. He’s also a fan of One Week Job! Here’s 5 questions with Kyle:

Kyle MacDonald and his gigantic paperclip

1. What was the worst job you’ve ever done? What was the best?

Worst = data entry at a bank
Best = modeling Italian soccer jerseys in Thailand

2. What are the types of things you’re passionate about?

Trying out new things, traveling, having fun, and 1990 Burgundy Dodge Caravans.

3. What do you find most interesting about the One Week Job project?

Sean had to do something new each monday morning and he often had no idea what he’d be doing the next week even on the Sunday night. Triage decision making at its best.

Also, Sean’s hair.

4. Why did you decide to donate toward the One Week Job film?

Because I don’t want Sean and Ian to couchsurf at my house for the rest of their lives. Also, when I watch movies I usually eat popcorn. And popcorn is delicious.

5. What do you hope to see represented in the film?

Sean’s “can do” attitude. And by “can do” attitude, I mean drunken late night soul searching ramblings and extraordinary unexpected and unplanned daytime adventures. Also, film maker-subject tensions to increase ratings.

Become a One Week Job documentary producer - Donate online right now!

Sebastian Keller was so jazzed about Sean’s Project, he’s decide to try a variation of his own. Here’s 5 questions with Sebastian.

Sebastian Keller

1. What was the worst job you’ve ever done? What was the best?

Worst job: Working for a local TV station as an intern. Money was o.k., but I had to start at 8 a.m. (after commuting 1.5 hour), fight very stressful situations (10 minutes until my stuff should be on air and the computer constantly crashes…) and work on very silly material (as for example the local dog couture show).

Best job: Well it wasn’t really a job, but I earned my first pennies telling jokes in my granddad’s bar. I don’t remember much about it but I think everyone had a really good time there.

2. What are the types of things you’re passionate about?

New things! Fascinating people! Experiencing how ideas evolve. Two months ago I sold my first manuscript to a publisher, so I’m passionate about becoming a professional writer. And I’m passionate about all the cool stuff I like to write about: Interesting people and the interesting stories they have to tell.

3. What do you find most interesting about the One Week Job project?

That someone did it! ^__^

4. Why did you decide to donate toward the One Week Job film?

Because I think it is worth supporting. It inspired me, so I wanted to give something back.

5. What do you hope to see represented in the film?

Hmmm… difficult one. Honestly I don’t know. The film should add a new dimension to the project and add something that can’t be communicated through the website. Maybe I’m not the only one who would be interested in some background information about working life in the USA and Canada.

Become a One Week Job documentary producer - Donate online right now!

Many of you might think creating a documentary film is a glamorous gig. You might think my days are composed of meetings with big studio executives, spirited phone calls, and artistic swaths of wild creativity.

Well you’d be wrong…at least for the moment. Right now I’m in the preliminary stages of the process, what the professionals call “logging tapes.”

Basically, it works like this:

I sit at my desk. I load an imported DV tape on my laptop. I watch the footage. Every few seconds I stop the tape, flip over to my spreadsheet and type out a truckload of notes: the timecodes of every cut, what the scene is about, who is featured, quality of the audio, and of course, every spoken word of dialogue.

All of it must be cataloged and organized before I flip back to the tape, watch a few more seconds, stop, then do it again.

By my estimate, an hour’s worth of footage takes about 4 hours to log. When you consider I have over 80 hours of footage spread over as many tapes, I figure it will take me two months before I finish logging them all.

Now don’t get me wrong. Logging tapes is crucial to every documentary film. It let’s you know exactly the raw material you have to construct your story. Already, as I view all the scenes I forgot, the creative juices and ideas are churning in my head. I can feel the structure of the film take shape.

Ideally, I would have actually logged the tapes at the end of every day on the road. But unfortunately, that wasn’t possible with other projects to complete, plus the fact that I produced over 16 weekly episodes of the journey, while simultaneously filming the next week.

So here I sit, diligently working away. Trying to keep my mind on the task at hand (curse you Facebook!)

I know the day will come when I can start on the juicy stuff - actually editing the film into its first tentative frames of existence. And when that day comes, I’ll enjoy spirited phone calls and wild swaths of creativity.

But until then… I log.

Sean gets touchy with shark at the Georgia Aquarium.

It’s been two weeks since Sean and I made the official announcement that the documentary has started production. We sent the word out to friends, family, and all current fans of the project. And the response has been fantastic!

Your donations have raised $2037 - over 20% of our needed total.

But we’re still not done yet. Our goal is to raise $10,000 by the end of December. Of course, if we reach the total before then, all the better. The sooner we collect the donations, the sooner we can put them toward expenses: things like software, hardware and other production cost that go into making a documentary.

If you’re looking to become a One Week Job producer, head over here to donate now.

If you’ve already donated and want to help in other ways, consider these tips for spreading the word and getting others involved in the project.

Check it out in 3 parts below.

Part I
[See post to listen to audio]

Part II
[See post to listen to audio]

Part III
[See post to listen to audio]

What do you think of the interview? Share your thoughts in the comments!

It’s been almost a week since we made our official announcement. We asked people (like you) to donate an hour’s wage to support the documentary - and the donations came pouring in!

To date: we’ve raised $1510 towards our goal of $10,000.

As promised, our Wall of Producers is now online, listing the fantastic individuals that have kicked off our fundraising effort. We can’t thank you enough for taking a chance on the One Week Job project, and our effort to share the story with the world.

But we still have a long road ahead.

Would you like to become a One Week Job producer?

Learn more and donate online here.

You can follow along with our total raised via the handy dandy progress bar on the right-hand column, kindly created with the awesome Sprout.

I’ll also be adding media and project updates on this blog, so don’t forget to sign up for the RSS feed or email updates.

(July 8, 2008 – Vancouver, BC) Would you donate an hour’s wage to fund the One Week Job documentary film? That’s the question Sean Aiken, the Canadian who successfully worked 52 jobs in 52 weeks, is asking in a unique effort to finance the next stage of the project.

Download Press Photo in High Res

One Week Job: The Movie will be directed by Ian Mackenzie, the Vancouver filmmaker who accompanied Aiken on much of his epic journey across North America.

Aimed at high school and college students aged 17-25, the 90 minute documentary will reveal anything can happen when you set out to find your passion.

“One Week Job was successful because regular people took the time to get involved,” says MacKenzie. “It’s only fitting that we’re asking people to help share the complete story by donating an hour’s worth of their wage.”

Donations are accepted through the newly launched site http://www.oneweekjobmovie.com

On his year long quest, Sean tried everything: Bungee Instructor, Dairy Farmer, Advertising Executive, Baker, Stock Trader, Firefighter, Hollywood Producer and more. Wherever he could find work, he’d go there, find a couch to crash on and immerse himself in whatever profession was at hand. And then he’d move on.

The project received press all over the world. Sean garnered coverage in The New York Times, Good Morning America, the Rachel Ray show, CNN, 20/20, FOX News, along with Global National, the CBC, and countless other outlets.

Thousands of people began following his journey, looking to him for inspiration in their own lives. College students were relieved to find others uncertain of their careers. Baby boomers wrote how they’d found the courage to change their jobs, or go back to school and discover their passions once again.

“Sean, you’re an inspiration to many people who you will never even meet,” wrote Travis, a fan of the project. Another wrote,”Sean I am where I am, and no longer fear the future because of you!”

Now that the journey is over, it’s time to share the complete story and the lessons learned along the way. The documentary will be accompanied by a book based on Sean’s experiences, to be published in Spring 2009 by Random House (US) and Penguin (Canada).

For more information or to set up an interview, contact:

Ian MacKenzie
ian [at] oneweekjob.com
604-831-9325