NOBODY ASKS ME WHEN I’VE COME OR WHEN I’LL GO IF THE WORK IS DONE

1. YUGOSLAV AIRLINES (JAT)

I am an aircraft maintenance technician by profession, but I did the job for which I have qualifications only one year during the military service and then I worked on MI8 helicopters.

I got my first job through the youth employment agency and I worked in the planning section of JAT Flight Operations Department. I liked the people I worked with and the work schedule: 12-hour day shift, 12-hour night shift, and then two days free. I worked in JAT until 1986.

2. TWO FRONTS - TWO JOBS AT THE SAME TIME: THE THIRD CHANNEL AND BEOMEDICINA COMPANY

In 1986 I had two job interviews on the same day and got both jobs. I didn’t want to choose, so I got employed at Beomedicina company as a sales system administrator, where I had a nine-to-five job, and after that I would go to work on RTS Third Channel (Treći kanal) by bike.

On the Third Channel I worked in the graphics department and the control room until 1989. I was in charge of all opening and closing credits, subtitles, and graphics for programs on Amiga. At that time Amiga was the only computer that could put an animated image during live program and it had high-quality and inexpensive video output in 256 colours.

Komodor Amiga 500

For those who remember ZAM show (Zabava miliona – Entertainment of the Millions) broadcast on the Third Channel and the background with drawings, it was I who was drawing and doodling with a mouse while singers were performing. I enjoyed my work and it was very funny, especially if a singer appears in a tawdry outfit and I fall under my desk laughing while director Stanko Crnobrnja is shouting: “Doodle, Kiza, doodle!” It was the golden age of our television and the Third Channel.

The Third Channel was the first to present weather forecast using a map. The problem was that the map was not seen in the studio, behind a weather girl, but only on the screen (chroma key).

We had a difficulty to persuade one girl, who is a TV star today, to move her hands and point at things with nothing in front of her.

It was the last time that I was the chief and I didn’t like it, although I did everything I could to motivate the employees. I had two employees: one was a genius but he was often late, while the other was an average guy, but always on time. I would share some of my gigs to the latter, until one day the former asked me why I never offered him a gig. I told him that he might get some work too if he showed up on time. After that he was punctual.

3. ERA OF FREELANCING BEFORE MARKETING AGENCIES

At that time there were no marketing agencies specialised in animations and designs, so we had many gigs. Sound engineers, editors, animators, and broadcast directors were in high demand. Many new TV channels appeared and there were many job opportunities. The same people often worked on several different televisions and productions.

I had so much work that I would fall asleep while working with a mouse in my hand.

I travelled almost the whole world thanks to freelancing and part-time jobs.

The famous 3D Studio and a couple of creative agencies were founded later. I was so good at working with Amiga that I was called by the American Embassy to fix their computer, and it was the first and the last time I went there.

They heard that there was a guy who can repair it and they called me.

3.1. THE FIRST TELEPROMPTER IN THE COUNTRY

During the 1990’s the first news in English in the country was broadcast by RTS (Serbian Broadcasting Corporation). It was Belgrade Evening Report, for which we made the first teleprompter in the country. It was not the real teleprompter, but rather an improvisation. I made a scrolling text program, the screen was a TV screen fixed under the camera, and the text on the screen was coming from Amiga. Since TV announcers were not well-rehearsed, you could see that they were reading, because they were moving their heads, so we had to increase the font to avoid that, etc. We were getting by.

3.2. I NEARLY MADE THE FIRST DIGITAL MUSIC VIDEO

I nearly made the first music digital video in 1992, before Ceca’s “Monotony”, and it was for Zana (band). The singer was supposed to walk on a golden lake from which trumpets were popping out. Unfortunately, we did not finish the project.

At that period I also started working on Art kanal (Art Channel), one of new small TV stations. Seven people made that television station from scratch. While the technical crew was working on transmitters and tapes, I was making credits and graphics, we were stretching out cables. Somehow, it was romantic. Everything looked like a pirate channel, even though we had a broadcast license.

3.3. ADVICE FOR TODAY’S FREELANCERS

Although many things are different today, some things never change.

My advice to all young people doing freelance work: in order to protect themselves from clients’ loftiness, they should always have a backup, i.e. every client should know that freelancers don’t only depend on him and that they can always go. If you lose one gig, never say that to the other client!

4. ALMA IS A COMBINATION OF TELEVISION AND A LARGE SERIOUS COMPANY

At a job interview in Alma it took me some time to explain to Sanče, director, that the majority of items from my “rich” CV included my freelance work, while I always had a full-time employment.

I came to Alma Quattro as someone who was supposed to improve the finishing part of the work, but then the situation radically changed. As the impact of computers on business has been increasing, the impact of my work in the company has increased as well. As the IT Manager I deal with everything about computers as a link between sectors.

In 2003, the same year I came to AQ, I started scuba diving. Scuba diving is the sport that defines me, not in terms of muscle mass, but rather in terms of experiences.

Diving includes travelling, ships, people, some film festivals, and probably the only chance to feel like you are in space.

During such travels I made a lot of underwater recordings. Some of the recordings became short films, and for “Sail Rock“ filmed in Thailand, I got the award at the Underwater Short Film Festival in Belgrade in 2016.

When I came to Alma Quattro I no longer needed a backup, since this company was a combination of a large serious company and television. The culture of the people who work here can only be seen in high-class editorial circles. I don’t know how to explain this, but you can simply feel it.

Finally I got everything I was looking for at one place.

I like when something is made from scratch and I have such opportunity Alma. I don’t claim that everything turns out as we have imagined, it is not always easy, but the best part is when you don’t have anybody to ask for advice and you have to work alone, and then you get nervous, and then you succeed! That’s why I was thrilled about the arrival of LCD screens for the pedestrian zone.

I have never done it before! Give it to me and let me play with it!

What I enjoy most about my work in Alma Quattro are the people. For the first time I feel that I don’t need a backup.

Nobody asks when I’ve come or when I’ll go if the work is done. Alma values a professional who is capable of making decisions independently.