#WFH Diaries: Anton Perreau of Tommy
With the coronavirus pandemic surging anew, most folks are still working from home. We're continuing to check in with creative professionals to see how they're faring. Below, we chat with Anton Perreau, senior vice president at entertainment agency Tommy in Los Angeles.
Give us a one-line bio of yourself.
I'm a digital communications exec in the motion picture and television industry.
Where are you living right now, and who's with you?
My apartment in Silver Lake, Los Angeles. My dog, P.B, and my brother, Ben!
What's your work situation like at the moment?
Luckily, busy. Two major tones: Part to support our beloved theatrical clients who have been impacted by the pandemic. The other part is keeping up with all our streaming clients—business has been booming for them, and that has kept us on our toes.
Describe your socializing strategy.
I'm an immigrant to the U.S., so my mornings are always spent catching up with family back in the U.K. on the phone. Otherwise, a mix of Houseparty, Google Duo and physically distant dog walks have kept me connected with friends. I brought my bullhorn home to occasionally connect with neighbors.
What are you reading?
I just finished Radical Candor by Kim Scott. I think we can all be better bosses, and I'm not the first to admit that working remotely has tested my go-to strategies.
What are you watching?
Devs, TikTok videos, a family of squirrels outside my apartment. Oh and Dirty Dancing is on Amazon Prime now. Do tanking stocks count?
What are you listening to?
I recently discovered Meditative Story by WaitWhat and Thrive Global. It's worth a try, especially during these trying times—be kind to your mind. I've also just finished 1619 by The New York Times Magazine and Floodlines.
How are you staying fit?
I can't say I'm succeeding, but running, hiking and some YouTube yoga are keeping me from completely losing my mind. The interminable anxiety is definitely burning some calories.
Have you taken up a hobby?
Experimenting with cinematography. Investing more time in astronomy, especially on those nights when sleep is difficult. Finally, after an 18-month hiatus, I'm getting back to cooking great food again.
Any tips for getting necessities?
Funnily enough, an over-zealous Amazon Subscribe and Save schedule had me stocked up like a doomsday prepper. But in all seriousness: early mornings, as soon as stores open. Stock is great and there's no line. #winning
An awkward moment since all this started.
Boarding a plane to Austin right as SXSW got canceled.
Best work email you got since all this started.
A client asked, "Is it weird to be excited to schedule a meeting because it gives me something to look forward to?" A great summary that in these odd moments we've all needed something to look forward to.
An aha! moment since all this started.
This big blip has changed all our lives—plans, trajectories and expectations have and will change, and fully accepting that new reality is the biggest "aha" anyone could have. "Normal" is a very abstract concept at the moment. A few weeks ago I went for a long walk around the reservoir; "Aha! Goodbye to those plans, so long to that idea, what new ones do we need to forge?"
What's your theory on how this is going to play out?
I'm hopeful that this brings us all closer, despite the irony of not being able to get "close" to other humans. I'm strategizing about how industries reliant on close confinement (e.g., theaters) can figure out what the future looks like. I hear the record for a vaccine is four years. We're in for some real long-term changes (despite places reopening) for the next 24 months at least.
