Clusterfuck

We're right in the middle of printing these catalogs at work. Over two weeks ago, we sent the files to the output bureau. Two days after that, there was a change to the photo on the back cover. I made the change and sent the file to the output bureau and asked them to replace it.

We got the test proof and it looked great. I proceeded in setting up and proofing the other 28 separate covers with the client (in addition to my normal day-to-day workload), safe with the knowledge that everything was gonna be running smoothly with the printing.

Today, my boss asked me to follow him out into the press room to take a look at something. All of the catalogs printed so far had the original photo, not the corrected one I had asked the output bureau to replace it with. Let the panic attack begin.

I was asked to check the plates for the next round of printing. We print in 4 ink colors (cyan, magenta, yellow and black), and each of the different covers requires a change on the black plate only. The black plate had the old image on it, while the other three had the new image. I immediately drove to the output bureau to clear this up.

At moments like this, blame is pointless. All you can do is handle damage control. My boss surpassed pissed and bounced right into eerily calm and in control. Ordinarily, I'd be bleeding from the anus over something like this, but he was taking care of everything. The catalogs that are already printed were accepted by the client at a discount, so no re-printing is required. I had to make sure that the outbut bureau had completely deleted the bad image and only used the good one from now on.

On the other hand, once this job is all done, THEN blame will be assessed. In this case, it's everyone's fault. The output bureau should've deleted the bad image. I should've taken more time to double-check the plates as they came in. The pressmen should've actually paid attention to what they were printing (i.e. compare the color proof to what was coming out of the press) sometime BEFORE they made 15,000 impressions.

So, I'm kinda on thin ice here. My yearly begging for a raise is gonna fall on deaf ears. I'd swear, if this wasn't my only real marketable job skill, I'd be out of this career so fast it's not even funny.

Of course, I'll think differently about this tomorrow.