A Reflection in the Eyes of Dillon Owen

 

 I remember hearing about the first TCF in LA class and thought to myself “I’ll be a part of that someday.” I was determined to get one of the few slots and discover my path for the future just as the previous students of the class did, but never in a million years would I have thought that this program taught by Dr. Raimist would open so many doors for my future as it has. It hasn’t been an easy journey to travel, but it’s a journey that I’m proud of myself for completing. So what has this trip done 

for me personally?

It made networking easier - One of the key elements in this industry is networking. It truly is about “who knows who” out here and Dr. Raimist new exactly what to do to whip our minds into shape to carry ourselves well in front of industry professionals. I learned how to present myself to someone of importance by giving them information about where I’m from, what I’m doing as of now, and what I see myself doing in the process. Did I want to throw myself off of a cliff every time I had to speak in front of a guest speaker? Absolutely. Did speaking in front of guest speakers and having to explain what I want to do to others affect career choice? Definitely, but I never would have known that had I not been thrown into it and forced to figure it out. Instead, I would have traveled to the city blindly, found out the hard way, and would have wasted a lot of money in the process. With guest speakers week after week, it eventually became second nature to us and made networking that much easier. 

By the end of the term, I attended a summer soiree with the Television Academy for networking and while I was talking to all the different types of interns, past interns, hosts,executives, show-runners, etc. it felt like a breeze!

It provided me with a strong internship  

One of the major benefits this summer was being placed at Morgan Freeman’s Revelations Entertainment through the Television Academy. While I’ve learned a tremendous amount there about script coverage, administrative tasks, how the business works, and post-production, I’ve learned more about myself than I ever thought possible. 

 

A helpful piece of advice I received this summer was from Megan Bailey, my internship host at Revelations Entertainment. She said to me “Dillon, the only way to face your fears is to face them head on. If you run away, they will follow you. Stop running.” Anytime after this encounter that I felt nervous or felt I was doing something I didn’t feel confident in, I remembered her words and conquered my fears. I didn’t feel comfortable handling business calls at the office, so Megan made me manage the desk alone, forcing me to handle it. I didn’t want to speak in front of my peers, so she volunteered me to speak first to conquer the butterflies. I lost data on my phone and I couldn’t use my GPS for a run, so she made me navigate through the city without it and find my way. She has pushed me to my limit, but she has made me a stronger public speaker, she has made me feel more comfortable in my own skin, she has made me a more well-rounded worker, and most importantly she has made me realize that if you don’t take care of yourself, no one else will. As long as you’re comfortable with yourself, it doesn’t matter what everyone else thinks.

I've Gained lifelong friends and strong connections - Although I made a few strong connections with my classmates, TCF in LA has given me the chance to build connections outside of UA. If not for the class, I wouldn’t have applied for The Television Academy where I received the unscripted internship that has provided me with a stepping stone for my career. Through this internship, I have been able to connect with people I normally wouldn’t connect with. At Revelations, I have met 12 other interns with a wide variety of personalities. I’ve learned so much from them from working together on multiple projects such as pitching a remake of an old hit to Warner Bros. In addition to Revelations interns, I also have formed friendships with fellow academy interns and I know without a doubt we will all play an important role in each others futures as we look out for one another in the industry. In addition to these connections, I have also formed a relationship with UA Alumni and show-runner of A&E’S Intervention, Jeffrey Weaver. I spoke with him for an hour after our initial 2 hour class where he gave me life advice and spoke highly of my work ethic and attitude. He said “stay true to yourself and with your attitude, the sky's the limit.” He motivated me to make a career in unscripted and this was one of the biggest highlights of my stay in LA.

Provided me with unforgettable memories - During my stay in LA, I was able to attend many events and visit many areas of interest. I saw some of my favorite film locations from Charlie’s Angels (2000) and Halloween (1978). To be able to see these locations from films I watched growing up felt surreal, but that’s what’s so special about this industry. You’re given the chance to create something that could one day serve as inspiration to someone, somewhere. I also visited the Writer's Guild, Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Amoeba Music,Bunim-Murray Productions, and met Ken Jeong!

 

Presented new career options - I began this trip with a narrow mind when it came down to my career. "I'm an editor and that's all I'm going to do." Since living in LA and taking classes, I have learned of other job titles which have sparked my interest such as show-runner and music supervisor. While I love editing, I can still pursue it and look into these other jobs in the process. In unscripted television, most editors serve as their own music supervisor. In other words, they are allowed to pull music from sources that are cleared to go through and make it fit into the segment where they see fit. Eventually, I would like to become a show-runner for my own unscripted program and help change the lives of others as shows did for me growing up.

 

Overall, this trip was amazing! I learned a tremendous amount of knowledge about the industry and I learned more about myself than I ever thought I would. I learned that some people are hard workers, while others feel Los Angeles is nothing more than a vacation spot. I’ve learned what it takes to make it in the industry and I’ve learned that you have to have thick skin to maintain a level head. Dr. Raimist dedicates her time to those who she feels is passionate about the industry. If you are one of these students, take this course! If there’s one piece of advice I would share with those who haven’t had much experience in this type of work, it’s to not be overzealous. You get what you put in. If you go after what you want with as much passion as Dr. Raimist puts into developing this course for TCF students ,then everything will pay off and this will be the best summer of your life!

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