Tanner Robbins - Final Reflection

Although my time in Los Angeles is not coming to a close quite yet, a chapter of it is now completed. TCF in LA has been one of the most enlightening experiences of my education. Dr. Raimist has passed on to us the knowledge and connections she holds dear. I’m one of the lucky few who has the pleasure of an extended stay in the city of angels. For most of the class, this ending came so soon, and I am definitely going to miss all of them very much. We all went through the same struggles with our internships and our school work, finding time to balance everything out and still be able to find some time to relax. We’ll always be able to bond over this class and work together in the future. 

This trip really helped me straighten out my line of sight and understand exactly what I need to be doing to get into the industry. All of our guest speakers brought with them a unique angle and helpful information for our classes. Their jobs in the industry varied from executive to writer to actor to stage manager, and without their and Dr. Raimist’s guidance, I would be lost in this big town. 

I think one of my favorite class event was when we went to the Writer’s Guild and got to sit around their reading table and look at the library of scripts that we had at out disposal. Cinegear was amazing too. Getting to handle all of that professional gear was the highlight of the week for sure. It was also a lot of fun to go to the LA Film Fest and CMF. I wish I had been able to see more films at those kinds of events, because ultimately it’s not about what you know, it’s about who you know. There are a lot of people worth knowing in this town and I bet some of them came to the big screenings.

 I’ve been very lucky in my time here. I’ve had the pleasure of interning at two different locations, Collective Digital Studio and the Television Academy Foundation. Collective Digital was cool for a while, but I wasn’t really getting to delve into the artistry of camera and lighting. On American Horror Story: Hotel I’ve been able to see every scene come to life through lighting and camera movement. Everybody there has been so friendly and accommodating to me, and I’m thrilled that I got to be in the position that I’m in. And although the trip is coming to an end, I will return. I swear it right here and now.