Katie's Final Reflection

This summer has been one of the best experiences of my life. I could not imagine having done anything else this summer. It was a lot of work, but there is nothing in TCF or Alabama that can even begin to compare to the experience of going to live and work in Los Angeles. I learned so much, met wonderful people, and got to do things that never would have been possible if I had not gone. One of our guest speakers described the business as a rollercoaster. It’s full of ups and downs and the thing that gets you through it isn’t talent or who you know, though that certainly helps, but passion. If there is something else you could be doing with your life then go do it. If you can see yourself in some other business then do not waste your time. This summer helped me to realize that this is what I want to do. It was so refreshing and almost relieving to be around people who see the movies and television as something more than just something to watch when you’re bored or a terrible first date idea. These people love what they do and they do so many different things. It was amazing to be able to tell someone what I wanted to do and not immediately feel defensive. The people we heard speak and the people I interned for have worked tirelessly their entire lives to do exactly what I want to do. It isn’t a waste of time or a dream to chase to them. It’s something real and tangible and there is no greater feeling than to be surrounded by people like that.

         I took a bunch of notes on my phone while listening to guest speakers and it’s amazing at how much they have to say. Some obvious and some not so obvious. Write everyday (if that’s what you want to do). Don’t do handshake deals. Write more original pilots than specs of current series. Amazon will let you self publish for cheap instead of you arguing with publishers. Get an agent, a manager, and publicist. Passion over everything. Get one project as good as you can then move on to the next one. Defy expectations and be bold. Stand out. Don’t have too much backstory. Have something for people to see; you don’t want to be asked what you’ve done and only have one thing to show someone or say that you’re currently working on it. Be authentic. Transcribing interviews is a great way to learn and work at the same time. Save up money if you want to live in LA because you will be working for free. And all of these tidbits don’t even scratch the surface.

         Looking back on the summer, I would have to say one of my favorite experiences was definitely Disneyland (obviously) as well as the Warner Brothers Tour. It was amazing to see the different kinds of sets and the way they reuse things. You can be in New York and turn the corner and be in the Midwest. You can go sit for lunch and see someone famous or someone who should be famous. We got to go and see where they record the orchestra. Thinking about it gives me chills. We also got to attend the local Emmy’s, which was amazing. No one in our group is interested in the news, but it’s crazy to see the kind of competition even local news can bring out. There were people on stage crying because they won. There was also so much diversity. There were multiple Spanish speaking news groups that won Emmy’s. You don’t see that in Alabama. One of my internships solely focused on reality TV for Hispanic people. We got to experience LA Pride and see Danity Kane perform. It’s just crazy how different everything is and it makes you think about how that shouldn’t be crazy.

         Most importantly, this summer I learned that in order to make it in this industry you need people you can rely on. You need people you can call your friends, and I definitely accomplished that. I started off on this trip not knowing a single person and now I know everyone’s name, where they’re from, what they want to do, and all their quirks. We all became friends and we were excited when someone else got to do something amazing or was offered another job. None of us wanted the summer to end. If we could, I’m sure we’d all still be living together in Los Angeles. This was the singlehandedly best thing I could have ever done during my time at Alabama. Shout out to Dr. Raimist for putting it all together. It was truly an amazing experience.

Daniel's TCF in LA Reflection

Senior year of college is supposed to be the best year ever right? Well for my senior year of college I traded in socializing and karaoke parties for my camera and pen and paper. I wrote non-stop, filmed non-stop and worked non-stop. Why? Because I knew I wanted to go to LA. I’ll be completely honest… It sucked. Seeing the snap chats and IG photos of my friends hanging out and going out always made me feel left out. But in the back of my mind, I told myself it would pay off. And I’m happy to say that it did. All thanks to the TCF in LA program.

When Dr. Raimist told me about this trip, I knew that this was my chance. I worked three jobs, applied for scholarships and educational grants to help finance the trip. It was a huge sacrifice and a he leap of faith, but I was able to acquire two internships and I was ready and excited to go to LA… and then that’s when an amazing thing happened. Back in February, I applied for The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences internship. It is the most prestigious student internship for students who want to go in the TV industry receive. And guess what? This 6’4 black guy from Harvest, AL got it. It just affirmed for me personally that I was actually good enough. That in itself made my summer.

When I came out to LA with the other TCF students and Dr.Raimist, I really didn’t know what to expect. My goal for coming out here was to make connections so I could hopefully find a job since I graduated. But what I found was an extremely odd, unique and talented group of friends that would soon become my LA family.

For my internship, I was placed at Hasbro Studios. Home of “My Little Pony”, “Transformers”, “GI Joe” “Littlest Pet Shop” and “Pound Puppies” to name a few of their shows. As their development and programming intern, I was able to read pitches, production bibles, script outlines and scripts as well as watch rough cuts of episodes not airing for another year. I have learned so much and have come to appreciate animation so much. I know for a fact that this is the industry I belong in and I can’t wait to continue growing in it. From the minute I walked into Hasbro, I knew that working in Children's TV is wanted to do for the rest of my life. 

The class also offered me a support system. Unfortunately while in LA, My grandmother passed away back in Alabama. We were very close and that was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to deal with. The amount of love and support shown to me by my classmates was unreal. Just knowing that I had a group of friends that not only support me professionally but also personally really just made me feel cared for which meant a lot.

The class provided us with so many cool opportunities, from dinners with industry insiders, to TV Show tapings, to trips to museums… It didn’t take me long to feel fully submerged in LA culture.

Overall, the class was amazing. I learned a ton, met awesome and inspiring people, and worked at the internship of a lifetime, but the biggest takeaway from this class was being able to grow professionally with my classmates. My classmates are the ones I will climb the Hollywood ladder with. Who knows where we will be in 20 years! Our network is so strong, I know if I were ever in a position to help get them a job I’d do it blindly and they’d do the same for me because that’s what family does and I love my LA family! 

Best summer of my life. I can't wait until we can reflect on this summer 20 years from now, with future TCF in LA students :)  Thank you for your hard work and sacrifice Dr. Raimist! We promise to make you, Dr. Warner, Prof. Corrao and the rest of the TCF department proud!

Michael's Los Angeles Reflection

             To say that this summer was fun would be an insult, because it was so much more than something words to describe. This was one of the best experiences of my life. I learned more than I ever thought was possible, I made a new family, and I gained a new place to call home. This was easily the best summer of my life.

 

   

                I came out here to work, but I never expected everything that would come with it. I got to work with equipment I never had even gotten to touch before, I learned office and social skills and how to work myself into the Hollywood system, and I gained connections that are amazingly valuable. At Psychic Bunny I was able to network with their clients and see how a small production system works with rental houses for lighting and equipment, as well as wardrobe. One cool thing I did was going to the Call of Duty costuming department! I got to see how the prep work in pre-production played into the costume and design of the war piece they were making.

                      

                At the Institute, I made so much progress in the field that I want to go into, even though a majority was office work. I got to keep up with trends in the film industry and see where production patterns were forming; I got to read scripts and do coverage for films that aren’t even out yet; and I was referred to EJ Misisco, a first camera assistant to Dion Beebe, ASC, and Oscar winning DP.  These past few days I have gotten to work first hand with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of equipment and learned how to handle cinematic gear that I have never even been in contact with before. REDs and Arri Alexas surround me on a daily basis, and I am ecstatic to just be in the same room as them.

  

            This summer has been much more than work to me. It has been a time where I have explored a new place I call home, and where I have developed my cinematic style even further. There were countless times where Stephen and I would text each other and just go off and shoot some part of the city. It was amazing. The subjects we would have were incredible. The speakers were incredible as well. Joaquin Sedillo literally made my summer just by showing up to dinner with us. It led to coffee and a one on one meeting where I learned more than I ever thought I would before I came out here.

   Along with that I also have gained a family. I was never that close with many people in the TCF department, until this class. I have met people with the same caliber and passion as I hold and together we have decided to just create. That’s all I wanted and now because of this class, we all have the opportunity to work together. I wouldn’t trade any moment this summer for anything else. We all grew together whether it be Christina’s Milk obsession, to Stephen’s watermelon, to the snapchat marathon of Katie and the spoken word poems by Daniel, this summer is not one that I will ever forget. Thank you all for the experience of a lifetime and I can’t wait to see what else is in store!

Sincerely,

Mikey T

My Final TCF IN LA Reflection-Risa Hayet :)

I guess it’s safe to say that writing this final reflection is not going to be the easiest thing I have done. I can control a room, manage 200 audience members, judge a talent competition, hike up a mountain when it’s 100 degrees outside, find my way around a city I’ve never been to before, survive public transportation, and the list goes on. But writing my final thoughts on one of the best summers of my life and say goodbye to twelve new friends and one of my favorite professors at UA? That’s extremely hard compared to my long list above. There are no words to express my gratitude and thanks to my parents for funding me on this excursion, but even more than that, there are no words to express how thankful I am to Dr. Raimist for allowing us this opportunity. Anybody can come to Los Angeles and try to get an internship, but it’s a different experience when you have people back in your apartment that you can lean on for help and support. Though, a million things happened this summer, there are definitely a few things that shine bright in my mind.

 

Like that first week we were all here and we got to go to a taping of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and Don, the warm up guy, asked the audience if anybody had an amazing talent and we all screamed out, “OUR FRIEND BONNIE DOES!!!” She told him she plays the drums, but she couldn’t play the band’s drums so she played Don’s head as drums instead! It was so funny and such a great start to the trip.

I’ve also been so fortunate to have had two very different internships this summer. As everybody on this trip knows, I am an indecisive person when it comes to figuring out what I want to do with my career after college. These two internships have helped open my eyes to different sides of the industry. Working at a talent management company has allowed me to see the process that goes into getting actors booked for different jobs. I’ve also learned that managers and agents are two VERY different professions. In business terms, a manager develops the product, or the actor, and the agent helps sell the product. Working with Katrina at Pure Talent Management has given me the opportunity to be a manager in training. Honestly, I feel like Katrina gave me so much responsibility that I sometimes forget this isn’t my full time job. I’ve helped her judge talent competitions, been a guest speaker, sign a bunch of new clients, and, most importantly, I created her brand new company website!!! Katrina has taught me so much this summer, and through her I have realized that I love the manager and agent side of this industry. Not only have I gained the most incredible boss, but I’ve also gained a great new friend. I owe her so much.

I also interned at 1iota for Jimmy Kimmel Live! I’ve had so much fun there. At Kimmel, I have really learned what goes on behind the scenes to make a nighttime talk show, and I gained production experience just by watching all the different components. Besides having way too much fun and meeting way too many amazing people, I really learned how to problem solve in the appropriate way. If an audience member is being a little difficult, I have learned that there is an appropriate way to go about dealing with the issue. The client is always right. ALWAYS! People at Kimmel know me from my smile. I smile all the time. I honestly don’t know how a person can work in an environment such as the show and not smile all the time. It has truly been an absolutely incredibly experience. 

The last unbelievable opportunity I have to mention is shadowing and attending the LA Regional EMMYS! We were the first college students ever to shadow the crew and attend the show. Joetta Di Bella, the producer of the show who currently lives in Huntsville, was so generous with us. She paired all of us off with different members of the crew to shadow. Some of us were with the lighting department or sound department. I was with the director’s booth. It was amazing! I learned so much about how the booth gets set up and what all the equipment does. I also got to watch them put in all of the animations and watch the clips that played while the announcers were announcing the nominees. It was a very cool experience. Then, we were fortunate enough to attend the show! It was amazing. We walked the red carpet and stood up during the show when they recognized us. It was so surreal. I felt like a celebrity! I am so grateful to Joetta for giving us that opportunity.

 

Honestly, I can’t thank everybody enough for this spectacular summer. I don’t think there are any other words I could say but Thank You to these eleven other people and Dr. Raimist. You’ve all taught me so much this summer about this industry, being on set, and even about myself. I can’t wait to get back to school and see all of the amazing things this group of people accomplishes! I know I have said awesome, cool, and great way too many times, but there are just no other words to describe these wonderful experiences! “How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard” (Winnie the Pooh). I guess the only thing left to say is, ROLL TIDE!!!

Christina Irion- Summer Reflection

I know it’s a bit cliché to say that my summer in Los Angles was life changing-the inner rebel in me wants to fight those over-used words-but if I were to use any other phrase, I’d be lying to you. My intense experience in L.A with little sleep and a lot of work taught me things that I would never learn by spending a summer mooching off my parents’ pantry. I spent two solid months in what might as well been considered a study abroad because it was such a foreign place to me. The people are different, the food is different, the atmosphere it different. I think one of the only ways to learn is to throw yourself into something new. I can honestly only fit a piece of what I wanted in the allotted word count, but my experience this summer was something that is hard to contain in words let alone 750 words. 

What I Thought I Knew VS Reality

I think one of the most important things I learned is that my grasp on how the industry works was so far off how it really works. Things are a lot harder than I thought they would be. It's hard to get your foot in the door and nepotism is a thriving craft.

Talent is important, but networking may be even more important. The entertainment industry can have incredibly long hours. Is a person going to hire a person that they kind of like, but are immensely talented or hire someone who gets along with everybody who is talented? Of course it is ideal to be both sociable with the group and immensely talented, but if a boss had to pick and choose, they'd probably go with the person that they enjoy spending eight plus hours with and will share a donut with on the weekend. Seems unfair, but I heard it over and over again. Knowing the trades are important. Talking about the industry is always a good talking point after, "Oh hi, my name is blah blah. I worked with your friend's second cousin's boyfriend so-and-so." The more you know, the more dedicated and smart you look, but don't go overboard. You're trying to be sociable, not a Sheldon Cooper for modern age pop culture.

People will throw you a bone. Don't expect a steak. Yes, people can help you out, they were in your shoes at one point- young kid trying to squeeze his way into the industry, but don't overuse their help. Never out right ask for anything other than some advice or a meeting. Asking for a job out of the blue is extremely rude and expecting way to much of someone. Not everyone has that golden ticket into the industry and it's naive to think so. Networking may take quite a lot of time, energy, and coffee cups. If a person likes you, they may keep you in mind if something comes up. But remember, you reap what you sow, so be nice and put together, not a rude coat tail rider. 

Be patient. Things take time. Getting into a job you really want, getting into a guild- it doesn't happen as soon as you step off the plane at LAX. Established people in the industry work very hard for what they have. Things take time to work. Be patient. It's okay if instant gratification leaves your vocabulary for a while . Also, as one of our guest speakers said, "Don't get excited until you get your paycheck." That may take some time too. A few of our guest speakers admitted to being stiffed from a paycheck or two. This is a little different once you are a SAG member. 

That Moment you won't forget

Well, I didn't have just one memory or two on this trip that I can really explain. I think it just came to this overall feeling I had. That feeling that everything is right in that one moment. I had a few of those moments at work, especially when my pitch for a music video was picked or when I was talking with my co-workers. I also had that feeling in class, especially on presentation days. Everyone was so passionate about where they were working or what they wanted to do in the future . It just felt right. It just fit. We were all speaking from the heart and could tell that we were where we belonged.

Sadly, I am cut off now, but pictures are worth 1000 words. 

RESEARCHING THE INDUSTRY: Guilds and Unions

From FILM REFERENCE.COM

Labor unions and guilds have been organized in film industries in many countries. Typically, these organizations have focused on specific types of workers, such as actors, directors, and technical workers—for example, the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, TV and Radio Artists (ACTRA), the Directors Guild of Great Britain (DGGB), and the Australian Theatrical & Amusement Employees' Association (ATAEA).

In the early history of film, workers often were organized by trade unions from related industries, such as the theater and the electrical industry. Eventually unions and guilds were formed specifically to organize film workers, and most of these labor groups are still active in film and television industries. Like other labor unions, film labor organizations represent their members in negotiations for wages, benefits, and working conditions, in addition to providing a variety of other services. Some guilds also become involved in negotiating royalty payments, conditions for screen credit, and other issues. Unions and guilds also engage in political activities through lobbying or election campaigning.

Also like other labor organizations, film unions and guilds continue to be challenged by political and economic developments in society in general and film industries in particular. For instance, the global expansion of the film industry during the last few decades of the twentieth century had an impact on film workers in various ways. While film labor organizations around the world have developed and are organized similarly, the focus of this article is on US unions and guilds both as an exemplar and because of the current global prominence of Hollywood films and companies.

While unions and guilds were active in the US film industry early in the twentieth century, the more specialized labor organizations, such as the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Directors Guild of America (DGA), emerged in the 1930s during an especially intense period of labor organizing. Although film labor groups in the US were challenged in various ways by the anticommunism of the late 1940s and early 1950s, the groups survived and expanded to include television workers in the 1950s and 1960s. Trade unions and guilds continue to play major roles in the current US entertainment industry.

Film workers in the US represent a highly skilled and specialized labor force, but unemployment is high. For instance, it has been estimated that 85 percent of actors are out of work most of the time. There are some unusual or unique characteristics of film work, as well. Some workers, such as writers, directors and actors, share in the profits of films through profit participation deals. Others may become employers themselves through their own independent production companies or in projects where they serve as producer or director. For example, Billy Crystal worked as an actor in City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold (1994), but also was the film's producer. There also are keen differences between above-the-line and below-the-line workers, with consequent differences between the labor organizations that represent these different types of labor. Above-the-line labor organizations involve "creative" workers (writer, director, actors), while below-the-line labor refers more to "technical" laborers (camera operators, editors, gaffers, etc.). The organization of entertainment unions along craft lines rather than as a vertical, industrial structure has tended to inhibit labor unity within the industry.

Generally, motion picture production is labor-intensive, meaning the largest part of the budget is spent on labor. The cost of key talent (especially actors and actresses) is a significant part of the budget for a typical Hollywood film. Above-the-line talent can often represent 50 percent of a production budget, and has been identified as one of the key reasons why the costs of Hollywood films have skyrocketed.

ABOVE THE LINE GUILDS

BELOW THE LINE UNIONS

PRESSING ISSUES FOR UNION AND GUILDS
(see also FILMWORKS LA)


Read more: http://www.filmreference.com/encyclopedia/Criticism-Ideology/Guilds-and-Unions.html#ixzz33gKiqdii

Understanding Social Media & Class Purpose of each tool

CREATED BY THE PROFESSOR:

INSTAGRAM: you take photos on your own account; can easily feed into the class TUMBLR

CLASS TUMBLR: a visual ethnography of our course where we are participant observers in the study of, and immersion in Los Angeles industry and culture

GROUP FACEBOOK: a private but more informal forum where we can survey/poll the class on course activities, a place to share some articles/information (like where the free movies are playing in Los Angeles)... we will NOT do assignments here

COURSE BLOG: a collection of useful sidebar links, a place for information such as links to unions and guilds, where we will share information about guest speakers, and post questions in the comments, and anything that we want to share that is public.


YOU WILL NEED TO CREATE:

INDIVIDUAL BLOG/JOURNAL: created by each student in the class. This can be a public or private space where each student posts the required blog posts that are detailed in the course syllabus.

Please know that you may be posting sensitive information about your internship, so it is probably best to create a PRIVATE blog, or keep this journal off-line.

Suggestions for online private blog:
blogger.com (Instructions on making your blog private)
wordpress.com (Instructions on making your WP blog private)
Tumblr
penzu
LiveJournal

Welcome Summer 2014 TCF IN LA Students!

This COURSE blog will be a place where I can share information such as guest speaker links, web links, articles, and other information for this course.

This is NOT the place for you to do your individual blog posts as listed in the course syllabus. The only posting that you should do on this blog, is a COMMENT on something that I have posted, or a POST with information or links that you want to share with others in the course.

Here are some links to help you understand Los Angeles FILM PERMITS and rules associated with filming in Los Angeles:

FILM LA (this site includes a step by step guide for students)

California Film Commission

LA Parks Filming Permit

CinemaScout (an online database to help you find filming locations in California)

Sites You Should Be Reading / Following

Warner Brothers Internship FB page shares great tips: https://www.facebook.com/WBInternships

You should be reading articles like:

Resume tips: http://www.youtern.com/thesavvyintern/index.php/2013/11/03/5-resume-tips-from-a-formerly-unsuccessful-job-seeker/

How to Overcome Job Fears: http://www.youtern.com/thesavvyintern/index.php/2013/11/12/how-to-overcome-the-10-most-common-job-search-fears/


The companion site for one of our text's Hollywood Game Plan: http://parkonthelot.com/

Here's one of the posts on the site's blog: http://parkonthelot.com/how-to-be-a-rock-star-intern-or-pa/

1. Be 10 minutes early… to everything.

2. Be upbeat. Smile casually and make eye contact with everyone – learn everyone’s name and use them.

3. Be willing to do any job that needs to be done – with enthusiasm.

4. Be curious. Ask questions if you don’t know something. Make sure you’re not interrupting, but make sure you’re doing a task right.

5. Be the first one in and the last one to leave (if your school schedule permits).

6. Be ambitious. Always ask for more work whenever you’re finished with a job. Ask if you can organize something that you noticed is messy – a closet or bookcase or pantry shelves.

7. Be considerate. Ask for career advice only when the person has a free moment and seems open to helping.

8. Be fun to be around while still doing your job well.  Have a sense of humor. Someone once said, “take your work seriously but don’t take yourself seriously.”

Good luck!  

Coming soon, part 2: “9 Things to Never Do When You’re an Intern”