19/06/2024
Spoke as part of a college panel at Reel Works tonight. Love being a part of this educational filmmaking community. My most important advice: Don’t just follow “the program”. If the only thing you’re doing at college is what they tell you when they tell you, you’re missing half the experience you paid for! There are double the opportunities in college if you get involved in extracurricular, work a job in the film school like projectionist or helping run a film festival. Scout the bulletin boards. I had several eye-opening and life-changing opportunities that stemmed from taking the initiative to do more than was programmed - to apply for things, to volunteer for things, to start a club, attend the screenings, be a PART of your school- not a passenger!… Those activities beyond the curriculum got me invaluable experiences like fellowships with Warner Bros. Studios and Disney Works MGM Studios. They lead me to my first real tv job. They gave me work experiences I while still in school… So yes, do everything they tell you have to do, but also do a whole hell of a lot MORE on top of that! You already paid to be there- why wouldn’t you seek out every available resource to elevate your film education?!!! … Now you WILL!
