Full Sail University: Hall of Fame 8

This past week I had the immense pleasure of participating as a panelist at Full Sail University's eighth Hall of Fame. This annual, week-long event consists of industry panels, job fairs, screenings, and an induction ceremony where six graduates who are doing tremendous work in their respective fields get inducted.

Picture by International Student Eduardo Notcull

I participated in five panels, three of which were recorded and you can watch below. It was so humbling to share the table with greats such as Sound Designer David Farmer (The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogy) or Co-Executive Producer Troy DeVolld (Hollywood Game Night, Dancing With the Stars). I'm thankful to the students who showed up to the panels I was a part of and asked great questions, which taught me new perspectives and reinforced my knowledge in what I do.

Documentary & Activist Filmmaking panel

For me, this event was a retreat. Despite the lack of sleep and my lost voice, it has recharged my batteries and inspired me to go back to Los Angeles and work even harder and more passionately.

With HOF inductees Ashish Manshada, Jack Geckler, and David Farmer

I want to thank every "Hall of Famer," fellow graduate, student, and the faculty & staff for making me feel at home and motivating me so much. Listening to your stories and experiences, and spending time with you have affected my personal and professional life significantly. From DJ Swivel's Grammy for Closer to Steven C. Miller's new movie deal to direct Escape Plan 2 with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. I am so grateful for this new group of people I now get to call family. I'm looking forward to seeing you succeed this year and I can't wait for Hall of Fame 9.

Let's Create a Generation of Gratitude

            Last night I had the pleasure of attending the opening night of Pop 2 Action, a collection of original artwork inspired by pop culture and mass media influences. The event took place at the Hero Complex Gallery in Los Angeles and was organized by Dana Ashmore (Mob City) and Laura Bousman (The Devil’s Carnival).

            These amazing ladies are the founders of Gratitude Collaborative, an organization with the mission to generate art that serves a purpose. The goal of this weekend’s exhibit is to raise money to teach art classes to kids, purchase school supplies, feed the hungry, sponsor after-school programs, and support young playwrights.

            I found out about the event on Twitter through Darren Lynn Bousman. The director of Saw II, Saw III, and Saw IV is a fellow alumnus from my alma mater, so I figured it would be great to support his wife and this great cause.

            There were several pieces that really struck my attention. One in particular by artist Tou Vue. His painting portrays a couple laying on the ground with their backs to each other and holding a cell phone. The artist used this as a way to express how technology and social media is a double-edged sword; it brings us together but at the same time it separates us.

            There was art inspired by Kill Bill, The Wizard of Oz, Pokemon, and much more, but I ended up acquiring an amazing painting of Morpheus from The Matrix. It’s basically Morpheus’s face wearing a set of 3D glasses, which represent the red and blue pill that he presents to Neo. The artwork is titled Red Pill, Blue Pill and was created by Lord Byron Bradley.

            If you are in the Los Angeles area make sure you swing by the gallery this weekend, check out some art, and support this great cause. They are located on 2020 South Robertson Blvd. In the words of Dana and Laura, “Let’s create a generation of gratitude.”

Sharing a moment with Laura, Dana, and her husband Shawn Ashmore

My Experience Working on La Voz Kids

            Hello everyone, I hope you all have a great week! I’m taking this time to share with you my experience working on La Voz Kids. Even though the second season of this Spanish/Kid version of The Voice started a few weeks ago, I waited until today to write about it because I worked on the “Battles” portion of the show, which concluded last night. The show, which airs on Telemundo Sunday nights, had three episodes (April 27, May 4, and May 11) of “las batallas” where 18 out 54 kids made it through to the live portion of the show which starts next week.

            I worked as an assistant on the contestant management department, so I dealt directly with the kids and their families. Throughout the week before rehearsals and the tapings began, I made sure they were on time for their meals, their tutoring hours, voice or dance practice, etc. Once rehearsals for the tapings began, I was in the soundstage coordinating they’re arrival to the holding area before it was their turn to go up and perform. At the same time, I also managed to assist the audio department micing lavs on contestants and two family members. Once the actual tapings began, it was pretty much the same drill, except it got crazier but more exciting, since it’s shot as if it was live. The kids were divided in groups of three, totaling eighteen groups. Only one kid per group made it through, so it got pretty intense. It was pretty much “Hunger Games,” as I like calling it.

            I must say this has been one of the best, if not the best, work experience so far. One of my dreams came true, which was to work on a singing competition show. I got to be back in Orlando for almost two weeks, which meant I had the opportunity to catch up and work with friends and colleagues, I swinged by my favorite local spots, and I visited my alma mater and spoke to students about life after college and LA. I got to work on a new department and I learned a lot from both the people above me and even the contestants. It was also nice seeing these three episodes on TV after going through that process with my colleagues, the contestants and their families. I wish the best of luck to everyone on the live portion of the show.

Industry Liabilities: Blogpost for Entertainment Law Class

            The three cases I chose involve film crewmembers who are either suing the producers or production companies of the respective films they worked on. I’m currently taking an entertainment law class, which is why this blogpost has taken a bit of a twist compared to the ones I usually write. The assignment required me to identify three court cases in my industry and analyze the legal liabilities.

            The first case involves Cheryl Pickenback, a hairstylist on Zack Snyder’s reboot of Superman titled Man of Steel. She says that Warner Bros., Legendary Pictures, and Third Act Pictures failed to make sure the location was safe. The plaintiff is suing because she tripped on what seemed to be “a fractured or uneven walking surface” when instructed to fix one of the actor’s hair in between takes. As a result, she suffered “severe and permanent injuries” that led her to begin “extensive medical and surgical consultations and treatments.” The lawsuit was filed on Illinois, which is where shooting took place, and has been taken to federal court.

In my opinion, the location manager, who claims he didn’t have a role on the Illinois location, and the art director should have considered additional safety measures for cast and crew whenever they were near that area; however, it only happened to the hairstylist and she should have watched her step.

            The second case has been a hot topic. A lawsuit filed on behalf of around 250 employees of the Los Angeles-based visual effects company Rhythm and Hues. The company is best known for doing effects for the 4-Academy Award winning film Life of Pi (Achievement in visual effects being one of the Oscars it received), but also for filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The plaintiffs are suing because these mass layoffs happened without proper notice, violating federal law and California Labor Code. They are seeking unpaid wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, accrued vacation and holiday pay, pension, and 401(k) contributions.

The company definitely failed in giving its employees a sixty day written notice, and even though they have filed for bankruptcy, it should give its employees the payments and benefits it owes them.

            The last lawsuit I chose came to light a year and a half ago when a couple of interns from the production of Black Swan decided to sue Fox Searchlight, saying they were exploited. This expanded to every internship program under Fox Entertainment. The issue here is that Fox didn’t directly hire them; however, they were aware of their involvement in the production since they had to approve, they received call sheets, and received credits.

In my opinion, the entire situation is just a miscommunication on behalf of the interns and Fox. The interns, even though they claim the internship didn’t fulfill their work interest and that they didn’t receive proper training, should have known better. Internships are entry-level positions that’ll require you to do multiple tasks, possibly in different departments. They also expected to get paid, since Fox could have hired a crewmember to do the work. On the other hand, Fox should be more clear and careful on what it expects from interns so that there are no miscommunications in the future. Oral arguments will be taking place in May.

Tips From a Production Coordinator's Daily Life

            

            Growing up watching films made me idolize actors and directors for the vision, emotion, and storytelling they would bring to life. As I started my career in film school, my appreciation for other crafts in different departments of the industry broadened. I realized that film is a collaborative effort where all the pieces must fit in order to finish the jigsaw puzzle.

            

            As my school program went on, I became attracted to the production department; I was UPM (Unit Production Manager) for our very first short film for a digital cinematography class. What caught my attention was the ability to be aware of everything that happens in each department. I considered myself to be good with people and at being organized, so it seemed like an appropriate fit.

My interests in this department, which I consider to be underrated, started to grow. I was like a kid at a toy store; there were many people to look up, books to read, interviews to watch, and stories to hear. I began researching production managers and production coordinators and learning more about their jobs.

            

            I was lucky enough to meet Steve Cainas a little over a year ago. He’s a production coordinator who’s a graduate from my alma mater and happened to work on my all-time favorite television show, Lost. I am grateful he took some of his busy time off to answer some questions regarding a day in the life of a production coordinator.

            How important is deal making and negotiation on your job, and how does it change depending on the project? Are there any advantages and challenges by being in your position? 

Huge part of my job and an important skill set.  No matter what size production we always have a budget that must be adhere to.  Everything is negotiable.  Obviously working on an independent film with a limited budget creates much more deal making on the daily basis.  The advantage is to establish long lasting relationships with vendors so that you can call upon them to help resolve a situation efficiently and cost effective. 

            When negotiating with other people, how do you separate the person from the problem? Has there been a time when you had difficulty controlling your emotions in order to get something?

Not at all.  It's always important to keep a business relationship when negotiating with people.  I keep my personal life private from my professional life.  You have to be strong, aggressive, and confident to succeed at this job.  Shy and quiet regretfully does not work in a position when you have to manage people and resolve chaos on a daily basis. 

            What strategies do you use when negotiating with others. How do you get to your objective criteria and what are some tips or suggestions you may have for someone who is in a similar situation?

I always have the other person see the WHOLE picture, not just a slice of it.  For example, I might ask to reduce a grip package to $5,000 that originally was quoted at $9,000.  Seems substantial, but I make sure to point out that it's not a 2 week rental, but rather a 26 week rental that will result in $130,000 of revenue!  My current project is an HBO series that is filming the first season.  I make a point to share that the show might, very well, be in production for several years and that I would like to maintain a working relationship with this person or vendor that potentially will last for a while.  That always opens their eyes.

            Could you share a moment when you had a hard time coming to an agreement or getting what you needed for a project, but ended up being successful? How did it impact the project, and what would have happened if you hadn't been able to obtain what you were looking for?

As a Production Coordinator, you are constantly solving problems.  Recently I needed to make a deal with a vendor from California to provide power generators. My budget was $50,000 for something that truthfully should cost $100,000.   I had to find several other competitors that were interested in the business to bid the project, thus creating a "bidding war" that at the end resulted in getting the equipment that I needed for substantially less and meeting my budget.

            Something new that I learned is how important it is to find many competitors when you want to obtain something; at the end of the day, you want to get the best deal. It’s about letting one party know that its competitor has a sweet deal in order to find a better one from them. Another crucial thing that I am working on is my aggressiveness and confidence. I’ve learned from working as a personal assistant that there is always a way to get what you want as long as you’re firm and negotiate effectively. There is no reason for anyone to intimidate you.

            

            I’m glad I’ve already started to set my foot on the door and that I’m slowly learning from my mistakes. It’s interviews such as this one that remind you to open your eyes a bit more. This is the first of many more that I am planning on writing once or twice per month. Hopefully you gained some knowledge from this blog post by someone with twenty years of experience in the industry.