In the spring of 2006, I moved to Los Angeles from Boulder, Colorado with about one thousand dollars and $25,000 in credit card debt. It was terrifying. I moved in with my boyfriend of six months and set out to find a job. I was hired at my first gig off an ad I saw on Craigslist. It was a major network reality competition show. That in itself is a story for another time.
Shortly after that gig was over, I answered another craigslist ad a was hired as an assistant at Michael Bay’s commercial production company, The Institute. My job mainly consisted of answer the phone, organizing client pitch decks, and fetching tons of Diet Coke. My proudest accomplishment at that job was breaking my boss’ addiction to Diet Coke.
One of the first people I met on the job was Ed Decter. Well known as a screenwriter for the films There’s Something About Mary and The Lizzie McGuire Movie, Ed is also a really nice person. Although he liked to tease me about one thing in particular.
“Oh, hey CHICAGO… or should I say “northwest Indiana?” He would ask.
I often told people in LA I was from Chicago. Because they knew where it was. It took me less time to drive to downtown Chicago from the house where I grew up than it took me to get to my office in Venice beach from my house in Silver Lake everyday.
This anecdote meant he remembered me though. When I left that job to freelance as a Production Assistant in the commercial world, I emailed Ed asking if he could get coffee one day.
To my surprise he agreed. He wanted to meet for breakfast and chose a diner full of people with gray hair who sat in olive green booths separated by clear glass partitions. The early hour, the decor, the simple eggs and breakfast meats with dry toast all predicted the grounded, wise advice I was about to receive.
“Thank you for meeting me, Ed. I want to get into the movie business and I’m hoping you can help me get my foot in the door.” I got right to the point.
“That’s great. I’d be happy to help if I can. What do you want to do?” He replied.
“Well, I’ll do anything to be honest. I just want to get my foot in the door.” I said.
This is a pretty common reply from young, inexperienced people. I wasn’t that young, I had just turned 30. I wasn’t that inexperienced. I was an award winning news producer by this point. However, I was VERY inexperienced in the movie making business.
I hear this “I’ll do anything” statement from my film students. I hear it from the entrepreneurship students I teach regardless of what industry they are trying to build a business in.
“Meagen, the problem is… if you’ll do ‘anything’ I can help you with nothing. If you figure out what you want to do, I can connect you with the right person to help you find a job. There’s a big difference between the camera department and the craft services provider. Producing in reality and doc work—like you come from—is a lot different than producing in the film and scripted television world. Figure out what you want to do first. Being a Production Assistant is a great way to do that. You get to observe and learn all the roles on the set and see where you’re drawn. You can ask questions and figure out the steps to get the job you want. In most departments, including writing, that path is relatively predetermined. Follow the steps, do good work, you’ll get what you want.”
I will admit I was disappointed. I was hoping to score a gig on a film set immediately.
I took Ed’s advice to heart. I freelanced on commercials for the next year in between each reality television show. Every job meant a new crew, a new client, new creative, a new location. I did special effects shoots for gum companies and set hillsides on fire for the armed forces. I did music videos and beer commercials on race tracks and in baseball stadiums. I watched, I learned and I got super clear about what I wanted to do.
I told every single producer I met on reality shows that I wanted to be in their department. I knew everything we saw on unscripted competition and documentary television happened at their direction. I wanted to be part of that.
Soon, one of those producers would call and offer me my first opportunity to be a Segment Producer. It worked.
I have shared Ed’s advice with every single class I have taught in the last six years at Full Sail University. It was golden advice. I’m glad I listened.