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"Industry Spotlight" is our newsletter series where we interview professionals from across the entertainment industry about their current jobs and career trajectories. Our hope is that you will learn more about the positions you're already interested in, discover new roles you may not have considered, and utilize the wisdom of those who've paved the way before you to forge your own path for success.
This month, we sat down with Tiffanie Young Lofton, founder of college exit program Young in the Arts and SVP of Production at nonscripted production company Rock Shrimp Productions. HOLLYWOOD RESUMES: In one sentence, how would you define what a production executive does? TIFFANIE: I keep the production moving by negotiating, solving problems, and making smart decisions. HR: What is your day-to-day like? TIFFANIE: It's a lot of strategizing, be it budgets, logistics, schedules, legal, etc. Every day I'm planning, executing, and multitasking. Usually, I'm in production meetings while also emailing, budgeting, approving payroll, making deals, and more. HR: What was your first job in Hollywood? TIFFANIE: Budget coordinator for Lifetime Television. HR: What are some of the skills someone would need to succeed in your position? TIFFANIE: You must be detail-oriented, a quick thinker, a strong negotiator, and you absolutely have to listen. Listen to what's being spoken, but more importantly, listen to what's not being said. HR: If you don't like ______________, you won't like my job. TIFFANIE: Compromising. In production, you can't say no even when the real answer is no. It's a constant negotiation, which equals compromise. You will not always get your way and you have to accept that. HR: What's something you do in your job that an outsider wouldn't expect -- and maybe you didn't before you started! TIFFANIE: Memory. It amazes me how much my company and my team relies on my memory. I have entire budgets and cost trackers in my head (multiple at that) and I have to be ready to make money decisions on the fly. I also have to remember names, rates, hirings, firings, negotiations, contracts, vendors, schedules, etc. for current and past shows. Sure, I can say "I don't know" if I don't remember something and I've had to do that more with age, but production moves faster when I remember details. It's an asset I didn't know I needed, but I'm very glad I have. HR: What's a mistake you made early on in your career? TIFFANIE: I got emotional on my first TV job and let people's words get to me. When I reacted, they used it against me. But what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. I quickly learned to leave my emotions at the door and keep it all about business at work. I'm human, though -- so do my emotions still creep in sometimes? Yes, but I know how to manage it and use it to produce an effective outcome. HR: If you could give one piece of advice for someone trying to break in/move up in the industry, what would it be? TIFFANIE: Know how you're going to exit the business before you even enter it. Why? Two reasons: 1. How do you attain your dream if you don't know what it is? Know what you want and strategize how to get it. And note that your dream isn't the first step. Your dream is the end game. Dream big! 2. The entertainment business is competitive. You will face rejection and you will want to quit. But if you decide now what your exit is and commit to it, you won't quit until you get there. HR: Tell us about Young in the Arts. Who is the program for and what do you hope to achieve with it? TIFFANIE: Young In The Arts grew out of my passion for mentoring. It is an exit program for college juniors and seniors seeking to enter the tv/film industry. We meet virtually twice a month for a total of 8 sessions where I guide the students in Career Planning, Financial Planning, Resume Building/Networking, and Entry Level Training. My tagline is "Guiding the Next Generation of Creative Minds." I've seen too many young people start in this industry and then quit because they felt lost. My goal is to give them real-life tips and tricks to keep going and succeed. HR: What are some of the challenges you see facing recent grads trying to break in to the industry? TIFFANIE: COVID definitely made it harder to break in. Why would someone hire a new person with no experience when so many experienced people were unemployed? During COVID, people who were rarely ever free were suddenly available for booking. But, thankfully, things are better now. Hollywood has figured out how to shoot during COVID so experienced people are back to being booked and opportunities are becoming available again for newbies. Now more than ever, it's important to make those connections and make sure someone in the business knows your name. HR: You're an expert on budgets from your production management work. Do you have any budgeting tips for job seekers or freelancers trying to make ends meet during hiatus? TIFFANIE: Flexibility. You must have an adjustable budget, one you spend when things are great and one you spend when things are hard. And, go easy on yourself. In Hollywood, our success depends on creativity and creativity is stifled by stress. If you can't be creative, you can't make money, so adjust your budget, relax, and let the creative juices flow. HR: Thanks, Tiffanie!
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"Industry Spotlight" is our newsletter series where we interview professionals from across the entertainment industry about their current jobs and career trajectories. Our hope is that you will learn more about the positions you're already interested in, discover new roles you may not have considered, and utilize the wisdom of those who've paved the way before you to forge your own path for success.
This month, we sat down with PGA member and EVOLVE mentor Jen Sall, who has produced features, web series, branded content, and more. Her recent film Me.N.A. is currently available on Hulu, and she was recently 1 of 8 participants selected to the Australian International Screen Forum's 2020 Women in Screen Workshop. HOLLYWOOD RESUMES: As a scripted content producer, what is your day-to-day like? JEN: No two days are the same, and it depends on the type of production. But some of the main things my job entails are: development (writing scripts, editing treatments, pitching, setting up meetings, deal memos, securing cast); budgeting (prepping for shooting and post, figuring out budgets for international shoots); production partnerships (creating agreements with co-creators, rights sharing, option agreements, and development deals); hiring crew (finding the best people to collaborate with while staying within the resources of each project budget); production (location scouting, managing resources, promotional partners, in-kind services, and talent); post-production (negotiating with post houses, getting rates and schedules, managing data and workflow); and distribution (PR, publicity, festivals). HR: What are some of the main skills someone would need to succeed in your role? JEN: Organization -- you have to keep track of many moving parts and make sure each department head is staying within budget and doing their job. You're steering the ship. You also need to be flexible, a problem solver, and resourceful -- expect that even with the best laid plans, changes will happen (the day is cloudy, there's an alarm going off for an hour and you can't find the owner to shut it off...and so on). You also have to be a team player. On smaller productions, I've taken care of scouting, casting, pickups, carrying equipment -- whatever help is needed! No job is too small if it means keeping on schedule. It's important to be proactive and think ahead. For instance, if the sun is setting, and you only have the location for one day, you can't wait until there's no light to make a plan. And have a thick skin and positive attitude! The producer is the person everyone seeks out when there is a problem, and you're not helping yourself or the project if you take things personally. Of course, creativity helps with all of the above and then some. HR: What was your first job in Hollywood? JEN: My very first job was in PR at Rogers and Cowan, and one of my earliest production jobs was as an office PA and then coordinator on a Beats commercial produced by Ridley Scott. My main transition into production was by producing a short for FunnyOrDie.com called "Cafe Attitude." To make that happen, I hustled, asked for A LOT of favors, created the concept, worked with a writer on the script, and then produced. The short was featured on over 30 outlets from HuffPo to the LA Times! It gave me something to show people and talk about. HR: If you don't like ______________, you won't like my job. JEN: Going with the flow and rolling with last minute changes. HR: What's something you do in your job that an outsider wouldn't expect -- and maybe you didn't before you started! JEN: You can't shoot wherever you want in LA. There's a permit process -- you have to apply, which takes days to process, and that makes shooting very challenging when it comes to last minute decisions or changes. HR: What's a mistake you made early on in your career? JEN: Taking things too seriously and personally. You'll hear your fair share of "No" or "Pass" when you're developing content or looking for financing. HR: If you could give one piece of advice for someone trying to break in/move up in the industry, what would it be? JEN: Be flexible, be positive, be kind to everyone. I don't forget that and have gone on to hire or refer people who were respectful to me back when I was a PA. HR: Thanks, Jen! "Industry Spotlight" is our series where we interview professionals from across the entertainment industry about their current jobs and career trajectories. Our hope is that you will learn more about the positions you're already interested in, discover new roles you may not have considered, and utilize the wisdom of those who've paved the way before you to forge your own path for success.
This month, we sat down with Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Sarah Moshman, whose credits include feature docs The Empowerment Project: Ordinary Women Doing Extraordinary Things, Losing Sight of Shore, and Nevertheless. She has also field produced 10 seasons of Dancing with the Stars as well as multiple series for NBC, MTV, Lifetime, Bravo, and Food Network, and directed branded content for clients like Mattel, Tastemade, and AT&T. Her book Empowered Filmmaking: How to Make a Documentary On Your Own Terms is available now on Amazon. HOLLYWOOD RESUMES: What is the role of a documentary film producer? SARAH: Being a documentary filmmaker means that you wear many hats. It’s a lot like being an entrepreneur, and in some ways they are one and the same. Especially for independent film projects, you are coming up with an idea, researching and developing that idea, and fundraising to make sure you have the money to make the film. You are in production for days, months, or years depending on the scope of the project; you see the film through the edit, and then you find the best avenue for distribution and marketing based on who your audience is and what your goals are. Each project can span years of your life, so you have to make sure it’s worth it to you to see it through to the end! HR: How would you describe your day-to-day tasks throughout the lifecycle of your projects? SARAH: My day-to-day depends on what phase of the project I’m in and whether I’m working from home, out traveling and shooting, or screening a film. In pre-production, I might be doing pre-interviews with potential interview subjects over the phone or on Zoom, researching a topic or concept, creating a treatment, working on a budget, applying for grants, crowdfunding, giving notes on a sizzle reel, building a website or social media page for the project...so many things! Production means I’m traveling, renting equipment, on set with a small crew interviewing someone, capturing b-roll, and typically finding myself in quite humbling or extraordinary scenarios where I feel lucky to be invited into that space. Then, in post-production, I am sitting with my editor working on a cut of the film, or I’m giving notes, highlighting transcripts, thinking about the big picture of the film and what I want it to be, watching other films to get inspired or get out of a creative rut, running a test screening, pitching the film for more fundraising, seeking out distributors, designing a discussion guide to go with the film, and on and on. In distribution, I am talking with potential partners and sponsors to find innovative ways to get the film out in the world. I might be planning a screening tour, traveling to a screening, taking part in a panel, keynote, or Q&A about the film, doing interviews for press, and finally seeing the impact and revenue for all of my hard work! I really value each phase of the project, and I love how many hats I get to wear throughout. HR: What do you like most about your job? SARAH: I love how many different roles I get to take on when creating a documentary. I like that I get to use different parts of my brain to solve problems and be organized, but also to be an artist who creates the perfect shot, chooses what lens to use, and pieces it all together in edit, which is this enormous puzzle to put together, until one day, it fits. I also love all the incredible people I get to share space with and all the amazing places I get to travel to, all because I know how to use the camera and have films to share with the world. No two days are the same. I am constantly challenged, and I have learned so much about my own resilience and perseverance through creating my own opportunities. HR: What are the skills someone would need to succeed in your position? SARAH: As a documentary filmmaker, you need to be flexible, open to learning new skills (since you can’t always hire someone to help you), curious about the subject matter you are focusing on, and you need to have almost an unhealthy amount of belief in yourself that this will all work out and you will find a way to finish the film! You need to be organized, hard-working, a good multi-tasker, creative, empathetic and resilient. HR: What’s something you do in your job that an outsider wouldn’t expect (and maybe you didn’t previously!) SARAH: A LOT of what I do is fundraising, and I never knew I would have to spend so much time finding ways to raise money for projects. That’s something I was never taught in school! I also have developed quite a working knowledge for legal documents and know what to look out for in contracts throughout the life cycle of a film. Working with a lawyer is something I didn’t know would be such a big part of my job as well. HR: You've worked on feature documentaries, hit reality shows, and branded content. Did you set out to work in so many areas, or did your career trajectory surprise you? SARAH: I came out of film school wanting to direct and make films, but reality sets in pretty quickly that you have to pay bills, and no one is looking for a director fresh out of college, so you have to find your way. I am proud of the path I’ve taken and listened to my instincts in my 12 years in film and TV, which has served me well. I started in reality TV for about 5 years, learned a ton, but wanted to get back into filmmaking and creating my own work. I pivoted to documentaries and have been able to work in this field, as well as direct branded and docu-style content, teach and do speaking engagements, and now I’m an author too. But to me, it all tags back to the same core goal, which is to be a storyteller, to empower women with the work that I put out in the world, and to help other filmmakers along the way. HR: How is producing a documentary different from or similar to producing reality TV content? SARAH: I would say the pace in which you create the work is the biggest difference. Producing reality TV has to be efficient, and there are many deadlines and parameters to meet whether it’s for time, for story, or for budget. In documentaries, there are deadlines and parameters, but it takes much longer to create; it has to breathe, it can’t be forced, and the content evolves over time. There is a lot more room for creative expression, and you can take a lot more ownership over what you are putting out in the world. I have appreciated my time doing both, but making films is a bit more my speed. HR: You recently wrote the book Empowered Filmmaking: How to Make a Documentary on Your Own Terms. Tell us more about the book -- what inspired you to write it, and what are the key takeaways you hope readers will find? SARAH: I have been wanting to write this book for about four years, and after working with a literary agent and pitching to publishers with no success, 2020 happened: A global pandemic, and I’m pregnant with my second child, so I decided to write the book on my own and self-publish. It has been a wonderful creative outlet in a year that has stripped a lot of creativity from us, especially in the film industry. I have spent the last 7-8 years making three feature-length documentaries (The Empowerment Project, Losing Sight of Shore, and Nevertheless) and learning so much about how to get a project off the ground, how to distribute films in a grassroots way, and so much more. I want to share what I’ve learned to hopefully help inspire other filmmakers to get out there and tell the stories that matter to them. I hope the key takeaway of the book is that this is all doable, and you don’t need anyone’s permission to get started making the project you’ve always wanted to make. I take the reader step-by-step through my journey to make my films and it’s all in a very accessible and empowering tone. HR: Empowerment is a key theme of your work. We've found that many job seekers -- especially now -- are feeling less than empowered when it comes to their careers. What advice do you have for people who may be struggling? SARAH: Focus on the gifts and strengths you bring to the world. Don’t try to be someone you’re not or compare yourself to others. You decide what success means for your life and for your projects, and the sooner you can embrace that, the sooner you will feel empowered and not caught up in other peoples’ expectations or definitions of success. We all have to get by and pay bills, so of course there will be times when you don’t love your job or you have to pick up work for the money, but if you also have a project you care deeply about that you’re working on in the background or when you can, it will make you feel more creatively fulfilled. And if it takes off, great! HR: What was your first job in Hollywood? SARAH: When I first moved out to Los Angeles, I worked as a Story Assistant and eventually Field Producer on the hit ABC show Dancing with the Stars for 10 seasons. I was really operating as a one-woman band most days, shooting and interviewing the celebrity/dancer couples as they rehearsed every day in preparation for the live show. I worked with hundreds of celebrities, athletes, musicians, Olympians, and more -- it was a wild time in life! My very first day of work on the show was in 2008. I was 21 years old and fresh to LA, fresh to the TV business, and my first shoot was with the entire Kardashian family, because Kim was a celebrity on the show that season. I remember being so nervous -- impostor syndrome almost overtook me. But I got through it that day and the days that followed, and had so many great experiences working on that show. And Kim was lovely. HR: What's a mistake you made early on in your career? SARAH: I would say comparing myself to others was a mistake early on, because each of us is truly on a different path in life based on our past experiences, our strengths, our talents, and our definitions of success. I now feel like I’m truly on my own path, putting work into the world I’m so proud of, but also doing it on my own terms. I try not to spend much time being envious of others. I’d rather cheer them on. HR: Do you have any advice for filmmakers who are grappling with the uncertainty/instability of a freelance career? How did you build a successful freelance career? SARAH: The more you can diversify your portfolio of projects and skills, the more hirable you are. My streams of income and revenue come from multiple places -- from film projects, directing jobs, teaching, speaking engagements and more. I’m never tied to only one job or source, which has worked well for me, even in 2020 when there’s a pandemic and so much of the work that I do wasn’t possible this year. Consider: What is a job you can take on that’s short term, so you can fill in the blanks to pay bills? Work that you can pick up here and there is tremendously helpful while your bigger projects and dreams take time to cultivate. There are so many ups and downs in the freelance world, so for sure saving money is a huge part of making it work. Some months will be so busy, and other months you will worry about how you’re going to get by, so being smart with your finances and saving money as much as you can (while still living!) is ideal for a freelancer. HR: If you could give one piece of advice to someone trying to break in/move up in the industry, what would it be? SARAH: Be confident in what your goals are, and make them clear to those around you. If you are working in reality TV, and all you want to do is be in the scripted world, that won’t happen by accident. You have to place yourself in the world in which you want to work, even if it means taking a lesser title or step back professionally. If you stay in the reality TV world, the jobs you will continue to get will be in that same realm. Make it as easy as possible for people to help you advance to where you want to be, and be kind. So much of this business is not based on your resume, but based on you being a fun, easy person to work with that’s reliable and hard-working. Be a kind human, be clear about your goals, and don’t give up. If that role isn’t coming to you, create your own opportunity so people can start to see you the way you want to be seen. HR: Thanks, Sarah! For more advice, check out Empowered Filmmaking: How to Make a Documentary on Your Own Terms. "Industry Spotlight" is our newsletter series where we interview professionals from across the entertainment industry about their current jobs and career trajectories. Our hope is that you will learn more about the positions you're already interested in, discover new roles you may not have considered, and utilize the wisdom of those who've paved the way before you to forge your own path for success.
This month, we sat down with Amy Thurlow, who has worked as a writers' assistant and script coordinator on SLEEPY HOLLOW (Fox), KRYPTON (Syfy), AMERICANAH (HBO Max), and is currently working on TWO SENTENCE HORROR STORY (CW). HOLLYWOOD RESUMES: Tell us about the role of a writers' assistant. AMY: A writers’ assistant is responsible for taking notes while the writers break story, and then organizing the notes, so everyone knows what the room discussed that day. They create a record of the work that’s being done and track what ideas the writers "land" on and help create a blueprint of what the room discussed for the writers to reference as they go to script. When I’m a writers’ assistant, my day-to-day is nonstop note taking and keeping up with the story breaking conversation. The writers’ assistant job is an art form, because you have to really understand story to keep up and make sense of everything when you organize the notes. You also have to pay attention 100% of the time, which seems easy, but oftentimes the writers themselves aren’t this focused. At the end of the day, I organize the notes and send them out to the writers. HR: Tell us about the role of a script coordinator. AMY: The script coordinator is the keeper of the script. They make sure that everything is proofed and formatted correctly for production and that it gets to the right people at the right time. They keep track of all the files for the show and versions of the scripts and are a walking reference guide for the show. As a script coordinator, every day is a little different, depending on the show’s needs. If I get a script, I’m uber focused on proofing/formatting and generally making sure everything makes sense for several hours, then I’m asking clarifying questions to the showrunner to ensure that we’re on the same page, and eventually distributing the script to the departments that need it. Script coordinating is a hard job to describe, because there are so many layers in between each step. For example, you might need to alert a department head of script changes or flag overall mythology inconsistencies. It really changes from show to show. Script coordinators are also responsible for important WGA paperwork and sometimes even writer contracts. HR: What are the skills someone would need to succeed in your position? AMY: A good attitude. No one wants to be around someone who thinks they’re better than getting coffee. Everyone has to start somewhere and chip in. TV writing is a lot of teamwork. It’s about supporting the process no matter what level you’re at. HR: What do you like most about your job? AMY: I love TV writing, and I love being around the process. Whether I’m in the room while we’re breaking story, or I’m prepping a draft, I love seeing what decisions are being made about story. If you live and breathe story and character and love being part of a creative team, you don’t mind the other parts of the job that are less fun. HR: If you don't like _______________, you won't like my job. AMY: Being flexible! Assistants and script coordinators need to be flexible. You might have to take your laptop with you to the movies or a friend’s birthday. Things are constantly changing, so you need to be able to roll with the punches. HR: What's something you do in your job that an outsider wouldn't expect (and maybe you didn't before you took the job)? AMY: How much goes into to TV writing. I don’t think I ever realized the extent to which stories are discussed before I saw it in action. HR: What's the key to finding time to write when you're working as support staff in a room? AMY: This is a huge challenge, since shows are so engrossing. I struggle with time management, and a thing that’s really helped me is scheduling everything, including my writing sessions. Recently, I joined an online productivity program called CaveDay that really helps me unplug and focus. HR: How did you get your current job? AMY: I got the job on CW's TWO SENTENCE HORROR STORY through a mentor and friend I worked with on KRYPTON. HR: What was your first job in Hollywood? AMY: I worked at a 2D to 3D conversion company as a Stereoscopic PA/Coordinator for two years while I was trying to get hired in TV. HR: What's a mistake you made early on in your career? AMY: When I was a writers’ PA, there were writers that wanted to help me, but I had just started writing TV. I was really nervous about sending them my pilot, so instead I wasted a bunch of time paying for evaluations to tell me if I was ready. But writing is subjective, and they didn’t really give me an answer. Most show relationships fade after the show ends. I wish I’d trusted myself and my work more. HR: Tell us about the #PayUpHollywood movement and why it's particularly important for people in your role. AMY: TV is a changing landscape. It used to be you got a job as a WA or SC and you spent maybe a season or two doing it before proving you were ready to staff. The staff writer role used to be more of an apprenticeship. Now, what we’re seeing is that staffs are smaller, so staff writers are expected to operate at a much, much higher level. There are a lot more shows than ever before (which is great!), but they also have fewer episode orders. The WGA mandates freelance episodes be given out on shows with 20 episodes (or the show pays a penalty). Those freelance episodes regularly went to support staff as a way to prove their ability to write for the show and eventually get promoted to staff. They also supplemented the poor wages. Freelance assignments are still given out by generous showrunners, but there are a lot fewer of them available with shorter episode orders. Along with fewer freelance opportunities, the vast majority of shows don’t make it more than one or two seasons. Miniseries are bigger than ever. The progression generally used to be put in 1 season as WA or SC, write a freelance in season 2 and staff in season 3. That progression has become pretty rare. So even though there are more writer jobs than ever before, the ability to move up the ranks as a WA or SC is harder, and people are stuck in support staff roles for a lot longer. It may be feasible for someone to suck it up and defer their student loans for a year or two, but the financial burden compounds when people are in these roles for 5 years or more. Since the 2008 crisis, there’s been a steady crack down on how much these roles pay, and just as cost of living sharply increased in LA, studios were pushing to pay less and less. With COVID, they're trying to tighten their belts even more, which ultimately results in actual wage theft. Studios often try to pay these jobs as part-time roles, even though they’re full-time jobs. A show recently tried to pay their script coordinator for only 3 days per month. Aside from this being in violation of our union contract, there’s no version of that job that can be done in so few hours. Likewise, we’re seeing the cutting of overtime from a 60/hr week to a 40 or 50/hr week. But we don’t operate 9-5 -- we have to be available 24/7, so cutting the overtime means that we’re available off the clock for the show. When you work on a show, you can’t work a second job, so ultimately, only people who can afford to be paid less than base cost of living can afford to work. This is exacerbated by the fact that this is all freelance. Even on the most successful shows, there are typically 6-10 weeks of hiatus per year where you’re not paid (including the two weeks at Christmas where you don’t get paid). Other freelance positions that have comparable duties like Assistant Editors and Script Supervisors make about 3-4 times as much as we do. They’ve been unionized a lot longer, but even so, the difference is staggering. Studios often try to act like our jobs are a luxury to the writers, but the reality is that our jobs are crucial. Why would a studio pay a room of writers upwards of $100k per episode if there’s no one taking notes on what they’re saying? My twitter thread tried to highlight how much money and responsibility rests on the script coordinator’s shoulders considering how little they make. On top of it all, the pay rate is exclusionary, and unfortunately, BIPOC are excluded at a higher rate from these jobs. The #PayUpHollywood movement is about changing representation from the ground up. HR: If you could give one piece of advice to someone trying to break in/move up in the industry, what would it be? AMY: Really evaluate why you want to be in this area of the industry. At the end of the day, you have to really love it, and if you don’t, you’ll be unhappy. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve met that think "TV writing pays a lot and is fun/easy." It’s not really that simple. Yes, the schedule of minimums on the WGA site looks high, but it’s not like being a doctor, where you put time in at med school and then make a steady amount of money for the rest of your life. You may put in 5-10 years as an assistant, going into debt, then be staffed for only one season. The same things that make it difficult for assistants to move up in rank are also making it harder for writers to move up in rank. It’s a lot of instability to deal with even if you really love the work. I also see a lot of people who are introverts who want to be TV writers. If that’s you, then you might want to reconsider. The job is literally being in a room talking all day with people. If you’re a writer who likes to be out on script, then maybe features or novels are a better fit. HR: Thanks, Amy! |
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