Easing in, Moving up

Since that last post, my first "real" movie gig has come and gone. Being the Production Manager on "Benjamin Troubles" was no easy task, but I met some wonderful people, overcame some difficult (and when I step back, interesting) challenges, and earned a solid, reliable Los Angeles credit.

For my first gig, I wasn't expecting to hit upper middle-management. In fact, I had assumed I'd be working as an assistant to somebody before they offered me the PM position.

I've had a lot of opportunity to think about the job-hunter's mantra: "It's not what you know, it's who you know". It's very true, and it's extremely misleading.

I got the PM job through a Brandeis connection, and from there, I got a job Line Producing a short (for "Benjamin Troubles" writer, Lee Ross). On BT, I worked closely with Jonathan Knapp (whose wonderful blog is worth the read) -- Jonathan is now producing a short that I'll direct. While running an errand for BT, I met Ari Davis, with whom I'm now working to produce a feature.

It's all connections. But then, that's where the adage flips upside-down. Once you're hired, it doesn't matter who you know, as long as you're able to do your job well.

If you don't know what you're doing, it's hard to keep work, and it's hard to pass the "references" test. Savvy employers in this town check references pretty closely -- I've already been contacted a couple of times about people who I worked with on "Benjamin Troubles". Reputations seem to spread that way, as people move from project to project.

It adds to the pressure of wanting (or needing) to deliver good, solid, high-performing work. In a way, that's a good thing, but it can be unnerving at times, too, especially when the quality of work from those around you isn't as good as you need it to be in order to do your own best work.

At the end of the day, I've gained a lot of confidence from my first gigs in this town. I may not know very many people yet, but those I've worked with seem to take me seriously (at least, to my face!) It's good to know that all the time I spent learning and not meeting was time well spent.

For more on the new projects I'm working on, check back in every now and again. They have no websites yet. These are the projects:

"Tender"
A short by Elric Kane, written by Lee Ross (Benjamin Troubles). I'm the Line Producer.

"Wayfarers"
A short I'm writing/directing. Jonathan Knapp (Benjamin Troubles) is producing.

"Sex.Sound.Silence"
A feature by Ari Davis, who I met while running an errand for "Benjamin Troubles". I am producing.