Sitting on a bench on the Santa Monica Pier, I looked around and smiled, never thinking that three years ago I would have ended up in Los Angeles with 12 friends touring the industry I never dreamed I’d be in the middle of.
Sometimes it’s fun to look around you and see how far you’ve come, especially when you end up across the country together.
As a film major, I always had mixed feelings about Los Angeles, California. It seemed to be the hub for YouTubers and influencers while also being a place of rich cinematic history. Thousands of filmmakers and films came from LA.Los Angeles is the cultural birthplace of some of my favorite guilty pleasures such as the comedy rap “The Lonely Island,” the raunchy yet sentimental movies of Judd Apatow, and the classic summer sound of The Beach Boys all had a huge influence on my growing up, and still do to this day.
Though recently, I’ve heard that the industry in LA is in a state of flux. Taking advantage of tax incentives and cheaper production costs, many productions have moved to Georgia, New York, and New Jersey. This has left LA with a lower fraction of movies and shows being filmed there than ever before. Even with many productions leaving LA, it is still the center for studios, post-production houses, and agencies, many of which my fellow Stags and I had the opportunity to visit over spring break.
When the opportunity arose to spend my spring break in LA, I was excited. But with the hustle and bustle of the busy spring semester, the reality of the trip hadn’t registered with me even as we were boarding the plane. Led by Fairfield University Director of Career Engagement Kim Nickolenko and Film, Television, and Media Arts Director and LA native Patrick Brooks, Stags majoring in Film and Communications were able to experience the LA industry hub in person. We got to visit big-name studios, post-production houses, and talent agencies, all of which Fairfield Alumni currently work at.
Being able to speak directly with experienced professionals who were once in my shoes was not only an honor but a valuable learning experience that I couldn’t have found in the classroom.
After taking in four days of hearing from professionals on their career experiences, there are three impactful media career and industry insights I gained while in LA.
- Play the cards you are dealt. This really struck me because recently I was presented with an opportunity and thought, “What if a greater opportunity arises”? This advice helped me realize I should take advantage of the opportunity in front of me and not think too highly of myself. Everyone in the media industry starts somewhere, and if you find yourself with an opportunity to start, you should take it.
- Junior Grace Danielewics said “It was really insightful to learn about all of the different job opportunities that are out in Los Angeles. We got to connect with people in roles spanning from production safety to editing. It shows me just how many different positions are out there!”
Senior Ryan Morgenstern reflected on his experience. “While it’s great to have a sense of direction in mind, it’s equally important to stay open enough to take unexpected opportunities that may lead you somewhere even better suited for you”.
- The resources to succeed are within reach. The media industry will always be unpredictable, things will always change, and nothing is promised, but the resources to succeed are within reach. Talking to LA media professionals taught me the importance of people and proactivity. Everyone you meet is important, whether they are in media, journalism, communications, or even business and legal fields. But for college students the most important people are right next to you.
On the final day of this trip, I found myself sitting at dinner with 12 people I learned more about in four days than I did in the last three years I knew them. In four days, I not only got to know these people more, but also got to know what their goals are.
“It was so inspiring to learn about the ambitious dreams my classmates have for their careers, and to see how hard they are working now to achieve them,” said Senior sociology and Communications double major Valerie Geslak, recounting her time on the trip. We all have a “class,” not only when we are in school, but when we take the next step and enter the industry or move to a city to take a chance.
No one is alone, and chances are you know someone who will take the same leap into the unknown. Everyone wants to get to the top, but everyone starts at the bottom. Networking in the media industry can help us get there together.
Thank you to the Meditz staff for organizing this immersive experience in the media industry of Los Angeles, CA, especially Dean Richard Greenwald, Patrick Brooks, and Kim Nickolenko. If the Stags in LA trip shows up in your email a year from now, I recommend spending your spring break under the west coast sun.