And As For Now. . .

     I've been doing a lot of thinking in my time off from the internship about where I would like to see myself years from now and my ideals are a little uncertain. I mean, I loved my PA internship, all of the people I worked with and the fantastic perks of PA'ing on Inside Amy Schumer, but I definitely don't want to PA for the long haul after studying film and media for 4 years. I feel I can accomplish much more and aspire to do great things. For now, I see myself finally quitting my aggravating college job at a restaurant and entering the world of PA'ing - And I'm thrilled to be in the mix of production. Through the people I've met, there are a few who truly inspired me to be the best I can be and not settle for less. And these people saw potential in me, and for that, I'm most gracious for. They have been offering me post grad jobs in production, such as 2nd AC'ing on television shoots or other PA gigs, which I'm more than happy to accept. As I meet more people in the industry on jobs like this, I will begin to discover where I want to be years from now, and I do believe I'm on the right track.
     What have I learned about production and being on set? It's pretty interesting to know that a good portion of the people I've worked with from the sound department, to other PA's, don't have an educational background in film or media. They have obtained these jobs through social dynamics or in other words: It's not necessarily about what you know, but about who you know. I have had the production office manager say to me, "listen, all you need to do to be successful in the media industry is to be charming and the rest will follow". Although, this is taken out of context and is naive, he does make an amusing point. When I went on my interview for this internship (after conducting myself awkwardly in other previous interviews), I went in with a refined attitude I did not carry with me on previous interviews and I believe was the key to my hiring. My disposition was simple: You have the experience in order to succeed and you are going to be working for free, so might as well just be 'cool' in the interview and have a good time conversing with them. We shared a few laughs, I told them about my production history and I asked questions. But it should be said that I still had to work extensively to get this internship. And while I know, to get where I want to be won't be easy, at the same time it won't necessarily be hard - it's all about perspective for me. There are much harder things in life: My great grandparents fleeing from a poverty stricken country in the post famine years of Ireland is food for thought; After their true hardships and sacrifices made, for me to be in the position I am now, with considerable opportunity and a whole career ahead of me, I aspire to accomplish great success in the film and media industry and to make my family proud.
     After building up a social network in production over the past year, I've met plenty of dependable people that have already helped me get my feet off the ground. I've seized every opportunity to network and attend events such as the premiere party of Inside Amy Schumer; I made my rounds, said my congrats to Amy for her recent success and being renewed for a 4th season, wrote thank you letters, exchanged numbers and had a great time doing it. That is what is so appealing to me for PA'ing for a little while after graduating - the charismatic atmosphere and work environment.
    With this being said about Inside Amy Schumer being renewed for a 4th season, I would definitely recommend this internship to other QC students. I plan on working for them again when the time comes around. And who knows, maybe I'll be working in the camera department by then. As for now, I will continue to gauge my options as I navigate through the industry, put in the work, further develop my career plans and goals and find my calling.