SHOWS & FEATURES I HAVE RECENTLY WORKED ON:

Director: “The Nest-independent” (short film)
1st AD: “Conrad ‘pilot'” (TV series)
1st AD: “The Deaf Boy’s Disease” (independent short film)
Audio Assist: “Remy Man” (Commercial for hair products)
Boom-Op: “The Black Dude Lives” (Trailer for a 50s trailer competition)
PA: “In the Paint” (web series)
Camera Utility: “Aubade” (independent short film)

MY LIFE BEFORE THE FIF CRAFT CERTIFICATION PROGRAM:

Before I got into the program I felt like working in the industry was just a dream. I felt very stuck since I didn’t know where to begin looking for work. I have been working in live events for most of my career. I work as a camera op/LED tech on major music tours and I work as a project manager and a/v tech for large corporate events. I enjoy my job and I got into it because while I was in school I was taught video by a guy who was a video director for music tours. When students and graduates were ready he would recommend us to places that had open spots on their crew. I find the work fun and creative and I get to travel a lot which I love so I was very happy with how everything was going.

One day I remember sitting on my sisters couch and I was watching one of the behind the scenes special on a movie and I just got this ache in my chest while watching it like I felt that I was missing something or had given up on what my dream had originally been. So I started to look for some opportunities to work on short films or television and it was really hard for me because I didn’t know where to start looking. I created one documentary on my own with no budget but after that I really didn’t know where to go from there. I knew the industry was probably very much like the one I work in now so it is more about who you know then what you know. I found a couple people who were working on some projects but there just didn’t seem to be any work for someone with no experience. I started to feel very down on myself like I had failed at what I really wanted. Like I had given up but since I didn’t know where to look what was the point.

MY LIFE NOW!

I came across the FIF page and figured I would give COF a try. Towards the middle of it I was starting to wonder how much it was going to cost me and what would I really gain out of it. I didn’t need another program that was just going to tell what a PA does. I needed to find the work! I needed to know where to find the people I could make connections with. I have to admit I was very skeptical at first. As I started the training it was definitely eye opening to see how many people where in the same place I was and even as move forward see the people who have been where I am now and moved on. It is also so great knowing that you can ask questions and get responses from people who have been exactly where you have been before. I do still work in live events a a freelancer but I am filling in more and more around my gigs with film, television and commercial gigs. Some are paid and some are not but I embrace the opportunities as you never know when you will meet your next contact that will lead you to your next gig.😊