Is it Worth It? by WM

Well the semester is almost over and even though it seems like so much was accomplished I feel like there is still so much to do. Both internships have been an amazing experience and I can honestly say I somewhat understand what a life in entertainment is like. There is nobody more passionate about their job than those who have a career in entertainment. At first it seemed like all the actors out here were going to suffocate you but once you find the right group of people, this place is fun to be. LA life is kinda hard to explain because while everything is constantly flowing and projects are going at such a fast pace, it still seems like LA is full of laid back cool people. Overall this can’t be compared to a semester or even four years of college because what and how you learn out here is completely different from what you are taught in school. The best advice to give is to be organezized, very social, and write a review on every script or film you ever see. It all starts with a script and without that perfect script nothing else is possible. Of course this program was worth it. Nothing else could prepare you better for a career in entertainment, A class can only teach you so much about film, but it very rarely if ever teaches you how to have a career in film.

L.A. - Was is worth it?

Most simply put, the answer to this question is H*** Yeah! When I arrived in L.A. I was pretty confident that I had a good handle on who I was and what I was doing. I soon realized however that every experience is different and that the trick is to learn everything you can. At times this experience has been difficult, but no matter what the future holds the lessons learned here will stay with me forever.

I would strongly recommend this program to anyone who is looking for a career in the real world, whether it has to do with the entertainment industry or not. This program teaches you skills that are invaluable in any job in any city. I would not trade this experience for the world.

Jeffrey Whitlock

Is It Worth It?

So we only have about a week left here in Los Angeles. And now the question laying on all of our minds is, "Is it worth it?"

So was The Ladder Program worth it? I'd answer with a definite "yes."

A lot of the time we are bogged down so much with work for the program, staying late at our internships, and work for those internships that goes into off-hours, that we can get pretty frustrated and ready to be done with this. Nonetheless, I have learned more than I have in my life.

Going back to school and into the film program, I have so much to apply and feel 100% ahead of the game than most people. I've still got two and a half years left until I graduate, but that means that I have all that time to continue to build and nurture the network that I have already begun to establish.

The amount of money and time that this program takes is well worth the experience. It definitely opened up my mind to new opportunities that the industry offered. There was more than one time where I was second guessing where I want to be and ultimately end up in the entertainment industry. After it's all said and done though, I've solidified in stone that what I wanted to do in the beginning is still what I want to do now- of course, that can still change.

But along the way I have learned countless lessons that will ground me and give me a level head going into the crazy world of film and television. What I have learned will help me along the way tremendously. It was well worth it.

-Jake Castiglioni

Half Way Point by WM

So far my time here has been very productive. I haven’t been bored since I came to L.A. and the most difficult thing has been to try and organize everything I’m learning so that I don’t forget it by the next day. What I expect to get out of the second half of this internship is a structured plan for the beginning of my career when I graduate college. I hope to make sure my connections are reliable in a year from now. I also hope to complete a short film that is in the process of being made. If I can do all these things then my time here will have been well spent.

Half Way There

Wow! I can't believe that already half of all of this is done. There are so many things that I have learned so far- both for the entertainment industry and for life.

First off, don't bite off more than you can chew... ever. It's not fun. I had the advantage of living here before this program started, but that also left me with a lot of obligations and activities to do since I didn't really 'move away.' I've definitely learned that going 5 days a week with only 3 hours of sleep every night, 12+ hour work days, and other obligations isn't something that should be done.

On a more fun note, the internships have been awesome. I am finally breaking waves at Spyglass and am really starting to enjoy it. Today we find out is SCC is going to be canceled or not (cross your fingers!) There are still some things that I hope to do though.

I want to try a day or two in the art department at SCC. What they create is absolutely amazing and I am in awe of everything that I see on the stages and even on location. What they can think of and what the construction crew can cook up is beyond spectacular.

At Spyglass, I am just hoping that I can continue to build strong contacts that will last outside of the internship when I leave. So far, it's looking good.

That's all I got for yall!

-Jake

What the Industry looks like in motion by WM

The entertainment industry is a very strange place because many people will tell you being on a set is extremely boring and you’ll end up standing around for most of the time. This is true but at the same time these people are working very fast and hard, and at the end of the day an enormous amount of material is produced. When you look at everything produced you realize they are starting from scratch and creating an entire world for the camera. The background, foreground, props, walls, costumes, makeup, and characters have all been finely tuned to represent a greater whole. This is a big achievement. So when someone tells you that all everyone does is stand around on set, its better to think of it as a stop and then sprint kind of job. You may be standing for a short period waiting for another crew to make their contribution, but then it’s your turn and you’re sprinting again.

A Look From The Inside

Now that I have been on the "inside" of Hollwood for almost seven weeks now, my ideas on what the industry is and what makes it tick is a little more defined. There is much more business going on than I thought. Everything that happens, happens according to a business decision. Nothing is just "done." I've also come to understand that the business is very, very, VERY dynamic. There is not just one way to do something. There are so many issues that come to mind when someone needs to solve a problem, hire an individual, or choose a project to work on. There are an infinite number of ways one can climb the ladder to success out here.

-Jake Castiglioni