Launch Pad

Inaugural Event Puts Students On Career Trajectory

In a major initiative to facilitate the transition from academia to industry, the School of Cinema-Television has kicked off a new career seminar series, bringing hundreds of soon-to-graduate students and recent alumni face-to-face with leading professionals who shared their experience and insight on entering the entertainment job market.

Filling the massive soundstages at the Zemeckis Center for Digital Arts, the April 29 inaugural “Got Career?” event drew over 200 current and recently graduated students for the half-day seminar. Featuring panels on film distribution, representation, working on television and working below-the-line, the day was squarely centered on helping these women and men choose an appropriate professional path by providing advice, resources and important “how to” information.

“We’re here today to help you move your careers forward,” Dean Elizabeth M. Daley said at the start of the day’s activities, which were organized by the school’s Office of Student-Industry Relations and the Alumni Relations Office. “What has made this school so special is the strong sense of community that comes from being part of the cinematic arts. We want to make sure you know that when you walk across that stage at graduation, you remain a part of this family,” Daley added.

Andrew Marlowe ’92 (Air Force One, End of Days), who served as the seminar co-moderator and chairs the Alumni Development Council, agreed and underscored the value of the series for individuals and the industry alike.

“So much good stuff is going on at the school and the new crop of talent for the industry is coming through these doors,” Marlowe said. “We want to figure out a way to foster that and help strengthen the USC alumni community,” he added.


Screenwriter John August ’94 (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Big Fish), who also served as a co-moderator, recalled that when he was in the Peter Stark Producing Program, he had a difficult time connecting what he was doing as a student with what those in the industry were accomplishing. “This is about those first steps to get you to where you want to go, and what the most important things are that you should be doing,” August said.
 
The notion of how to “break” into the industry was a common theme throughout each of the four panel sessions. Their members offered practical advice on a host of topics, ranging from the impact of reality television on opportunities for scripted series work, to the importance of joining below-the-line unions, to how to secure an agent and how to market your work, to something as basic as being polite and courteous to everyone you meet.

“This was a blast,” senior Kelley Qualls said. “It was so informative, and I’ll definitely be taking advantage of our alumni network.”

“I thought it was really awesome,” offered Kris Hackel ’97. “It gave me a chance to mingle with the new generation and shows that USC is looking after us.”  

The day concluded with group advice from all four panels at the wrap-up session and a lighthearted overview from August. “If we all had MBA’s, we’d know what to do, and there’d be a clear path,” he joked. “But thank God we’re not all MBAs.”

The next “Got Career?” session is being planned for the fall and with the positive response received from the first event Director of Student Industry Relations Bonnie Chi says that smaller single-subject seminars throughout the school year are also in the planning stages. “The idea is to keep a ‘career path’ on the minds of students on a consistent basis while offering assistance along the way,” she explained.

Event Panels and Participants:

“Getting Your Work Seen—The New World of Film Distribution” with Stacey Parks (author, The Insider’s Guide to Film Distribution); Greg Kostello (CEO, vMix.com); and Frank Chindamo (adjunct professor; filmmaker; CEO, Fun Little Movies) 

“Representation” with Aaron Kaplan ’90 (agent, William Morris Agency); David Kramer ’92 (agent, United Talent Agency); and Chris Fenton (manager, H2F).

“Working in TV: Dramas, Sit-Coms, and Non-Scripted” with Tim Doyle ’87 (writer-producer, Roseanne, Sports Night, Jake in Progress); Drew Landis and Julia Swift ’97 (writers, Book of Daniel); and Mike Ireland ’99 (manager of series development, MTV). 

“Working Below-the-Line” with Kim Hamberg (post supervisor/associate producer, My Name is Earl, Ally McBeal) Frank Balkin ’90 (agent, Paradigm) and Chris Chomyn (director of photography, Sea of Dreams, Lockdown).