COD’s Career and Workforce Solutions Center partnered up with Palm Springs Women in Film & Television to host a Careers in Art, Media & Entertainment Panel on April 2, featuring speakers from Hollywood.
The panel gave students a sneak peek into a career in the industry. The panel featured an award-winning, producer, audio specialist and cinematographer. Some notable speakers included “Modern Family” production manager Sally Young and “Mission Impossible” cinematographer Alan Gitlin. Speakers discussed their humble beginnings, industry experiences and advice to more than 70 students and audience members. Attendees were in person and online.
The speakers began by sharing their complex professional backstories and how they entered the industry. Cinematographer and College of the Desert instructor Alan Gitlin shared how he initially got exposed to the film industry in Dallas before going to North Carolina to work as a camera operator. After coming back to Dallas, Gitlin felt secure in his abilities. “I had a sense of what to do and how to do it,” he said. Gitlin reveals his professional journey drove him to teaching because he believes in giving back and sharing by educating.
From low pay to long hours, pursuing a career in Hollywood has its disadvantages. However, television producer, entertainment executive, and College of the Desert instructor, Jeff Hudson, points out the positives by saying, “If you get on the right project, you get on a successful show, you work with the right people, it really becomes like a second life.”
Levi Vincent, from Greater Palm Springs Film Alliance & Film Office, describes the feeling of working on a project as “exciting, fulfilling and rewarding.”
Speakers offered advice from years of experience, long hours and low pay. Sally Young, production manager for”Modern Family,” expressed, “There’s no small jobs, only small people.” She explained this saying by using a personal experience from “Modern Family.” Young revealed to the audience she got hired on “Modern Family” because she accepted a “crappy” job that was half of her salary. She uses this example to support her original saying of “No small jobs, only small people.”
Russ Simon, an audio engineer from “Entertainment Tonight,” emphasized the key to a successful career in the industry, “You have to be on time, dependable, have a good attitude.”
COD’s Associate Professor of Media Production Laurilie Jackson also attended the panel and participated in sharing her story with students. Jackson is the vice president of Palm Springs Women in Film and Television and also fills in anchoring at KESQ News Channel 3.
The panel gave students a chance to learn about pursuing a career in the industry from professionals. Students were able to connect and ask questions to further their knowledge about the industry. The panelists stayed behind to meet students and answer questions.
