It is time for me to finally put on my big girl shoes and step out of my comfort zone of South Florida and step into the shark tank of an industry that is Los Angeles.
So what has taken me so long you ask? Well the honest truth is that I was scared. I have heard of so many stories of bright eye and bushy tailed film school graduates making the big move right out of college only to end up moving back home with their parents 6 months later. I did not want to end up moving back home to Indiana, so instead of following the rest of my film school alumni I opted to stay in Florida and try to build up my resume and to most importantly grow up.
Deciding to stay in Florida was probably the best decision I have ever made. When I graduated college I had a very jaded view of the industry and I honestly had no idea where to begin to find work.  After graduation I pretty much sat in my room dumbfounded on what I should do next. From pressure by my parents to find a job I quickly scrambled to find the first steady thing that I could which was a job at a small talent agency. Now working at a talent agency is a very special experience, and I would only recommend it to people that are seriously interested in talent management who have extremely thick skin. Talent agencies are cut throat, and there are a lot of people under you that are more than willing to fling you in front of a bus to get your job.
After only lasting at the agency for nine months I quit and moved on to something else. At this point I knew I wanted to work in production, however, I didn’t really know how to accomplish that. I decided that working at a small production company would be the best fit for me. I searched for months to find that no one was hiring. Finally as my bank account slowly started to fall into smaller and smaller digits I got a job as a receptionist/office assistant at a small production company. I took the job with hopes of being promoted quickly from after they saw what an amazing person I was. After months of being frustrated by answering phones and ordering office supplies I finally got the chance to prove myself and help out with a commercial shoot.  I was suddenly flung into a whirlwind of productions where I got the chance to coordinate and assist in editing.
Then when this whole economic crisis hit business started to slowly fade. Our company took a little bit of a hit and things were not looking so good for my future there.  I eventually left the company and decided it was time for me to try freelancing. Through networking with people I already knew in the industry I landed the job as a casting associate for “Is She Really Going Out With Him?” on MTV.
After getting my foot in the door I have been fortunate to be a pa on several reality shows that have shot down here in Florida.
Over the years that I have spent here I have certainly grown up from the shy Midwestern girl from Indiana. Now it is time for bigger and better things out on the West Coast!
Check back often to hear about my new experiences in California!
