Agency Life

What Nobody in Film School Tells You About Getting a Job After You Graduate

March 22, 2018 by Amy Suto 2 Comments

Hey there readers, it’s Amy. Before you read this post, I just want to let you know that my outlook on the current state of the industry has changed, and I can’t in good conscience continue to advocate for the assistant path for writers. It’s part COVID, part an inherent sense of classism in the industry. For more, read my new blog post here about my advice for new grads and why I think writers shouldn’t go the assistant path anymore. I’m keeping these posts up just in case you disagree with me and still want to go this path, but I just wanted to be fully transparent and give you the best advice I know how.

-Amy

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There are a lot of Things They Don’t Tell You in film school about getting a job after you graduate — and mostly that’s because your professors and advisors don’t know what the current conditions of the film and television job market are, and what jobs aspiring writers, directors, etc. should actually pursue.

I loved my experience at USC’s screenwriting program because it helped me hone my craft, but what they don’t really tell you is how to get from student to Real Life Working Writer — something my graduating class and I are still figuring out, but we’re far more aware of what the trenches are like now that we’re in them.

Here’s what I wish someone would have told me when I started film school:

1. Who you know is important, but not as important as finding your voice as a creator.

At USC, the constant career refrain is: get an internship! Literally any internship! Network and learn! Every time I meet with a current student, the first thing they ask me about is what internships should they get/how many/paid vs. unpaid.

What they don’t tell you: yes, networking is important, but there’s plenty of time for that in your senior year and beyond, and what’s more important is that you’re devoting as much time as possible to your craft as you can.

Networking won’t help you if you don’t have solid creative work — and awards to show for it, if possible. You will literally never be in an environment like you are now, encouraged to focus only on your writing and filmmaking.

Spend your first three years cultivating your writing, seeking out interesting experiences, and reading as widely as possible. This will make you a better artist and creator, and now’s the time to give it your full attention.

2. Being a Hollywood assistant is like being an apprentice.

You spend four years in film school being groomed for the job you actually want to do: writing, directing, cinematography, etc. When you graduate, it feels natural to expect that you can do just that. However, there’s still a gap and a learning curve pretty much everyone has to go through at some point in the beginning of their careers, even if you’re able to jump straight to the job you want. There are dues everybody has to pay — in one way or another.

What they don’t tell you: especially if you’re a writer looking to break into TV, you HAVE to go the assistant route — at least at first. Nobody tells you the benefits of working as a writers’ assistant, showrunners’ assistant, writers’ PA — and what these jobs are and how to get them (check out my article detailing just that.)

These jobs are not only stepping stones, but they provide actual connections (unlike temporary internships) and knowledge that will help you be better at the job you want to do down the line. Think of yourself as an apprentice instead of an errand runner, soaking in knowledge when you can and constantly working on your own craft on the side. [Read more…]

How to Network Authentically in Hollywood

April 16, 2017 by Amy Suto 2 Comments

-Amy

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If I had to pinpoint what my catchphrase is this time in my career, it would probably be along the lines of “let’s get drinks!” I’ve been enjoying meeting new people at various companies around Hollywood, and it’s been the highlight of my time working at an agency — and I didn’t always see it as such.

I used to see networking as something superficial, vapid: the art of small talk at a mixer, the ability to be the center of attention or to wax poetic about your accomplishments. However, the reality of getting drinks and attending mixers can be a lot different if you approach it with the right perspective.

The real way to network authentically is to see it as a study of people. I’ve met some people with incredible stories on networking drinks, and it’s a great way as a writer to get more inspiration for characters and also to learn about the kinds of people who are in this industry.

Here are some tips for networking authentically:

Keep a grid of who you met, where you met them, where they work, and their contact info. That way, you can keep in touch and foster real connections instead of one-offs that are just people you’ve met once and then just ask for favors.
Don’t double book. I hate double-booking both in practice and philosophy. Sure, double-booking means you always have drinks to go to, but I also think that rescheduling constantly on people is a bad look. Double-booking and constant flakiness and rescheduling is something about this industry I find unpalatable and is something I would change if I could.
Plan your drinks schedule accordingly. I try and only get drinks Tuesday-Thursday. Mondays are for workouts and recovering from the beginning of the week, and Fridays are for plans with friends outside of the industry.
Approach drinks with curiosity. Don’t think about what people can do for you: instead, approach drinks as an opportunity to learn more about other companies, jobs, and — most importantly — to connect with other people facing the same struggles you are. I find it fascinating to see what lead people to want to work in film and television, especially if they’ve had other careers.
Always follow-up and thank them for getting drinks the day after you meet. We’re incredibly busy people, but remember it’s important to thank people for spending the time (and money!) to meet up with you for a drink.

If you can, try and introduce them to someone else you know that could be helpful to them — networking is also about paying it forward and helping others when you can. This is an industry built on favors, and we’re at our best when we’re trying to help others.

Assistant Life: Surviving Vs. Thriving, Strategies to Keep Writing

December 19, 2016 by Amy Suto 3 Comments

-Amy

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I’ve been writing a lot recently about creatives in the industry and posting images of aesthetically pleasing and meticulously organized writing spaces (aka: my therapy) so this blog post is continuing the trend.

At holiday parties this past month, I’ve been meeting other writers who are holding down jobs in the industry, from showrunner’s assistants to writer’s PA’s to researchers. The first question I ask pretty much all of them is how do you do it? How do you be good enough at your day job and somehow retain the energy and time to write outside of our 11+ hour days?

Some are honest: they aren’t able to make it work a lot of the time. Understandably, we’re all human and it’s tough.

[You guys should also check out: a day in the life of an agency assistant working in Hollywood]

However, we work in an industry that doesn’t care about our busy schedules — everyone is busy all of the time, and that’s not an excuse. If we don’t write, if we don’t commit that great idea to the page and then rewrite it until its brilliant, then others will just surpass us and we’ll never be able to escape the assistant life. As one writer who had been staffed on several shows told me, you have to grind and hustle to get your writing to where it needs to be: you can’t escape it, so might as well put in the mind-numbing hard work now.

With that in mind, here are some strategies I’ve put together that seem to work pretty well for myself and other writers out there. [Read more…]