How do I get a job in NYC? LA? ATL?

If you look several posts back, you'll find advice from me concerning saving money, taking risks, look for side jobs, establish yourself with a professional attitude, try a finding a gig where you can meet people, try finding work at an equipment rental house, etc. However, I'm old (almost 40), and what does all that mean to someone young? Do the techniques I used to find a job in this business still work? Who would know? Why, The Rebellion would know.

Expect articles from people in LA like Adam Speas, Megan Mitchell, Jared Bargiel, and Kate Nichols to name a few. I'm certain Rachel Kohl, "Rocky", and "Maverick" will give us information on NYC, while "The Claw", "Wes-town", "Blade", and Stu Fleisher will give us help on the ATL scene.

Check back often as I know they will post often.

Long Live The Rebellion!!!

New York and Las Vegas

Hello, Rebellion!

Well, the decision has been made, it's NYC in October 2009!  We'll go for the FMC Post Production Conference and for folks to line up internship/job possibilities, meet some alumni, tour facilities, and possibly work on some shows.

The next two meetings will be:

Monday, March 23rd at 6PM in Club 136 (formerly known as Room 136), and Tuesday, March 24th at 6PM in Club 136.

We'll discuss the conference, how much money you'll need, where we'll be staying, how we'll get there (NO AMTRAK THIS YEAR!  It was fun, but they messed with Sam Veal...NO ONE messes with Sam Veal...or anyone in The Rebellion for that matter), and events we'll try to attend.  On a sad note, one of our biggest advocates, Dan Lurman, is no longer with FMC.  He's missed.

So...Biddle...Vegas?  Yes, I have to go for Avid and Apple events from April 20th - April 23rd.  If you're interested in going (you have to pay and such), let me know.  The showroom floor is CRAZY!!!

Long Live The Rebellion

NYC or LA....I mean...Pasadena?

Coming in February, expect a meeting about the now famous New York Trip! WOOHOOO!!!!  Of course, many people have asked about going to Los Angeles instead.  Well...

The FMC Post Production Conference is the primary reason The Rebellion roughs it to NYC.  It's a romping good time!  The LA version is DV EXPO (glorious, glorious DV EXPO!!!!)..however, it seems DV Expo is moving...to Pasadena.  Wow...neat...sorta.

Expect a meeting very soon about whether we're headed to NYC or LA in 2009.  To keep up on DV Expo, here's the link:

www.dvexpo.com

Long Live The Rebellion!!!

"Yo, put us on camera cause my friends and I are funny"...Facebook Girl proves you wrong!!!!

Since the day that Adam Speas said, "We should be Rebellion Productions", the TeleArts students at UGA have proven that the same ol' "slackin' production" is not going to cut it...and Facebook Girl by Slow Children At Play has proven this by over 10,000 votes (and climbing) on YouTube.

RORRIM, Level 84, Like Father-Like Gun, Poster Girl, Tearless Tester, and now Facebook Girl prove the production standards The Rebellion lives by:

- No "we'll just do this..." won't cut it.  "Wake-up, Edit, Reshoot, Edit" is our motto.  If it requires an explanation, it ain't a visual story.

- "My friends and I are hilarious" don't cut it.  Humor is constructed, tested, planned, and well-executed.  Facebook Girl proves this 100 fold!

- Preproduction, production, and postproduction must go hand-in-hand!  Organization for weeks (and months) yields 4 minutes of gold with Facebook Girl and the other works of Gradyfest!

- Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite...storyboard, storyboard, storyboard.

- A party scene is controlled, not a party.  It's a SCENE, not people getting bombed!  See Facebook Girl!!!

- No one does EVERYTHING!!!  A strong team of people yields an amazing product.

- Take BIG risks!  The Slow Children At Play group actually took their act LIVE!!!  Scary...very scary, but testing comedy live is necessary.  The Zucker Brothers, Broken Lizard, The State, Upright Citizens Brigade, etc. all tested their routines live and researched audience reactions for timing and laughs.  Well done, SC@P!!!

Long Live The Rebellion, and keep voting for Facebook Gril!!!  1,000,000 by 2009!  And let's get RORRIM and Tearless Tester there as well!!!

A Graduation Speech for The Rebellion

After two days of being told what your responsibilities are in a world gone haywire with money and job problems, here is my graduation speech to you, The Rebellion:

What is it that you owe?  This incredible debt you've incurred to the world and to your professor?  Here is what you owe: nothing.

All in The Rebellion have pushed aside the "grade" to give value to the story, the audience, and the team.  You have given your time, your heart, and your own money to tell stories and build friendships that no one else can understand aside from those who will push aside ego and hubris for the story and the experience.

What is your responsibility now?  Love yourself, love the world, and love others as you have loved those in this rebellion.  Time will give you the experience you need, so embrace it.  Fall down...fall hard, and come up swinging and ready for more...like I've seen you do everyday.  You know what is right, and what is wrong: you know what to do.  Money, jobs, the world economy, etc. always seem bleak: you'll know when to sacrifice and when to rejoice.  You already know what comes from hard work, and what comes from hard play.

What can I tell you that you already haven't figured out?  Go forth and screw-up, play, work, and love: whatever demands more of you than that needs a bit of rebellion.

I've studied the classics in Latin, Greek, etc. ...and this is the only quote I truly feel comfortable leaving you with...

"Living here day by day, you think it's the center of the world.  You believe nothing will ever change.  Then you leave: a year, two years.  When you come back, everything's changed.  The thread's broken.  What you come to find isn't there.  What was yours is gone. You have to go away for a long time...many years...before you can come back and find your people."

Let the world change you as you change the world.  Long Live The Rebellion!!!

Your New York. My New York. Our New York: The Trip 2008.

This year, The Rebellion took a full week to explore the professional frontier of NYC.  Aside from the Future Media Concepts Post Production Conference, students spent time working or visiting The Guiding Light, Dubway Studios ("Backyardigans"), Stick Figure Productions, HBO, CNN, and a RockBand2 event associated with Nick@Nite/MTV.

This was the trip where nothing came easy: refunds for the trip, hassles with Amtrak, two upset French ladies, Conan O'Brien letting 95% of us down, and Sam Veal getting slapped perpetually by "The Man".   But with all this, moments of great glory: Hardcore Bill's 10 tickets to Letterman, Ashley Kruythoff's mega-work-spree, Brandon Smith's incredible New Jersey Transit journey to prove he will NEVER be late to anything, Gillian Herschman winning an Avid Media Composer, Michael Patterson smack-talking Bob Sagat, all those who impressed the crew at "The Guiding Light", and all those who impressed Dan Dujnic at Stick Figure Productions (especially Sam "The Ol' 86'er" Veal).  From this trip came a new language: "Smashable", "Cheeeee-ecks", and "You just got 'Veal Chopped'!"

18 hours of sheer energy to get there, followed by 18 hours of "Why did we do this?" on the return.

This year's journey to NYC was worth every snore, cold morning, and walk from Grand Central (why couldn't ya just take the 7, huh?).  The speakers at the conference, Dan Dujnic from Stick Figure Productions, Katie Brack from Nick@Nite, and the crew from The Guiding Light (Hans and Howie) all praised the rebellion for their  courtesy, timeliness, professional attitude, and organized production skills.

Long Live The Rebellion.  First meeting for NYC 2009 will be January 2009.  See you then.

Who "The Man"? You "The Man"...eventually.

Hello, Rebellion.  I know...it's been way-too-long.  Rough semester, but things are evolving...just as you are all evolving in the world of production.  That means it's time to address something most schools don't address: becoming "The Boss" (a.k.a "The Man").

It will happen to you.  Yes, it means more money, more power, and more prestige...but it also means you are out of the trenches and into the "big office".  You have to be ready for decisions that will bring about loss of sleep, excess stomach acid, and "loss of friendships".  Here are a few things you've got to be ready for:

1.) Don't reward people who are pissed-off.

I watched the reality show "The Restaurant" several years ago and watched Chef Rocco Dispirito make a BIG blunder with a bartender who quit his restaurant.  He rewarded her with a real Italian Vespa to get her to come back to work.  She quit: he rewarded her.  The rest of the hard working staff got nothing, and they were pissed.  I had a similar experience several years before: a producer quit the company where I was working, and the boss gave him a raise and a customized laptop in order to come back.  The next day, we all quit and gave our list of demands to come back.  If 50, 100, 1000, etc. play by the rules, you can't reward those who get pissed and storm-off.

2.) "You knew the job was dangerous when you took it."

First time I got promoted, I got a handshake, a raise, and told to fire the guy who'd been at the company for 30 years.  Being in charge still sound fun?  When you get that "dream job" (I absolutely hate that term: why dream about a job? I dream about fighting Batman), it means you are responsible for taking crap and people dealing with your crap.  Most of the time, they are NOT going to like your crap.

So, what to do? Go buy a team-building and management style books?  Personally, I hate those things.  The best thing you can do is observe and experience from your bosses.  What do they do?  How do they lead?  Why do you think they lead that way?  Did you ask them what experiences have helped them/hurt them in becoming a producer, director, etc.?  Would you do the same thing?  Do you know what pressures your boss might be under?  Maybe you should find out...because eventually...that's gonna be you.

Long Live The Rebellion.