Lauren Ford's Assignment 1

Lauren Ford

Assignment 1

State: GA

Interviewed: Nicholas Lee - 1st AD, DGA member

Worked on: Miss January, Mao’s Last Dancer, Next Day Air and much more.

1. Can you briefly define your job to me?

1st AD on features. Comprised of two main things:

-Creating schedule for filming based on the process on breaking down the script to the most basic elements of the scene (location, time, actors, etc.) and determining when filming will happen.

-Day to day running of the set, helping in the process of filming. Making sure people are where they need to be at the right time.

2. How did you get started in the business?

Was a wayward student. Student life wasn’t for him so he didn't get into the business by studying it.

His sister who used to work in the commercial industry got him his first job and he worked under an AD and he just kept getting one job after the other and working after that until he had made a name for himself with a nice body of work.

3. How do you tell someone over you (your boss) that you can't accomplish an assigned task?

It's a process of presenting the alternatives. Saying no is hard, so it's best to come up with different ways of doing something instead of just saying you can't do it. In this business nothing is actually ever impossible unless its dangerous. It’s best to get a group of people to help you say that. If it’s in the heat of the moment sometimes you have to stop because it’s dangerous and you need to figure out another way.

4.Do you have any advice for a media student starting out?

It's all about the process of getting involved. Find your way onto a movie set. Start out as an intern then get a job as a PA. Get an idea of what departments do and attach yourself to a department you want to work in. If you get one job it will lead you into a new one and that’s how you continue to work in the business. Making a contact is helpful because there may be a lot of people working in media, but it’s a small world and a tight knit group of people. Show up on time and have a smile on your face and you’ll be running Paramount in a few days .