Milestones

My road in life took a while to figure out.
Wanted to work in politics, but quickly learned it's not just like the TV show "The West Wing".
Took advantage of going to school in LA and started interning in the film and television industry.
Traveled Europe after graduating, which helped me clear my mind and think about the long road ahead.
Came back after 2 weeks in Europe and got a job as a production assistant at Dreamworks Animation.
Spent 4 years working with creative teams, and helped guide them to reach production deadlines.
Became obsessed with the local food movement, and wanted to help share stories such as that one.
Planted a garden, visited farms, and watched countless documentaries and shows about eating locally.
Left DreamWorks, started working at KQED public television to distribute documentary style series.

Career

Associate Manager, Development - Animated Films

I provide production support to filmmakers as they develop an idea to be greenlit into an animated feature film.

Career Roadmap

Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Art
Film
Problem Solving

Day to Day

I start the day by checking emails that have come in from all the people I work with in different time zones. I then usually review and update my micro and macro schedules, which include when major milestones for my various projects are at (I can have anywhere from 4-8 projects going on at a time), and then start prioritizing the tasks at hand for the day. I usually then spend most of my day gathering materials from producers, and start prepping those materials for national distribution.

Advice for Getting Started

Here's the first step for college students

When you work on a project, regardless of what class or subject it's for and what format it is in, really think about the project schedule as a whole, and think about how all of the steps required to complete it can affect each other if something doesn't go according to plan. Having these contingencies in mind will help you quickly adjust as the unexpected can, and will, come up. Know your deadlines, and always attempt to hit them early. Keep notes as the project goes on to track hits and misses.

Recommended Education

My career is not related to what I studied. I'd recommend this path instead:

Hurdles

The Noise I Shed

From Family:

"You should go back to school, get a masters degree or study Law. You won't be able to make a living in the television or film industry."

Challenges I Overcame

Financial