Before I joined Friends in Film, I was a recent college grad with a writing degree and a vague idea of wanting to do film. I didn’t know how I was going to do it, I just figured I’d give it my best. After all, I was in Atlanta, and everyone was telling me “Oh Atlanta is the place to BE if you want to do film!” I told myself I’d give it a year and if I still couldn’t break in I would do grad school for film and try to make connections through that. I had worked on several indie projects for my friends during college, so I figured I knew my way around a set.
One day I was volunteering on one of those indie sets and my friend on set was staying with me. The day after set she said “Oh I’ll come to lunch in a minute, I just have a conference call to be on.” When I asked, she explained she was doing this program called “Friends in Film” and all the things it was teaching her and doing for her career. I decided to take the free week trial course and at the end of that week I was hooked. I had to know all the secrets Janet could teach me. Even my mother got on board with Janet’s teachings.
How I got my first set job: I noticed a production studio near my house, so one day I walked in with a resume and a business card, explained that I was a PA in their area and would love to work with them. The couple who owned the company were so impressed that they invited me onto a set the very next week. They said they didn’t have it in the budget for a PA so I said I would do it for free! When I got to set, I had very little technical knowledge but I had my notebook and asked intelligent questions. The gaffer was so impressed that I was actually listening that he really began to teach me: how to wrap cables, how to carry a C stand properly, how to tie knots to balance a light way above our heads, and lots of other useful knowledge. That very day i was booked for their next project – paid this time. Only two or three months in and I already was getting paid work!
By the time I completed the training I had quit my safety job, begun working full time in the film industry through freelance work, and was working on side projects of my own. I have gained the tools I need to vector my life in the direction I want it to go!
The impact this program has had on me has been monumental. Not just for my career, but for me as a person. Janet taught me how to look at the way I was thinking and change it to one that would help me. I had a lot of anxiety when I started this program. It certainly prevented me from opening some doors. I still have that anxiety to some degree, but now, thanks to the thing Janet has taught me, I am able to lift myself out of it-out of doubt, out of fear, out of self deprecation. It was like the life coaching course I’ve needed all my life and as a bonus I get an amazing career out of it! I am a happier person for it. I smile more, I laugh, I invite people to share my glee and people love it and they love me! And you know what? I love me too. Thanks Janet!
Always me,
Leaf
(Atlanta, Georgia)
