How to Work in Film and TV: Recent Episodes
Ashley Bearden
This podcast is an insider's guide to how to find a career in the entertainment industry. Each week we bring you an episode with a different crew member working in film and television to hear the story of how they got their start and advice they have for anyone looking to get their start. This is the stuff they don't teach you in film school!
My guest is New York based Sound Mixer Wyatt Tuzo. Originally from Baltimore, Wyatt got his start about twenty years ago working in recording studios originally focused on music. He eventually realized that his sound recording skills also lent themselves to location sound and he found his way to a film set where he found the constant change of projects and challenges so exciting he decided to stay.
He has had the opportunity to literally travel the world recording sound for countless series and feature films. Some of his recent projects include The Sinner, Halston and the soon to be released series Retreat and feature film A Good Person.
I have had the pleasure of working with Wyatt and he is such a kind and calm presence on set and an absolute pleasure to work with. I am so honored he lent me some of his time to talk to me today. I hope you enjoy our conversation…
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This episode was sponsored by GOTHAM SOUND
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My guest on the podcast this week is Production Manager, Kelsi Russell. Kelsi is currently prepping the new season of Pretty Little Liars and has worked on projects like 30 Rock, Orange is the New Black, Severence and When They See Us to name a few. She has some great interview advice and a very unexpected Jeff Bezos story!
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Tony Osso has been a script supervisor in New York for the past 18 years. He has worked on projects such as If Beale Street Could Talk, Blue Valentine, The Messenger and most recently the series Uncoupled. He got his start as Production Coordinator, running the Production Office and made his way to Script Supervising after realizing he wanted to Direct.
I love Tony’s story because he has followed his heart and his passion throughout his career using his experience to direct two of his own projects. A documentary based on his family’s pizza restaurant in New Jersey called Pizza Shop: An Italian American Dream available on Amazon and Tubi and a six part series called The Devotion Project that featured different portraits of LGBTQ marriage and families that is available to watch at www.devotionproject.org.
Tony mentioned Pat Miller's book Script Supervising and Film Continuity as a great resource to learn more about the Script Supervisor's role.
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My guest today is Ryan Jones. Ryan is currently an episode producer on The Problem with Jon Stewart on Apple TV+. Previously he was a writer and producer at NBC News and worked on several late-night shows at Comedy Central.
Before transitioning to a career in TV, Ryan was a civil servant at the State Department. He had several positions overseas and in Washington, including as the special assistant to the Department spokespersons, where he traveled around the world supporting the press needs of the Secretary of State.
He was a Presidential Management Fellow, a Fulbright Scholar to Austria, and received his master's from Georgetown University and bachelor's from Linfield College in Oregon. He was born and raised on a farm outside of Twin Falls, Idaho.
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Lacy is a New York & Minneapolis based Producer. After graduating from film school at Montana State university, she got her start working in Los Angeles hustling her way onto big budget films like Nims Island. She then made her way to New York where she spent several years on staff at College Humor working as an Assistant Director and Producer. She has gone on to Produce countless digital series, live fashion events, and commercials working with big brands like Vogue, MTV, Toyota and so many more. Her real passion lies in her work with nonprofits around the world working on conservation projects and elephant advocacy. Lacy has one of the biggest hearts I know working in the business. Enjoy this conversation!
Natalie Damico is a Production Supervisor currently working on HBO's Succession. Throughout her career, she has worked as a Production & Travel Coordinator on some of the biggest television shows and films being made today - shows like The Bourne Identity, Orange is the New Black, and the Fast and the Furious to name a few. In this episode she talks us through the day to day of her job and some moments that have made dealing with all the long hours and big egos worth it!
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Stephen Shepard, a 1st Assistant Director based in New York. Shep got his start in the unlikely city of Pittsburgh and although they make quite a few films there a year, it is not exactly known for its television and film production. Through a lot of hard work and a commitment to getting to know everyone he could on sets as he came up through the ranks, Shep has gone on to work on shows like Law and Order, Girls, Boardwalk Empire, The Americans and Blue Bloods where he is currently the 1st AD in his 8th season with the show.
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This podcast is an insider's guide to how to find a career in the entertainment industry.
Finding a job in the film and tv business is notoriously difficult. It is an insular business of who you know which is why it has struggled with a lack of diversity and equity for so long. Plus what on earth do all those jobs mean you see in the credits? How do you even know what the jobs are? HOW TO WORK IN FILM AND TV is the podcast to demystify all of that!
Each week we bring you an episode with a different crew member to hear their story of how they got their start and advice they would give for anyone looking to break into the industry. We will talk to everyone from Producers to Production Assistants, Key Grips to Post Supervisors.
The goal of this podcast is also to create a community of film industry crew through a weekly newsletter. You can subscribe to our weekly newsletter which will include a recap of the episode, job listings, notices of programs to apply for and special event invites!
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The How to Work in Film and TV Podcast is an attempt to draw back the curtain on how to actually find a job working in the entertainment industry. This isn’t something you have to apply for or qualify for, it is simply giving anyone who wants it real stories from real working crew - you can take it and do with it what you like!