Jennifer Takes On...

Jennifer Cox is a master muse, inspiring and motivating others, and finding solutions to the seemingly improbable. Her strategic thinking and uncanny ability to connect resources have earned her the reputation as the first call under tight deadlines. Be sure to check out her current project at http://guestc.wix.com/lockup

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#Hollywoodreality got an early lesson on how amazing Chrissy Guest is at making connections today. Learn from this experience. Every single day of your trip will be just as exciting and hectic. Embrace it and enjoy the ride.

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First outing on the boat...

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Still better than a Ford. #dodgeproblems #ram1500 #blownspeakers #doorajar

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My life is complete.

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Trial and Error

This course is not for the faint of heart. You will be pushed both mentally and physically in ways you could not imagine. If you do it right you will be exhausted, emotionally drained, and parts of your muscles you didn’t know existed will make it hard to feel whole.

You will work long hours and be away from your connection to home. By the time you can check your voicemail it’s too late to return calls from loved ones. You will forget all of the daily tasks and hobbies that once seemed so important to you.

Your heart will break when you realize your that you never want to work for the people you’ve spent your life idolizing.

You will make mistakes. You WILL make mistakes. They will impact everyone around you, and you will struggle with the unsettling feelings of disappointment. You will break.

You will do more work in a single day than some people do in a week. But there is a turning point where something magical will happen and you will all learn to work together like a well-oiled machine. The flow of work, art and energy will hit you with a second wave and you will be reenergized.

You will suddenly become thankful for the moment when you get to do laundry. You will quickly make friends with resourceful people. You will learn who has free wi-fi, and free coffee refills. You will learn how to think on your feet and act for yourself while being responsible for others.

You will discover that you have passions and dreams you never realized. You will connect with people in places that have a higher restriction than classified government areas. You will spend entire days feeling like someone is singing the soundtrack of your life. You will be empowered, inspired and grateful. So very grateful… that you, just one small person who worked so hard to be here, will have the chance to change the world.

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It's more important to have people like you than to be perfect.

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90 and sunny

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On set at E!

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On set at NCIS

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Will Work for Medicine

How would you like a job that is never boring, and gives you a chance to see amazing places and famous people you would never otherwise see? Would you like time off in between each job? How about two free meals a day with snack in between? Best of all, how would you like casual Friday to be every day?

You can have all of this and more by enrolling now at your nearest film academy, or at a Production Assistant training or bootcamp.

With all of these amazing perks come a downside: long hours, low pay, no benefits, no job security, working in all weather conditions, and no sick days.

Ahh, the act of calling in sick, first made popular in schoolhouses as teachers across the world let out a sigh of relief when it became acceptable to keep ill children home.

In the film and television industry, and not in a union, you do not call in sick. A production relies on every person they hire to be present on each day of shooting. Unless you are on your death bed, you are expected to be there.

Think about the big pictures. The budget has accounted for every single cent they have. You are the PA who is responsible for locking down the main studio door. You don’t show up to work and an unannounced visitor wanders onto the set. Everything stops. In addition to the time and cost of resetting everything, the production now has to worry about someone leaking information about the film. And don’t count on being put on the call sheet for the next day… or any day after.

From the lowly PA, to the top of the food chain directors and actors… there is no such thing as a sick day in this industry.

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“Competition is healthy. Especially when all your competitors are unhealthy, and hopefully sick and absent during the competition.
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-Jarod Kintz

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Dollars and Sense

A good budget is a terrible thing to waste. A low budget is an even worse thing to waste. Taking control early in the game can help keep even the lowest budget productions on the right track.

A few tips to working with a low budget:

1)      Compromise on how to spend, but never the artistic vision

Create a budget, but don’t expect to stick to it. There will always be changes made to the original budget, and each department is going to insist that their requirements are a priority.  Sit down with each department and get a sense for what is required and what is desired.

2)      Set deadlines

Last minute expenses will tip the balance of the budget… sometimes by a lot. Setting deadlines for departments gives everyone time to scout out where to get the best deals, or to change or build props and equipment if needed.

3)      Learn to say no

It can be difficult to tell your creative team no. They can take it personally and blame you for limiting their artistic talents, or they can be inventive and find ways to work around the limitations. Just remember that blowing a budget can be worse than upsetting the crew. Overspending can deter investors and studios from wanting to work with you in the future.

4)      Don’t forget the food.

No one wants to work with people who haven’t eaten for 12 hours.

5)      Murphy’s Law

Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. Set aside a portion of your budget to cover emergency expenses.  

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The best Chess players are strategic and plan 10 moves ahead. In the television industry you need to have that same mentality. Nothing is permanent. And much like a game of Chess, pawns have the most complex rules of movement. They can (and will) do everything needed to win. With a game being a production, and the pawn being the production assistant, it’s pretty safe to say you will need to be resourceful and strategic in order to come out on top.

Tips for starting out in the television and film industry:

1)      Make friends with everyone.

You never know who you will be working with next. Television shows come and go so quickly that you could be out of work before your actual start date. Be nice to everyone. Remember names and important dates. Be proactive and offer an extra hand in your down time. These small gestures have the largest impacts.

  2)      Never compromise your morals for a job.

If you are asked to do something that goes against your better judgment, think twice. It is important to your well-being to be able to lay your head down at night and feel good about what you do. You cannot be successful if you are not 100% supportive of your own career.

  3)      Regardless of whether or not you like your job, do it well.

You may not enjoy your role, but if you do it well it can still open doors for something better. Be memorable for your work ethic and there will be no shortage of opportunities in the future.

  4)      Be persistent.

If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. Then reach out to anyone you know ask them to put in a good word and pass along your resume. Then call, email, show up, message, call again. Reach out to your school’s alumni association, your previous employers, your mentors, family, friends… If you really want the job, don’t give up.

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We Are Who We Choose To Be

Most people can’t understand why Darth Vadar is one of my favorite characters. They see the dark side of a man who lost his way. I see a confident, driven man who embodies the very definition of the saying “We are who we chose to be.” It’s a shame more people don’t live for themselves.

If given the chance to find out who you would be 10 years from now, would you want to know? Or would you want to find out for yourself?

I’ve been in California for a single week. These seven short days feel like seven months. In this time I have accomplished more personal growth and career ambition than I have reflected on in the last year. I thought that I would be outside of my comfort zone and instead I am completely at peace.

This place has two more weeks to break my heart… or I may just end up staying here.