Blog 22: Mentorship

Literal

• Link to Mentorship Hours
• Phillip Miller-ROP
• Priscilla Gonzalez
• Amanda DiPiazza-Disney 

Interpretive

• The most important thing I learned were the foundation and techniques for recording and mixing sound, camera angles and shot choices, lighting, cross-editing, and such in ROP. I also learned the importance of a pleasant collaborative environment with my mentors Amanda DiPiazza and Priscilla Gonzalez. I thought all of these things were valuable because I feel that even though I will not work in every single field in the industry, having knowledge of even the basics are useful to me as an aspiring producer and screenwriter. 

Applied

• Through taking ROP I learned the fundamentals of telling interesting stories, bringing them to life in unique ways, and trying to appeal to audiences. Through mentoring with Amanda DiPiazza I learned the importance of quality collaboration. Lastly, through mentoring with Priscilla Gonzalez I learned how subjective memorability can be, especially based on one's moviegoing experience. 

Blog 12: Mentorship Hours

1. Where are you doing your mentorship?

I am doing my mentorship in my ROP video production class and at Disney Channel.

2. Who is your contact?

My teacher is Phillip Miller and my contact at Disney Channel is Amanda DiPiazza (although I have not completed ten hours with her yet.)

3. How many hours have you completed during the schoolyear?

So far, I've completed 75 hours and 43 minutes.

4. Summarize your ten hours of service.

In ROP, I have learned various filmic processes--storyboarding, camera angles, lighting, and screenwriting, among others.

Second Day of Mentorship

Friday September 26th, 2014

I observed the filming of the Disney Channel TV show whose run-through I previously observed on Wednesday. I was able to see several scenes. I sat with my mentor and several other producers, taking notes as they watched the filming. There were four cameras focusing on the set and actors from different angles. Behind those were a group of flat screen TVs showing the angles from the cameras so that the producers and director could see clearly. The director was constantly giving instructions to the actors, even as the cameras were rolling. If there was a lack of continuity, or something suddenly just didn't make sense, the producers and directors briefly spoke and decided how to fix the situation, or even how to improve an actor's performance. The amount of takes for each scene depended highly on the director's preference or the actor's performances. There were even some wardrobe malfunctions that had to be quickly corrected because of the Disney's strict guidelines. As I mentioned before, I was an observer for the day. For the most part, I took notes and asked my mentor questions about certain situations regarding the content of the episode or general filming inquiries.

First Day of Mentorship

Wednesday September 24th, 2014:

I observed a run-through of a TV show that has not yet premiered on Disney Channel. Since it has not premiered, I cannot yet reveal its identity. I met my mentor for the first time at Hollywood Center Studios and she briefly explained what I was walking into. Run-throughs are done every Wednesday for the show. The cast rehearses the episode, jumping swiftly from set to set. The sets are often directly across from each other or adjacent to each other. Run-throughs are similar to a rehearsal of a play. The point is for the crew to get an idea of what their episode is going to look like, as well as to notate or address any potential issues regarding the content of the episode. First, however, Amanda took me to the "Rack Check", where I met the wardrobe staff, and the showrunner. The Rack Check's purpose is for producers of the show to work with wardrobe people regarding the clothes/costumes worn on the show. Various potential issues were addressed, then we moved on to the run-through. I shadowed as the entire cast and crew shuffled from set to set, rehearsing each scene. Although it was fast-paced, the group and the run-through itself were rather light-hearted. Since the show was a comedy, there was a lot of laughter, as expected, and much of the crew served as an audience, that way the producers--including Amanda--were able to gauge what reactions to the episode would be like. I took notes for most of the day, and read the script as the cast acted out each scene.

Summer Mentorship Component

1. Link to my Mentorship Log:

• https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1UtyNrTf5Av0PgX0MYTyq_HrHrQ6ZuOXa1rckP3E35j0/edit#gid=0

2. Delta Hospice of California Contact Information:

• Office #: (909) 597-7666
• ask for Karla Wicks or Haweni Daba

3. Important Questions Raised:

• What does Hospice Management entail?
• Does this include engagement with patients?
• What sorts of licenses do employees need?

4. Most Important Thing Gained From Experience:

• I learned that it is imperative to remain organized and on top of things. If I was dealing with files, it was important I knew what information went where or at which office employees worked in. 

5. Senior Project Topic:

• Although I did work on Hospice Management during the summer, I will be doing Film Production throughout the school year, which was my first choice. Hospice Management did not help me choose this topic, although I have always been interested in the production of films and I am a passionate film buff. I was not able to carry this out, however, because I came across flaky potential mentors. Though, I am confident that the mentors I have spoken to about talking to me through the school year will work out.