Please give a brief background on yourself and your career.
I’m originally from Cumming, Georgia and majored in History at Wellesley. After graduating in May, I moved to New York to study and perform comedy. With a little luck and a Wellesley friend’s recommendation, I interned at Don’t Think Productions (DTP), the digital branch of the Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) Theater. This internship opened the door to oodles of talented, incredible people that invited me to help on their film sets and eventually offered paid work. As DTP obtained more clients for branded content productions, I’ve had the opportunity to work as a production coordinator for funny web videos for companies like Lenovo and Above Average. Last fall, I joined UCB’s all-women’s sketch team, LASH. These days, I divide my time between serving as Producer on branded comedy shoots, and performing improv and sketch comedy around the city.
How has your career changed since you originally envisioned it at Wellesley? What other careers did you consider as a student?
When I came to Wellesley, I was another excited first-year considering a career in International Relations or growing up to be the next Professor Catherine Wearing. Honestly, I spent four years with absolutely no idea what kind of career I should pursue. Generally, I wanted a career where I felt smart, so graduate school or grassroots activism work dominated most of my research projects and internships.
How has Wellesley contributed to your career?
Dead Serious, the best (and only) improv troupe on campus was simultaneously the silliest and most instructive activity I did at Wellesley. I spent two hours a week rolling on the ground with laughter and learned to execute three day comedy festivals. These friends gave me my first production jobs, housed me without blinking, and are the best mentors and pals around. We continue to collaborate on shows and shoots to this day. I would not be a producer at UCB had I not joined Dead Serious.
Wellesley surrounded me with brilliant people that love to work hard, so I knew what kind of people I wanted to work with once I left campus. My favorite workplace skill from Wellesley was learning to listen more so that I could more accurately advocate for others and myself.
What is a typical work day or work week like for you?
Production is largely project based. As a short form branded content producer, my workdays vary during pre-production, production, and post-production days. I spend most of my time coordinating the creative teams, scouting locations, and booking talent. Shoot days are the most fun, because I can watch directors and cinematographers, essentially receiving free film classes. DTP is a tiny but mighty production company, so I do a little bit of everything to make sure we operate the best we can.
What piece of advice would you offer students looking to get into your area of interest and expertise?
Move to the city where you have at least one friend with similar tastes and interests. If they have different talents than you do, then all the better! Whether you want to write, direct, produce, act, shoot, or edit, having that friend can be the jolt of energy that you need to keep being an artist.
Say yes to every production job you are offered. At first, it’s the only way to meet people and to learn the lay of the land.
Prepare to not have money. Trust yourself that you’ll get by, because you’re intelligent and hardworking and production sets usually have free food.
What do you wish you had known as a student?
I wish I had known what internships were really supposed to teach you. Internships are for learning what kind of project structure, work environment, and people keep you looking forward to going to work every day. I wasted so much time not applying to internships because I thought that the internship was geared toward a specific career that I wasn’t sure I would like.
I also wish I had known much earlier that I should apply to graduate school once I have a goal that requires graduate school as a prerequisite. Very few people know exactly what makes them happy at 22 years old. Graduate school was an idea that I entertained instead of admitting to myself that I truly loved comedy and performance. Honestly, coming out as a lesbian and as a comedian were equally difficult and ended the same way. I found a community to relate to, and I stopped lying to my parents about what I was doing on Saturday nights.
If you could come back and take one class at Wellesley what would it be?
I had a running list of classes that I wanted to take before I graduated starting sophomore year on my old computer. Anything with Cudjoe or Jeffries. And I’m truly bummed that I never took Astro 101.