Why did you major in Film and Media Studies when you were at U of SC?
 I had a passion for film and TV and wanted to know what I could learn from watching them. I wanted some technical knowledge, but more so I wanted a deeper understanding of films, and to learn how to watch them from a creative and academic perspective. 

 What was your first film and media job after graduation, and how did that experience set you on a path to your current career?
 My first job out of college was in Los Angeles as an Office PA on a 1M indie feature called My Suicide.  It actually became available on Netflix very recently—only took 13 years! This job gave me enough experience to get another Office PA [Production Assistant] job. Soon after I was hired on the TV show Numbers. Having this base of industry experience made it possible for me to continue in scripted television, as I was promoted to Assistant Production Coordinator and then Production Coordinator on subsequent shows.

What are you doing now and do you have any of your own projects in the works?
I’m currently working as a Production Coordinator in scripted television. I’ve worked on shows such as I’m Dying Up Here (Showtime), Black Monday (Showtime), Atypical (Netflix) and Animal Kingdom (TNT). As coordinator, I am responsible for making sure everyone working on the show has the information, paperwork and equipment they need, and I keep the office running.  I report directly to the UPM [Unit Production Manager] and/or Line Producer and also support them with start paperwork, scripts, and office supplies. I also vet vendor contracts with studio legal, accident reports, cast contracts, book travel, order grip and electric equipment and hire specialty crew. We have our hands in a little bit of everything. I love interacting with so many different departments and am still learning new things on every show I work on.

 In 2014 I founded my own production company, Gold Leaf Films, LLC, and at that time started working on Creative Producing in my “free time”. I’m optioning and developing my own content and hope to produce these projects in the near future. In 2018 I was selected as a Fellow for the Women In Film Production Lab and produced the short film "Just A Drill” that has had a successful festival run.

Do you have any advice for Film and Media Studies majors?
Stay positive, keep trying and always be kind.  There are so many different avenues to pursue after you graduate, it’s hard to know exactly where you might fit, or what you will enjoy. Know that it’s never too late to switch gears and start something new.  The film industry is always reinventing itself and you are no exception to that.

What was your favorite film and media studies course when you were a student at U of SC?
This is a hard one! I loved so many classes including History of Cinema 1 and 2, Hitchcock and The South on Film. The class I most remember and refer to is WWII in German Film. It was a fascinating look at the ways Germany portrayed the war in film through the decades. This class helped me see that our perspective and perception of historical events changes over time. As our relationship to the event changes over the years, culture and society also shift and change, and this was reflected in the films we studied. This concept can be applied to so many events and cultural conversations, like a looking glass into the thoughts and culture of the time the media was made.

 Do you have a current favorite TV show, film or interactive game?
 I just watched finished watching The Good Place, as it’s series finale just aired.  I loved seeing a network comedy, which I don’t normally watch, explore so many meaningful ideas while still being entertaining and funny. There were so many good films this year. Little Women was beautifully done and still so relevant to our times. I also loved Knives Out, what an amazingly fun and modern murder mystery.