Moving to New York is basically a requirement if I wish to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. I knew the city was extremely loud, smelly and bustling with people who can’t see in front of them because they are blinded by all of their responsibilities. And I thought I would be able to fight assimilating to this culture, but I find myself speaking like a New Yorker with each day that passes. Despite knowing the subway map by heart, and being able to get things done in a “New York minute”, I will never – I repeat, never – run to catch a subway car. That’s just me, haha. Work wise, I wish I felt more confident in my workplace, but that just comes with time. There are so many intricacies that come with the job one can only master after a year or so of being on sets. Working at Annie Leibovitz’s studio is definitely introducing me to much more than I could have imagined, and I am grateful for that.
This job is definitely different from what I do on campus. On campus, I am able to be creative and hands-on with the videos I shoot. I collaborate with other students and we come up with ideas that sometimes change as the ideas present themselves. At my internship, everything is more administrative and less creative. I work to make sure all purchases for shoots are accounted for and organized in the information drive. I also help set up everything when we get to set, making runs if the photo team or AL needs anything. Understanding this side of the pre-production process helps me be better organized and create more solid videos on campus because I have a deeper understanding of why I should certain steps during planning and brainstorming. I also now know how to contact and book locations, plan catering and other processes I never really thought about including for my shoots.
I am definitely learning the do’s and don’ts of working on set. I am noticing how specific people interact with each other and how to dress for a set prep day, vs a day at the office vs, how to dress the day of the actual shoot. Some of the things I am picking up seem like “oh, well, who cares?” kind of details, but they all play factors, however small, in how one is received and subsequently, treated on set.
Tips on how to dress for [prep] set, work, and shoot day:
1. Wear black to set preps. You will sweat. A lot. You are going to be lifting heavy equipment and running from place to place, so do yourself a favor and wear black. Especially because everyone else will be.
2. Do look nice when you arrive at the office, but it’s nice to know that you actually don’t have to wear a button-down and slacks! You can come in your favorite t-shirt if you want. Just…no jeans, please.
- When it comes to the actual shoot day, look up your location first to get the vibe. As a PA intern, If it isn’t a completely closed set, you may want to go for the business casual look. Just make sure you can still do everything you did on set prep day because you will definitely be doing that the day of the actual shoot. If it is a completely closed set, you can definitely just opt for all black. You normally can also judge the first day and adjust your look for the next day if you want to “fit in”.
There is still so much more to learn, and I can’t believe we are almost done!
Savannah Edmondson