It can be hard to make the choice to follow your dreams. One of the scariest parts about it is not knowing exactly what following your dreams means. I mean sure, you love film, but what does a career in it actually look like? Is it different as a career than as a passion? What will your everyday life become?
Hopefully we can answer these questions and put some of your worries to rest in this post. We know making the leap can be hard, so we interviewed one of our alumni, Ashley DiGiacomo, to give you some firsthand insight into what pursuing film looks like.
We started by asking Ashley about her initial interest in film, and it turns out her passion started at a pretty young age.
“I was really into theater as a child, and was constantly in musicals and plays. Realized I liked to entertain, and sought it out as a career.“
We normally see more individuals who like to watch and create movies than star in them, but Ashley didn’t let that deter her from pursuing film. Driven by her desire to entertain, she chose to come to CCH to study production. She found a home with us and was able to turn her passion into something more! Her hard work at school actually led to her first official job.
“My first paid job out of school was working for two of my professors, Scott Zakarin and Rick Mitz. That job then led to my current job, so I’d say that my current career success was 100% a result of my education.“
Alright, so now we are to the actual career part. What is it like to actually be in the industry? Well the previous quote gives us a little bit of a hint. Ashley’s first job led to her second which is her current career! The film industry is all about proving yourself to those around you. You have to network. Ashley was able to get a job from connections she made at school and get another one off of the connections she made at her first job! And it seems like her experience was pretty great.
“The startup with Scott, while extremely challenging (and that’s putting it lightly), was a huge learning experience, and a lot of fun. There were ups and downs, but ultimately, it was a great job to have right out of college.“
Even with the “ups and downs” Ashley told us this experience was one of her favorites, which is pretty awesome. She was able to follow her dream, get through college, and find a job that worked great for her right out of school!
Ashley had a few final words of advice: “Be persistent, make friends with everyone, leave a lasting impression.”
Now, we can’t promise that your experience will be like Ashley’s, but we can promise that we will give you the same education and opportunities that Ashley had. We will help you find where you belong and help you succeed. So stop worrying and get down to business! Start your CCH journey by downloading our Free Application Checklist!
