SMPTE Hollywood has launched a new webinar series aimed at young people interested in behind-the-scenes careers in the entertainment industry. Titled Ask a Hollywood Expert, the series features successful, young professionals, across a range of technical disciplines including post production, visual effects and editorial, talking about how they got their start and what they learned as they advanced in their careers.
Hosted by SMPTE Hollywood manager Kylee Peña, the series’ first session premiered May 28th and featured Brady Woods-D’Avolio, Vice President, Global Account Management for Streaming Services at Technicolor. Additional weekly installments are scheduled through the end of June and may continue indefinitely.
“With summer coming, many young people are looking to make the transition from school to the professional arena,” says Peña. “Ask a Hollywood Expert is designed to help people get started by providing insights from dynamic pros who’ve done it themselves.”
In the series debut, Woods-D’Avolio described how she got her start as an intern at Paramount Pictures and worked her way up to her current role managing global client relations for Technicolor. She answered questions from participants about career opportunities, how to land that first job and networking with industry colleagues.
Future sessions will feature cinematographer, VFX producer and Visual Effects Society board member Kathryn Brillhart (June 11), Adobe software quality engineer Matt Christensen (June 18), Emmy Award-nominated editor and EIPMA board member Molly Shock, ACE (June 25), and Netflix cloud engineer RaGene Nomolos-Dixon (July 2). All the featured guests are professionals in their 30s or 40s whose stories will resonate with those just entering the job market.
“This series is part of SMPTE Hollywood’s mission to be a resource to professionals at the beginning of their careers,” Peña explains. “I wish a series like this had been available when I was starting out.”
Ask a Hollywood Expert is free to join, but registration is required. Use the links below to register for individual sessions.
June 11, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
- Ask a Hollywood Expert Webinar Series: Kathryn Brillhart
June 18, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
- Ask a Hollywood Expert Webinar Series: Matt Christensen
June 25, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
- Ask a Hollywood Expert Webinar Series: Molly Shock, ACE
July 2, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
- Ask a Hollywood Expert Webinar Series: RaGene Nomolos-Dixon
About the SMPTE® Hollywood Section
The Hollywood Section of SMPTE® was initially organized as the West Coast Section in 1928. Today, as its own SMPTE Region, it encompasses more than 1,200 SMPTE Members with a common interest in motion-imaging technology in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Hollywood Section offers free meetings monthly that are open to SMPTE Members and non-members alike. Information about meetings is posted on the Section website at www.smpte.org/hollywood.
About SMPTE®
The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers®, or SMPTE, is defining the future of storytelling. The Society’s mission is to enable the technical framework that allows the global professional community to make media for artistic, educational, and entertainment purposes and to distribute that content for the benefit and enjoyment of people worldwide. As a global volunteer-driven society of technologists, developers, and creatives, SMPTE is engaged in driving the quality and evolution of motion pictures, television, and professional media. The Society sets industry standards that help businesses maximize their markets more cost-effectively, provides relevant education that supports members’ career growth, and fosters an engaged and diverse membership community.
Information on joining SMPTE is available at smpte.org/join.
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