You're Hired! This is the episode where we talk about what to do once you have been hired. You got the job! Now what? Now, some of this may sound very basic, but if we're talking about it, it's because we've seen it. And we want to make sure you make the best impression possible and that you don't get derailed by doing something easily avoided.

THE PANEL

Shirley Davis

Jessica Hall Malanaphy

Lee Schneider

Jeanette Volturno

THE PODCAST

BONUS MATERIAL

WALKIE TALKIE 101

Walkie Cheat Sheet

VOCABULARY LIST/GLOSSARY

ON SET PACKING LIST

TRANSCRIPT

Catch A Break — EP 3

On Set: How to Show Up and Move Up

Julie Harris Walker: This is Catch A Break: The Insider's Guide to Breaking Into and Navigating Hollywood - conceived by CatchLight Films. Whether you are looking to work in film or television or new media, it's all production and it's all entertainment. Maybe you are already in the business but looking to make a change, shift your focus, explore a new area. This is for you too. In each episode, Catch A Break brings you a panel of top experts currently working in the business for conversations you won't hear anywhere else. And we'll provide you with bonus materials you can get your hands on and sink your teeth into. We'll give you samples of paperwork and forms you need to be familiar with, video tutorials and exclusive resources that will all help with your success. The presenting sponsor of this episode is the entertainment payroll company Extreme Reach. They have the most comprehensive suite of tools and services to support all areas of media and content creation, from tax incentive support to accounting software and payroll services. If you are producing content call Extreme Reach. This episode is also sponsored by vetyourcrew.com, a global database of entertainment professionals geared toward collaboration and inclusion. Think of it as a global address book for crew, which also has an interactive calendar to show when you're available and a robust search engine to help you find and hire exactly who you're looking for. Go to vetyourcrew.com to sign up. You can find us at catchabreakpodcast.com and all the podcast providers. I am your host Julie Harris Walker. You may know me from the podcast The Other 50 Percent: a Herstory of Hollywood or even The Kiss My Age Show. But today the focus is on you and how we can help you to Catch A Break.

Julie Harris Walker: Welcome to Catch a Break and the episode we're calling “You're Hired, Now What? This is the episode where we talk about what to do once you have been hired. You've got the job. Congratulations. Now what? Now some of this may sound very basic but if we're talking about it's because we've seen it and we want to make sure that you make the best impression possible and that you don't get derailed by doing something you can easily avoid. So, let's introduce our panel which today is made up of the founders of the Catch a Break program. So, joining us today we have Jeanette Volturno who is the head of production at Blumhouse Productions and the founder of CatchLight Films. We also have Jessica Malanaphy, an independent producer and a co-founder of CatchLight Films. Shirley Davis is a veteran film and television production executive, lecturer, and speaker currently consulting at Imagine Entertainment. And we also have Lee Schneider, who is the founder of Red Cup Agency and is a podcast producer and host. He has worked as a writer, producer and editor for more than two decades and he's working with us on Catch a Break. OK so let's start with what are the dos. What are the important things to think about and do your first day on a set? Jeanette?

Jeanette Volturno: Take a call sheet, put it in your back pocket, walk around and introduce yourself to people and then quiz yourself afterwards to try and remember what department and what name they are. And then ask them if they need any help.

Julie Harris Walker: That is excellent and never lose that call sheet.

Jeanette Volturno: Always have a call sheet in your back pocket.

Julie Harris Walker: Jessica?

Jessica Malanaphy: Be on time and by that I mean be early and always have something to do. There's not downtime on set. If you're starting out as a P.A., find somebody in another department and see what you can do to help them in between.

Jeanette Volturno: Totally it's a full on “see a need fill a need.”

Julie Harris Walker: What job is beneath you as a P.A.?

Jessica Malanaphy: There's nothing beneath you as a P.A. And by that I mean you're doing sometimes jobs that aren't exciting and aren’t fun and not what you went to film school for. But if you do them right there's still opportunities within them. So if you're bringing coffee for a producer for example and that producer is open to you staying by the monitor for a moment, you know being respectful of course, use that moment to learn you know and take that to your advantage as opposed to being bitter about the fact you've had to go and get somebody's coffee. If you're making copies for somebody and it's appropriate, take a look at what you're copying and learn from that and learn from the call sheet and be able to ask questions. So don't think of it's beneath you think of it as a learning experience.

Julie Harris Walker: As you say it's not actually about making the coffee. It's about having a good attitude, doing what needs to be done, showing up, being reliable all the things that you demonstrate by bringing the cup of coffee.

Jeanette Volturno: I've actually had, some of my first P.A. Jobs were things like picking up cigarettes on the set because it needed to be cleared. I've literally done like the craziest most mundane things for hours but it got me to the next place and I was a hard worker and I got hired again for something else and I moved. I remember driving around for three hours one time finding the right red ball for a dog for a shot for commercial product placement kind of thing. I mean literally crazy stuff like that but those things lead to the next thing if you do them well and even though it seems crazy and wacky like you know you commit you go for it and then they see that you're trying and you get recommended for the next job.

Julie Harris Walker: Lee?

Lee Schneider: Well I love the call sheet idea. But I would say be aware of where the camera is because this has happened often and suddenly you're in a shot you're not supposed to be. So I would say really be aware of things and safety stuff too, you know? B e aware of. Like don't hang out where all those cables look really cool. Don't hang out there

Julie Harris Walker: Shirley. What are your do’s for on set?

Shirley Davis: Do your research before you actually get to set. Find out as much information as you can about what happens on the set. Talk to anybody you might know beforehand and start to realize what the set etiquette is as soon as you get there. Be open friendly. Ready to do anything. And always remember to be of service.

Jessica Malanaphy: Speaking of research, know who your VIPs are on set.

Shirley Davis: Absolutely.

Jessica Malanaphy: Know who your lead actors are. Who it is at the top of the call sheet. Who the producers are. The director obviously by sight because you know you don't want to go up to the director and ask him where the bathrooms are.

Shirley Davis: Actually, that's a good point is actually know the topography of what the set is. As soon as you get acclimated to it's really helpful to know where everything is so you could direct people and build your reputation that way as being the person who always has a positive attitude and is the go to person. That's how you start to get jobs

Jeanette Volturno: And dress appropriately!

Julie Harris Walker: I was just going to ask you Jeanette, what should someone wear?

Jeanette Volturno: Pack multiple pairs of shoes if you're the person that doesn't like to wear the same pair for long periods of hours because you are going to be on your feet for a long period of time. Weather appropriate to either peel or layer. Sunscreen. I always carry deodorant in my car just in case. Just gotta be prepared and get dirty. You're gonna get dirty so wear stuff that you don't mind getting dirty.

Julie Harris Walker: I learned the hard way once that if your call is at 4:00 in the morning it's eventually going to be three o'clock that afternoon. So just not together. OK, I bet we also have a long list of don'ts and the don'ts will be remembered bigger and longer actually than the do's because I'm sure we can all tell a story of someone who worked for us ten years ago who did a big don't that we are still telling as a cautionary tale. Lee, do you have any of those.

Lee Schneider: Well I shot a lot of documentaries and weather was a big factor, showing up prepared. There was one time I was shooting in a really cold place and I finished an interview and I fell over because I was frozen in place. It was like minus 20 in Idaho and I just wasn't dressed for the part. I didn't have good shoes. You know I wasn't really ready for anything like that so I'd say you know what's the expression? Be prepared for bear I don't remember that expression there's some expression where you know be ready for anything.

Julie Harris Walker: It's like the Boy Scout…

Lee Schneider: Boy Scout thing right. Yeah. Be prepared for just about anything

Julie Harris Walker: That goes along with your dressing. For every eventuality because if you freeze in it on set you're the one who's suffering

Jeanette Volturno: And then if you're shooting a rain scene like bringing shoes that are rain proof. You'll be miserable if you don't.

Shirley Davis: Fanny packs are OK on set.

Julie Harris Walker: (laughter) Are they though?

Shirley Davis: Ok, knapsack!

Julie Harris Walker: Some sort of bag where your hands are free and you can carry all your stuff because what are all the things you're carrying. Shirley?

Shirley Davis: You're carrying a pen, you're carrying your phone, you're carrying a charger, you're carrying deodorant, you're carrying

Julie Harris Walker: Walkie talkie…

Shirley Davis: Sides.

Julie Harris Walker: Paper to break that pen.

Jessica Malanaphy: What's a brick?

Jeanette Volturno: A brick is a hot battery that is charged that you can hand out to other people.

Julie Harris Walker: A walkie talkie battery?

Jeanette Volturno: Yeah. Snd you're carrying a crew list

Julie Harris Walker: OK, so you need a bag which right now is a fanny pack.

Lee Schneider: Objection, though! Objection to the fanny pack. I once heard a fanny pack where I put a lot of chocolate in it. I reached out to shake someone’s hand and it looked just what you think. Just saying!

Julie Harris Walker: Lee has a long list of don'ts from personal experience.

Jessica Malanaphy: OK. Don'ts, don'ts. Learn walkie talkie etiquette so that you are not stepping on other conversations or asking for things at inappropriate times when they're filming.

Julie Harris Walker: Ok. Let's talk about walkie talkies for a minute. And we have a breakout session with Marcei Brown who is part of this initial group talking about walkie talkies, how to use them, what to do. But let's go through a couple of those guidelines. In addition to that besides we'll teach you how to turn it on, put in the battery. What are the channels and how to use that. What are some of the phrases that go along with walkie talkie use that you need to know.

Jeanette Volturno: Well a 10 1 is going to the bathroom. So if you're saying that. 10 4 is you understand the message, it's basic trucker lingo is still used in the film industry. So the same thing. 10 20 also used in trucker lingo is what's your location? Where are you at? Copy is when you've understood what someone said. Over and out, done.

Julie Harris Walker: That means you're done talking?

Jessica Malanaphy: What about the different channels?

Jeanette Volturno: Each call sheet has a key on it that has the channel and what department is on that channel. So, make sure that…the general channel is usually one. If you have to have a side conversation that the entire crew doesn't need to know about you ask someone to go to two. If you need to reach a department that specific like you need transpo or something like that look on the call sheet to their number, click to that channel, ask for what it is that you need, wait for the response and then say going back to one so they know that you've left that channel and gone back to the main channel with everyone.

Julie Harris Walker: So, if you hear someone say go to two because you're gonna talk about something really juicy. Can I just click over to two and listen?

Jeanette Volturno: You shouldn't. But that is a possibility so remember everything that you say on that walkie can and will be heard by the rest of the team if you are not careful.

Jessica Malanaphy: Including cast, including people who should not be hearing you gossip about things behind the scenes

Shirley Davis: Because you don't know who's around and if it's an open walkie then you'll find out that you really do have to exercise your etiquette.

Julie Harris Walker: So I'm also hearing that you just shouldn't gossip in general on the set.

Jeanette Volturno: Correct, life lesson.

Julie Harris Walker: Yes. In any…I mean actually it's a very small business and everybody knows everybody.

Shirley Davis: And also, even though you may be on location it doesn't mean that you shouldn't act accordingly like you would an office because essentially that's what it is. It's a traveling office.

Julie Harris Walker: And what about security and confidentiality, Jessica?

Jessica Malanaphy: Confidentiality is really important. You should never have your phone out on set taking pictures. I think even if you're on the phone with somebody who's offset and make sure what information you're sharing if you're just talking to even your parents and you're like oh I'm on set you know here in Sherman Oaks and we're shooting this thing you have to be really sensitive to who you're telling the information to. It's really important that you don't post any information on social media about where the set is because you do get whether it's looky loos or we've had paparazzi show up on set and it's just not safe when you have that kind of attention especially for a cast who might be dealing with things and it's just generally not appropriate to share

Jeanette Volturno: I think it’s a fireable offense at this point on some sets now.

Jessica Malanaphy: It should be. It absolutely should be

Jeanette Volturno: And don't stand by the m onitor and watch something on your phone or check your Instagram or any of that stuff that is an instant “you will not be hired back.” You have to be paying attention to what is going on the set and in front and behind the camera and not on your phone.

Jessica Malanaphy: Also know when it's appropriate to talk to directors and producers and cast on set. If you're really there to do a job you should be paying attention to your job and know that the director is doing a job as well and doesn't necessarily have time to hear the pitch for your script. It's not appropriate to bring up those kind of thing. And if a director opens the door of course we all want to be able to take advantage of those moments. But it's important that you understand the fine line of occupying somebodies time versus general niceties generally

Julie Harris Walker: When is it appropriate to talk to a director on set?

Shirley Davis: That's very tricky because I think Janet had spoke at one time about the fact that they're in their zone and you never know if they're just looking in space and thinking about the next scene or just taking a moment to themselves. So I think it's always better to err on the side of just being respectful and giving them their space as you would an actor and let them do their process. I think if they're engaging you, you might want to take the rule of greeting the queen. Don't go to them unless they come to you first.

Jessica Malanaphy: And that's true at lunch too, like lunch is a great place on set where everybody gets to know everybody else so you can really have a chance to talk to a lot of different department heads and crew members and find out what they do on set if you're interested to know more. But oftentimes the directors having a meeting with the A.D. And planning what the afternoon's work is and all of that kind of stuff. So, you just have to be respectful again.

Julie Harris Walker: Let's talk about lunch since you brought that up. How should you behave at lunch if you're the P.A.? Jeanette.

Jeanette Volturno: You allow the working crew that will be first back on set to go through the lunch line first and all of the actors and respectfully wait until all of them have gone through before you grab your plate and go through the lunch line. That would be the first thing that you would do.

Julie Harris Walker: And what if it's your job to get lunch for everybody like everyone in the office?

Jessica Malanaphy: I've screwed that up.

Julie Harris Walker: Tell us Jessica.

Jessica Malanaphy: That was my, my very first job was working on in the production office for a show called Numbers. And it was my job to take all the lunch orders for everybody in the office and I dutifully went around and collected on my sign in sheet what everybody wanted but I missed the location manager. He was out of the office. I don't know if he was on a phone call or you know out looking at locations but when I brought the lunch order back I did not have anything for location manager. And boy did I hear it. And I gave him my lunch and then immediately went out to go and get whatever he wanted. I made it up to him afterwards by going and get him a coffee and tried to apologize profusely and never made that mistake again.

Julie Harris Walker: Yeah that's a mistake you make one time.

Jessica Malanaphy: Oh yeah. And you learn very quickly that when you are doing lunch order it's seems like a silly thing when you're working as hard as everybody else is on set. Getting that break and having that you know food that you ordered show up in front of you. It really is actually a big deal. It's a comfort thing. And so you really learn like you when you pick up the food, check every single order and make sure it's all there before you leave the restaurant. Make sure you got all of the different little idiosyncrasies that you'll see on all these lunch orders that is important. And it means a lot to the crew when you when you get it right.

Jeanette Volturno: You don't want to be that one person that sets somebody off in a bad mood for the rest of the day. Yeah. Speaking from experience.

Julie Harris Walker: Lee, what should you do if you make a mistake?

Lee Schneider: Own up to it. I would say right away. Covering it up is usually going to be a disaster.

Julie Harris Walker: It doesn't make it better.

Lee Schneider: It doesn't make it better. Just say you made the mistake, you forgot something or you know if you know I've been on crews where someone forgot to bring an important piece of equipment. The sooner we know that the better. Otherwise we're standing around while you go find it.

Julie Harris Walker: OK. Now let's talk about if you're not on set but you're actually in the production office. What is specifically important there, Shirley?

Shirley Davis: Paying attention to what everybody's needs are because during prep it is the nerve center of the production. The producers are there, the directors are there, all the creative department heads are there and that's where you're actually planning out a film, a television series, any digital content that you would be working on and you need to be apprised of what everybody is doing if you're working as a production coordinator. Production Supervisor, Production Manager, anything to assist in the process. And you have to keep tabs on the schedule as well. But the most important thing I found when I came up during working in a production office was I had to be available 24/7 essentially because there was a lot of things that were dependent on my dissemination of information.

Julie Harris Walker: And someone may need that at 9:00 o'clock tonight.

Shirley Davis: Right and now it's much better because it's digitized, it's on different systems like, it's a whole different way of being and it's much easier but still if people need to get a hold of you they definitely need to get a hold of you especially if they're trying to track an actor, a director, a producer, you're the person they turn to.

Julie Harris Walker: So it's important to be responsive.

Shirley Davis: Absolutely.

Julie Harris Walker: It's hard to put hard boundaries down around your workday when you're in production.

Shirley Davis: I would say so and I think that the production staff bears the brunt of that. Because they're the ones who are…you’re customer service to the production. As someone said to me you're the support of the support staff. And although that doesn't sound glamorous it was actually an excellent way to learn the production from the ground up.

Julie Harris Walker: That is a great way to think about it as you are customer service. You want to give people the best experience.

Shirley Davis: Even coming down to who answers the phone. If you're answering it and you sound like you're bothered that rubs off on people right away.

Julie Harris Walker: Speaking of answering the phone, Jessica I know you have a real pet peeve about answering the phone and taking messages.

Jessica Malanaphy: Yeah I think it's making sure that you get all the information and remember that you know, you're there on behalf of whoever you're taking the message for. I've seen time and time again assistants who will get a first name because the person on the other end of the phone expects that you should know who they are. And then when you give me that message and you say “Oh Mark called” and I've no idea who you're talking about. And then I have to go and go through my list of Marks in my head and figure out you know what it could…So the more information you can get the better. And even if that means making somebody spell their name, repeat it, even if they're getting impatient with you it's more important you get the information right then get partial information or wrong information.

Julie Harris Walker: So then once you have a message you just wait till the end of the day to deliver it. Or do you interrupt someone who's in the middle of the meeting.

Jessica Malanaphy: No like Shirley was saying production moves so fast that if there's anything I mean you have to use your judgment. I think a lot of times you can use other assistants to help, like for instance, if, if a call comes in for one of the producers who, who's in a table read you can ask the person on the other end of the phone if it's the assistant to the producer or somebody else, “Is this something I need to interrupt for?” And if it is then you write it on a post it note, you quietly sneak into the meeting, slip that post it note just to the person that it's relevant to and then slip back out or if there is if you're waiting for an answer, wait for the answer, slip back out, take a message but make sure that you are erring on the side of getting the information the person as quickly as possible.

Julie Harris Walker: Now Jeanette, if you’re working in the office and you really want to be involved in everything, should you assume you can go to meetings? Should you ask to go into meetings? How should you handle that.

Jeanette Volturno: You should wait to be invited into the meeting. You should help set up and if you would like to ask, you can ask, but don't expect and don't be hurt if you're not invited to a few of the meetings because some of them will be closed door.

Julie Harris Walker: OK Jeanette what is “on a bell” mean and how do you behave during it?

Jeanette Volturno: When you're shooting on stage, they have a red light and a bell system. When the red light is on and the bell rings, you cannot walk around. You cannot say anything. Your phone must be on silent and you have to pay attention to what is going on. You cannot walk in and out of the doors or do…no chewing on chips, no nothing, no moving equipment. Nothing, absolutely quiet. Yeah. You freeze.

Julie Harris Walker: How can you take this opportunity to learn as much as you can?

Jessica Malanaphy: I think it goes back to what Jeanette said at the beginning which is get to know everybody on the crew and pitch in where you can. And so then you really get to know how each department functions. I mean I think in the production office and as a P.A. You really get an amazing overview of everything that's that's going on and also these are the people you're going to work with for the rest of your career they'll always come in and out of your professional life and you'll always share war stories. So the more you take the opportunity to get to know them on this first show, the better.

Shirley Davis: And to Jessica's point you have to go with the attitude that this is a long game and that these people will be in your life as she said and your community. And I think that changes how you interact with people because you're really committed to meeting people, helping them out, and establishing the boundaries of a lifelong work relationship and friendship. And I think that oftentimes people think because of the transitory nature of production that it's not a permanent situation. And I think that's another way to look at it.

Julie Harris Walker: Because these are the people who are gonna get your next job and who you're gonna be working with over and over and over again…

Jessica Malanaphy: And also just people that are fun to hang out with because you know them from show to show to show.

Shirley Davis: Yeah, I don't think it should be that they're going to get you your next job. I think you have to say this is my choice. I'm meeting these people and you empower yourself.

Jeanette Volturno: It's your extended family. Yeah.

Julie Harris Walker: Well, you're going to have no social life outside of this business. (laughter)

Jessica Malanaphy: So you’d better like the people you're working with.

Jeanette Volturno: I would also say that this is one of the only industries that revolves the hierarchy in a way that most industries don't. So you can be working for someone now and in a couple of months they can be working for you and then it can flip again and go the other way. So you have to be very humble, appreciative, kind, and pay it forward to the people that you're working with because they'll remember and that could expand your world or collapse your world depending on how you grow within the industry. So it's not necessarily about the next job but a referral or when people check in on things as well, like if you're cool and they want to invite you to something or hang with you or put you on something or recommend you like it follows you, you know. This is an extended family.

Julie Harris Walker: And also as a P.A. You might have an opportunity to distribute things. You can distribute that per diem or distribute paychecks maybe or just distribute call sheets and what should you do with that opportunity?

Jessica Malanaphy: It's a great way to get the crew because everyone is happy to see the person who's delivering the paychecks and they will run out of trucks and trailers and, and greet you. And it's a good way just to get to know every single person on the crew. And like you know we're saying with the call sheet just knowing who everybody is half the battle.

Julie Harris Walker: And is it a good time to ask them like what they do and explain it to you because at some point you may want to pick one of those crafts to focus on.

Jessica Malanaphy: Yeah I think so.

Shirley Davis: Go to the back of every truck and ask them to show you around and to explain things because there is downtime and if it's OK within your schedule, if it's during lunch and someone's around like the times that’s convenient for everybody. Don't ask somebody while they're on lunch to show you their truck.

Jeanette Volturno: Yeah, it’s a hurry up and wait industry so there's a lot of running around in the morning and then there's a lot of downtime and then there's a lot of running around again and then there's a lot of downtime. So if you if you watch the ebb and the flow of the set and you see who's sitting down and who's taking a break then would be the appropriate time to go and introduce yourself and say that you're interested in learning a little bit more about what it is that they do.

Shirley Davis: You don't have to be frantic about anything you do. You don't have to feel like you need to get in every conversation with everybody on the set. There will be enough time.

Julie Harris Walker: You don’t have to do it all your first day.

Shirley Davis: Exactly. Or your second day.

Julie Harris Walker: Lee, did you have something?

Lee Schneider: I was just thinking one thing to think about is asking good questions, asking smart questions it goes to don't waste people's time. But I'm off and listening to people by the quality of the questions they ask. Not just making sort of empty conversation just because they're nervous or something.

Julie Harris Walker: Do you have an example?

Lee Schneider: I would say “how do you ask a good interview question” since I've done a lot of documentaries or “why is the camera there and not there” or why “why are we using this whole throw of the room, we're shooting corner to corner, why are we doing that?” Things like that, setup things and q&a things and interviews. Those are some of the best questions I've gotten anywhere.

Julie Harris Walker: Like why a decision was made? Why you do a set in a certain way?

Lee Schneider: Right from the equipment side of things. And also just the creative side of things. Why are we shooting this scene now instead of later? But why in my world in the podcast/documentary world, why are we asking the questions in this order? And why are we reasking that question” What was wrong with that one the first time? Or something like that.

Julie Harris Walker: Why are you doing one more take?

Lee Schneider: Why you're doing one more take, what was wrong with that?

Julie Harris Walker: Now who has a story of something that went terribly wrong or a mistake they learned from or mistakes someone else made that you never could forget that someone else did. Who has a good juicy horrible story?

Jessica Malanaphy: I had an intern one time and I was working at a studio who was making copies of a report and this is a report that all of the executives at the studio work to put together. It's a competitive development report and they call all of their contacts at all the other major studios and they confidentially trade information and that's how studios know what other studios are releasing what's on their slate. How far along that project is for a whole host of reasons. It's really important information but it's all based on those relationships and connections that each executive has. So I had an intern who is making copies of this binder that we were going distribute the next day and he took it upon himself to make a copy to share with his entire film school class as well. And it got posted online. Which then compromises the integrity of all the executives who now have to call all of their friends and apologize for leaking all the confidential information that they shared. So needless to say that person was fired, escorted out of the building immediately and faced repercussions at a school as well. Bad.

Julie Harris Walker: And I had an intern who was working for free and showed up 20 minutes late to call every day like three days in a row and every day it was like “what’s the big deal, I'm just 15 minutes late.” It was a big deal and he got fired and I still remember that it was twenty five years ago.

Shirley Davis: Someone at a former production company that I worked at uploaded the co head of the company's screener prior to the film's release and it got pirated all over the world

Julie Harris Walker: And that became an international incident.

Shirley Davis: Pretty much. It was pretty tragic. Yeah and we were quite surprised at our offices to have the FBI show up a day before we broke for the holidays.

Julie Harris Walker: Yeah it's a big deal. It's a big deal. Anyone else?

Jessica Malanaphy: It's important again to look at all this is a long game. If you're doing things on a transactional level like posting that screener online or sharing this confidential report or showing up 15 minutes late. Those all seem like small things that gets you a little bit further ahead in the moment. But again these are people you're gonna be working with for the rest your career potentially and the damage that you can do to your relationship by any of those actions is not worth the short term gain.

Julie Harris Walker: I think it cannot be over emphasized how small the business is for sure how much people talk and how much it actually matters.

Shirley Davis: If you don't think your mother will approve. Don't do it.

Julie Harris Walker: A good rule of thumb. OK this brings us to our Martini Shot which means your last shot of the day. What is everyone's final takeaway from this idea, your favorite do or your favorite don't. Jeanette?

Jeanette Volturno: I would say that this is a career that is not for the faint at heart and everything that you do you need to prepare for and remember that you want to prepare for things and you want to be the best that you can and change course as many times as you want because there are many different ways to get to the point of the ultimate career that you want to be at. So don't be afraid to try things and open doors and experiment and talk to people but ultimately do your research and be prepared.

Julie Harris Walker: Jessica?

Jessica Malanaphy: The biggest thing I've learned is to have each other's backs because there are problems that are gonna come up and there are things that we're all gonna screw up but being able to be honest and upfront about that and know who to go to that you can trust to help you fix the project helps us all get through this. It's a really hard thing that we're doing and it should be fun and we should be able to trust the people that we're working with.

Julie Harris Walker: Thank you. Lee?

Lee Schneider: Everyone has their own way of doing things and you may be new and think you're brilliant and maybe you are. But you know the guy who's loading the truck has an order that he wants to put that equipment in the truck and people have ways of coiling cables and handing out scripts, there’s a million different ways of doing things and you have to respect that. If you show up and say “I know how to do that” It's not going to work that well. So you have to kind of learn a little bit from the people around you. And definitely this idea of connecting. It's such a community you will meet the people who are who you left last week you're going to meet in the weeks to come. Yes.

Julie Harris Walker: Thank you. Shirley?

Shirley Davis: To Lee's point you have to behave well so that people welcome you back to the next production and next production. The other thing as Jeanette said it's super helpful to be flexible in your thinking. As someone said to me be open and not judgmental. You may think that you want to direct however you may meet someone on set and they're a prop master and you fall in love with their craft so don't assume you know everything you need to know about yourself because it might surprise you what you fall in love with on set that you may want to do. And it may not actually be on set. Maybe it's being a producer offset or making deals or being an agent. Just be open to you know what comes in your path.

Julie Harris Walker: I think that's great advice and I think if you talk to 100 people in entertainment they'll give you 100 different parts about how they got where they are and it's probably not what they thought they'd be doing at the beginning. All right. I would like to thank our panel Jeanette Volturno, Jessica Malanaphy, Lee Schneider, Shirley Davis. I am your host Julie Harris Walker and we hope that this helps you to catch a break.

Julie Harris Walker: This has been Catch A Break the insider’s guide to breaking into and navigating Hollywood. I'm Julie Harris Walker. I want to thank our panelists Laurie Luh, Michael Figari, Andrea McCall Jessica Malanaphy and Eve Honthaner. And special thanks to our intern Akiva Nemetsky and our consultant Lee Schneider of Red Cup Studios. Thanks also to Audio Department who generously provided the recording equipment and Jean Malanaphy who designed our logo. And a big thank you to Andrew Joslin who created our theme song “Mantra for a Struggling Artist,” and any additional music you hear throughout. Catch A Break is produced by Jeanette Volturno, Jessica Malanaphy, Marcei Brown, Rick Osako. Shirley Davis and me. Julie Harris Walker. Now go check out our next episode that I'm calling It's All Greek To Me, or What Are All These People Talking About? We're going to go through all the lingo and all the terms and all the language and let you know what everything means so that you can have a leg up. You can find us at CatchABreakpodcast.com and that is also where you can go to download the bonus materials. Join our mailing list so you don't miss an episode or other programs. And we want to hear from you. So reach out to the web site. Again, that's CatchABreakpodcast.com and also follow us on Facebook and on Twitter. Thanks for listening and we hope this helps you to Catch A Break.

TRANSCRIPT - WHAT ARE ALL THESE PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT?

Catch A Break — EP 3.5

What Are All These People Talking About? (Industry Terminology)

Julie Harris Walker: Welcome to Catch A Break in the episode I'm calling: what are all these people talking about? Or It's All Greek to Me or Pardon my French. I can't really decide. It’s the episode where we learn a whole new language. Like any business, production is full of its own unique lingo and jargon. And the faster you learn it the better. So we are just going to jam through a bunch of words and phrases unique to this business and tell you what they mean. So let's introduce our panel which today is made up of the founders of the Catch a Break program. So joining us today we have Jeanette Volturno who is the head of production at Blumhouse Productions and the founder of CatchLight Films. We also have Jessica Malanaphy, an independent producer and a co-founder of CatchLight Films. Shirley Davis is a veteran film and television production executive, lecturer and speaker currently consulting at Imagine entertainment. And we also have Lee Schneider who is the founder of Red Cup Agency and as a podcast producer and host. He has worked as a writer producer and editor for more than two decades and he's working with us on Catch A Break. So welcome everybody. Let's just go through this list. Jessica, above the line or ATL

Jessica Malanaphy: That's the part of the film's budget that is reserved for the major players of the production like the director, producer, writer, actors. And it's called that because it's literally the names that appear above an actual line on the budget that separates those people out from the other crew positions and the rest of the budget.

Julie Harris Walker: Which brings us to below the line or BTL, Jeanette.

Jeanette Volturno: Well we'd refer to it as BTC, behind the camera now because we're trying to change the language there since they're not really below the line. These are the people that are making the physical production and all the expenses that go with it. The camera, the gear, all of that plus the post-production and all the expenses that goes with that, plus the insurance and any overhead for the company and any bond and publicity fees and banking costs that are in there.

Julie Harris Walker: So any costs that are not above the line, per hour, behind the camera. Assembly, Lee?

Lee Schneider: To editing terms sometimes referred to as the rough assembly where you just chunk together all the scenes that are in the script and the order that they appear.

Julie Harris Walker: Right. Shirley, what’s a call time?

Shirley Davis: The time an individual must report to a given location.

Julie Harris Walker: And what's a pre call?

Shirley Davis: It's when a crew member is asked to come to the set earlier than the call time in order to set things up from a hair and makeup perspective or a technician like a camera person or a grip or an electrician typically or riggers.

Julie Harris Walker: Okay. Lee what is continuity?

Lee Schneider: Continuity is when you're trying to show things in the right order. It's the sequence when you film over more than one day or for more than one shot. You want to be sure that nothing changes in that show like the candles not a little bit lower…

Julie Harris Walker: Like the cigarette?

Lee Schneider: Now the cigarette is the classic one or the light is not a little bit dimmer or even the outdoor light, if you're using natural light doesn't change.

Julie Harris Walker: So make things match?

Lee Schneider: Make things match.

Julie Harris Walker: What is craft service mean, Jeanette?

Jeanette Volturno: Feeding the crew. It's all the snacks that you get in between breakfast, lunch, and sometimes second meal.

Julie Harris Walker: There's just a table full of snacks isn't there?

Jeanette Volturno: Yes there is.

Julie Harris Walker: It’s a beautiful industry.

Shirley Davis: It's the most popular, it's the most bitched about thing on set. If you don't have good craft service your crew will walk.

Jessica Malanaphy: It's dangerous too, it's like the freshman 15 all over again.

Julie Harris Walker: All right. Avoid craft service. I'm just kidding. Demand healthy craft service.

Lee Schneider: Demand healthy.

Julie Harris Walker: There you go. Demand healthy craft service. Jeanette, what are dailes?

Jeanette Volturno: Unedited pieces of the film that you've shot that you look at to make sure that everything is good. It's everything that you shot that has been printed, circled or that the director wants to have in the assembly.

Julie Harris Walker: OK, what’s base camp. Jessica?

Jessica Malanaphy: Base camp is where all of the trailers, production office trailers, actor trailers, hair and makeup, everything is located on set.

Julie Harris Walker: Lee what's the honey wagon?

Lee Schneider: Give me the easy one: the toilet.

Julie Harris Walker: Shirley, what’s an insert?

Shirley Davis: It's a close up of importance. For example, a hand picking up a gun, someone caressing a face, a person stepping out of an elevator.

Julie Harris Walker: Might be just the foot.

Shirley Davis: Correct.

Julie Harris Walker: Lee what's MOS?

Lee Schneider: That's to shoot without any sound being recorded. You know I always thought it was Mit Out Sound, in German, you know kind of a messed up way of the German thing but it says in the reference materials we have here that it refers to minus optical strip which actually makes more sense so that you know in the old optical it would wouldn't need that.

Julie Harris Walker: But I think you sound way more in the know if you say it's Mitt Out Sound!

Lee Schneider: I like Mit Out Sound, it’s like vin venders.

Julie Harris Walker: Exactly. Jessica what’s a pickup?

Jessica Malanaphy: A pickup is when you're shooting a scene and there's a small part that was missed that you go back and you pick up that little piece of it.

Julie Harris Walker: Jeanette, what’s post-production?

Jeanette Volturno: Work performed on a movie at the end of principal photography. It's usually the editing, the sound editing, the visual effects, and all of the post finishing.

Julie Harris Walker: Jessica what's a red light and a bell?

Jessica Malanaphy: I just learned this! A red light and a bell will be sounded usually when you're on a stage right before filming and its that signal for everybody to be quiet and get ready for shooting

Julie Harris Walker: Lee, what’s rushes?

Lee Schneider: It's the first look at what has been filmed on a given day. I have editor friends who take a look at the rushes to figure out what might need to be fixed or covered again.

Julie Harris Walker: That sounds a lot like dailies.

Lee Schneider: It does.

Shirley Davis: It seems that the British term.

Julie Harris Walker: A-ha! OK, second unit. Shirley?

Shirley Davis: A completely separate crew filming different scenes to the main unit, often insert or pick up shots.

Julie Harris Walker: And what are sides, Shirley?

Shirley Davis: They are the call sheet and script for the day condensed into a physically smaller form so you could carry it around in your fanny pack.

Jessica Malanaphy: And do you know that the British actually print paper that is that size? You don't have to cut it.

Julie Harris Walker:: Wow. We really never should have declared our independence. OK. So, Jeanette what's a split day.

Jeanette Volturno: A split is when instead of starting at six o'clock in the morning you need to get a noon shot to an evening shot. So you start your call later in the day and go until later in the evening.

Julie Harris Walker:: Lee, what's a squib?

Lee Schneider: Squib is an explosive charge used to create the effect of a bullet or a small explosion.

Julie Harris Walker: Jessica, what’s a Stinger?

Jessica Malanaphy: That's an extension cord.

Julie Harris Walker: Shirley, what's video village?

Shirley Davis: It's the area in which viewing monitors are placed for the director and other production personnel. Referred to this name because of the propensity to fill with people, chairs, and overall too many cooks in the kitchen and none of craft service.

Julie Harris Walker: Lee, what’s a wild track?

Lee Schneider: It's a recording of atmospheric sound like this. (plays atmospheric sound)

Julie Harris Walker: Oh that was nice. That was nice. Jessica, what’s wrap?

Jessica Malanaphy: Wrap is when you're all done for the day.

Julie Harris Walker: Jeanette what is wrap out?

Jeanette Volturno: When you completely put everything away in the trucks and lock it all up and go away

Julie Harris Walker: And then what's a company move?

Jeanette Volturno: When you move to the next location.

Julie Harris Walker: Jessica, what’s an AD?

Jessica Malanaphy: That's the assistant director and the assistant director is the person who kind of runs the set and does the schedule keeps everything moving forward.

Julie Harris Walker: Jeanette what's a day player?

Jeanette Volturno: A crew member who's hired for one day only and may not come back after that. They're only needed for that specific amount of time.

Julie Harris Walker: Shirley, what’s a double?

Shirley Davis: A person used when an actor is not available usually from long distance or from behind or for part of the body such as hands and feet.

Julie Harris Walker: And what's a stand-in?

Shirley Davis: The same except it's used for lighting.

Julie Harris Walker: Lee, what's a showrunner?

Lee Schneider: A showrunner is also sometimes called a line producer or a showrunner is the person who really makes the show happen. They're responsible for the day to day at least in my world the documentary world and the TV world getting the show produced on a day to day.

Jessica Malanaphy: It's different in every format. Like in reality showrunner’s executive producer it's scripted, it's the what, Jeanette?

Jeanette Volturno: In scripted they are a writer, in essence.

Lee Schneider: Yes right. That's true.

Jessica Malanaphy: A lot of time, the creator.

Jeanette Volturno: They craft the television show.

Lee Schneider: Right. Another way to put it is the showrunner would be the person who is trusted to deliver the program. Nothing happens without the showrunner.

Julie Harris Walker: So big boss. Let's call it the boss applesauce. Walkie talkie language! I'm going to say the phrase, someone shout out what it is 10 1.

Jessica Malanaphy: Go to the bathroom

Julie Harris Walker: 10 4.

Jeanette Volturno: Understood the message

Lee Schneider: 20.

Julie Harris Walker: Location as in…

Jeanette Volturno: Where are you?

Julie Harris Walker: Copy

Shirley Davis: Used to show that a message was heard and understood.

Julie Harris Walker: Eyes on

Jessica Malanaphy: When you're looking for somebody. Has anybody got eyes on Steve?

Julie Harris Walker: Flying in

Jeanette Volturno: When someone's on their way to set

Julie Harris Walker: Go for

Shirley Davis: A call or response for somebody specific on the radio.

Julie Harris Walker: Radio walkie check

Shirley Davis: A call that warrants a response such as good check if heard by another crew

Julie Harris Walker: Go to channel

Jessica Malanaphy: That's when you are asked to go to a different channel to have an offline conversation or to reach a specific department. Then you always want to say I'm going back to Channel One at the end. They know you're no longer on the new channel.

Julie Harris Walker: OK. Now we have some just random phrases you might hear on set. Jeanette, back in?

Jeanette Volturno: Meaning that you are back to work after lunch or any break is over.

Julie Harris Walker: Jessica, martini shot? PEAKER: Jessica Malanaphy last shot of the day.

Julie Harris Walker: Lee, Abby singer?

Lee Schneider: Abby Singer, the second to last shot of the day named after production manager Abby singer of course. He would frequently call last shot of the day.

Julie Harris Walker: Shirley, final checks last looks

Shirley Davis: Phrase to call in hair and makeup to give a final touch up to actors before a scene is filmed.

Julie Harris Walker: Jeanette, hot points

Jeanette Volturno: Hot points! It's when someone's carrying something like a ladder or dolly track and they're moving around something and they don't want to hit anybody so they scream hot points so you don't run into them.

Julie Harris Walker: That's a good one to know. Jeanette, pictures up?

Jeanette Volturno: The phrase used to alert everybody that the cameras are almost set to start rolling and get out of the way.

Julie Harris Walker: Lee, change pages

Lee Schneider: If a script is altered where filming is underway any changes are handed out on set in the form of change pages. These are normally a different color than the original script, script with a lot of changes during filming can look like a rainbow.

Julie Harris Walker: Jeanette, what is check the gate?

Jeanette Volturno: When shooting on film you'll often hear the assistant director shout Cut, check the gate. This is to ensure that the camera and film is free of any impurities or blockages. Hair in the way for instance that would render what's been filmed unusable or call for another take

Julie Harris Walker: Walla?

Jessica Malanaphy: That's the background conversation so usually it's done in post after you've already filmed your extras on set and you do a recording with a loop group where they will fill in the Walla

Julie Harris Walker: For example… (everyone murmurs)

Julie Harris Walker: What’s a loop group, Jeanette?

Jeanette Volturno: It's a group of people that come in and fill in the background on the movie that fill in parts that need to be done off screen or someone that's on screen and they need to like add and make it louder or add another line here or there or add something off screen that you didn't have written in or we're going to add in post

Julie Harris Walker: Lee, whats jam?

Lee Schneider: Jam is to sync things up usually using timecode.

Julie Harris Walker: Shirley what’s background extras?

Shirley Davis: Background extras are actors with who don't speak in the background of any scenes and usually the assistant director tells them where to walk or stand so that you're concentrating on the main actors and they're adding flavor to the scene.

Julie Harris Walker: Jeanette what's a kit rental.

Jeanette Volturno: It's personal equipment that is owned by a member of the production who rents it to the production or gets a stipend for having their say computer or their makeup kit or a camera piece or something like that.

Shirley Davis: Or also known as the gift that keeps giving because every production pays for their supplies and then they go to another show and rent it.

Jeanette Volturno: Yes it can also be called a box rental.

Julie Harris Walker: Turnaround. Jessica?

Jessica Malanaphy: That is the time that unions require for crew to have between the time that we wrap on one day and they're called back to set on the second day. So turnaround could also mean when you're turning around with the camera and getting the other side of the scene.

Julie Harris Walker: Shirley what’s some eyeline match?

Shirley Davis: That is really important because it's when you're filming and you want to make sure when you're getting another perspective that you're still making sure the eye lines meet. Otherwise it's called Crossing the Line and the scenes will not cut together

Julie Harris Walker: Jeanette, what’s portal to portal mean?

Jeanette Volturno: From one place like your hotel to the set.

Julie Harris Walker: All right there was one more I wanted to stay in here because I thought it was funny. Okay Jeanette what's a Gary Coleman?

Jeanette Volturno: A little mini C Stand.

Shirley Davis: I never heard of it.

Julie Harris Walker: All right so be careful about getting famous in this industry because they're going to name something random after you. This has been Catch A Break: The Insider's Guide to breaking into and navigating Hollywood. I'm Julie Harris Walker. I would like to thank our panel: Jeanette Volturno, Jessica Malanaphy, Shirley Davis, Lee Schneider and special thanks to our intern Akiva Nemetsky and our consultant Lee Schneider of Red Cup Studios. Thanks also to Audio Department who generously provided the recording equipment and Jean Malanaphy who designed our logo. And a big thank you to Andrew Joslin who created our theme song “Mantra for a Struggling Artist,” and any additional music you hear throughout. Catch A Break is produced by Jeanette Volturno, Jessica Malanaphy, Marcy Browne, Rick Osako. Shirley Davis and me. Julie Harris Walker. Now be sure to check out our next episode where we do a deep dive on networking. What does it mean? Why is it important? How do you do it? Go grab our episode on Networking. You can find us at CatchABreakpodcast.com and that is also where you can go to download the bonus materials. Join our mailing list so you don't miss an episode or other programs. And we want to hear from you. So reach out to the web site. Again, that's CatchABreakpodcast.com and also follow us on Facebook and on Twitter. Thanks for listening and we hope this helps you to Catch A Break.