Meet Our Alumni

My journey into the industry has been one of the best, most interesting aspects of my life. I have worked on a few small-budget films, dozens of short films, hundreds of commercial shoots, and three years (and counting) worth of television stories. There were plenty of times that I thought about trying something else or going back to school for something different, but I knew I wouldn’t be satisfied (in my work or with myself). Somehow, there’s always been something for me to do. I’ve been incredibly blessed in my journey, and honestly, I owe all the glory to God. He’s the one that’s been guiding my tiny, adrift ship, pointing me towards the next harbor.

My favorite part of my journey has been finding creativity within myself. Yes, I will always remember the nights that I stayed up until dawn on the set of a feature film, the days spent hammering out scripts in pre-production, and the people with whom I worked and loved; but it’s finding that bit of myself I can love and appreciate I feel has made me a better person. I know that’s cheesy and cliché, but hey, clichés are rooted in truths.

Compass, more than anything else, taught me to work hard or get left behind. This is 100 percent true in every industry, but filmmaking and broadcast are cutthroat trades. Why? Because we love what we do, and we want to continue doing it. But, if you’re lazy, you’re not going anywhere; there’s another kid on deck waiting to take your spot. Do what you do well, and with a great attitude, and people will notice. Slack off and joke around, and people will notice that, too, you just won’t work anymore. Compass also taught me how to develop a good eye for shot composition, how to set up basic lighting, and it helped me develop my skills as an editor, all of those things I use on a daily basis.

This industry can be difficult, but it can also be the most amazing thing in your life. Be sure you want to do this, search your heart, know yourself. If this is the road you want to continue down, don’t let anyone stop you. Develop your own projects, try new things, meet new people, think for yourself, read, read, read, and learn to enjoy yourself and the life you’ve been given. We only get one.

It started in 2009, a year after I graduated from Compass with an internship at a reality TV company in Los Angeles. While that particular genre of work didn’t interest me, it was the first time that I actually considered living in LA. By the next summer, my wife and I had come to the conclusion that we were indeed supposed to move to LA. So without any previously arranged jobs, we packed up our car and drove from Holland, Michigan, to Los Angeles. My first gig in production was as a Visual Effects Production Assistant on Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked in 2011. After that, I temped for a bit and then landed at DisneyToon Studios, where I first worked in operations, and then moved into development. In 2015, I was hired at Stereo D, where I started as a Production Coordinator and am now assisting our Chief Creative Officer.

The great thing about Stereo D is that we touch so many projects every year. It’s awesome to be able to work with clients such as Marvel, LucasFilm, Fox, Universal, and DreamWorks. The quality of our studio’s work keeps opening up more doors for us as a studio, and I am excited about what the future holds!

Make sure it is something that you are called to do. It’s going to be hard. It’s going to test you in ways most people never want to be tested. So you have to KNOW that this is what you HAVE to do. Knowing your calling will get you through the hard times that all people who try to make it in this industry face.

I started out working on anything that I could – paid or not – local or not. I just wanted to get experience and a feel for how productions worked. I focused on finding work within the Camera Department, but if I couldn’t find it, I would do anything just to meet people and learn. I ended up briefly working at Birns & Sawyer Camera House in North Hollywood, and I learned an incredible amount in that time. Afterward, I worked on indie features like Old Fashioned and Short History of Decay …and a number of random super low budget features, shorts, web series, and commercials.

Eventually, I fell into Reality TV. I had never focused on that part of the industry, but I grew to like the multi-camera style and frenetic nature of the format. Things change quickly because the story is developing as you go, and you have to facilitate for multiple crews. I love multitasking, so it was a great fit. I’ve worked on several seasons and variations of Top Chef, and working with the same company has allowed me the opportunity to work in both Production and Camera.

The experience was invaluable because they really put you out there and let you go for it. Afterward, you dissect the experience and evaluate what should have been done differently. Sometimes we made decent films. Sometimes we made terrible ones. Each experience was worth something. The pace of Compass was pretty intense, and I think that was helpful because the industry will require you to run a little bit faster than most other work. You have to put in the effort and be a self-starter. Compass structured the program this way by design.

This is probably not true of all entry-level jobs, but my favorite part has been my ability to be creative. ProGuides has given me a good amount of freedom to take things where I want with projects. I can put little goofs or gags in the videos because it spices things up. A little seasoning goes a long way when it comes to tutorial videos and guides. Also, the money is nice.

My advice to graduates is to work hard. If you go above and beyond and do good work, people will notice. Just keep trucking along and getting better at whatever skill you are learning. Make sure to put conscious effort into improving your skills. Skills pay bills, and it feels even better to pay bills doing something you enjoy.

During my time at Compass, I started working professionally in the industry, primarily with Mark Baas, a connection given to me via Compass alum Karl Koelling of Taproot Pictures. I spent many weekends working on local commercials as a Production Assistant and creating my own projects for different classes. After completing the final thesis project, I received an internship with an independent production company in New York City doing script coverage.

In August 2012, I moved to NYC, couch surfed for two weeks, and then finally found an apartment. I spent two months at my internship doing script coverage, then was given the opportunity to work on Darren Aronofsky’s NOAH as an extra. Immediately following that, I was offered the chance to be a Production Assistant on a film the company I interned for was about to start shooting. That first feature introduced me to many people I would collaborate with over the next three years. From there, I worked on an additional 14 to 15 feature films, as well as various commercials and music videos.

In July 2014, I stepped into the role of Assistant Director on a half-million-dollar movie. After that experience, I moved off-set and into post-production. I worked as the Post-Production Assistant on season three of HBO’s hit show VICE. After seven months, I wanted to get back to scripted TV, so I moved into a facility doing dailies for network TV. While working there, I learned how to use Avid, which is a requirement if you want to work in network TV. A year and a half later, I moved on to work on season five of Orange Is The New Black as their Post-Production Assistant. Following the season, I moved back to VICE as an Assistant Editor on their new nightly news show for HBO.