Chapman TWP MFA Alum Currently Working at Warner Bros. Television…. AMA!

[ElleGee]

Hi guys! This forum was so helpful to me back when I was applying, so I try to remember to pop back in here periodically and offer any tidbits, knowledge, or advice for any incoming Chapman Television Writing and Producing MFA candidates. Or anyone thinking about applying! Any burning questions? Concerns? Feel free to ask me anything!

 

[Chris W]

Thanks for coming back to help out!

How long between graduation and your first job?

 

[ElleGee]

Thanks for coming back to help out!

How long between graduation and your first job?

I graduated (officially) in May 2021, during the pandemic. Our ceremony was in August. During that time, I had LOTS of interviews, but because of the pandemic, things had slowed down at most of the production offices and studios. But I kept in contact with my internship contacts, and I actually worked during my second year of school for ViacomCBS. So I kept in touch with them too. But October, about two months after my graduation ceremony and five after my degree was conferred, I got hired at Warner Bros. TV.

 

[Chris W]

I got hired at Warner Bros. TV.

Nice. What do you do for them currently? How well do you think Chapman prepared you?

 

[ElleGee]

Nice. What do you do for them currently? How well do you think Chapman prepared you?

I’m an office production assistant in main production. I’m a part of a three person pod: the VP, production coordinator, and me. Each exec is assigned shows that they oversee. Mine currently has five. So we are responsible for setting up writers rooms, overseeing budgets and schedules, and keeping track of all production documents. Once production is wrapped, the show moves on to post (where another exec will oversee that process) and we wrap all of the main production elements.

Chapman prepared extremely well. I was in a writing program, but they were training us to be showrunners one day, so they made sure we were well versed in production as well. So we learned budgeting and scheduling, as well as production management. I’m using all of those skills in my current role.