![GoldFold Giveaway! [Ended]](https://needlegirlhaystackworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/fold-collage-240x195.jpg)
GoldFold Giveaway! [Ended]
Update: Thank you all for entering, and congratulations to the winner: Ally from Victoria, Australia! Readers!! I’m so excited to give you the chance to win one of my all-time favorite items to have on set — the GoldFold AD Wallet! I remember the first time I saw a GoldFold. It was the summer of 2008, back when I was a naive, wide-eyed production assistant. I was constantly darting around set, moving things, grabbing things, running with things I probably shouldn’t have been. My hands were always full, but I knew I needed to have call sheet, sides, and spare paper with me at all times. I tried to fold the pieces of paper carefully in my pocket, but they’d always get crumpled up. It’s embarrassing when an executive asks you for an extra call sheet and it’s a wadded mess! And that was when I saw it. Sticking out of the back pocket of the 1st AD — the GoldFold. In it were the schedule, call sheet, and sides — and any other papers needed. The AD would calmly pull the call sheet wallet out of their back pocket for reference, and stick it back without worry. It was then that I knew I needed a GoldFold. What is the GoldFold? A beloved tool used by assistant directors on film, commercial, and television sets around the nation, the GoldFold stands alone as the original and highest quality call sheet wallet on the market. Designed by a DGA 1st AD, the GoldFold is the perfect tool for keeping your call sheets, schedules, and notes crisp– despite being folded in your pocket. Each GoldFold is individually hand crafted from leather and outfitted with strong magnets to keep your on set paperwork tidy. They normally retail for $150, but to celebrate this year’s re-release and the holiday season, Travis Gold himself has graciously agreed to share the GoldFold love with one lucky Needle Girl Haystack World reader! To Enter: Utilizing the nifty little Rafflecopter widget below, you can choose how you’d like to enter by doing one of the following: Sign up for the GoldFold newsletter at GoldFold.com (gets you the most amount of entries!) Tweet about the contest Like Needle Girl, Haystack World on Facebook Follow @needlegirlHW on Twitter Leave a comment below You can even do everything to maximize your number of entries, thereby giving you a higher probability of winning. You can also tweet about the contest every day for an additional +5 entries EVERY DAY until the contest ends on December 10th at 12am EST. Good luck!! a Rafflecopter...
On the Sets & Behind the Scenes of Movies & Television
Maybe you’re wondering, “All these posts are great…but what is being on the set really LIKE?” To help you get an idea, here are a collection of some decent behind-the-scenes videos that show a glimpse of the atmosphere behind the lens. (I tried to choose ones that are raw and limit the “talking head” style.) On the Set: The Hunger Games The Coen Brothers Behind the Scenes Behind the Scenes: The Black Knight Behind the Scenes: Transformers On the Set of: The Notebook Behind the Scenes: The Lord of the Rings Note: This is about 50 minutes long, but I remember this specific DVD extra planting the seed in me to pursue a career in film. Behind the Scenes: Jurassic Park On the Set of: The Office Behind the Scenes: Dumb and Dumber The Walking Dead (Season 2 Finale – spoiler alert!) The Great Gatsby (showcasing before/after special effects) DISCLAIMER: I do not own the copyright to any of these. Showcasing for educational use only....
Starting a career in Film and Television — is Film Connection legit?
Today’s question is from a reader about to graduate from high school and is looking for guidance on launching their career. They also are asking about a specific film program. I’m a senior in high school and I’ve been looking into colleges that have film classes and degrees. I want to learn to write screenplays, produce, work the cameras, lighting, directing, etc. While looking at schools in Atlanta, Georgia, I found a school called Film Connection. They claim to be different in their approach to teaching their students and make interesting claims about what they have to offer for prospective students. I’ve read a few reviews that support Film Connection’s claims, but they still come off as a little sketchy to me and my teacher who has been helping me look into school. I would like to know what your advice would be in regards to what would be best for my career, what I should be looking for in a school in regards to what they have to offer in film, and if you believe it would be best for me to focus on getting a degree or getting on the job training. I’d also like to know your opinion on the school I mentioned, Film Connection, and whether you think it would be a good idea for me to further explore them as an option. So many great questions here! Firstly, let’s tackle the Film Connection question. I’ve never heard of Film Connection, nor have I worked with any of their graduates (but that doesn’t mean anything), so I took a look at their website. While they do have a few legitimate points, there were a couple of red flags for me: They appear to be a “chain”. To me, this means they’re focused on the quantity of students they can obtain instead of the quality of the education. There are a myriad of ways to get into the film industry. No one school holds the key, and if that’s one of their selling points, I would be wary. It reminds me of music producers that charge parents money to turn their kid into a star. If only it were so easy as to drop a few thousand dollars on seminars and be guaranteed connections and a job upon graduation! Sadly, that’s not the case. I could be off base, but those are my first impressions. Go with your gut on this one! Film Degree vs. On the Job Training There are so many options for someone about to embark on their college adventure, there is not one right paththat will guarantee a career in television or film....
The Truth about being a Production Assistant: A Day in the Life (Part 1)
Film Terminology Used in This Post basecamp = where all movie trailers are located: actors, makeup & hair, wardrobe, assistant director department, etc. call sheet = outline of which scenes will be filmed with what cast; also has a crew list with each crew member’s call time call time = time when you’re due on set transpo = transportation crew; the shuttles that move crew to set are 15 passenger vans sides = miniature script, reflecting the pages that will be shot that day skins = list of names of all background extras and the roles they’re playing A Day in the Life of a Set Production Assistant on a Feature Film 4:20a. Rise and shine in the black of night. Think about who else is awake at this godforsaken hour. Shower, get dressed in layers. 5:00a. Leave home, teeth chattering, in the brisk morning air, thinking It’s too early and too cold to be awake. 5:45a. Arrive at basecamp. 5:46a. Stagger into the AD trailer, bleary-eyed, where the 2nd 2nd AD is already sitting and working feverishly on their laptop. Wonder if you ever really want that job. Grab walkie talkie and fresh bricks; fumble the simple task of putting on the walkie talkie headset/earpiece. 5:50a. Run over to catering, order a delicious, customized breakfast burrito with avocado. Mmm. Get much needed coffee, choose from 10 different kinds of coffee creamers. Think this breakfast alone is worth getting up in the morning. 5:55a. After scarfing down burrito, run back to AD trailer. Grab a few callsheets, sides, and “skins”. 5:56a. Make small talk with transpo driver while riding to set. Enjoy the heat spilling out of the vents and this brief moment of comfort. Get a little too hot just in time to- 6:00a. -clumsily climb out of transpo van into the bitter cold, and drop half the sides in a puddle. Try to wipe off mud from the back of the sides, smearing it more. It’s 6am, call time, the time you’re due at extras’ holding. There’s already a few extras waiting outside the door. Quickly run inside the door at extras’ holding, which is an abandoned building that used to be a strip club. Look at the pole in the middle of the floor and think once again it’s too early for this. 6:15a-7a. The majority of the extras start to arrive. Muster up a cheerful smile to welcome them. Say Hello to a few of the regulars by name. The newbies are giddy with nervous excitement. Explain to them how to fill out their paperwork. Explain the Exhibit A & B sections on the paperwork two dozen times, because that...
Should I Move to Find Work In the Film Industry?
Today’s question comes from a reader who isn’t sure how to get started– and I suspect her location has a lot to do with it! I live in upstate New York (really upstate) about 1 hour north of the capital Albany. I’m looking to see if I can get into this field. How would I go about getting initial jobs, and would the best way to start be a Production Assistant? I wrote a few tips not too long ago about how to get a job as a production assistant. But what do you do when there simply is NO semblance of a film community anywhere near you? (If the biggest production in your town is a local car dealership ad, you fall into this category.) As in this reader’s case, finding a film set an hour north of Albany may be impossible. Ask yourself: If I’m serious about this career, should I move to where the film work is? If you haven’t spent a lot of time in the bizarre world of set life, it can be a huge decision to move to a new city when you’re not even sure if you’ll like the work. First tip: Call the local state film commission, ask if there are any upcoming projects coming to upstate NY. Find out the name of the production company, offer to work for free. This can get your feet wet without taking the plunge, or maybe you can relocate for a few months. Unless the next hit AMC drama begins filming an hour north of Albany, you will need to move — at first at least, to get the experience, build a reputation, and establish a career. Since you’re from New York, NYC seems like the closest and logical choice, but it is one of the most expensive places to live in the country. Where Should I Move For Film Work? Let’s Begin with the Obvious: Los Angeles. While not as many movies are filmed there as in years past, it’s still slammed for scripted and reality television work, on both the production and post production ends. You’ll ascend the ladder faster than in a mid-market town. A major downside: Kiss your family and social life goodbye; work is the only thing that matters in Los Angeles. Also, the taxes are criminal. Atlanta. Nicknamed the “Hollywood of the South”, Atlanta should be a top choice for anyone considering getting into the business. Georgia has provided enormous tax incentives for out of town production companies, and the film community has blown up. Several movies have been filmed in the greater Atlanta area, plus several television...
Do I Need a Film Degree to Get a Job in the Film Industry?
I occasionally get emails seeking advice about the film industry. I’m by no means an expert — there is SO MUCH to learn in this industry and I’m still (somewhat) of a young’un myself! I will do my best to answer these questions, and if I’m not sure, I will seek for input from my more experienced cohorts and mentors and learn something too. So, for the maiden voyage — here’s the first question: I am a recent college graduate with a bachelors degree in speech therapy. I’ve always wanted to work in this field of work, but when i began the program I chickened out because I thought I would be unable to find a job, thus the reason i changed my major! But now I regret it so much and now I know this is what I want to do! Is it possible to obtain a job as a PA and be able to move up the ladder without a tv/film degree?? Congratulations on your graduation! As a gal with a business degree, I can answer this in a heartbeat: You absolutely do NOT need a film degree to make it in this business. People in tv/film come from all walks of life. Sure, you’ve got the die-hard movie buffs that lived, ate, and breathed film since they were kids — but there are equally as many people that got into the business without the “proper” degree. If you’ve read this blog for awhile, you know I enjoy teasing egotistical film school graduates, but there are advantages to film school. You learn a lot about theory, proper filming techniques; you have access to gear, access to cameras, and you get to stretch your creative muscles. You also get a jumpstart on networking, as there will probably be a few people you meet in film school that will cross your path for the rest of your career. But, I’m a firm believer that being on a real, non-film school set is the best way to learn — and it’s a heck of a lot cheaper. There’s practical aspects of a film set that are missed in film school. A degree in speech therapy is NOT a waste! The timing of this question couldn’t be better. I’m currently working on a project with a therapist-turned-producer and she’s had an extremely successful television career. In the stressful moments when the crew or cast gets a little disgruntled, having an empathetic producer holding the reigns is a godsend. She’s a great motivator AND she gets the job gets done. Speech therapy is a little different, but I’m sure you could put your skills and...
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I'm Laryssa, and when I'm not working in film or television, I'm attempting to travel -- or I'm here, providing resources for working in film or travel. Read more Elsewhere on the internets
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