THE MUSE #100
In this edition: Bryce Dallas Howard debuts her Volkswagen commercial and THE MUSE introduces a brand-new column for emerging artists.
“Break Free” Volkswagen Commercial
Hi Muses, BDH here:)
Remember a couple months ago when I mentioned filming a sheep? Well you can now see that sheep in action in Volkswagen’s new car commercial, “Break Free”, directed by yours truly!
Over the next few weeks, I’ll share some insights into the pre-production process, like what we learned from our previz (which hilariously featured children’s toys) and how I like to develop a shot list. For now, I revisit one important lesson from shooting this commercial: “Be the captain of your own ship.” For me, captaining my own ship looks like:
Courage: Putting myself on the line and making big, bold decisions when it comes to steering the ship — because there’s no point in timidly wading in the water.
Accountability: Changing course when the direction proves false or the seas get choppy. As the Captain, I am responsible for the wellbeing, vision, and goal of this ship’s crew.
Preparation: Thinking, “If I had to give the ship to someone else, do I have the plan recorded and communicated to the team before we leave so we reach our destination no matter what?” Including collaborators in the development of the plan means that when it comes time to pivot, everyone can do it together.
… or C.A.P. 😉
Stay tuned for more! xo
How To Answer Those Inevitable Questions
by Abby Garcia
New Column Alert! This is “What I Learned by Doing,” a column dedicated to real-world discoveries about emerging into the entertainment industry. These lessons are anything but theoretical as actress and producer Abby Garcia shares her experience transitioning from school to professional settings and how she faces the challenges of “making it” today.
Hello and welcome to “What I Learned by Doing” — my name is Abby Garcia and I am an actress, producer, filmmaker, foodie, and, thanks to THE MUSE, a columnist!
Recently, I have begun my journey into the professional world as a crew member on a television production taking place in New York City, and since beginning this job, I have been faced with a line of questions that never seems to end. These questions come from a range of people including family members wanting to know if I found a job after college (yikes) and executive producers at the craft services table asking where I see myself in the long term (bigger yikes).
I’ve been in so many conversations in regards to “what’s next?” and “what do you do?” that I’ve started to store my answers in the front of my mind so that I am prepared and ready for most questioning scenarios — because the more prepared I was for these inevitable questions, the more confident I became in myself to answer them.
Here are a few common scenarios and questions and how I got through them:
1. For when it’s your first day on the job and the person in charge asks, “So what do you want to do?”
True story: Less than a week into my job as a production assistant, the executive producer of the show came to my desk for hand sanitizer and we began to talk about how I found myself in this job, which led him to ask, “What do you want to do in the future?”
Instinctually I said, “I’m a producer, so, hopefully your job…”, which surprised even me, but it led him to offer help if I needed it in order to make that happen.
Owning my hyphenate as a producer allowed me to enter this conversation with confidence. It’s taken me a long time to own my hyphenates because I feel like there needs to be a certain threshold I pass through to own them; I have to finish a screenplay before I can call myself a writer or I need to book a legit job before I can call myself an actor. However, I learned that the sooner you embrace your hyphenates or the ones you are working toward, the more confident you become in your abilities to master them. You never know who is going to remember that you are a comedian or editor and is in search of one!
Furthermore, defining your speciality can be extra useful in scenarios like these. Your specialty is the evolving formula that makes up who you are and what you bring to the table. It not only encompasses your hyphenates, but also shares the stories and passions that inspire you. Check out the Nine Muses Lab Class #6 Recap for how to craft your unique specialty.
2. For when a former colleague bumps into you while you’re out buying yoga pants and asks, “ What are you working on now?” or a potential collaborator asks, “What’s your project about?”
One of the greatest lessons I was taught in school, and I actively use in the professional world, is that having an elevator pitch for your work in your back pocket is the key to grabbing people’s attention after questions like these.
An elevator pitch as described by No Film School is “predicated on the fact that someday you could be in the elevator with someone, and you’ll only have thirty seconds to two minutes to tell them about your amazing idea.” And this situation is not limited to elevator encounters! This could happen during a party with someone who is looking for a new project or at the restaurant you work at with a chatty and connected patron. The No Film School website provides a great template for selling a project in as little time as possible while also leaving them wanting more.
Having the logline of a couple projects ready has set me up with forever collaborators after what seemed like a regular conversation. During a lunch with an old-friend, now-writer, I briefly mentioned I’m working on a pilot script about, “An aunt and niece, now LA roommates, that are on the prowl for eligible bachelors and BOGO spicy margs. An unhinged Gilmore Girls.” Now, because the story connected with her we are working on that script together.
I often practice my pitch by honing in on what excited someone the previous time I shared it. That way, by the time I’m inevitably asked what I’m working on again, I can ace that pitch.
3. For when you interview for your dream job or when you meet your artistic soulmate.
During school and after graduation, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting so many diverse and talented artists, business people, and future collaborators. But if you are like me, this period of emergence and “making it” in the industry sometimes feels like you always have to be your perfect self and put your best foot forward to make connections. That pressure becomes exhausting.
I’ve learned to fight that exhaustion by using curiosity to drive the conversation. Interviews almost always leave room for your own questions; have some ready. For example, you can ask, “What is your favorite part about working for this company?” Or after you tell that producer what it is you wanna do in the future, ask for advice. And after you’ve given your own elevator pitch, follow up and ask that person what they’re working on!
In the same way other people may ask you questions and open opportunities for yourself, you have the power to create your own opportunities with your own questions and curiosity.
Originally hailing from Tampa, Florida, Abby Garcia is a proud alum of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and the Fall 2021 Nine Muses Lab cohort. She has a passion for innovation and inclusion, both on screen and off, and specializes in creative development and team building. Currently, she is working as the Covid Supervisor on the “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” series and executive producer for a Best Years, an upcoming web series.
Newsworthy & Opinions
Jurassic World Dominion crosses $1 Billion at the worldwide box office – one of only three films to reach the milestone since the beginning of the pandemic.
“Hollywood has built its Young Adult content on the belief that teens want to see glamorous lifestyles… but our research suggests the opposite is true,” says psychologist Yalda Uhls in a recent UCLA study. “Teens want their media to show a world characterized by genuine diversity, relatable characters and heartwarming experiences.”
Taylor Swift reveals her songwriting process in awards speech. Hint: it involves a quill, a fountain pen, and a glitter gel pen.
“In the end, there is no ideal condition for creativity. What works for one person is useless for another. The only criterion is this: Make it easy on yourself. Find a working environment where the prospect of wrestling with your muse doesn’t scare you, doesn’t shut you down. It should make you want to be there, and once you find it, stick with it.”
Newsletter run by Nia Farrell, Director of Development & Production at Nine Muses Entertainment
