What I've Learned So Far... Rachel Kubick
Six months ago, I was plucked straight out of the corn fields in Bowling Green, Ohio to start working at Pritt Entertainment Group shortly after graduation. I was ecstatic. And terrified. I was a lot of things, really. But mostly, I was entirely optimistic about landing my absolute dream job right out of college.
You never know what's coming
I learned my first lesson on my very first day in the office - things can change on a dime. And nine times out of ten, they will. On that first day, I believe there were only three or four of us in the office. I spent my time setting up my desk, becoming acquainted with the new software, and scoping out new lunch places to sample in downtown Akron (shoutout Barley House). Everyone assured me that things would pick up, and we’d be busy in no time. I don’t think I believed them until I was scheduled to grip four full-day shoots for the rest of the week. Now that’s showbiz baby!
Experience with Animation
I’ve also been able to work on various animation projects and gain more experience with Adobe After Effects. I’ve dabbled in it here and there in my previous production roles, but I’ve never fully dedicated time to mastering the "Dark Arts," as we call it in the industry. I first utilized After Effects at PEG while creating a graphics package for a basketball team in Las Vegas. Not only was I able to learn a ton about animation during this project, but I also learned the ins and outs about working with sports clients – formatting for different boards, looping graphics on facias, etc. I didn’t even know what fascias were until a few months ago.
Learning about Clients
Learning more about our clients is definitely my favorite part about this job. Each day, I am working on a new project, telling a new story, and learning something new about the amazing people and organizations we work with. It’s one of the more unique aspects of working in this field. One day we’ll be at a manufacturing plant capturing b-roll of machinery, then we’ll be conducting interviews for a local nonprofit, and maybe the day after that we’ll be on a flight across the country to shoot an intro video for a hockey team. We really do love hockey.
Teamwork Wins
Certainly the most important thing I learned during the past six months is the value of teamwork in the workspace. When I was in school, I got in the habit of doing pretty much everything myself when it came to conceptualizing and creating a video project - I’m sure many other producers were in the same boat. And while there’s nothing inherently wrong with a one-person crew, working with a multi-person crew definitely comes with its benefits. We have such a strong group of creatives here at PEG that are always striving to learn from and teach one another. It’s truly one of the most rewarding things about this job.
They say if you love what you do, then you’ll never work a day in your life. That couldn’t be more true. Cheers to everyone who has played such a massive role in my growth over these past six months!
