Dustin Vaubel

Interview Project, part 2

COMM 1010-031
3/28/2016
Interview Analysis Memo
Date: March 18, 2016
To: Professor Karl Haase
From: Dustin Vaubel
Subject: Interview Analysis Memo, 1010-031
I have had the opportunity to interview Film Director/Producer Angela Wilkins who runs her own
home production company called Desert Magnolia.
I have been interested in the field of film production since High School and decided to make it my
desired profession upon entering college. I have always wondered what kinds of education someone
working in film production needs; it seems to vary from as little as a High School diploma to a
Bachelor's Degree. I have worked with Angela on small projects in the past, but getting this chance to
really ask her for more in-depth information about the art of film-making has really helped me gain a
better understanding and appreciation of the process, and also of the satisfaction that a finished project
brings to everyone involved in its creation and reception.
This memo summarizes what I learned during this interview.
Summary
The beginning: Getting Started in the Production Field
Angela explained to me that creation of a film is a very specific, step-by-step process. This is a field
where work is not always steady, and your skills/connections play a big role in when it becomes
available to a person. I have learned that passion is the number one thing that must be present when
choosing a career in film production, or any art related field for that matter. Unlike many other fields,
film production doesn't really have an agreed upon, official requirement when it comes to formal
education, so this makes choosing the right education path becomes a little more difficult than say a
doctor, lawyer, or environmentalist. However, many people who work in film production still have a
college degree of some kind.
Angela did recommend at least studying film production at a basic level in school. She said that there
are many technical schools like Broadview University and Full Sail University that provide students
with in-depth, specialized education, but the problem is that these schools are rather expensive. A more
affordable alternative is University of Utah's film department, or I can even remain at SLCC's South
City Campus which specializes in art/film and art/film technology. Angela also explained to me that
some formal education in business and finance will be helpful but is not absolutely required.
Due to the more specialized, individual-based nature of people working on a film project (of which
there could be thousands for a big budget project like Disney-Pixar or MGM), she couldn't really give
me an estimate on the usual cost and time-frame of an education nor an average annual salary; it really
depends on which task in the process a person is doing and what kind of project it is. A general rule of
thumb is that the bigger the project, the bigger the wage.

The Work Day

When it comes to film production, typical is not really an accurate word to use to describe what
happens during a project on a day-to-day basis. To go a little deeper, Angela explained there are three
distinct stages in the production process: pre-production, production, and post-production. Each stage
has different tasks involved, and each day can be vastly different from the previous day.
Pre-production is the planning stage. In this stage, a person (usually a writer) presents a story idea to a
producer (or a producer comes up with an idea of their own) and they write a script. Once a script has
been finalized, the producer assembles an executive crew and finds the financing that will be needed
for the project. Each member of the executive crew will have teams of people working underneath
them that handle the smaller tasks of the project. Actors are hired to play the roles of the characters in
the story, and the project is ready to move into the next stage. This type of work is often taking place in
office type settings and having those connections is crucial to this step.
The production stage is, stated simply, production. The crew builds and manages the sets, the cast
performs on them (or for animation style films, records their roles in a recording studio. Some films do
both), and the agenda for each day is dependent on where in the story they are. For a live action film,
one week they might be filming on a sound stage, in a lush forest the next week, and a sunny beach the
week after that. This is the stage that the saying fourteen hour days is referring to. Actors and certain
crew members don't usually stay on a project once this stage has been completed, the exception being a
series of films covering the same story, as well as episodic TV and radio shows.
Now, finally, is the last stage called post-production. This is the polishing stage; putting it all together.
Music, sound, and special effects get added. Legal personnel handle the legal matters (in some projects,
this step may occur during pre-production instead of post). The producer(s), or the studio(s) they're
working for, contracts with distributors who then contract with theaters where the film will be shown
once it is finished. Advertising takes place during this stage, and finally, a finished film will be
delivered to the public.
As Angela mentioned before we delved into the detailed process, film production is very structured and
step-by-step, involving upwards of hundreds of specialized tasks that must be completed within the
time and budget that has been set forth. That being said, personal illness and emergencies can be
extremely hard on a film team, and the long long workdays can be hazardous to a person's health.
Angela reiterated what she said at the beginning of the interview about how having will and drive,
passion for this type of work, is fundamental.
Continuing Education
Angela briefly explained that there is no continuing academic, institutional kind of education required
in the field. However, there is a need for education on a social and technological level. At it's core, film
is an art, and rapidly advancing technology and shifting public interests are constantly reshaping the
way films are produced in order to appeal to audiences. She recommended publications like Variety to
keep up-to-date with what's happening in the industry.

Interview Analysis
As someone who is not entirely new to film production, much of the information Angela gave to me I
was already a little familiar with, but it was still quite intriguing to hear it from a professional's own
view. Plus it was fun to talk about!
Analyzing my Career Choice
I'm a very creative/imaginative person by nature, and others have always told me the same, so I'm a
little surprised it took me as long as it did to realize my passion. The hardest part about this job is
networking, but I was relieved to hear that a traditional education (more commonly known as gen eds)
isn't necessarily a requirement for this type of work. After the interview was done, she told me that
she's actually getting ready to do another short film project this coming summer and that I could help
her with it like I did her last project. That got me really excited!
Analyzing my Interview Process
To prepare for the interview, I wrote down a simple but carefully planned list of questions. I'm a quiet
person, but when the time came, I actually did not have any trouble speaking. I also have a fairly good
memory, so I did not have to write down many notes which helped me keep better eye contact with
Angela as she and I talked about film production. She answered some of my later questions while
giving me her earlier answers, so I just crossed the question out as a reminder to myself to not ask the
question she had just answered. Also while listening to her answers, I asked several secondary
questions that I did not plan out before the interview. That helped me feel more relaxed.
Really the only thing about the interview that could have gone better was my confidence level as she
mentioned in the questionnaire. I do do a little chuckle when I'm a little uncertain how to respond. If I
can take her advice and really apply it to my daily life, then that will help me with overcoming my
shyness in any number of interpersonal situations. We had a good time talking about another project
she's currently working on while she filled out the form, and this project is a full-length feature film, so
she's really excited to be doing that finally after several years of just shorts.

Letter of Thanks
Dustin Vaubel
2952 S. 700 E. Unit 2
South Salt Lake, UT, 84106
(Desert Magnolia is a home business and I do not know the address personally, but I believe she wrote
it on the bottom of the questionnaire)
Mrs. Angela Wilkins
Dear Angela,
I want to thank you for taking the time to meet with me and allow me to interview you about film
production.
Your passion for film against the demands of your regular job is a big inspiration to me, and the
information you have given me will go a long way to helping me pursue my own career in the film
industry. I also now have a better understanding of how a film is created, and thanks to your help, I
now have a better appreciation for what the credit roll is.

I also want to thank you for letting me help you with some of your projects in the past, and that I am
really looking forward to being able to work with you again in the future.
Sincerely,
Dustin Vaubel