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Here are the job opportunities (or as we like to call them, Grind Opps) from this week's show.
09/19/16
GRIND OPP #1
Position:
Post Production / Data IO
Industry: Recording
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Description
Stargate Studios is seeking a Post Production and Data IO assistant to join its South Pasadena studio full time.
09/19/16
GRIND OPP #2
Position:
Audio Editor
Industry: Radio
Location: Washington, DC
Description
Radio station seeking audio editor for the Sports Newsroom department.
09/19/16
GRIND OPP #3
Position:
Production Assistant
Industry: Film
Location: Atlanta, GA
Description
Indie film seeking production assistants starting in October. Must have strong work ethic, critical thinking skills, and positive attitude.
09/19/16
GRIND OPP #4
Position:
Audio Engineer
Industry: Recording
Location: New York, NY
Description
eSports programming company seeking an audio engineer for their new midtown facility.
09/19/16
GRIND OPP #5
Position:
Associate Producer
Industry: Film
Location: Washington, DC
Description
Documentary makers seeking an energetic young creative producer to work on weekly kids’ programming block.
Transcript
Iz: What’s up, y’all? Welcome to “Connected.” I’m your host, DJ Iz. I’m here hanging with my girl, Ms. Cloie. Cloie, say “What’s up.”
Cloie: Hey, guys, hey. Happy Monday.
Iz: Happy Monday is a fun day, hopefully.
Cloie: It is. We’re going to make it one.
Iz: Yeah, we have to, definitely. So we are here, this is episode 30. Cloie, we’re knocking them down. Before you know it, we’re going to be at Show 40, we’re going to be at Show 50. I mean, we’re running, girl.
Cloie: [inaudible from 00:00:55 to 00:00:56] Hi, [inaudible 00:00:57] music and [inaudible 00:00:58], shoutouts. Morning shoutouts, right? Happy Monday, y’all.
Iz: All right, they’re already active, which is great because they can get their Q&A questions ready, since they’re on right now. So when we get to the Q&A, we can knock out your questions. So thanks for tuning in, they’re flowing in today.
Cloie: I should also say, wait, Iz, before we go, for everybody, thank you. Dwight, oh my God. He’s shouting at you. Guys, for all of you tuning in, you can watch us live on Iz Connected Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Google Hangouts. But we’re recommending that you watch it on the Official Connected. That’s #poweredbyrecordingconnectionversion. So you can get to that at rrfedu.com/connected. We’ll put that on the record because that’s a lot of information.
Iz: That’s a lot. And also, too, you guys can check out our new podcast on iTunes and Google Play. So you definitely could catch our audio and feed there as well. But again, thank you, guys, for tuning in with us today. This is a place you can catch us every Monday at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Standard Time.
For our newcomers, Cloie, go ahead and kind of just give them a breakdown and what we do here on “Connected” every Monday. Just fill them in and bring them up to speed.
Cloie: That I can do for you, because guys, here’s what we’re doing. We’re simply giving you jobs, info surrounding jobs in the job search, and a little information. A little inspiration and information to kick you in the [sound effect], make it move, right? Because life is not waiting for you. You better go out and grab it by the [sound effect].
Iz: By the balls.
Cloie: By the balls!
Iz: Yeah, Cloie, let’s just say it, man. Go out there, get up. It’s Monday, it’s morningtime. It’s your time to get your day going. Man, grab your day by the cojones, the balls…
Cloie: Thank you.
Iz:…the jewels…
Cloie: All of it. Whatever you need to call it.
Iz: What other words we could say.
Cloie: All of it. If we worked on a farm, the day would be half over by now.
Iz: Right. And you know, the great thing here is we try to keep it moving as best as we can for you guys. And we try to give you guys some insight on what we’re doing throughout the week via our Instagram and our social media, Twitter, Facebook, and all that.
But for the most part, more than just educating and mentoring and sharing experiences, guys. We’re bringing you jobs live and direct. Jobs that are just right now, you know? And really, it’s great because it allows us to kind of see what it’s looking like for you guys on the resume side, if you’re putting a reel together. Just other things that we can give you information and advice on so that your presentation is straight, you know?
Cloie: Right?
Iz: Right. Because presentation is everything.
Cloie: Don’t look stupid.
Iz: Yeah, don’t look stupid. Presentation is everything. So I’m glad you guys are turned in today. And we’ve got an OG tuning in again. I just got a shoutout because Katz has been rocking with us since day one. And we’ve got a little cool surprise for those just good and faithful Katz that tune in and rock with us here every Monday. So shoutout to you guys.
Cloie: Shoutout to you, and if you have not connected with us, please do so across social media. We’re at @izconnected on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google+. You can e-mail stuff to us. Please shout us out #getyourgrindon, #izgotjobs, #cloiegotjobs. There’s no “H” there.
Iz: #Imgoingtogetmyassupthisweekandmakesomethinghappen. That’s a long hashtag, Cloie. Like a boss. So today, guys, we have another special guest, a familiar face. And I’m not going to blast him out, but we’re going to bring him in shortly to kind of just give you some information and the roundabout on how things work, even on the film side.
But before we do that, we’re going to jump up into our grind ops. And Cloie, what do we want them to do before we go into these grind opps?
Cloie: Guys, there’s these things called pens. And we’re going to grab that, and we’re going to grab something to write with. Or perhaps your electronic device with your texting thumbs, so that you can take notes. That’s all.
Iz: Yes.
Cloie: That’s all. Because we’re giving you great, great information, as well as inspiration you’re only going to get it here.
Iz: There you go. So Cloie, I’m going to let you start off the grind opps. I’m looking for something on my other screen right now, but if you can’t…
Cloie: Oh, my goodness. I’m looking for something, too. That’s so crazy, Iz. There’s so many things happening in our feed; this is crazy. Sorry, I’m getting distracted by a shiny thing. So our very first grind-up is coming to you out of Los Angeles, California. It is for post-production and data IO assistant.
So here’s what it is. It’s “Stargate Studios is seeking a post-production and data IO assistant,” which is just basically data and out, but specifically geared towards visual effects, animation, and video games. And the job is to join their South Pasadena studio full-time. Guys, a full-time gig. Nothing better, right?
Iz: It’s a full-time gig. A full-time gig.
Cloie: Holla. And the details are as follows. “Assistant will be offloading, transcoding, downloading, uploading, and managing digital assets. He or she will also be responsible for monitoring space on servers and working with the tech team to archive and restore material as needed. Candidate must have experience using Adobe Premiere, After Effects, and SpeedGrade. And candidate must have the ability to handle a fast-paced and occasionally high-pressure environment.”
I feel like this is a very clearly spelled-out job op. So when we have our guest shout out to you all job op people that make this happen, it’s very, very clear. Thank you for that.
Iz: Absolutely, absolutely. You know, Cloie, I feel like we should really bring in our special guest.
Cloie: I agree.
Iz: Because just looking over these details, I mean this is something he probably can definitely chime in on and show a bit of his knowledge and information. So folks, without any further ado, I’d like to introduce to you my man, my mellow (?), Mr. Edwin. What’s up, man?
Edwin: Good morning, Iz. Good morning, Cloie. How are you guys? Good to see you.
Cloie: Nice to see you. Guys, this is Edwin Menjivar. He is our Sultan of Grind Opps.
Iz: This is the guy who makes it all happen from…
Cloie: He sure does.
Iz:…the really intricate inner-workings in the whole process of these jobs, and everything it entails. He sees it every day, he’s on it every day. So what better time to have my man come in and chime in on some of these details. Because just looking at these details, Edwin, even for me, it’s above my pay grade, man.
This is definitely something you see every day, this is something you work in, and you understand the climate, you understand the language. And I’m just looking at some of these details, man, and they’re very detailed. I mean, you’re talking transcoding, downloading, uploading, managing digital assets.
Cloie: It’s like a [inaudible 00:08:22].
Iz: Yeah, man. It’s like a tongue twister, man. So if you can, man, just based off of your experience, man, what does this information lend itself to as far as experience, what they want to be prepared for? Their resume, does it apply to this type of job opportunity? Just kind of shed some light on that for us, man.
Edwin: Great, great question. The reason this one stuck out to me because not only is it very tech-heavy, but there are a lot of people looking for not just any opportunity as PAs. No, they want to see the whole process of the post-production, you know?
So let’s say…bring myself in as an example. I see this, I’m tuning in, I’ve tuned in to show one shoutout…to once again, shout out to our man that’s been with us…wow…
[SS]
That’s amazing. That’s amazing. So when I see that, I see manuals. I see, “Okay, let me look this up. Let’s literally take notes, either on our phone or on our notebook, and actually do the research.” We know that there’s a delay time on applying. So you turn in your resume, you put in your experience, and then you wait for the call.
But while you’re doing that, do that research. Check what “transcoding” means. Instead of going on your Instagram, Google “Transcoding.” And dedicate a few hours of reading all this and having an idea of how to do it. You’ll be surprised that it’s easier than it sounds, you know?
Cloie: Yes.
Iz: Right. Now, I noticed, too, that a lot of these environments for these jobs…they’re more or less fast-paced or the pressure of deadlines, meeting deadlines and working with people. Just in your experience, Edwin, what are some of the things you’ve seen that have kind of spelled out an intense environment, meaning the workload, the expectation, getting things done on time, meeting deadlines, working with people? Because another thing I’ve noticed, too, is some folks…not going to say they have a shell, but when it comes to working with a group of people, it can be overwhelming for some people…
Cloie: Yes.
Iz:…and they don’t really know how to engage in those kind of environments. What are some of the things you’ve been able to see in the film aspect or the film industry where it does come with those kind of environments that can kind of be intense?
Edwin: I think in general, just building a film…if one cannot work with others, just in a film…just think about the film set, you know? You have PAs, you have extras, you have actors; it’s a whole small city running around, it’s a mobile (?) small city, you know? Think of it as a team. And when these deadlines…and we’ve put this because that’s what they ask. But it doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re going to be…of course they’re going to be strict on their deadlines, but what they’re trying to say is that they’re looking for responsible. They’re looking for somebody that they’re not going to have to reteach things. It’s just like a team; everybody plays their position. They want to make sure that that position is covered. They don’t want somebody else to stay with you and make sure they’re on top of you, you know?
Iz: I’m glad you pointed that out because what I want our viewers to understand especially is that these jobs and being onsite in these environments isn’t really the platform to be learning. You’re definitely going to be in these environments, and you never really stop learning, but to the point where you’re like…you don’t really know what’s going on, and you don’t really kind of have an idea of what you’re doing. You don’t want to use these opportunities to educate you. You want to be experienced to some degree, and then get in there, be able to at least still perform and do what you need to do. But you definitely don’t want to treat that as the learning…your time to learn. You want to be able to get in there and perform, yeah.
Edwin: Exactly…sorry.
Iz: Go ahead, Edwin. You got it.
Edwin: And just…
Cloie: [inaudible 00:12:39].
Edwin: Sorry, Cloie, sorry. And just bouncing off of what you said, you know? Of course you’re not going to know it all of the job, it’s just impossible. Because each employer works differently, you know? But you have to have that edge of “Fake it til you make it,” if that makes sense. You have to have…
Cloie: Can I jump in for one second?
Edwin: Of course, go for it.
Cloie:…I want to jump in for one second because I do want to also equate this…shoutout to all of you film connection students; yes to our recording connection, our film connection, all of that. That paying super attention…I like to equate it to going to acting school, right? You can go to acting school, but that’s only going to take you so far. The rest is on the job training and coming up; we call that “baptism by fire,” right? It’s like you only can learn but so much from a textbook and a Google; the rest has to be practical application, and you “fail” if your ego is attached to it, right? You will never fail, you will just learn.
Iz: Right. Now, let me ask you this, Edwin. What kind of jobs are you seeing right now that are hot in the film industry?
Edwin: The hot…depending on your area. L.A., because L.A. is run…because we have a lot of unions, especially in film, it’s huge on that. So in L.A., it’s mostly post-production, things like that. Because the unions already have their whole people and it’s a whole process, and we’re going to go into detail on how to get into the unions.
But for example, Georgia right now. Georgia, they need a lot of PAs. I need, they need people to work on these sets because a lot of production companies are flying out to these states, Canada as well, things like that just to film. There’s tax incentives and things like that that they’re doing. So it really depends.
But East Coast, PAs…the West Coast right now for people getting into the industry is a lot of production, a lot of post-production, and a lot of office work, which still…there’s nothing wrong with it. That’s just your way of getting in the door.
Iz: Gotcha.
Cloie: Can we jump into…as we’re talking about these jobs and we’ve got some of them on the docket today, let’s get right into the whole idea of a resume, because that’s one of the things we’re talking about today. All things, what’s the format of the resume, the length of the resume? People want to…”Should I attach it to the resume? Should I not attach it to the resume? Should I send a link?” What are you seeing that is helping people to be successful in regards to resumes?
Edwin: It’s making it easy on the employers. They’re seeing hundreds of resumes every day. Just send them a one page. One page is enough. That’s more than enough for them to look at it, bullet-point the things that you’re familiar with. And when I say that, don’t just say “Oh, experience with this.” No, experience with these type of cameras, Red cameras, and be very specific.
When you”re specific, you’re not shooting for, “Oh, hopefully, they’re using these cameras.” That’s telling the employer, “Okay, this guy knows his equipment. This guy knows the difference…this guy is not going to set my set on fire,” right?
[SS]
Cloie: That’d be glorious.
Edwin: Yeah, those are the key things for a resume.
Cloie: And what about format? Like, PDF…yeah.
Edwin: PDF, obviously, just give a PDF…
Iz: It’s easy, right?
Edwin: It’s easier. If they have to ask for a cover letter and they don’t give you an option to do both…sometimes, it’s like, “Oh, attach a cover letter here,” then you do it. But if it’s just like “Send your resume,” just send both in one PDF so they could open both.
Cloie: Got it.
Edwin: Because if your resume is great, they’re going to look at your cover letter and be like, “Wow, this guy is great. He even went the extra mile to build a cover letter.”
Cloie: For those of you that don’t know, do we know what “PDF” stands for?
Iz: Break it down, girl. Break it down.
Cloie: I actually don’t know, I was just asking. I’m kidding. I believe it’s “Portable Document Format”?
Iz: There you go.
Cloie: Nobody is going to know…and Google, let’s ask in Google. Talk amongst yourselves. So what about the people that are nowadays…because we are so heavy in Google; shoutout Google to your folks here at “Connected.” What about links to resumes? What are your thoughts on that?
Edwin: Links to resumes are good. If they ask for it, I’m a fan of just sending them. Make sure that when they open it…because employers aren’t going to take the time to follow this. Obviously, LinkedIn is a huge. So include your LinkedIn, if it’s built correctly, right? [inaudible 00:17:22], just be smart about it, play your games smart. But any links like LinkedIn is the biggest one that I’m for it. Other than that…
Cloie: For those that don’t know what it is, too…quickly, can you tell them what LinkedIn?
Edwin: Awesome, yeah, of course.
Cloie: For people that have been living under a rock?
Edwin: What I would describe LinkedIn is like the modern way of connecting with not only employers, but professionals. You show your resume…this is where people can show your resume. But it’s also like the Facebook, I would say. A professional Facebook where you could contact people that are in the same workforce; employers, things like that where they could go back. A lot of employers use LinkedIn, but they’ll tell you. If they don’t, make sure you send your resume.
Iz: Gotcha.
Cloie: So also, let’s just say…for LinkedIn and still a matter of social media, so you’ve got to clean it up, y’all. If there are pictures of you falling out of things or legs up over your head, probably not the best. So just police it, you know? Just police it; make sure it’s presentable, it’s suitable, your Facebook, all that kind of stuff, too. Because employers do look, you know?
Edwin: Exactly.
Iz: Absolutely.
Edwin: And the great motivating thing that I like to do is when I’m like, “You know what? Should I really do it?” I’m thinking, “What if the next applicant is the one doing everything? This next person will be doing it, so I might as well get my act together,” right?
Iz: Right.
Cloie: Thank you. I think this is a great opportunity to move into Grind Op number two, no?
Iz: Absolutely. So you want me to hit this one, Cloie, or do you want to…
Cloie: Hit it hard, Iz. Hit it.
Iz: Five, four, three…no, just kidding. All right, guys, this is in the field of recording, one of my favorite fields, recording, audio editor. “Radio station seeking audio editor for the sports newsroom department.” Sounds like it could be really cool. “Editor will be cutting sound bites for game highlights from college football, basketball, MLB, NASCAR, PGA, and NBA games.” Man, I’m signing up for this one. “Editor will be running newsroom operation sound during nights and weekends. Candidate must have one to two years with audio editing using Pro Tools and Cool Edit experience. Candidate must be familiar with sports.”
I think, too, what I like about that last detail is obviously, you’ve got to know the field, right? It’s sports.
Cloie: Like, I’m not qualified.
Iz: Yeah, a part of you should definitely be a sports fan. Whether it’s basketball, football, NASCAR. Because that lends itself to you obviously having the right information and just knowing the language of sports, you know what I mean? I remember seeing a couple of guys who were commentators that came from another field and thought they could commentate sports. And as a fan, watcher, goer, and lover, I could tell these Katz, they didn’t really know the language and they didn’t last long.
So definitely something to consider and to take into consideration for this particular grind up. You definitely want to know just the world of sports and you definitely want to have definitely some experience. Because you’re going to be in the newsroom department. This is no joke. This is…
Cloie: No joke.
Iz:…yeah, you’ve got to be…
Cloie: It’ll be like doing the circles on the camera or like the…
Iz: Yeah. There’s a lot of folks out there that really know their stats when it comes to sports. So this is something that you should definitely take in and say, “Okay, let me do some research. Let me get these numbers in my head.” Just know the environment, because you’re going to be in the newsroom. These sports things, from what I’ve heard, it’s no joke, even on…
Cloie: It isn’t.
Iz:…the editing side.
Cloie: Because it all moves so quickly.
Iz: Yeah. What are your take on some of these details, Edwin?
Edwin: Job security. This is a network. This is amazing. This is one of those finds that we found…I found last week, and it had just gone up, and I was like, “This is a perfect one.” Especially on how our industry is right now.
So guys who are into editing that like sports, that resume should be in the “Connected” e-mail right now. Because this is job security. A lot of studios work right now with independent contractors, engineers; they’ll call you when there’s a session, etc., etc. A network is always running; everybody loves sports. Sports are always going to be around. So this one, that’s the one thing that stands out for me with this one.
And usually with networks, you’re going to have benefits and things like that. So that is the number one thing, aside from everything that you said.
Cloie: And [inaudible 00:22:17] your strengths, yeah, on your resume.
Iz: And just thinking, too, as a lover of sports and what I’ve been able to see, just even on the commercial side or one-minute clips. On the editing side, they’re very sparks (?), very quick, and very…just very cool, you know? And I think that’s something to definitely take into consideration for the editors that are seeking out this particular job is that get yourself familiar with the different categories.
Like, PGA looks completely different than an edited sports video running. Football looks different than basketball. So familiarize yourself with just the different editing styles of each category of sport. Because that’s only going to allow them to see just visually if you even know just what comes with the climate of what you’re applying for.
Sports is very sparks, very energetic, very just quick cuts. For those editors looking to seek this opportunity, it’s like make sure you’re up to speed on your editing game in the sports world.
Edwin: Yes.
Cloie: The look is everything.
Edwin: Even though Iz is representing the Giants, I’m not going to say anything, but he’s repping the Giants…
Iz: Hold up. Let me clarify, let me clarify. Now, since Show 1, folks have just about seen me wear a different hat every show. I’m a hat collector, Edwin.
Edwin: Fair enough.
Iz: It’s funny you brought that up, man, because I was hanging at, actually, a baseball field, right? And I was just hanging at the bar. And this cat tapped me on my shoulder and was like, “Please tell me you’re not a San Francisco fan.” I was like, “Man, I’m a hat fan. I’m a hat fan.”
Cloie: “What if I am? You want to get connected? You want to get Connected?”
Iz: No, but Katz are real about their sports, you know what I’m saying? Cats…just the fans go about…just the Raider fans. These Raider fans ain’t no joke out here, you know what I’m saying? Like, it goes down…
Cloie: Now that the Rams are back, forget it. [inaudible 00:24:26].
Iz: People are getting stomped, sought…
Cloie: [inaudible 00:24:30]. I think I’m going to take this opportunity, y’all, why don’t we move to Grind Op number three? Wait, shoutout. Number two was out of D.C. Shoutout to D.C.
Iz: Shoutout to D.C. I’m glad you caught that, Cloie. Because I actually forgot to mention that. So thank you for having my back on that, girl.
[SS]
When I hand-picked you, Cloie, I knew it was for a reason.
Cloie: You can take the girl out of D.C., but you can’t take D.C. out of the girl.
Iz: All right, I hear ya.
Cloie: [inaudible from 00:25:03 to 00:25:06]. Grind Op number three.
Iz: Here we go, number three is in the field of film. Which is why we have my man, Edwin, here. So this is production assistant. “Radio station seeking audio editor for the sports newsroom department.” This is in…am I covering the right one?
[SS]
Cloie: Iz, we having a hard time in Connected headquarters over the weekend. [inaudible 00:25:33].
Iz: Okay, here we go. Production assistant, this is in Atlanta, Georgia. “Indie film seeking production assistant starting in October. Must have strong work ethic, critical thinking skills, and positive attitude.” That’s the first one. We’re hearing critical nugget skills, guys. Critical nugget skills. “Responsibilities…”
Cloie: AKA, [inaudible 00:25:53].
Iz: “Responsibilities will include paperwork, errands, and building sets. Prior experience in a film set preferred.” Okay, Edwin, here we go. Building sets. Man, talk to me about that.
Edwin: Building sets, you don’t have to be an architect, you don’t have to be a carpenter, right? But just building anything from building lights, stands, things like that. Things that are going to obviously enhance the picture, right? Things like that. Nothing…the things like that, I actually spoke directly with the employer. And he has a few projects for the rest of the year. But he told me that that’s literally…I verbatimly quoted him. He’s like, “I need people.” He doesn’t need just one, he needs a few that are going to be helping him, that are going to set things up. Because he has to do other things, right?
So building sets, think of that. You’re coming into an empty lot, you’re [inaudible 00:26:54], “Okay, here’s the stuff.” You’re going to be working with a team and following directions and things like that. So know how to build a desk or something.
Cloie: Or a deck. He’s not going to have it up on his roof.
Edwin: Yeah, exactly.
Iz: Also, Edwin, real quick, right before the building sets, I’m looking at “will also include paperwork and errands.” What do some of the errands look like [inaudible from 00:27:24 to 00:27:27]?
Edwin: Yeah. So “errands” would be things like…anything from food, anything that they need, that catering will need, things like that. That’s what he’s looking for, you know?
Cloie: Got it.
Edwin: “Errands” as in paperwork, scripts, things like that, from his office to the set, things like that.
Iz: Got you.
Cloie: And [inaudible from 00:27:47 to 00:27:49].
Iz: Another important…obviously detailed to this information is I’m looking at “Strong work ethic and critical thinking skills, and positive attitude,” which, to me, you just want to have out of the gate anyway, whether you’re applying for this or something else.
We always say, Edwin, “Positive attitude, work ethic, thinking skills” is obviously the fundamentals of obtaining any job, right? It’s a huge part of the presentation. I know for me, working with people…whether I’m in a studio environment or whether I’m at a company, going over products…I always kind of like get more energy when I notice people around me are excited, they’re passionate. Even if they’re going through something, but they’re deciding to come into the workplace with a positive attitude.
You’ll be surprised how far just good energy goes, and how it drives people. And I think with a positive attitude, then the work ethic, people that are willing to put the hours in, the time in, the sacrifice. And critical thinking skills; I’d like to think everybody had that, but a lot of people don’t have critical thinking skills. As you mentioned, Cloie, common sense, which we all know isn’t that common.
Cloie: It’s not.
Iz: But I think…
Cloie: Booksmarts can only take you so far.
Iz: Yeah. And I think working with different people really takes you out of your comfort zone, because it really gives you real-time experience as to how people do things differently. And they might…you can always learn something from working with people. And that’s why I always say, “Not everybody has the ability to let alone be social, but to now then work with people.” And I think there’s so much information that you can extract these environments where there is a group of people. Because everybody has a different way they’re doing things, but it’s still very informational.
I know we always say…when you’re going into these places, man, you want to be vibrant, you want to have energy, you want to have a positive attitude. Because I know for me, if I’m looking at somebody and possibly hiring somebody, that’s one of the things I always look at first, which is their energy and their vibe. Because you want to be around people…you’re going to be around them every day.
Cloie: Every day.
Iz: Every day, so you want to…
Cloie: And I will tell you, there is nothing worse than walking onto a tense set. Whether you are a contract role or a freaking day player; you walk onto that set and the energy is raw, you instantly feel it. And it’s like, “Oh, damn. This is [inaudible 00:30:31].”
[SS]
Iz: You instantly do this right here.
Cloie: You’re tracking [inaudible 00:30:39]. And then it turns into just the paycheck. Which is fine, because the paycheck is lovely. We all want a paycheck. And we do this because it’s more than that, right?
Iz: Right.
Cloie: We’ve got something special planned for right now. We just heard Grind Op number three. Iz, I don’t know; it’s show number 30, episode number 150. It’s 150 jobs you [inaudible 00:31:05]. I mean, episode 30, 150 jobs. Iz?
Iz: Yeah. Matter of fact, man, I like to say, we’re giving out more jobs than the president.
Cloie: [inaudible 00:31:15]? Did you hear his speech yesterday?
Iz: But I love Obama; I love me some Obama.
Cloie: My man.
Iz: Hey, man, we’re giving out jobs in real time.
Cloie: It happened.
[SS]
Iz: This is big, so before…
Edwin: I’m not using the “H” word. I’m not using the “H” word.
Iz: Cloie, we do have something special for one of our OG viewers who has been here since day one.
Cloie: Yes. It’s a new little segment we’re going to try. We’re not trying it, we’re doing it. Screw “try.”
Iz: We’re doing it. As a matter of fact, let’s roll to this segment. Hit ’em with it.
[music]
Now, that segment is for our man Katz. We’re going to highlight Katz today because Katz has been tuning in since day one. Has been here to get the information, has been here to get the knowhow. Has been here to see what opportunities are available consistently.
And we want to incentivize our OG viewers. We want to give them something…even if they haven’t been able to lock down anything yet, we want to make sure that we do something special for you guys who have been tuning in since day one.
Cloie: Yes.
Iz: I’ve got some goods here that I know my man could use because he’s predominantly looking into the film industry to lock something down. So I’ve got a really dope Q8 Zoom camera that I can send him. I’ve got some mics, some cool stuff that we’re going to send him. So we definitely want to get all his information. And by the way, guys, just before we go into any more of the jobs, we want to let them know where they can actually apply for these jobs and only apply for these jobs. Which is…
Cloie: Hit it.
Iz:…hit ’em with it, Cloie.
Cloie: Well, for Katz, send your info at [email protected], right? You guys are going to apply for these jobs at rrfedu.com/connected, okay? Again, that is rrfedu.com/connected. And then we’ll put the link in because it’s also a lot of information, and my [inaudible 00:33:40] is not that great. But it’s wonderful; I’m thankful to have it.
Iz: Katz, definitely man, shoutout to you, man. Thank you for consistently tuning in with us. And shoutout to Rochelle; she just mentioned that she is going to apply for the position in Atlanta, Georgia. So definitely, thank you for that…
Cloie: [inaudible 00:34:00].
Iz: Yeah, like you, Cloie was saying if there’s anything you want to get to us…and this goes for everybody that’s viewing. Make sure you send this; I don’t care if it’s a bio, I don’t care if it’s music, resume; anything you want to send us, get it to us so we can look at it and try to help you the best way we possibly can.
Cloie: Absolutely. And we want to hear back. Please, please, please, did you get a job? Were you up for a job? Did you get to interview a job? Please let us know. Because we would love to shout you out on this air. Why? Because we love you. And we’re here…
Iz: We love you, man. We love you. We love you.
Cloie:…[inaudible 00:34:31]. Right.
Iz: All right. Without any further ado, we’re going to move…
Cloie: Before we do, we got another contest happening next week…we sure do. Send us your version of an audio soundtrack for our show open and close; about 18 seconds. Send it to [email protected]. And we need all entries by 5:00 p.m. Eastern…mm-mm, 5:00 p.m. Pacific time–East Coasters, you get a little bonus–this Friday. If it goes, if we like it, we’ll use it and we’ll send you something from Iz’ treasure chest. Again, so we want to hear what you have to say. Your audio open and close for the show, like, 18 seconds.
Iz: Yeah. So let me just kind of give you…let me break that down for you. If you notice, we have an intro piece at the top of the show. There’s music that exists there. So we’d like to feature some of your music in our opening and closing of the show. As Cloie said, it’s roughly around [inaudible from 00:35:35 to 00:35:37], so you don’t have to send a minute of audio.
But we’d like to feature some of our creators and what they do, which is you guys. So definitely keep that in mind and we’ll have something for you, man. Definitely send us something.
Cloie: At #overperform (?). Sorry, what were you saying about Grind Op number four, quatro?
Iz: So Grind Op number quatro is in the field of recording, this is an audio engineer. Esports Programming Company seeking an audio engineer for their new Midtown facility; this is in New York, New York. “Engineer…”
Cloie: Time-out real quick. Shoutout to New York. Shoutout…
Iz: Shoutout to New York.
Cloie:…shoutout, shoutout.
Iz: It’s a little company right now, [inaudible from 00:36:15 to 00:36:17]. Definitely keeping folks in prayer out there and encouraging their spirits. But back to this, “Engineer will be responsible for operating, routing, recording, and mixing live broadcasts on a Yamaha CR-1.” Make sure you know what a Yamaha CR-1 is, do some homework. “Engineer will be expected to take direction and communicate effectively with the production staff. Candidate must at least have one year of experience in live audio.”
I love when they say that, because that’s a shoutout opportunity for us, for all our Recording Connection students who definitely have real-time experience. And that’s just how we do things, in the real world with real mentors. This is definitely a great opportunity for all our film Recording Connection students.
You know, it’s been a long time for me since I’ve even worked on a Yamaha CR-1. I’ve seen them, they’ve been around for a long time. But they’re really great broadcasting boards that a lot of folks use. So I would suggest that if anyone who’s not hip to a Yamaha CR-1, you can definitely find it on YouTube, and just to understand its functionality and what it does, definitely do your homework in that department. And you’ll be expected to take direction, so make sure you know how to take direction, and make sure you know how to communicate effectively. And I think that’s something we constantly cover on our end, is just understanding how to deal with folks. How to take in ideas and you always want to be open-minded. You always want to make sure your posture is just open and welcoming for information.
Because the information is only going to take you where you need to go. So you definitely want to have that kind of personality that lends itself to people being comfortable with sharing things, and maybe constructive criticism, maybe just, “Hey, man, you might want to try this,” or “Hey, man, I noticed in my experience of doing things, there’s a quicker way to do that.” So you always want to make sure you’re receptible (?) to those things.
Cloie: Absolutely.
Iz: Is there anything that stood out to you, Edwin, on these deals?
Edwin: Just continuing on what you’re saying is a great way to do that is just asking, “How can I improve?” after your first day. “How can I improve?” That works every time. Everybody is in shock. Every time I say that, people are shocked. They’re like, “Oh, wow, you’re open to being taught?” That is incredible; what you said right there, I’m all about that, that’s amazing. And…
Cloie: [inaudible 00:38:41] overperform.
Edwin: Yes, exactly.
Iz: You know what I noticed, too? This is a new facility. And I always notice, when companies get into a new facility, the first thing they talk about is just the new energy in the building. “We got a new building.” “Oh, man, it just feels new.” “Oh, man…” the ideas start pouring in. So there’s always great energy going into those type of situations where it’s just a new building.
I remember when I signed on with LP Percussion, and they talked to me about this new facility that they were going to be putting together for their artists in New York. And everybody was just excited about it because it was just going to drive new energy for where they were going as a company and what they were looking to do with their artists.
And when I finally got to that location, I just felt it in the room and they had all these ideas on what they want to do next. Those are great situations to fall in. Guys, if you’re going to apply for this gig, man, this can be a really, really good new energy-type thing, you know? Where there’s a lot of new ideas, a lot of new creativity. It’s just definitely something to keep in mind. These tend to be really good environments.
Cloie: Yep.
Edwin: Exactly. Go for it.
Cloie: With that being said, can we transition back into D.C. for Grind Op number four? I’m sorry, by that…by four, I mean, five. Grind Op number five.
Iz: Grind Op number five is in the field of film.
Edwin: Yes.
Iz: Associate producer. “Documentary maker seeking an energetic, young, creative producer to work on a weekly kids programming block.”
Cloie: “The voices, the cartoons.” I’m sorry.
Iz: “Seeking an energetic, young, creative producer.” That just sounds fresh to me.
Cloie: Doesn’t it?
Iz: They’re looking for a specific individual, you know what I’m saying? Which lends itself to not contaminated by rules. Or…
Cloie: Jaded by anything.
Iz: Jaded…
Cloie: By the books.
Iz: “We want somebody young to run amok up in here.”
Cloie: [inaudible 00:40:51] by the harsh cruelties of the world.
Iz: “So an associate producer will be responsible for creating the weekly programming, rundown, write voiceover taglines, supervise edit, voiceover, and mix sessions.” There’s a lot of job descriptions there. “He or she will be responsible for coordinating interviews and shoots to managing final master delivery for air and final documentation.”
Cloie: Yes.
Iz: “Candidate must have experience in children’s media. Candidate must be familiar with Outlook, Excel, Word, experience with ScheduALL, and VPS is an added bonus.” There is a lot going on there in these details.
I like to cover…let’s start with coordinating interviews and shoots to managing final master delivery. Coordinating interviews…again, you’re working with folks, you’re putting things together. So when I think of the word “coordinating,” I think of structure. I think of dealing with people, as I mentioned. I think of really knowing how to even coordinate. How well are you with coordinating in your own personal life? That’s really like the essence of it. Because you’ve got to know how to put things together. And then you’ve got to manage the delivery time, right?
Cloie: Yep.
Iz: And final documentation. So it’s really starting it from just the bare bones of something, and getting it all the way to the finish line, and being able to present it.
Cloie: Yes.
Iz: Now, Edwin…
Edwin: Yes?
Iz: When you start something, there’s a bunch of things that can happen in the midst of starting something, getting it going, and then finally getting it done and closing it out, and having it ready for its delivery date. What are some of the things that you need to have really on lock and in your daily practice to really start something and finish something in this setting?
Edwin: Of course, of course, great question. The first thing is what you mentioned; making sure that you have everything down, right? When you have everything down, you know how to plan your day before you go to sleep the night before. You have everything on your notepad or on your phone. “All right, we got this, and this, and this,” that’s great.
I think another critical thing is picking the right team. Are you able to see someone work and be like, “Oh, this guy has something special.” As associate producer, you don’t have to know all of those. You just are going to have to work with the right people, right? You’re going to work with the right people.
Now, that takes me, Cloie, to a question to you. What are the greatest qualities that you’ve seen from producers that you have enjoyed working with in your career?
Cloie: Well, other than just general communication, I think that…with producers, it’s one of those jobs where you’re catering to a bunch of different personalities. And the people that I have found that don’t…that have the ability to speak to everyone as if they are…their sole focus in the world, be it for a 30-second conversation, be it for a 30-minute conversation. Where you don’t feel like you’re just a cog in a wheel, right? You guys can keep in mind the hierarchy, but being able to communicate clearly, concisely, and with a level of respect is what I have found to be the most admirable quality and the most appreciated quality.
Because sometimes, you are the star, and then sometimes, you are not the star. And to be able to speak to everybody equally is huge.
Edwin: Exactly. And being responsible, wouldn’t you say? Taking responsibility when you’re working as a team, as a producer. Not throwing your team under the bus and be like, “Okay, my apologies.” Because then your team sees you like, “Wow, this guy has my back,” you know?
Cloie: Connected was like “Drop the mic.” Connected said “Drop the mic and get to Q&A.” That’s what Connected said.
Edwin: See? The show must go on. The show must go on.
Iz: And the show does always go on. One thing I don’t want to leave out is you definitely want to have experience for this Grind Op, because it’s a great opportunity. But what their expectation is isn’t simple, okay? They’re expecting you to be able to handle weekly programming, rundown, write voiceover taglines, supervise…
Cloie: Uh-huh. [inaudible 00:45:35].
Iz:…edit, voiceover, and mix sessions. So the expectation is not something to take lightly here. You’re dealing with the mixing side. Then you’re dealing with the supervising side. Then you’re dealing with the programming, writing voiceover taglines. It’s like you’ve got to be a jack-of-all-trades on this one.
Although it is a great opportunity, it’s something you can really embed yourself in and grow. And like I said, you definitely want to have experience going into this. Because the expectation is high.
Cloie: Yes. And can also probably be a great on a resume for various jobs, right? It is from this job, it sounds like you’d be like, “Oh, I really like the field of writing. I want to tag lines, add. I could do that.” Or “I really like this whole admin thing, great. I like that. Ooh, I really like the…” the thing goes like this. A crossroad…not “crossroad,” but you can branch off into a bunch of different things.
Edwin: Yeah, you can branch…
Iz: There’s a lot of tentacles, there’s a lot of tentacles.
Cloie: Yes.
Iz: And the tricky thing is, because they’re asking for a young creative producer, as far as having that type of experience, it’s a little tough. And then you’ve got to be hip to just what the weekly kids programming even looks like, right? You’ve got to be within the vicinity of what that creative even is.
There’s a lot to take in here, especially if you are a young creative producer. You want to have some experience under your belt and I think, really, just diving into these expectations, hopefully, you’ve logged all these details in. Because like I said, it’s a great opportunity, but it’s also a great…there’s a great window to get in here and underperform. Definitely make sure…
Cloie: Not on Connected’s watch.
[SS]
#Overperform. #…Katz, you tell ’em. Katz said it earlier, #overperform. Don’t go in there looking like a fool and try to shout-out Connected, because we don’t want it. I don’t want it.
Iz: We don’t even play. I’ll disown you in a heartbeat.
Cloie: [inaudible 00:47:48] underperform? I don’t know him. I don’t know.
Iz: All right. Okay, guys, let’s jump into the most important and exciting part of the show to me, which is our Q&A, because this is where we actually get to talk to these folks. Cloie, do you see any questions that pop out to you that some of our guests may be answering or asking?
Cloie: Sure. This is not so much a question, but this is a comment from Dwight. Dwight says, “Being probably the eldest of your listeners, I think first thing you have to do is prepare yourself. Know who you are and what you want to do before the opportunity arises, so you can be in the right frame of mind, which equates to a positive attitude and a good work ethic.” Thank you, Dwight.
[SS]
Iz: Shoutout to Dwight for that because any time you get a listener or a viewer giving a piece of their mind in that fashion; man, that says a lot, Dwight, and we definitely appreciate that. And I think that’s what I really love about the Q&A side of this show is you get those thoughts going. You provoke thought and you get people to say, “You know what? Man, even though I’m here, I’m here looking for jobs, but I do have some information I would like to share.” And just being able to do that, Dwight, we appreciate that, man, because that’s really what it’s about. It’s not just about our views or our thoughts, or our experiences. Because at the end of the day, hey, man, I’m still learning? As much as I’m…
Cloie: Hello?
Iz:…I’m still learning, and that’s a key thing. It’s like no matter how much experience or how much success or whatever it is you achieve, you never stop learning. And once you do stop learning, you’re in the casket. Man, we’re still learning, so thank you for that.
Cloie: Thank you.
Iz: I want to see if we got…
Cloie: Thank you, Dwight, for being such a long-time viewer. Shoutout to you for [inaudible 00:49:36].
Iz: Yeah, we have something in the treasure chest for you, D, so keep tuning in, man. We’ve got another one.
Cloie: Yeah, go ahead. Edwin, real quick, Katz wanted to say thank you for your resume advice, because he says he’s been working on Red and Blackmagic–those are cameras for y’all–for years, but he never thought to put it on his resume, so he says thank you.
Edwin: Of course.
Iz: Yeah, folks want to know what it is you’re familiar with. Edwin, I think there’s a great thing there that you can kind of just reiterate for us, is how important it is is to know the gear that is being used in these environments, you know? So that you can get in here and navigate, you know?
Edwin: Of course, of course. Any equipment, anything like that, they’re the standards in both audio and film. Audio, you’re always going to see, for example, like the NS-10s. Those are always going to be around. Things like that, you know?
But also, things like [inaudible 00:50:35] clocks…if you’re familiar with the Big Ben, for example. If you’re familiar with discreet consoles, hybrid consoles, and things like that. Those are the key things that are going to separate you from the rest of the pack, right? When you’re specific. Because employers are looking for specific things, you know? Not general summaries of “Oh, yeah, I’m responsible.” No, specific things.
Iz: Right. Also, too, Cloie, shoutout to Mike. He just sent in three track ideas for our opening and closing. That’s what I like to see. People who are proactive, we all have to be proactive, guys, that’s what it’s about. There’s a lot of times where I’m on e-mail threads and I’m dealing with people and companies. And one of the things…I make everybody accountable. Like, “When’s the followup?” “When are we getting back?” “Who’s doing what?”
Cloie: He sure does. He sure does.
Iz: Some people, they’re not really proactive. And you’ve got to let folks know out the gate. “Hey, man, I just spent 40 minutes on this call. What’s the followup after this,” you know?
Cloie: Thank you. Iz is no joke. I was on set, I was shooting something this week. My phone started blowing up.
Iz: I’m sorry, Cloie. I’m sorry.
Cloie: I’m like, “What’s happening?” But that’s what you call accountability. That is what you call accountability.
Iz: Yes, you’ve got to hit the ground running, man. You’ve got to hit the ground running. All right, guys, is there any…
Cloie: Shoutout Billy Johnson on Twitter. Billy Johnson is watching us live, he’s watching us on Twitter and he’s tweeting at us. So hi, Billy. I said, “Hey, Billy, hey, thank you for watching.” So I’m going to say it to you in your face in the camera. Hi, thank you.
[SS]
Edwin: Thank you, Billy.
Iz: Billy, my man, thank you so much for tuning in. I hope you can see and witness the energy we’ve got going on here. Information, education, mentoring, jobs, the knowhow, the go get it mentality. Something we do here every Monday, so I’m glad you were able to tune in and check us out.
Guys, is there anything else we want to cover?
Cloie: No, just get your entries in for our contest.
Iz: Get your entries in.
Cloie: Yeah.
Iz: And also, too, guys, we can’t say this enough, but here’s where you apply the jobs for. Keep this in mind, write it down somewhere, text it to yourself. You can apply for these jobs at www.rrfedu.com/connected/shows. So make sure you stain that in your brain, so that you know when jobs come up, definitely know where to go to apply for them, all right? Because that’s huge.
And another thing, folks, don’t forget, send us your resume. Send us content. Send us your creativity. If we can place it, if we can help maneuver and guide you, that’s what we’re here for. Shoutout to Edwin for joining us.
Edwin: Thank you.
Iz: Again, Cloie, let me know your thoughts on this. I feel like Edwin needs to become a regular, man. He’s so cool and fresh and loaded with information.
Cloie: Right?
Edwin: I’m here.
Iz: Yeah. Man, it’s definitely a pleasure having you, Edwin. And what I like most importantly is because this is something you see on a day to day when it comes to the jobs, [inaudible from 00:53:45 to 00:53:52] so that you can share the information on what to look for, what to be prepared for, what your resume needs to reflect; all of those things are crucial. Because none of this works without that information.
Cloie: No, it doesn’t.
Iz: So we definitely love having you on the show here, man, definitely.
Edwin: Thank you so much. It’s an honor to be with you guys, you guys are legends. That’s how I see you guys, because you guys have a great track record and experience. Thank you for having me. Thank you for actually having me. That’s amazing.
Cloie: Thank you.
Iz: Absolutely, man.
Cloie: And where can we find you? If people want to get in touch with you, what’s the best way to reach out to you?
Edwin: My e-mail is easy; Edwin, E-D-W-I-N @rrfedu.com.
Cloie: Love it. Iz, where can we find you?
Iz: Man, you could find me everywhere. Sign up everywhere, yo. No, I’m just kidding. You can find me…
Cloie: He’s omnipotent.
Iz: I’m on [inaudible 00:54:40]. You can follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Iz Avila. You can catch me on Iz Connected, and that’s Facebook, TWitter, Instagram. And also, too, folks, hit us up throughout the week, because me and Cloie, we’ve got a lot of stuff going on. And it’s a great way for you guys to see what it is we’re doing on a day to day in real time. Let you know what the workflow looks like, let you know [inaudible from 00:55:05 to 00:55:10].
Cloie: Yep, this is the remix.
Iz: And what it requires of us, okay? Keep up with us throughout the week, man. [inaudible from 00:55:16 to 00:55:20].
Cloie: Remix.
Iz: We’ve got a whole list of hashtags for you guys, so make sure you stay connected with us. Also, as we close out, I’ve got to shout out our Connected team that really keeps things intact for us, which allows us to do this every Monday for you guys. Shoutout to Brian, Howie, Mike; love ya, man.
Cloie: Jay.
Iz: Let’s keep doing what you’re doing.
Edwin: Jay, yes.
Iz: Thank you, Jay, and Brian, okay, guys? Man, we look forward to seeing you next week. We’ll have more new jobs coming your way. And also, too, we’re now in the culinary division. So for those chefs who can cook, man, we’ve got something for you guys, too. So keep tuning in because we’re going to be bringing you some cool culinary Grind Opps, all right?
Cloie: Right. [inaudible 00:56:09].
Iz: Without any further ado, folks, we are out. Man, stay on the grind…
Cloie: Just like that Connected sign.
Edwin: It was perfect. It was perfect.
Iz: Man, make sure you get up. Go get your grind on. Go get it, no one is going to get it for you. And man, start your day, hit it running, all right?
Edwin: Yes.
Iz: What more can I say than…
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