WRAP DRINKS

Jose Ramirez is a Sound Mixer born and raised in Queens NY. You’ve probably heard some of his work on Funny Pages, 2nd Chance, and Bad Shabbos. Unlike most of his peers in SVA, Jose chose the path of sound guy instead of a Director during his undergrad education. He found himself working so much while attending school that he nearly dropped out to work full time. Join us as we pick Jose’s brain about his career as a sound mixer, some of his tips for getting rehired, and his experience working on indies and the majors.

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With a career spanning across 40 years, DP and ASC member Wolfgang Held has been traveling the world photographing award winning films. Whether it's a narrative feature or documentary film, Wolf's choices for lighting, framing, and even how many cameras are on a set are dictated by his verite approach. We talked with Wolf about some of his most notable work, his early projects, and what it's like applying for ASC membership.

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Anni Abbruzzese is a union loader and 2nd AC who has worked on projects such as Hocus Pocus 2, Castle Rock, and The Instigators. Anni's journey into the camera department began when they were scooped up from their role as a PA by a camera team person who saw their potential. Anni quickly learned the camera department can be a challenging experience that tests your limits, but this taught them how and when to say no. Join us as we talk to Anni about how to navigate the politics of working on set and some of the nerdy solutions to their technical hurdles on set.

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Stratton Bailey is an underwater key grip and cinematographer whose credits include Nanny, Rosemead, and Thalassophobia. Growing up, diving and being in the water became second nature to Stratton. Little did he know he was developing an integral skill for his future career. As the guard for set safety, being a key grip is already a complex line of work and when you add water it can easily become a recipe for disaster. Join us as we talk through Stratton's early days dipping his toes into this niche area of production and how he joined this small community of sea grips.

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Although she is a bit softspoken, Food Stylist Jen Beauchesne is not afraid to dish out the truth on styling food for camera. Before venturing into this craft, Jen was working as a photo assist. After realizing her calling, Jen took the steps to transition careers and has collaborated with innovators such as Victoria Granof and Steve Giralt. Jen's years of experience include commercial work for Dunkin', Pepsi, and Buffalo Wild Wings. Tune in as we learn about the magic sauces that really make food look incredible for camera.

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Originally based in Ohio, Jeremy dropped out of film school and moved to Florida to pursue his career in film. After several years working in indie production, he joined the union where we was able to work on productions like Elementary, Cold Souls, and Hello Tomorrow. We spoke with Jeremy about his journey and learn about what the prop exam for the union is like, learning to work with big celebrities like Ryan Gosling, and his podcast venture: The Seltzer Kings Podcast Network.

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If you've worked on a New York Production, the chance that you've bumped into Smitty on your set is pretty high. If you haven't - it's likely the Key Grip on your set probably trained under him.

Born and raised in the Bronx, Rob Smith says he was saved by the film industry after years of getting into trouble on the streets. After a friend brought him to set of a music video in 1990s, he was immediately pulled into the industry where he tackled multiple crafts from PA, Director, AD, and more before eventually becoming most known as a Key Grip.

Smitty is probably one of the most seasoned non-union Key Grips you'll ever meet with an unforgettable personality. He's no BS, always keeps his cool, but loves a good challenge when it comes to rigging on his shoots. We talk with Smitty about his experiences working in music video world in its heyday, some of the challenges he encountered during his 30 year career in the industry, and where he thinks the industry is headed.

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Perhaps best known for working with the Polish Brothers on Northfork and Twin Falls Idaho, David Mullen has shot over 40 other independent feature films; Jennifer’s Body and the Love Witch to name a few. David's resume also includes television series such as United States of Tara, West World, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

David is not only renowned for his work, but he also has a reputation for being an avid film nerd. In many ways, David’s cinematographer education came from a hybrid of real world experience and film school. Before he was enrolled in CalArts, David had already mastered lighting and filming on Super 8mm cameras. He digested journals, magazines, almost any piece of literature that could give him the knowledge he needed to pursue this passion for photography.

Join us as we talk to this 3-time Emmy Winner and a 2-time ASC Award Winner about how he got started in this chaotic world of cinema and pick his brain about the wealth of knowledge he's collected during his career.

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Meet Kathleen Kim, you might have seen her on SNL, Awkwafina is Nora from Queens, Helpsters, or even Sesame Street, but you probably didn't know it was her. Kathleen is a puppeteer who's been the talent behind some incredible characters.

Puppeteering wasn't always a part of Kathleen's original career trajectory but this changed when she took a "puppetry for comedy" improv class. Kathleen's witty sense of humor and voice acting skills landed her a spot in the Sesame Street Puppetry Workshop where she would eventually be selected to perform as Ji-Young, the first Asian American character on Sesame Street.

Join us as we talk to Kathleen about putting her own life experiences into her characters, the pressure of living up to her predecessors, and hear some incredible stories of how her small size made it possible to squeeze herself into this industry.

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This episode is brought to you in part by MUBI

For a limited time, you can try MUBI free for 30 days at mubi.com/shittyrigs

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Larry Fessenden is a producer, director, and the founder of Glass Eye Pix. Above all, he is a lover of cinema and not afraid to get involved in the technical process and do the work. In fact, he prefers it. A performer in his own right, when Larry isn't making films, he's starring in them.

In many ways, Larry is a local legend and icon of the horror genre. His career spans over 40+ years and 20+ films throughout which he has earned a spirit award and acknowledgment from the Criterion Collection. His production company Glass Eye Pix, has not only been a film school of sorts for successful directors like Ti West, he's even invested in their earlier work.

Larry is a fascinating case study of what it takes to make your film when you're up against all the odds. His process is his and he doesn't claim to have the right one either but he'll fight you tooth and nail for it. Literally.

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This episode is brought to you in part by MUBI

For a limited time, you can try MUBI free for 30 days at mubi.com/shittyrigs

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