On Tuesday, September 16, EMST alum Christina Whiten visited MFA Film students to share her industry experience. Hosted by Dr. Jay Hamilton at the Grady Journalism building, the students participated in a Q&A session with Whiten to hear her unique journey and her perspective on the industry.
Whiten recently returned to Georgia after working as an Executive Assistant with Netflix for several years in LA, and she was eager to share her experience with the students who are all looking toward their own career paths.
Whiten shared her experience at Netflix in the fast-paced world of high-budget studio production, where she worked on a creative talent development team, supported executive production decisions, developed emerging talent programs, and helped connect underrepresented talent with resources.
Students gained insight from Whiten’s experiences and were interested in her outlook on the industry’s future, the paths she would recommend taking to get to an executive assistant position, and how to get independent film into the hands of a platform that might produce it.
She shared the advantages of starting at smaller production companies to immerse in the day-to-day environment of development and production, and advised that students remain flexible and open to what they see with industry trends.
As an alum, Whiten emphasized to students the importance of staying in contact with their cohort as they enter their careers, and maintaining personal relationships with the people they meet and work with. She explained that all experience can translate within the industry, and that those who consistently show up to events are the ones who will find opportunities.
Photos by Mary Goodwin