Film and Video Production: Alumni Stories
Christina Choriatis - '13
Christina Choriatis
Production Coordinator / Freelance Editor
New York City
What are some of your most rewarding accomplishments since
your departure from Grand Valley?
My most rewarding accomplishment was having the opportunity to
work in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Point Studio produces content for
NBC sports, and during the Olympic season, the team travels on-site to
create website videos. This year I was given the opportunity to join
the team.
While in Rio, I happened to work in the same 3X5 edit-suite as a
former GVSU film/video alum. He attended the school 30 years prior to
me, however we still were able to bond over professors and his
classmates (who were my professors!). We clicked instantly as soon as
we knew we were both lakers and representing the Grand Valley
community was extremely rewarding.
What path did you lead after your graduation?
I'm sure you'd love to hear how immediately after college I got a
job, started making money, moved to the big city, and worked at the
best job in the world. Unfortunately, that is not my story. My success
story does not start right after graduation. In fact it took nearly a
year after graduating before I could finally feel my post-college
doldrums fading away and my career starting to shape up.
After graduating in the Spring of 2013, I spent the year at home
freelance editing. The work was interesting, however in all honestly,
was not well paying or steady. It was difficult to find entry level
work that also contributed to my savings. After struggling with the
search for work in Michigan, I needed a change. I decided to make the
move to New York.
I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to live with family
members while becoming financially stable. I understand many do not
have that opportunity, however, I do encourage those who have those
connections to respectively accept the help.
I moved to NYC in June of 2014 and began interning as an
Assistant Video Editor for a PBS television series. Though this
internship only paid a small stipend, I was determined to make the
best out of the situation and make the right contacts for future work.
I worked harder than the average intern, and was given opportunities
to build my resume and reel. After interning for 5 months, the company
brought me on as a freelance video editor.
Because of the previous PBS connection, I was offered a part-time
position as an editor for another television series. It was at this
point I began to finally feel confident my career was moving forward.
Aside from the PBS work, I was freelance editing on nights and
weekends. A contact I made through my internship set me up with a
production company, editing some of their short form documentary
content. After working with the company for a few months, they asked
me to join their staff full time as a production coordinator. This was
a career switch for me, however, I accepted the position and have been
working with this company since December of 2015.
Point Studios is a great gig to snatch! What do you like most
about it?
My work allows me to dip into many different worlds other than
video production. We produce content with a broad range of topics,
each different from the other. One day we are producing a video on
cancer research trends, and the next day we are live streaming an
event on art education. The work is always captivating and different
on a daily basis. There's never a dull moment.
In your time at the studio, what is one of the most useful
things you have learned?
The most useful skill I've learned is how to work with clients. I
interact with Point Studio's client on a daily basis and knowing the
proper protocol on client interaction is absolutely key to a
successful company. Knowing how to handle the needs of you client is
going to set you apart from other freelancers.
Life in the first year after graduating, what was the most valuable advice you received? What insights did you gain?
"You have time" - Joe McCargar
I will never forget meeting up with Joe during my first year
after graduating and updating him on post-college worries. He just
said three words, "You have time." He was right. There is no
rush to the finish line in your career. There is no rush or
competition as to who gets their dream job first. It may take 1 year,
2 years, or even 10 years, before you reach your goals. The key is to
be patient and understand you have time.
For alumni who have moved out of state / to big cities: What
advice do you have for others following this path? Tips on making a
big move, finding work, etc?
Making the move is not an easy decision. The dream of packing up
whatever fits in your car and driving out to the big city should come
with careful planning and preparation. If you are able to get a
job/internship before moving there, that's great! (Note: Many places
are hesitant to hire if you're not already in-state so this can be a challenge!)
Decide if you like the city first. Plan a trip before you move
strictly for work purposes. Try and set-up a few meetings with any and
all contacts you may have in the city. Find a film to work on for the
day for free. Many grad students post online ads looking for PAs for
their thesis films and this is a great way to make contacts. After
your trip FOLLOW UP! This is so important in keeping those contacts
who will help you with future work when you do move.
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