Episode 8: A Celebration of STEM in Industry with a Filmmaker

Transcript

Welcome to BLaST the Airwaves with BLaST Intermediate Unit 17. Here at BLaST Intermediate Unit 17, we strive to transform lives and communities through educational services. For this season, we have a special guest co-host who is working to create and sustain pathways to employment in our region by uniting her community around common goals in STEM learning. This season’s guests come from 9 counties total, representing different local industries all across Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania. I’d like to introduce you to Alexandra Konsur-Grushinski, STEM Services Coordinator for NEIU 19 and current lead of NEPA STEM Ecosystem. Alexandra, welcome! Thank you for having me. I’m so excited to be able to work with you for our Celebration of STEM in Industry this year. Our STEM Ecosystem is holding a weeklong series of free events and opportunities highlighting industry partners and the benefits they have in our 5 county region. Our hope is that by listening to the wide variety of employment opportunities available in our region from folks in our community who live it every day, we can shed a light on what’s possible for our young people. On this podcast, we will provide you with educational solutions and resources for all, no matter the learning environment. So teachers, administrators, students, caregivers, industry partners, what are you waiting for? What would happen if we started questioning? What if our students and educators got the opportunities to sit down with members of the community? What if we bridged that gap? What connections would we discover? It’s time to blast the airwaves.
Rebecca: Today we have the pleasure of speaking with Tyler Florian, filmmaker and Alexandra Konsur-Grushinski, STEM services coordinator at NEIU 19 and current lead of NEPA STEM Ecosystem. Tyler, Alexandra thanks so much for joining us today to discuss STEM skills used in your industry. Specifically, Tyler we will be discussing how knowledge of different STEM skills are different in your current job position as a filmmaker. So are you guys ready to blast the airwaves?
Tyler: Yes I am.
Alexandra: Absolutely.
Rebecca: Wonderful. So Tyler, why don’t we start by you telling us a little bit more about your role in filmmaking?
Tyler: Ok, so mainly I’m a production person I’m always behind the scenes. I’ll be a production assistant helping out wherever I can, either setting up cameras or setting up any monitors that anything’s in 9 yards. I’m also tearing down everything. I’ll floor manage, which is basically making sure everything in the studio is good to go for during a shoot. If anything happens I have to alert the director or production people. I’ve also been an assistant second director helping out behind the scenes. Also, right next to the director if she has any comments or questions I’m right there to help her out and make sure everything looks good. But mainly, I’ve just been doing wherever I’ve been needed so the whole nine yards.
Rebecca: Awesome. It sounds like what we were just discussing before we went on air here at like doing what we need to do to help everyone out and get things done.
Tyler: Exactly.
Alexandra: Tyler I’m wondering if you could dig a little bit into the details of some of those things that you mentioned. It was quite the list so if you were to describe to our listeners what your typical day might look like could you let us know what that is like?
Tyler: Yeah, sure. So when I’m floor managing, basically I’m helping out with talent. I’ll be meeting with them, going over what we’re going to be going into, hooking up mics to them, basically asking if they’ve done this before because that helps me out because they know what they’re getting into. Also, I have to help check out the cameras by being the body in a sense so I have to fill in for the person that’s not there yet. So I’ll sit in, make sure the mikes are all working. They’ll check cameras on me and then we’ll test basically the audio cuz we have to get there early. We usually get there around like two to three hours, sometimes even four hours before the shoot is required just to make sure everything is all good to go, because if something happens on air then that’s … But yeah, essentially it’s very time-consuming. It’s very busy but it’s a lot of fun because it’s great working with all these people and getting to do all this fun stuff.
Alexandra: And so does the work that you do change? Has it changed over time if you do different work now then maybe you did a few years ago?
Tyler: When I was in college it was very seldom harder because you’re in college so you can only do so much. I did a lot more short films than I did probably studio stuff like most students would in my field. When we would do the student films you’re limited to what you have so we maybe have a few studio lights here and there and we didn’t get the best camera but we had to make do with what we had. Whereas the students that would use the studios they had like everything from the nine yards. But progressively, as I’ve gotten more into my field I have been able to experience everything. I’ve had studio privileges and then I worked on bigger short films which we’ve got to use bigger cameras and bigger equipment. So, of course, my job has changed drastically but in the best way possible.
Alexandra: One of the marvels of student films is problem-solving with no budget.
Tyler: Yes, that is for sure. And I especially think it’s amazing what people are doing anymore, like they’re able to use cameras on their phones now to make these huge, big productions that are incredible.
Rebecca: Yeah I still need a lot of training on that to be honest. Some of these kids are even better than myself at making videos using their phones.
Tyler: It’s insane.
Rebecca: Yeah! You bring up college, which is a great segue into our next question. You know if I’m a junior or senior or even a middle school student listening to this podcast and I’m interested in getting into film what was your path, what did your path look like growing up?
Tyler: So growing up, when I was in high school, me and my friends would make some zombie movies here and there and I made some YouTube videos for fun just to pass the time to keep me busy cuz I didn’t know what I wanted to do at that time. I was like “do I want to be an actor or do I just want to stick to film?” So I branched with the two and then I was like well I’ll stick to film because there’s always going to be something in that. Acting is probably in this area is not the best. So I eventually transitioned towards film and I found a lot of different outlets there’s so much to do behind the scenes you can be a producer, a camera operator, a director, a writer even but when I was in college it was harder and cuz I went to two different colleges, I went to Penn State Wilkes-Barre and then I went to main campus. Penn State Wilkes-Barre didn’t have a lot to offer in my field so when I transitioned to Main Campus there was so much more opportunities. I even got my first big thing though was I saw an audition sheet for a short film and I immediately went out for it and I got the role and I was so interested in helping out behind the scenes and that helped boosted my friendship with other people and meeting more people in my field that would help me make more short films and they progressively get me behind the scenes on different shoots. So I think just going out for anything you can possibly find is the best way and getting involved in as much things that you can is the best way to get involved in your field for sure.
Rebecca: I love that advice because sometimes our listeners need to hear you just have to put yourself out there like you might fall down but you got to get back up and until you get yourself out there. So I love that advice that you give.
Alexandra: So Tyler, how do you use stem skills in your position, in your work?
Tyler: I use STEM skills by progressively utilizing basically focusing in on what I can offer to the table when I go to a shoot. What can I offer to the director what can I offer to the camera operators or even advice for people that are having trouble on the shoot is there anything I can assist them so I’m always throwing myself out there just being like this is what I’ve done in the past and this is what I can offer to you today basically.
Rebecca: Great. So we always ask this question: did you have any like epiphany moments that you knew this was what I wanted to do? You mentioned high school a little bit and then…
Tyler: Probably high school is when I definitely got really interested in it. When like I said me and my friends were making short films and I was making YouTube videos cuz I I love making content, I love entertaining people. That’s what I definitely want to do for a living and I want to keep doing that for a living, and I’m always looking for new outlets. So when I started looking into work outside of my education I was definitely interested in doing this cuz it’s the best way to entertain people. There’s so many different outlets you can get involved with there’s so many different places out there in the world in every state that you can get involved with. And like you said just keep putting yourself out there and you’ll eventually get something.
Rebecca: Right, right.
Alexandra: So Tyler, thank you for talking to us about your journey into your current position. It’s clear that you’re passionate about the work that you do in all its forms. One of the perennial arguments that students make in school is they’ll look at what they’re learning in school and they’ll say when are we ever going to learn this? When is this ever going to be applicable to my real life? And they’re struggling at that point to make the connection between what they learn in school and what the potential could be for them to use that outside of school. So I want you to help us if you can, put that debate to rest, and let us know in your position, what are some skills that you use every day that our students learn in school?
Tyler: Well, for example since I work for a public media station we have a lot of history talk and we have a lot of history shoots. So most of the stuff that I had learned about history is involved with what we’re doing there and we go to different colleges to talk about different historical events. We just did a 9/11 piece that was really nice and also really sad.
But in the end I think history is one of the biggest key points but also the engineering side of production they utilize a lot of math and different dimensions and things. I can’t get involved with any of that they get involved with, but mainly a lot of stuff you learn in high school it helps you a lot in the outside world and especially in whatever field you get involved with you we’ll use some aspect of high school and your field.
Alexandra: So what if it wasn’t what if this answer wasn’t contained to academic subjects? What about skill sets or things that you might need to use in your everyday life that students are in school that aren’t academic subjects? Can you think of any of those that you use every day that might track?
Tyler: I definitely say for sure, communication. Communication would be a key point that I and I and it sucks to say this but right now I think communication is the hardest thing for students because of what’s going on. But communication I think it’s key because you always want to get out there talk to people get advice on different aspects of your career and communication helps a lot because you’re building connections with new people and then they can fall back on you and help you bring you into the field as well. So I think communication is the best and definitely the biggest skill.
Rebecca: Tyler, I think it’s really interesting you say that because when I think about filmmaking the way you have to think about communication to is really unique because in films you can communicate in many ways through music through nonverbal like all of those things as a filmmaker you have to take into account how am I going to communicate this not even just through words so…
Alexandra: Set design, lighting.
Tyler: Yeah, there’s many different aspects, even just a camera movement can signify so much communication and bring out such emotion in a piece. Like I’ve been watching Squid Game for example and there’s so many beautiful shots in that and it keeps making me want to watch Parasite again which is another beautiful Korean piece and I love that film. There’s so many different aspects that you can get involved within production that can bring about so many emotions and it’s so beautiful and I love it’s such an art.
Rebecca: Tyler, can you watch a show or a movie without analyzing it?
Tyler: It’s funny you bring that up because everyone that watches anything with me hates it because I critique everything. From the minimalist camera movement, the acting, I’m always over-analyzing it. It’s ridiculous. I can’t watch any movies.
Rebecca: I’m thinking like film, television like that’s a great way for me to escape, like talk about what I do for my self-care. Whatever sitting on the couch watching Netflix and binging is fantastic. But for you, it’s probably a complete analysis.
Tyler: It is. It’s a nightmare. Like I have some type of background when I do cuz I’m getting really into and I’m picking the nitty-gritty and I’m picking every little thing apart like the writing isn’t that great or that camera movement was beautiful. It’s crazy.
Alexandra: A similar comparison would be watching something like Grey’s Anatomy with an ER doctor sitting next to you. The differences in your experiences.
Rebecca: Well Tyler, it’s been great to hear your advice, your feedback, your journey. This is my favorite part of the podcast episode. I like to usually blast with 5 random questions but for this series, we’re actually asking you one question. Can you blast us with 5 you said communication but 5 skills that are needed right now for your industry?
Tyler: Okay, so we’re including communication right?
Rebecca: Yeah we can include it, that’s fine.
Alexandra: You can say it again, we can use that as number one.
Tyler: Okay, communication. This is going to be hard. I’d say leadership because when you get on to a set or any production you want to take leadership no matter what you’re in you want to adjust yourself and make sure you have a presence and so people can approach you with things. Definitely focus, because you want to be focused on what you’re doing, not losing train of thought and just be there always and be on time. Resourcefulness, you want people to come back to you with things and make sure that you are able to do things and be trustworthy with everything. Creativity, because you always want to have different shots and be creative with what you’re doing with set design and how you approach different things.
Rebecca: That’s great. And if some of our listeners are interested in learning more about becoming a filmmaker or even your place of employment you know, if we could add any of those resources in our footnotes, what would you recommend?
Tyler: I would recommend go onto YouTube and just and I’ve been like how to edit or if you want to get into that how to get into camera operating or basic set designs where they’ll teach you how to use lathes and different approaches with editing techniques there’s so many different things out there and you can even look into getting an internship at different stations that are around the area. I know where I work wvia we’re always looking for people like internships or even positions, so there’s that. Even Fox 56, another station I work for, they’re always looking too. So there’s tons of opportunities and you need to just keep branching out and looking out there and posting yourself out there as well so it helps to get as much experience as you can put that out there so people have stuff to fall back on on you.
Rebecca: Yeah wonderful that’s great advice my number one takeaway from this episode is just put yourself out there and network.
Tyler: And like you said if you get off that horse, just keep getting back on it. Just keep going, that’s the biggest thing.
Rebecca: Absolutely. So Tyler, Alexandra as always this has been a blast. We celebrate you, Tyler and everything that you do every day in STEM and again thank you for taking some time today to connect with us and our listeners. It has been a pleasure and hopefully, our paths cross again soon.
Tyler: Definitely, thank you guys for having me this was a lot of fun.
Alexandra: Thank you Tyler.
We would like to thank you for blasting the airwaves with us today. If you like the show, please subscribe or leave a review. If you want to know more, check out www.iu17.org for further resources and show notes. If you’d like to learn more about NEPA STEM Ecosystem and the work we are doing in STEM and job pathways, please visit them at www.nepastem.org. As always, we want to thank you for what you do every single day. Remember, keep shining. We’ll be back next episode to provide you another educational solutions for all, as we continue to transform lives and communities through educational services.