Ten Years On, 2014 Grads Recall ‘Breaking In’ Emerson LA’s Sunset Address 

They are writers, marketing execs, lawyers, producers, managers, VPs, and more. They live in France, Singapore, Portland, Miami, New York, and Los Angeles. They are graduates of Emerson College and together, they share a unique distinction.

For 10 years, the award-winning Emerson College Los Angeles (ELA) building has stood tall at the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Gordon Street, welcoming students, alumni, and friends into its doors. With its striking silhouette, ELA has helped to transform the Hollywood neighborhood that it calls home. Thousands of Emersonians have lived and learned inside the futuristic building, but only the Spring 2014 class can say they did it first. 

Read: Emerson LA Dazzles Community with Gala

On January 12, 2014, 124 students moved into the building, marking the first semester of Emersonians to officially reside at ELA.(Though the Los Angeles program has existed for more than 30 years, prior to the opening of ELA, students lived and worked in rented space in Burbank.) For many, the journey was long. Some packed their cars and made the trek with friends from Boston. Others drove from Iowa or Pennsylvania. Some boarded flights, and a few took the California highways to pull into a parking lot just off Gordon Street, with the Hollywood sign standing tall just north of the new building.

For that Spring 2014 class, ELA marked the beginning of something new and exciting. There was a fresh neighborhood to explore, relationships to forge, and a future ripe with possibilities. Now, members of that cohort work at companies like TMZ, Getty Images, Morgan Stanley, and Chelsea Handler Productions. Some have founded their own companies. Among them, there are Emmy winners and nominees, artists, merchandisers, filmmakers, editors, and librarians. 

ELA is celebrating 10 years on Sunset Boulevard by hosting a special celebration (now sold out) on September 6. ELA’s first class will have a chance to reconnect during a special reunion on September 7, planned with the help of alumnae Devynne Lauchner ‘14 and Erin St. Pierre ‘14. To celebrate ELA turning 10, Emerson Today checked in with members of the Spring 2014 class. Answers have been edited for style, grammar, and length.

Kelsey Calaitges ’14

Major: Writing for Film & Television. Minor: Psychology 
ELA Internship: Frederator Studios 
Current Job: Staff Writer/Screenwriter

What lesson/skill/experience did you get from your semester at ELA that you couldn’t have gotten anywhere else?

Making the transition to LA was so crucial to my success, my ability to stay in LA, and to still be here 10 years later. I remember pulling up to ELA after driving from Pennsylvania to Los Angeles in two and a half days. It still smelled like wet cement in the building. I don’t know if it was totally ready for people to inhabit, but that’s a fitting metaphor because I don’t know if I was totally ready to be in LA. I guess you could say ELA and I kind of got through it together and made it just in time to be launched into the world.

Is there anything you learned during your semester at ELA, either in class or on the job, that you use to this day?

More philosophically speaking, just to be open to everything and everyone. My career path has been nonlinear. I’ve had really good years and really bad ones. At my internship at Frederator, I was given a lot of opportunities that I took for granted because I was so focused on becoming a staff writer and getting into a writer’s room. Be open to everything, because you never know where your next opportunity might come from. People will remember you. I still get jobs from people I worked with 10 years ago. The quality of my relationships versus the quantity of my relationships has been a really intrinsic part of my success.

What advice would you give your 2014 self?

Be nicer to yourself. Be kinder to yourself. It’s so hard to pursue this line of work, regardless of whether you’re a writer, director, producer, etc. It won’t make you more successful to be unhappy, so you might as well be happy and enjoy life while you’re pursuing your career. 

Ramon Calderon ’14

Major: Marketing Communication
Internship: Trailer Park Group
Current Job: Executive Director of Global Market Research, Lionsgate 

What lesson/skill/experience did you get from your semester at ELA that you couldn’t have gotten anywhere else?

Interning at Trailer Park set me up on a career path in the entertainment industry. I never knew that you could work on a film outside of being on set. At Trailer Park, I got exposure to a different facet of the entertainment industry, which is the marketing of films. It’s such a niche industry. I decided shortly thereafter that it was what I wanted to pursue. Out of that internship, I got my first job, which led me down the path I am on now. 

What’s your favorite ELA memory?

Being the first class in the building was such a bonding experience. Everyone before us had done the ELA program at the Oakwoods in Burbank. For us, it was fun discovering the neighborhood and figuring out where to go after class. I just remember everyone got along great and we had fun hanging out and breaking in this new building together.  

Is there anything you learned during your semester at ELA, either in class or on the job, that you use to this day?

I had a class with [LA senior affiliated faculty member] Brad Lemack that was about entertainment PR, which I found incredibly fruitful. We did a lot. We spent a week or two on crisis communications. I was just starting to dip my toe into what a marketing campaign might look like. Being able to see things at a holistic level and learn how it all fits together, was very helpful. Learning about the inner workings of Hollywood was eye-opening. A few years ago, Brad invited me back to campus to speak to his class, which was kind of a full-circle moment. 

Tahirah Foy, MFA ’14

Program: Media Art
ELA Internship: Lussier 
Current Job: Senior Colorist, ArsenalFX Color

What’s the most important or memorable item you brought with you to Los Angeles? 

It’s not a physical item, but I brought hope with me. I had an excitement about what I do and how it fits into the industry. All of it was honed, supported, and nourished at Emerson. It has sustained me throughout my journey, especially in an industry that has boom and bust times. Being able to turn to that core has continuously helped propel me to learn more. 

It’s a little bit surreal to be talking to you now, 10 years later, in a space I couldn’t even imagine before. I’ve worked with people who work on shows I studied in college. I’ve met people that worked on films, and they’ve provided insight that I would have never known. It’s kind of a pinch-me moment. Reminiscing about my time at ELA reminds me of an era where everything seemed so distant, but now, I’m here. 

What’s your favorite ELA memory?

I helped put together a sizzle reel and promotional footage for [ELA Founding Director] Kevin Bright ’76. Seeing alumni that were living out their dreams and utilizing my editing skills to put something together while being a part of the community and living in this, at the time, new building is something that sticks out in my mind. 

I also remember watching the Oscars at ELA. I was so excited because my internship put together a commercial that aired during the ceremony. I saw something in its infancy, behind the scenes of how it got done, and then watched the final product air at ELA. I remember thinking: Whoa, this is crazy. 

Is there anything you learned during your semester at ELA, either in class or on the job, that you use to this day?

In college, you have the security of crafting your creative and technical skills. When I was interning at Lussier, I realized the importance of really knowing your stuff. Things had to be done at scale and there were crazy time crunches, so you really had to have confidence and trust in what you were doing because of the fast pace of the work. 

Gabriel G. Klein ‘14

Major: Film Production 
ELA Internship: Threshold Entertainment
Current Job: Attorney working as a public defender in Fort Myers, Florida (previously in New Jersey). 

What lesson/skill/experience did you get from your semester at ELA that you couldn’t have gotten anywhere else?

I’d say that the best experience I got at ELA was, as you might imagine, the work I did at my internship. It definitely prepared me to deal with the kind of entry-level work you’d expect to find once you’re out there in The Industry(™) and how to deal with the big personalities you can encounter in the world of media production. 

A close second, though, is the editing class I took with Peter Schink – he had amazing hands-on experience to share with us, and really made that class special. 

Is there anything you learned during your semester at ELA, either in class or on the job, that you use to this day?

One thing I learned during my time at ELA (and, coincidentally, advice I would give to my 2014 self) is that nobody is going to just show up and hand things to you. You have to be willing to put yourself out there and risk uncertainty and rejection, or you’re going to miss out on things you only realize you missed out on when it’s already too late. 

I worked in the film industry for about a year before I came to realize that my true calling was elsewhere, in the practice of law. Taking that leap was anything but easy, and ultimately involved moving across the entire country from Los Angeles to New Jersey, but I’ve never regretted it. 

Anything else you want to share?

Despite being a bit put off by the somewhat brutal steel-and-concrete design of the place, the ELA complex really grew on me during my time there. The deck area between the two dorm towers was a really great spot to hang out, and I had the (in hindsight) good fortune to get a room on the east side of the building, which not only gave me a great view down Sunset, but served as my alarm clock. Nothing fixes your sleep schedule like being woken up by the morning sun coming in an entire wall of your room at 7:00 am sharp. Did get a little bit toasty at times, though!

Devynne Lauchner ‘14

Major: Production Design
ELA Internships: Maker Studios in the art department, and on the final season of Mad Men in the prop department 
Current Job: IATSE Set Decorator in Local 44; latest show is UnPrisoned.

What lesson/skill/experience did you get from your semester at ELA that you couldn’t have gotten anywhere else?

The greatest opportunities that came out of the ELA program were because of fellow Emersonians. I learned about Maker Studios through Jordan Moncada ‘13 and Ryan Pfleiderer ‘13, who were working there, and secured the internship on Mad Men through an Emerson alum in the costume department, Dana (Olinksy) Cartini ‘13. Because I worked with these friends while at school, they knew me and my skills, and were able to help me land these positions that later helped my career flourish. While at these internships, I learned so many invaluable skills in design, carpentry, and beyond that I still use today. I’m not sure I ever would have had these opportunities had it not been for the ELA program. It’s challenging enough to break into LA, let alone a more niche line of work like the art department!

What’s the most important or memorable item you brought with you to Los Angeles? 

Hmm, that’s a hard one! I’d have to say a tool kit that my dad got me for Christmas before I left Boston for LA. It has all the basic tools one would need for Carpentry 101: a hammer, a level, a tape measure, a screwdriver (flat AND Phillips head exchangeable, ooh la la!) and it’s so cheesy but everything is purple! I still have it in my kit to this day! That little set got me through many a project in the beginning. 

Is there anything you learned during your semester at ELA, either in class or on the job, that you use to this day?

Absolutely. I’m so grateful for my time spent working on media projects with fellow students at ELA, because it really taught me how to communicate and collaborate within a collective mindset. There’s so much to be said about how we interact with our team members, how we can do it effectively, and how we can make the entire production process most efficient. These social and leadership exercises, along with the rendering tools I learned in our Production Design class taught by [LA affiliated faculty member] Suzanne Feller-Otto, are skills I implement in my work on a daily basis.

Garren Orr ‘14

Major: Marketing Communication
ELA Internship: Social Media Intern, The Artists Organization
Current Job: Sync Coordinator, Madden Flow Entertainment 

What’s your favorite ELA memory?

Two stick out: The view from my dorm room; sunset views of Hollywood, Wilshire, even Culver on a clear day. Never gets old. The other is drinks at Mission Cantina next door (RIP). After a long day, exhausted from internships and hour-plus long drives, everyone would come together and share war stories. Felt like our own little community.

Is there anything you learned during your semester at ELA, either in class or on the job, that you use to this day?

Try every possible avenue to figure something out before asking for help. When you’re working your way up, you invariably get assigned tasks that other people don’t have time to do (or, more likely, don’t want to do). Being able to get something done without having to be micromanaged or hand-held shows that you’re ready for a more advanced position. In my experience, trying something, messing up, and learning from it is so much more revered and valuable than being too afraid to make a mistake and doing nothing.

What advice would you give your 2014 self?

Maintain a mindset of curiosity and reinvention. It’s easy to get hung up thinking that your major, internship, or job will define you forever. It won’t. You are the arbiter of your own fulfillment. Be kind and honest with yourself and others, and create the life you want for yourself.

Ashley Rappoport ‘14

Major: Marketing Communication
ELA Internship: Starz
Current Job: Brand and content marketing, Audible

What lesson/skill/experience did you get from your semester at ELA that you couldn’t have gotten anywhere else?

The ELA program taught me discipline that undoubtedly prepared me for my first year out of college. Juggling classes while working my internship were two major priorities that helped me hone my skills in multitasking, striking meaningful connections both in the classroom and the office, and facing challenges that I still experience to this day.

Is there anything you learned during your semester at ELA, either in class or on the job, that you use to this day?

The first thing that comes to mind is the process of making professional connections in an unfamiliar work setting. Although an intern is not a full-time employee, there are still ways to form bonds and find mentors within your chosen company that can shepherd you into the next phase of life, post-college.

I learned that people don’t forget valuable contributors and confident personality traits. I’d like to think that creating impact through tasks thrown at me, however small, and being unafraid to contribute ideas in meetings, is what led to my job offer following graduation. I made sure to gain the trust of my boss, so much so that once there was an open entry-level position, I was her first call.

What advice would you give your 2014 self?

Speak up more at class and at work. Just because you’re still in college with infinite knowledge to learn does not discount any of your ideas. Don’t be afraid to give an opinion and stand by it.

Erin St. Pierre ‘14

Major: Film Production
ELA Internship: Bubba’s LA (formerly Bubba’s Chop Shop)
Current Job: Television editor

What lesson/skill/experience did you get from your semester at ELA that you couldn’t have gotten anywhere else?

Attending a semester at Emerson Los Angeles presented a unique opportunity for me to live and work in a new city on a temporary basis. As a Media Arts Production major who wanted to pursue television editing, I was pretty sure I would end up moving to Los Angeles after graduation. Attending the ELA program helped me transition into living and working out here.

One of my favorite things about being in the program was the ability to reach out to Emerson alumni and meet with them for informational interviews over coffee. Physically being here opened a door to creating a network of support in Los Angeles. By the time I graduated, I had somewhat familiarized myself with the city and I had a group of people I could turn to for advice.

What’s your favorite ELA memory?

My favorite memories of ELA are getting to explore Los Angeles with my friends. We went to movies, visited museums, attended both Lakers and Clippers basketball games, and even ventured to the beach. We had a blast experiencing what the city has to offer. Being able to drive around the city helped me become familiar with the neighborhoods and what they each had to offer.

Is there anything you learned during your semester at ELA, either in class or on the job, that you use to this day?

During my semester at ELA, I reached out to several alumni who I had never met before, but who I knew worked in post-production. Even though we’d never met, they were willing to grab coffee because we had the Emerson connection. Through doing this, I learned that it’s important to advocate for yourself by building a support system that you can rely on for advice or information.

Now that I’ve lived here for 10 years, I try to make myself available to recent Emerson grads who have questions about moving here and working in the industry. Many people are willing to pay it forward, because that’s how they got their start.

Erin Clossey contributed to this story