Point Park’s newly renamed School of Theatre, Film, and Animation has prepared students with hands-on interactive learning starting in their first year of study. The school’s coursework and curriculum focuses on benefiting students in the professional world after graduation.
In the realm of film production, two students stand out at Point Park with their roles in multiple films and television series. These students are junior screenwriting major Mason Queen and sophomore cinema production student Tyler Roman.
Both have worked on a variety of sets from different companies including Amazon Prime, Paramount and Hulu. Both students are also currently working for the Paramount production Mayor of Kingstown, filmed in Pittsburgh. However, Queen and Roman differ in how they got their start in the professional world.
For Queen, getting the role as a featured groomsman in the Amazon Prime Video film “You’re Cordially Invited” only took a few words to the right people.
“I applied on a Facebook group, sent an email and they originally booked me for like a couple of days, but once I got on set, one of the original guys for the feature dropped out,” Queen said.
Despite being a screenwriting major, Queen said being an extra on set was allowed and was still a valuable experience because of the ability to observe the way Amazon Studios runs a production. Additionally, he said he enjoyed being able to work closely with A-list actors and crew.
“It’s a good way to learn what goes on on set, you get to see all positions and build connections,” Queen said.
On “Mayor of Kingstown,” he works as an Production Assistant. Queen said that this may seem like a glamor-less job to some when comparing it to being on the silver screen, not behind it. However, Queen speaks of the work highly, as he said it can be a great way for students to get their foot in the door.
“Handling equipment, getting the director a snack…You get to fill in the gaps. [Production assistants] are like the glue of the production,” Queen said.
Unlike Queen who networked directly with job listings, Roman apprentices at a special effects and costuming company called TolinFX. Other productions he’s worked on include “Dead Friends Forever,” “Green Man’s Tunnel,” and “Hate Show.”
“I began apprenticing at TolinFX my freshman year and this guy, now my friend, Jason Proakis of MGFX, reached out to him asking if he knew anybody that would work for free on Dead Friends Forever,” Roman said. “This allowed me to network on set and get onto the Hate Show as well. For Green Man’s Tunnel, I met director Colin Fink through my friend on set.”
While the two have different experiences in the film industry, both Queen and Tyler emphasized a key aspect of working with professionals: having a good attitude.
“Especially when working with people you don’t know, you need to show up early, shake everybody’s hand and just conduct yourself in a professional manner,” Roman said. “Don’t be the guy that shows up late.”
Cinema is generally considered a highly competitive industry even when trying to secure an entry-level job. Andrew Halasz, chair and professional interim director of film production, said he understands and encourages students to engage in these outside opportunities.
“An internship is good, gets people to know you, gets you to know people, that’s really what this industry is about,” Halasz said. “You know, if somebody gets a pile of resumes, at the end of the day, they’re gonna hire somebody they know they can do the job. So, it’s more crucial.”
Both Roman and Queen continue to expand their resumes and portfolios with these outside film opportunities whilst getting to know crucial skills and people for their development. For those looking for opportunities, Halasz says you can find them everywhere.
“You get out there – that’s what the important thing is – to get people to know who you are,” Halasz said. “There’s always film connects happening in Pittsburgh. Make sure you go to those –they’re always posted on social media so you can follow them and that’s really the next step.”
