When entering the creative arts field where many aspects of the industry can be unpredictable and unfamiliar to undergraduate students, the mentorship of those who have come before can be invaluable. Recently, The Justice had the pleasure of speaking with associate producer and independent documentary filmmaker Alissa Fagin ’20 about the advice she wished she had received as a Brandeis student starting out in the film world. 

One overarching piece of advice; be persistent but do not bombard. When talking about networking, Fagin shared how it is important and beneficial to follow up on outreach emails after a couple of weeks, but constantly emailing everyday may not be the most effective. 

When the time to graduate from college comes, Fagin advised “if you can afford it, do an internship after college at a company you want to work for.” While these internships may not always offer the best pay, they may lead to experience and connections that are useful in the long run. 

Finally, make sure to stay in touch with your collegiate peers because they are your future collaborators. The individuals who are on your level artistically may be helpful connections to have when working on future projects. 

If you’re interested in the field of filmmaking and production, feel free to email arts@thejustice.org to be connected with Alissa Fagin for further insights and guidance.