Professionals Featured
We interviewed over 20 professionals who are currently working in film
You’ll be learning not just from my 30 year career span but also from these professionals who have years of valuable experience in their various departments. Their advice brings you many different perspectives on how things work in the biz.
Hilton J. Day is an Assistant Director based in the San Francisco Bay Area. While owning the responsibility of keeping everyone on schedule, he focuses on positivity and synergy between Cast & Crew. Hilton invests himself deeply in every project he chooses to be a part of giving them all the unique attention they deserve. Day has quickly risen from PA on big shows to 1st AD on more recent feature films and television.
He worked as a PA in feature films, including Ant-Man and the Wasp, Bumblebee, Terminator Genisys, San Andreas, Steve Jobs, and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. He has also worked as a PA on several TV series, including Fuller House, Chance, Pitch, Sense8, and Looking.
Hilton began Assistant Directing in 2014. Since then, has worked on several feature film and television productions as a 2nd 2nd Assistant Director, including 55 Steps in 2017. In 2018, he became the Second Assistant Director of Sorry To Bother You, and then 1st Assistant Director in 2019 on The Last Black Man in San Francisco and the TV Series 5 Minutes from Home, starring Stephen Curry.
Hilton talks about how he got his start and is featured in April’s Blog:
Working as a Film Production Assistant Can Launch Your Career!
Debbie has over 30 years of experience working in motion pictures and television. The past few years have been chiefly about television, Clickbait, Tales of the City, The Man in the High Castle, and Cosmos: Possible Worlds. Locally in the San Francisco Bay Area, she's been dubbed the "Godmother" of independent film. One of her most recent adventures was five days on California's Lost Coast, hanging out with Sean Penn.
Check out Debbie in my Blog:
Working as a Film Production Assistant Can Launch Your Career!
As the Executive Creative Director at Swordfish, Matt leads a diverse team of visual communicators. Their business includes designing worldwide product launches to directing live-action effects-intensive shoots for the world's most respected brands, including Apple, Sony, and Google. Matt Silverman's work products include animations playing on every Macintosh computer, award-winning Super Bowl spots, titles for the Oscar-nominated films, and UX designs found on gadgets in millions of people's pockets. Matt's positive attitude and generosity make him one of the best shops to work in throughout the San Francisco Bay area.
In 2009 Frances graduated from the University of San Francisco with a bachelor’s degree in International Studies. Using her wide range of skills and experience to pursue work in Locations (in film and commercials) and Film Production, she now works on feature films such as The Matrix Resurrections, San Andreas, Ant-Man, Beautiful Boy, and 13 Reason Why. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, she says she is proud to help uphold the cinematic legacy of this beautiful place.
Check out Frances on our Blog:
Working As A Film Production Assistant Can Launch Your Career!
Justin Vong is a San Francisco-based Production Assistant (PA) and aspiring 1st Assistant Camera and Video Assist operator. Justin began his PA career while in film school with a clear idea of what he wanted his path to be. After graduating from San Francisco State University, he began to move his way up as a 2nd AC and video assist assistant on commercials.
Greg started interning 32 years ago at a CBS Station in Chico, California. He learned anything and everything he could at the Station and quickly became an independent contractor with a focus as a Director and Director of Photography. Greg started Freeman Productions and works for all the major networks on reality shows like Fear Factor, The Bachelorette, and The Bachelor. His commercial work includes companies like Ford, Toyota, Meryl Lynch, and Bank of America. In addition, he has done those fun in-flight videos you see on United Airlines and corporate videos for Salesforce, Google, Apple, and many others. Greg's gift is that he brings a sense of calm to any work project and set.
Eli Adler, the owner of Clean Slate Video, is a professional director of photography with more than 30 years of experience. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Film and TV from Montana State University, where he graduated summa cum laude. Eli has shot corporate videos and commercials for Bay Area startups and Fortune 500 corporations and received a CINE Golden Eagle and two National Emmy Awards for his documentary work. Recently he produced and co-directed his documentary, Surviving Skokie. Eli knows the tech and the imagery, which makes him a vital part of any project he's on.
Knox has worked in film, television, and commercials for clients and companies like Industrial Light and Magic, The Real World, Honda, Toyota, and Facebook. He started his career in Los Angeles as a stunt-lost-boy on a Spielberg movie Hook. He spent a summer sword fighting with pirates. He loved it, but then, towards the end of that summer-- Knox grew tall. His agent wept. When asked why, his agent explained: They want adults who can pass for kids, not kids who can pass for adults. But Knox dusted himself off and got behind the camera. He re-entered the industry through the front door as a PA, learning the business from the other side of the camera. From there, his career took off, and he is a sought-after director.
Micky is, at heart, a musician. He became a PA because he, his brother, and some friends wanted to be in the entertainment industry. "We found out the best way to do that was to start from the bottom and work your way up. So, I started working with college professors in San Francisco State, running errands for them. And pretty soon, they brought me onto some of the biggest commercials and movies that we now see today." Micky has a great attitude, and his career shows it!
Doug Freeman grew up in the film industry, following in his father's footsteps, who helped pioneer one of the first grip trucks in California. Doug spent most of his youth working at the SF Opera, SF Ballet, ACT and Fillmore West, and theaters like the Geary, Curran, and Orpheum. With a strong foundation in theatre and an education from the California College of Arts and Crafts, he dedicated himself to work in the art department. He founded the set company Jets Sets. His work has been recognized with several awards, including the "AICP's Production Designer of the Year" in 1993, plus a regional Emmy nomination for Production Design and Emmy Award for Best Director on a children's TV Series. Doug is always fun to have on any job and brings a sense of joy to his work.
Beverly Lewis has served as the Director of the Placer-Lake Tahoe Film Office since 1998. Under the auspices of the Placer County Office of Economic Development, she runs the County's film office. Among the films she has shepherded through the County: the 2014 Academy Award-winning film Her starring Joaquin Phoenix; the Disney film, The Muppets; the HBO film, Cinema Verite; Jack Ass 3D; XXX; Almost Famous; Dragonfly; The Deep End, a Sundance Award winner; and an IMAX film California Adventure, for Disneyland; and hundreds of independent productions, television programs, commercials and still photo shoots. Beverly knows her County like the back of her hand, which is a huge help to filmmakers.
Cathryn Blum (Catbird)
Catbird has been involved in the film production business for 20+ years, predominantly as a location scout and manager or fixer. She has excellent problem-solving skills, as learned with work on television series (both scripted and reality), feature films (both Hollywood & Independent), commercials, documentaries, print and multi-media advertising, editorial, and corporate videos. Cathryn brings a sense of reality to a sometimes unreal world. When the film crew hits the streets, Location Professionals like Catbird know the locations and can get ahead of possible problems for the project.
Diane Harrell has been feeding crews in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2000, and her high reputation comes from the constant care of everyone on each job she works. Diane knows precisely what food combinations can give the crew energy and joy. She works for films, commercials, documentaries, and corporate projects. When Diane's name is on the call sheet, there is a big smile on the face of every crew member. The crews love her.
Danielle Karstetter is a video and post-producer in San Francisco. The SF native - yes, those people do exist - started her career in video production as a production assistant on live-action shoots. She quickly advanced to producing and is currently in-house at acclaimed Studio Swordfish, specializing in post-production, CG and animation. She likes to keep things exciting and produces everything from live-action drone shoots and stop motion, to futuristic AR and VR installations.
London is an experienced Production Assistant, Actress and Model. She belongs to I.A.T.S.E. and Local #16 Stagehand (4th Generation). She’s also represented by Stars, The Agency. As a finance Major at UC Irvine she graduated in 2019. London is now a full-time YouTuber who reacts to music (mainly international rap) and she is also a rapper/singer. Currently based out of LA, London is pursuing her adventures.
Since 1995 Teri has worked in film production with wardrobe elements (as well as props and sets) for videos in broadcast, non-broadcast, campaigns, experiential marketing projects, and industrial jobs. She has worked closely with the creative and production teams to manage their budgets and expectations. Currently, she's taken a position with the non-profit Buckelew Program. Their mission is to enhance the quality of life of individuals and families in our community by providing mental, emotional, behavioral health, and addiction services that promote recovery, resilience, and hope.
Photo of Molly Portillo, Event Producer
