Jamie McNeill
Name: Jamie McNeill
Graduation Year: 2020
Major: Film and Television Production
Hometown: Avon, Connecticut
What were your favorite positions/memories at TVTV?
I was a lead producer & host for season 1 of Below The Line (a show on the behind-the-scenes of filmmaking) before transitioning into the Showrunner position for season 2 and season 3. Simultaneously, I held the position of Post-Production Manager for two seasons of TVTV!
How was your transition process out of USC and into the workplace?
The most difficult part of the transition out of USC for me, and many others, was the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m sure the transition out of USC would have been difficult enough anyways, but graduating in 2020 with the pandemic really threw a wrench in the plans. I decided to spend my time focusing on my personal development, and those positive mental/physical improvements allowed me to face searching for a job with a really positive attitude. I managed to get a few producing opportunities in the middle of the pandemic and then leveraged previous internships into a full-time position!
What are you up to now?
I’ve recently joined the team at Legendary Entertainment as COVID-19 Safety Coordinator and am really excited to be working with such an incredible company in a full-time capacity (I had the pleasure of interning there twice)! Outside of this role, I’m writing and producing a few smaller projects, ranging from scripted narrative podcasts to commercial ads. It also happens that just last week the DGA Award Winning 480 I produced, Milk Teeth, was released on Short of the Week. Check it out!
How has TVTV helped shape your career?
I developed strong time-management and leadership skills during my time at TVTV. The responsibility I was handed by running a show and being the Post Production manager for the station forced me to organize my life in a way I wasn’t used to. Learning syllabus to syllabus is not how the real world is structured, so I had to find a way to stay on-track with no excuses, and TVTV was a crash course in this. Developing these skills early helped me tremendously in future positions!
Where would you like to be in 5-10 years?
In 5-10 years I hope to be a full-time producer and entrepreneur specializing in independent films and branded content. I aim to support ambitious creatives and socially responsible brands in the telling of visually breathtaking and emotionally meaningful stories surrounding the human condition.
Any words of advice for students?
Every day is a career day. I am always astounded by how small of a world entertainment seems to be. People I met at USC before I even attended have gotten me jobs post-graduation. I’ve received and given opportunities to work with certain people solely because of one small positive interaction I’ve had with them, and you never know when you’ll be working alongside, above, or below someone you’ve met before. Simply be a kind, empathetic, and authentic human. If you do that – things will fall into place.
** Please reach out to our Industry Relations Manager, Phoebe Lai (pelai@usc.edu) to get in touch with our Notable Alumni or be featured in our next newsletter!