During fall break weekend, I had the pleasure to work as an assistant to wardrobe, props, and hair/makeup on one of the senior films that have been greenlit for the fall semester. This experience was not only fun and exciting but also incredibly enlightening as a glimpse into the profession of filmmaking.

As someone going into film who has never been on a real set, I found working at a location with a crew of roughly thirty to be a whole new experience. Shooting took place for three days, with the first day being six hours and the other two being 12. While that sounds seriously draining, running around on set and picking up responsibilities keeps you so busy that you barely notice.

A lot of what I did took place before shooting or before we arrived on set, which gave me a lot of free time during filming to help out or decompress. The only time I felt drained was when I had nothing to do, as odd as that sounds.

This opportunity was also gratifying because of the feeling of accomplishment you get afterwards — having played a role that contributed to something bigger. Being able to see my work as an integral part of a unified project was an awesome experience. The excitement and positive energy that everyone put into their work during filming made for an incredible feeling of unity and teamwork.

Working on set for a senior project was a great opportunity, and I’m grateful that I got to be a part of it.