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Picture a big, green maze full of students all in it together, trying to navigate their way through.
They come up against roadblock after roadblock, which are both empowering and challenging at the same time, and each person finds his or her own way out—essentially finding their own niche in the entertainment marketing industry—in their own time.
That was the visual promotion one student came up with to describe herself as part of the application process for PromaxBDA’s Promo Pathway. The one-year on-air training program produced in partnership with Santa Monica College immerses students in entertainment marketing with hands-on curriculum, creative coaching and valuable connections that provide real-world experience to help students launch their writer, editor or producer careers.
Judges from networks such as NBC, E! Entertainment, Warner Bros., ABC, Disney and Fox evaluated 33 finalists for 25 spots, asking them to elaborate on their promos by describing the type of music that would accompany it, or explaining the symbolism behind the visual elements, while tapping into students’ inspiration and potential to grow from a mentorship relationship.
After an initial interview where they pitched visual promos to describe themselves, students were told that a project they had worked on in advance would now become a group project. Judges evaluated their ability to work dynamically as part of a team, focusing on skills like leadership and collaboration, while considering assets like graphics, logos, brand messaging and colors used in the final presentation.
Anna Lapuz, talent acquisition recruiter at NBC, said she looks for candidates with the raw materials to make it in the entertainment marketing and promotions field.
“Someone who can visually express what’s in their heads,” she said. “Who can take a story—a show—and condense it into a 30-second spot [is similar to] taking your life and condensing it into a few sentences.”
The process also gave judges an idea of how students’ minds worked creatively. Candidates came from all walks of life, from a paralegal interested in transitioning to a more creative field, to Michael Chavez, who was encouraged to apply for Promo Pathway while working on a project at Inner-City Filmmakers, a nonprofit that provides free hands-on training and job placement services for diverse students in Los Angeles County. Promo Pathway also works closely with the PromaxBDA Diversity Council to give students from different racial and ethnic backgrounds opportunities and exposure in the entertainment marketing field.
Chavez said if selected, he hopes to gain a more professional perspective through Promo Pathway while “doing what I love, working in a creative field and learning from amazing people.”
“Going into this program, I’m very excited to see where it leads me,” he said.
Indeed, alumni of the program have landed jobs at MTV, ABC, Lifetime and television networks across the world, PromaxBDA President and CEO Steve Kazanjian told students at the beginning of Finalist Day.
“This is a path, this is a track,” he said. “And it will provide you with a very successful career in this industry. It’s a competitive field, but an incredibly passionate field full of people who want to see you succeed. We’re here to push you guys as far as we can.”
Judges outlined their own career paths, with many describing how they began as interns and moved up the ranks, while bestowing advice and encouragement to those just starting out.
“A lot of your work won’t see the light of day,” said Scott Edwards, executive vice president, on-air promotions at Fox, and a professor at Santa Monica College. “But that’s cool. You’ve got to know what it is that drives you.”
Chris Donovan, senior vice president, on-air marketing and promotional content at E!, explained the importance of students having a handle on their strengths and weaknesses, and “understanding who you are as a creative and what you can bring.”
“You can do whatever you want as long as you can package that clearly,” he said.
Karen Miller, vice president, on-air promotions and creative services at Warner Bros., encouraged students to always have a champion.
“Whether it’s a co-worker, a supervisor … when you have a champion, that champion winds up turning into a mentor. And that mentor makes sure you wind up not only believing in yourself, but seeing opportunities.”
She also advocated for students to pay it forward.
“You should be looking out for who you can mentor as well,” Miller said. “No matter what you do, where you end up, pass it down and take care of someone else along the way.”
[Images courtesy of LaFern Cusack and Kristin Craik]
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