Advice from the 2018-2019 Mentees!

Hey, new mentees! Here are some LA tips from the 2018-2019 cohort:

*Don’t worry too much because nobody else knows what they’re doing either. 

*Come here in order to make progress in your career, and understand that hard work pays off, even if you don't end up going directly into what or where you first expected.

*Make friends with NYU kids that you weren't friends with before.

*Save way more money than you think you need. It’s easier to live an extra month or two at home and save up - than figure out how to make more money once you’re here. 

*It's not as bad as you think it will be, but it's not as easy as you hope it will be. The things you think are going to be problems may not be problems, and things you didn't even realize were a thing are going to be the hardest parts. 

*Face your fears and learn from them. 

*Be open to all opportunities, but don't do something that makes you miserable even if you think it might help you in the long term.

*Don’t neglect the simple pleasures of being in a new place! Go to the beach, go to Disneyland, do all the touristy stuff that you’ll feel embarrassed to do when you’ve been living here for three years. It can feel like everyone’s working 24 hours a day here, but the truth is that you will be a more interesting and well rounded person if you do other things besides being in the entertainment industry.

Meet the 2019-2020 Mentors!

Meet the 2019-2020 Mentors!

Meet the Mentors for 2019-2020 Cycle of the Tisch LA Mentor Program!

Acting Mentors

Emebeit Beyene  is "The Ethiopian queen from Philly who took classes abroad and studied film and photo flash focus record" as The Roots put it... except she studied Acting and Africana Studies at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. She appreciates the shoutout nonetheless. Emebeit is an actress, writer and co-creator of the webseries Downtown Girls, which she developed into a pilot at TBS. She's been featured in festivals like Just For Laughs, ABFF, and the LA Film Fest as well as on popular sites like Huffington Post, Glamour, Hello Giggles, Complex and Man Repeller. She enjoys watching tons of television (it's research!), the oh-so-great outdoors, and, making people laugh.

Chandra Russell is a Chicagoan til Chicago ends. A graduate of Tisch's Acting program she now works in LA as an actress/writer. Her webseries, Downtown Girls, has been featured in Just For Laughs Comedy Festival Montreal, the American Black Film Festival, the LA Film Festival, Huffington Post, Glamour, Hello Giggles, Complex and Man Repeller. (if this looks familiar - her writing partner, Emebeit, is above and she literally copied and pasted - lazy). Most recently Chandra appeared as a series regular in the Comedy Central show South Side. In her spare time she likes extended naps, junk reality TV and cuddling with her puppy. 

Film & TV Mentors

Mina Baban is a Television Executive at Amazon Studios where she buys, develops and oversees shows for both the US and International markets. She graduated from Tisch in December of 2011 and began work in reality TV production before moving to LA to pursue scripted television. After some direction from her NYU-in-LA mentors, Mina started in the WME mailroom and then supported several TV literary agents. She eventually jumped to Amazon Studios working drama development. During her time at Amazon, Mina helped buy, develop and oversee such shows as A Very English Scandal, Zero Zero Zero, Absentia, Carnival Row and The Widow. In her spare time, she enjoys playing volleyball and watching The New England Patriots.

Justin Brenneman is a writer working in TV and film. Most recently, he spent two seasons on Quantico. Before that, he wrote for Smash and Monk. As a writers’ assistant or script coordinator, he worked on Red Oaks and Girls, and the pilots for Difficult People, Madam Secretary, The Affair and Masters of Sex, among others. He has also worked for Lifetime, MTV Networks, PBS, TBS, and in independent film. He graduated from the playwriting concentration in dramatic writing at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. At one point, Justin planned to become a therapist, and he also has a degree from NYU’s psychology program. As a professor, Justin has taught in both the dramatic writing and film & TV departments at Tisch. He is originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Justin is represented by Kaplan Perrone.

John Logan Pierson is the lead scripted features producer for Film 44. He is an Executive Producer on the forthcoming Netflix action-comedy Wonderland (starring Winston Duke, Alan Arkin, Mark Wahlberg, and Iliza Shlesinger) and the USA Network series Dare Me, based on the novel by Megan Abbott and currently in production for a 2020 premiere. In earlier work for Film 44, he was an Executive Producer on Mile 22, Patriot’s Day and American Jihad. Prior to joining Film 44, Pierson was at TWC where he oversaw numerous feature and television properties. Prior to his time at TWC, Pierson had worked as an independent producer and an assistant to producer Scott Rudin and manager Joan Scott. His start in the industry was as a producer of new media and commercial content for brands ranging from Adidas to the Emmy Awards. Independently Pierson produced the forthcoming Hard Rock Havana - a feature documentary about a legendary Cuban rock band directed by NYU Alum Nicholas Brennan - and The Last of the Great Romantics - an indie comedy starring Kumail Nanjiani and Ben Rameaka.

Keith Powell was a series regular on NBC’s Emmy Award-winning sitcom 30 Rock, where he received a 2008 Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the ensemble. Prior to 30 Rock, Powell was the Producing Artistic Director of Contemporary Stage Company in Wilmington, DE for four seasons, where he produced, directed, and/or performed in plays starring Lynn Redgrave, Keith David, Jasmine Guy, Richard Easton and Sean Patrick Thomas. As a writer/director, his web series Keith Broke His Leg (Indie Series Award for Best Comedy), and his short films People We Meet (starring Scott Adsit and Frederick Weller), Nate & Abe (with voice talents Alyssa Milano, Robert Ben Garant, Aubrey Plaza, David Wain, and Rachel Dratch), and Pillow Talk have played in festivals like Raindance Film Festival, San Luis Obispo Film Festival, RiverRun Film Festival (where he won the SPARK Award), LA Shorts Fest, New York Television Festival, and SeriesFest. He has developed projects with MTV, Warner Brothers, and Sony Television, in addition to projects with various production companies like Broadway Video, YouTube, and Crackle. As an actor, Powell has appeared on over 100 episodes of television; and this past season, he made his episodic directing debut with an episode of the NBC sitcom Superstore.

Joe Brukner is a Development Coordinator at Fabrik Entertainment. Since leaving his homeland of Australia to work in the US entertainment industry, Joe has worked in both New York and now Los Angeles, where he has focused on premium scripted TV development. In his current position at Fabrik Entertainment, Joe is responsible for coordinating the efforts of the development team behind shows with devout global audiences such as Bosch, The Killing and Burn Notice.

Chris Hazzard is a screenwriter who, with his writing partner Michael Fontana, has written feature projects for Amazon Studios, Fox International, Alcon, Lionsgate, Sony, and others. On the TV side, Chris & Mike have developed two original half hours with FX Networks and currently have a comedy in development with Keshet, and an adult animated comedy set up at Hulu. In the coming year, they will make their directorial debut with Drunk Bus, a feature comedy which they also wrote. Previously, Chris was an executive at Sneak Preview Entertainment where he was a producer on the indie feature, The Secret Lives of Dorks, and the Fox Searchlight Pictures film, Baggage Claim.

NYU Tisch Staff

Lily Hung oversees the Tisch LA Mentor Program, in collaboration with the Mentors. As Tisch’s Director of Career Development, Lily connects artists with the tools and knowledge they need to effectively pursue their professional goals. Through individual career counseling appointments and group workshops, she advises students on job searches, resumes and cover letters, interviewing and networking skills, internships, grantwriting, and entrepreneurial strategies. Lily previously spent more than a decade in commercial and nonprofit theatre, where she worked with emerging theatre artists as a line producer and programming director. She holds an MFA in Dramaturgy from Columbia University and is now clumsily learning aerial arts.

Meet the 2018-2019 Mentors!

Meet the 2018-2019 Mentors!

Meet the new Mentors for 2018-2019 Cycle of the NYU in LA Program!

Acting Mentors

Emebeit Beyene is "The Ethiopian queen from Philly who took classes abroad and studied film and photo flash focus record" as The Roots put it... except she studied Acting and Africana Studies at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. She appreciates the shoutout nonetheless. Emebeit is an actress, producer and co-creator of the webseries Downtown Girls, which came from four actresses who didn't see the stories that they wanted to see on TV so they created it themselves. With the success of Downtown Girls she's been featured in the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival Montreal, the American Black Film Festival,the LA Film Festival and on popular sites like Huffington Post, Glamour, Hello Giggles, Complex and Man Repeller. Currently based in LA, Emebeit is a working actress and can be seen in several short films in theaters nowhere near you. She enjoys watching tons of television (it's research!), the oh-so-great outdoors, eating froyo from Pinkberry, and, surprisingly, making people laugh.

Chandra Russell is a Chicagoan til Chicago ends. A graduate of Tisch's Acting program she now works in LA as an actress/writer. Her webseries, Downtown Girls, has been featured in Just For Laughs Comedy Festival Montreal, the American Black Film Festival, the LA Film Festival, Huffington Post, Glamour, Hello Giggles, Complex and Man Repeller. (if this looks familiar - her writing partner, Emebeit, is above and she literally copied and pasted - lazy). Most recently Chandra was cast as a series regular in the Comedy Central pilot Southside. In her spare time she likes extended naps, junk reality TV and cuddling with her puppy. 

Film & TV Mentors

Mina Baban is a Television Executive for Amazon Studios where she buys, develops and oversees shows for both the US and International markets. She graduated from Tisch in December of 2011 and began work in reality TV production before moving to LA to pursue scripted television. After some direction from her NYU-in-LA mentors, Mina started in the WME mailroom and then supported several different TV literary agents. She eventually jumped to Amazon Studios to work in drama development. During her time at Amazon, Mina has worked with Amazon’s drama team in helping greenlight shows like The Marvelous Mrs. Masiel and additionally helped form Amazon’s International Originals Department, which creates local-language content for numerous countries all over the globe as well as finds co-production opportunities. As a development executive, Mina helps track, source, buy, develop, and produce shows from inception to launch. In her spare time, she enjoys playing volleyball and watching The New England Patriots.

Erica Schreiber is a film/television writer. She graduated from Tisch’s Dramatic Writing Program and has worked as a writer's assistant, showrunner's assistant and executive assistant as well as a freelance reader/coverage writer. Since moving to LA she has had a feature and a pilot optioned, developed a digital series with Warner Bros and Alloy Entertainment, and written episodes for two series: Crackle's "In The Cloud" and Hasbro's "Micronauts." Her feature spec "And Hell Followed" landed on the 2017 Hit List and she is currently writing original features for Blumhouse and Hidden Empire. Erica is repped at Untitled Entertainment and WME.

John Logan Pierson oversees scripted features for Film 44. He is an Executive Producer on the forthcoming action franchise, MILE 22 and was an Executive Producer on Patriot’s Day and American Jihad, a collaboration with Alex Gibney and 60 Minutes. Prior to joining Film 44, Pierson worked as Director, Film and Television Production at TWC where he oversaw numerous feature and television properties including the Chinese co-production Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny. Prior to his time at TWC, Pierson had worked as an assistant to producer Scott Rudin and manager Joan Scott. His start in the industry was as a producer of new media and commercial content for brands ranging from Adidas to the Emmy Awards. Independently Pierson produced the forthcoming Hard Rock Havana - a feature documentary about a legendary Cuban rock band - and The Last of the Great Romantics - an indie comedy starring Kumail Nanjiani and Ben Rameaka.

Keith Powell was a series regular on NBC’s Emmy Award-winning sitcom 30 Rock, where he received a 2008 Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the ensemble. Prior to 30 Rock, Powell was the Producing Artistic Director of Contemporary Stage Company in Wilmington, DE for four seasons, where he produced, directed, and/or performed in plays starring Lynn Redgrave, Keith David, Jasmine Guy, Richard Easton and Sean Patrick Thomas. As a writer/director, his web series Keith Broke His Leg (Indie Series Award for Best Comedy), and his short films People We Meet (starring Scott Adsit and Frederick Weller), Nate & Abe (with voice talents Alyssa Milano, Robert Ben Garant, Aubrey Plaza, David Wain, and Rachel Dratch), and Pillow Talk have played in festivals like Raindance Film Festival, San Luis Obispo Film Festival, RiverRun Film Festival (where he won the SPARK Award), LA Shorts Fest, New York Television Festival, and SeriesFest. He has developed projects with MTV, Warner Brothers, and Sony Television, in addition to projects with various production companies like Broadway Video, YouTube, and Crackle. As an actor, Powell has appeared on over 100 episodes of television; and this past season, he made his episodic directing debut with an episode of the NBC sitcom Superstore.

Joe Brukner is a Development Coordinator at Fabrik Entertainment. Since leaving his homeland of Australia to work in the US entertainment industry, Joe has worked in both New York and now Los Angeles, where he has focused on premium scripted TV development. In his current position at Fabrik Entertainment, Joe is responsible for coordinating the efforts of the development team behind shows with devout global audiences such as Bosch, The Killing and Burn Notice.

Chris Hazzard is a screenwriter who, with his writing partner Michael Fontana, has written feature projects for Amazon Studios, Fox International, Alcon, Lionsgate, Sony, and others. On the TV side, Chris & Mike have developed two original half hours with FX Networks and currently have an adult animated comedy in development at Hulu. In the fall, they will make their directorial debut with Drunk Bus, a feature comedy which they also wrote. Previously, Chris was an executive at Sneak Preview Entertainment where he was a producer on the indie feature, The Secret Lives of Dorks, and the Fox Searchlight Pictures film, Baggage Claim.

NYU Tisch Staff

Lily Hung oversees the NYU in LA Mentor Program, in collaboration with the Mentors and Volunteer Coordinator. As Tisch’s Director of Career Development, Lily connects artists with the tools and knowledge they need to effectively pursue their professional goals. Through individual career counseling appointments and group workshops, she advises students on job searches, resumes and cover letters, interviewing and networking skills, internships, grantwriting, and entrepreneurial strategies. Lily previously spent more than a decade in commercial and nonprofit theatre, where she worked with emerging theatre artists as a line producer and programming director. She holds an MFA in Dramaturgy from Columbia University and is now clumsily learning aerial arts.

Advice from the 2017-2018 Mentees

Hey, new mentees! Here are some LA tips from the 2017-2018 cohort:

*Be naive and unapologetically vulnerable and throw yourself into everything with no hopes of getting anything in return. Here it is the things you do that seem like a waste of time that end up being a game changer and starting a relationship that could change your life. But first, really question why you want to do this career path again and continually check in with yourself and ask yourself that question as an adult - if it’s for the wrong reasons, those will always be the reasons you aren’t succeeding. And if you can’t understand what the parking signs mean, just find a meter. 

*Learn to drive! Do lots of networking, everyone is very friendly. Living on the east side is better than living on the west side.

*Take some classes at UCB, or Second City. They're great places to learn about improv and writing, and to make new friends.

*Be patient and approach your goals with flexibility as well as persistence. I would also say to reach out to any and all potential contacts, and be tactful but not shy.

*Say yes to anything. You can learn from a lot of experiences, big or small.

*Keep your mind open, don't get distracted. Do not settle, but don't be unreasonable either. Focus is important!

*Have finished material (scripts, films etc) before you make the move so you have something to show people right out of the gate.

*Find the right neighborhood for you and keep your NYC work ethic, it stands out here :)

*Link up with other NYU alum out on the West Coast. I think it seems like an obvious thing to do, but I didn't do it until the mentorship program rolled around. As soon as I went to the first mixer and linked up with classmates I hadn't seen in a while, many opportunities came my way.

Advice From Your Alumni

Hey, new mentees! Here are some LA tips from the 2016-2017 cohort:

There is always something happening and there are so many opportunities to jump start a career here. Be open, be curious, and be willing to follow the path wherever it takes you. Your goals and aspirations are ever changing, and that is okay! We are so young and these things take time, so enjoy the journey!

It's going to be hard. It's going to take time. It's going to be ok. Get involved in a lot of groups, get out of the house, you will make friends. It won't happen right away. It won't happen for longer than you think. But it will be ok.

Give it time, that's what I've been told by numerous guests of mine at my restaurant, that it takes time to really fall in love with LA. And also, reach out to any contacts that you may have. When I came here and reached out to contacts of people I hadn't seen in YEARS, everyone welcomed me with open arms! They were so kind, and then you kind of find the people you like to spend your time with or that you want to work with. And it also takes time to find your group socially, and if that's important to you, definitely get out there and get a part time job and be open and patient. Also, grab at any opportunity you can. People out here can be flakey, so if they flake, that's just another opportunity for YOU. There are people here who take it very seriously, and there are people who do NOT. Meet as many people as possible and do as much as you can that is offered, you'll never know what can lead to something else.

First: Have money saved to buy a car!!

Second: Things WILL fall into place, but you must be willing to be open to things falling into place out of order and in different ways than you planned. Each step you make comes with its own complications (my agent is not solving all my problems, being SAG-Elig isn't booking me gigs left and right) so stay humble and become not only a working professional but a STUDENT OF THE INDUSTRY! There is seriously so much to learn. And there are so many people involved in production. You will do yourself a huge favor if you learn to walk in other people's shoes!! People are collaborative here, and kindness goes a long way. Being qualified isn't the only thing that will get you far--being reliable, organized, and having a great attitude is essential to making yourself indispensable.

Find people doing the things you want to be doing at roughly the level you want to be doing them at in two to three years, and become useful to them. (This includes how you want to be doing those things--if someone is doing cool art, but treats people cruelly, get out of there, or at least work around that person. Ambition is important, but compromising human dignity, your own or another person's, isn't worth it.) Also: never get angry in traffic; always have sunscreen with you. Assemble one earthquake kit for your car and another for your bedroom.

Always make time for what you’re passionate about. Especially if you are not working in the industry, make sure you are writing, watching movies, keeping updated on what is happening in the industry, et cetera. With that, don't settle -- push for what you want!

Attend Tisch West Events and reach out to NYU Alumni. They will give you invaluable information and might even introduce you to more people who can help guide you towards the direction you want to head.

Triple check those parking signs.

Buckle up. Getting your foot into the door takes time, and maybe more time than you expected at first.

Remember why you moved here, and make sure that whatever you do is helping you move towards that goal.

You're not as powerless as you think you are. A genuine conversation with your normal personality can go a LONG way in this city. Just be a damn thoughtful person and you'll get a lot from LA

Cultivate a zen-like patience, and lead a balanced life. Build things in your life outside of your career and artistic work that gives you meaning and makes you feel good, whether that is a hobby, charity work or even a positive personal relationship (friends, girlfriend, boyfriend etc.), because you will get your ass kicked and be let down on a daily basis, and will find yourself desperate for something, however small, in your day that gives you a win.

Don't let other people's successes deter you. Everyone is on their own path and the way your success will manifest itself will be different from the next person. Be patient.

Never stop trying and work hard, make mistakes and learn from them with humility. People will give you a second chance if it's handled properly. Try to live relatively close from work as traffic is bad and commuting past 45mins each way can get gnarly. Socialize as much as possible.

Meet the Mentors 2017

Meet the Mentors 2017...

Meet the new Mentors for the NYUinLA Mentorship Program Class of 2017!

Acting Mentors

Keith Powell was a series regular on NBC’s Emmy Award-winning sitcom 30 Rock for seven seasons, where he received a 2008 Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the ensemble. Prior to 30 Rock, Powell was the Producing Artistic Director of Contemporary Stage Company in Wilmington, DE, where he produced, directed, and/or performed in plays starring Lynn Redgrave, Keith David, Jasmine Guy, Richard Easton and Sean Patrick Thomas (winning 2 Barrymore Awards). His theater credits include work at The Shakespeare Theatre, Portland Stage Company, Pittsburgh Public Theater, Hangar Theatre, Delaware Theatre Company, and HB Playwrights Foundation among others. He has also appeared in Deadbeat, Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, the ABC pilot Judy's Got A Gun, Reno 911!, and NCIS: Los Angeles. He has had recurring roles on About A Boy and The Newsroom, and appeared in the feature films Armless, Syrup, and Night At The Museum: Battle Of The Smithsonian. He is the writer/producer/director of the animated pilot Nate & Abe (starring Rachel Dratch, David Wain, Alyssa Milano, and Robert Ben Garant), and writer/director of the short films People We Meet (also starring Frederick Weller and Scott Adsit), Let Them Lie, and This Is A House. Recently, Mr. Powell wrote, directed, and produced the web series Keith Broke His Leg (Indie Series Awards for Best Actor and Best Web Series), and produced, co-wrote, and starred in the feature film My Name Is David (co-staring Judy Reyes and Adepero Oduye).

Emebeit Beyene is "The Ethiopian queen from Philly who took classes abroad and studied film and photo flash focus record" as The Roots put it... except she studied Acting and Africana Studies at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. She appreciates the shoutout nonetheless. Emebeit is an actress, producer and co-creator of the webseries Downtown Girls, which came from four actresses who didn't see the stories that they wanted to see on TV so they created it themselves. With the success of Downtown Girls she's been featured in the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival Montreal, the American Black Film Festival,the LA Film Festival and on popular sites like Huffington Post, Glamour, Hello Giggles, Complex and Man Repeller. Currently based in LA, Emebeit is a working actress and can be seen in several short films in theaters nowhere near you. She enjoys watching tons of television (it's research!), the oh-so-great outdoors, eating froyo from Pinkberry, and, surprisingly, making people laugh.

Film & TV Mentors

Michael Milberg is Vice-President of De Line Pictures, a film and TV production company with a first look at Warner Bros. Michael started his LA career in the mailroom of iconic talent agent Michael Ovitz's newly formed management firm where he rose up the ranks. He left to work for producers, Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher, where he developed and supervised MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA, BEWITCHED and JARHEAD. He then transition to DreamWorks SKG, where he oversaw BLADES OF GLORY, EAGLE EYE, THE RUINS, and TROPIC THUNDER. Michael has since made films with producers, Dan Jinks & Bruce Cohen, Donna Roth & Susan Arnold, and Jerry Bruckheimer before joining Donald De Line at his eponymous company. He currently is overseeing GOING IN STYLE at New Line, Steven Spielberg's upcoming READY PLAYER ONE at Warner Bros., as well as the second season of WAYWARD PINES on Fox. Michael is a Georgia native and graduate of TSOA's Film & TV program.

Pamela Goldstein is a literary agent at Verve. She came up through the agency ranks starting as an assistant at the William Morris Agency in 2008, was later promoted to International Coordinator in the Motion Picture Department at William Morris Endeavor Entertainment in 2011, and then moved over as an agent to Jeff Berg's company Resolution in 2013, before joining Verve last October. She has also worked with producers Tory Tunnell and Will Battersby at Safehouse Pictures, and as an assistant in the Production/Development Department at Miramax and Dimension Films. Pamela is a graduate of the 2006 class at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts for Film/TV Production.

Kellye Carnahan is a former Creative Executive at Miramax, where she focused on feature film development and production including projects such as THE 9TH LIFE OF LOUIS DRAX and BAD SANTA 2. A Southern California native, Kellye graduated from the Tisch Film and TV Production Program in 2010 and moved back to Los Angeles. Kellye began her career at Verve Talent and Literary Agency before going to assist producer Julie Yorn on the set of WE BOUGHT A ZOO. Following ZOO, she served two years as an assistant/development coordinator to producer Zanne Devine. Kellye is an alum of the Tisch mentor program and a member of the Tisch West Alumni Council. In her spare time, she loves to bake and invent cupcake recipes, travel, and run half marathons in and around Disneyland.

Nicole Iizuka is a LA native who braved the cold east coast winters at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, but missed the sunshine of So-Cali. Nicole has worked for producers, agents & studio executives, yet her toughest boss by far has been her obsession with food. Two years ago she founded an experimental underground supper club Cloak & Dinner and after realizing that her torrid love affair could actually be a career, Nicole quit her creative development job at MGM for the fascinating freelance world of culinary & art. Since making the leap, she worked with the culinary team and art department on Gordon Ramsay's MasterChef and Hell's Kitchen, and with Stacey Kiebler, Debbie Fields and Chef Michael Chiarello on Supermarket Superstar. She is currently a Senior Producer at POPSUGAR overseeing lifestyle content. Nicole also blogs about my food mis-adventures on itsborderlinegenius.com. You can follow her @nicolemiizuka

Mina Baban is a Television Executive for Amazon Studios where she buys, develops and oversees shows for both the US and International markets. She graduated from Tisch in December of 2011 and began work in reality TV production before moving to LA to pursue scripted television. After some direction from her NYU-in-LA mentors, Mina started in the WME mailroom and then supported several different TV literary agents. She eventually jumped to Amazon Studios to work in drama development. During her time at Amazon, Mina has worked with Amazon’s drama team in helping greenlight shows like THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL and additionally helped form Amazon’s International Originals Department, which creates local-language content for numerous countries all over the globe as well as finds co-production opportunities. As a development executive, Mina helps track, source, buy, develop, and produce shows from inception to launch. In her spare time, she enjoys playing volleyball and watching The New England Patriots.

Erica Schreiber is a film/television writer and professional reader. She graduated from Tisch’s Dramatic Writing Program after interning at “The Colbert Report,” and has worked as a Writer’s and Showrunner's Assistant on series like “Monk,” “Single Ladies" and "Hit The Floor" and has freelanced at Fox, CBS, FX Networks, and Showtime among others. This last year she wrote television episodes for Crackle and Hasbro, currently has a screenplay and a pilot optioned and is writing a digital series for Warner Bros and Alloy Entertainment. Erica is repped at Untitled Entertainment and WME, and enjoys sushi, Game of Thrones, and being on boats.

Volunteer Coordinator

Chandra Russell is a Chicagoan til Chicago ends. A graduate of Tisch's Acting program she now works in LA as an actress/writer. Her webseries, Downtown Girls, has been featured in Just For Laughs Comedy Festival Montreal, the American Black Film Festival, the LA Film Festival, Huffington Post, Glamour, Hello Giggles, Complex and Man Repeller. (if this looks familiar - her writing partner, Emebeit, is above and she literally copied and pasted - lazy). Most recently Chandra was cast as a series regular in the Comedy Central pilot "Southside". In her spare time she likes extended naps, junk reality TV and cuddling with her puppy. 

NYU Staff

Lily Hung oversees the NYU in LA Mentor Program, in collaboration with the Mentors and Volunteer Coordinator. As Tisch’s Director of Career Development, Lily connects artists with the tools and knowledge they need to effectively pursue their professional goals. Through individual career counseling appointments and group workshops, she advises students on job searches, resumes and cover letters, interviewing and networking skills, internships, grantwriting, and entrepreneurial strategies. Lily previously spent more than a decade in commercial and nonprofit theatre, where she worked with emerging theatre artists as a line producer and programming director. She holds an MFA in Dramaturgy from Columbia University and is now clumsily learning aerial arts.

A word from one of your mentors... Advice for all, not just actors.

I want to share this article with you to keep you aware of all the various people in the industry who claim to be helping you make "connections" but are really just exploiting you for their own financial gain. Please be weary of casting workshops - they are enterprises who's primary goal is to make themselves money; not to help you and your career. If you MUST do a casting workshop, please only attend it for research and informational purposes. 

Read this: http://deadline.com/2017/02/hollywood-casting-workshop-scams-city-attorney-1201907052/ 

A theme seems to be coming up through all of my individual meetings with you guys, and I feel it important to say now: a career does not happen overnight. A career is not as easy to achieve as simply paying for access. It isn't even achieved, unfortunately, through WANTING it hard enough or thinking/worrying about it at all hours of the day and night. It is achieved through focus, determination, and the active act of being an artist and putting your art out in to the world so others can see. Don't wait to be an artist, who attend workshops to learn how to be an artist, be an artist now. Do the work that makes you a better person. Focus on who you are and what makes you absolutely unique and individual.

Please, dear god, please, don't think you need to fit a "type." Your type is YOU. Figure out what you're good at, what makes you special, and really hone it/focus it, and put it out there in the world. 

This is a tough business, with a lot of ups and downs.  Take heart. And don't let the vultures get you.

- Keith Powell

Keith is a graduate of NYU TSOA now living and working in Los Angeles. He is currently a mentor in the 2016-17 program.