Thursday afternoon Sally Young, the production manager of the Emmy-award winning sitcom Modern Family and an Eastern Michigan Univesrity alumnus graduating forty years back, sat in Quirk-Spongberg Theater to discuss her career and give advice to the EMU community on what it takes to make it in Hollywood.
She’s since been involved with movies such as 10 Things I hate About You and A Mother’s Prayer. She has been a producer for Modern Family since 2013, according to IMDB. Season 8 of the sitcom will begin in May.
Young was asked questions on how to make it in Hollywood as an aspiring producer and screen writer. She said she knew she wanted to work in the media in Hollywood, “but who’s going to hire a Midwest girl from Birmingham?”
“It’s just hard work [and] the Midwestern ethic,” she said. “And I see graduates from UCLA film school and the USC and all that, they think they’re going to be a cinematographer and director and all that. I would say there is no small job, only small people.”
She said not to limit yourself at the door or to not take a job because it’s an entry level position.
Young is a production manager. That means when a project starts – whether that’s a feature film, a short, documentary or a TV show – she is in charge of coordinating everything from the booking of shooting space, to the hiring and firing of people, to the spending of money.
When asked on how to work with people, she said that it’s important for people like her, who is logical rather than creative, to understand the creative side.
“The creative people – actors, director’s writers – work on a different level. They are, and they should – be thinking about what’s good for the script. Actor [should be thinking] what’s best for my performance?” she said.
“I should not be a creative person because I don’t think that way,” she went on. “I have to train my brain to go ‘they’re an artist. They shouldn’t be looking at their watch thinking, ‘Do I have enough time to finish this?’ They should be thinking of ‘What’s best for the project?’ They’re not insulting you. It’s their craft.”
Young’s Q and A ended with taking pictures with the three dozen or so CTMA students.
