NAME: Jason Costabile ’18

HOMETOWN: Arlington Heights, Ill. 

HOW DID YOU LEARN ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY: I heard about this opportunity from Penni Pier (professor of journalism and communication) as I was working on changing my schedule to accommodate an early graduation. I was going to take COM 420 during May Term regardless, but it just so happened the class was going to work closely with the crew of This Day Forward, which excited me.

WHAT ROLE DID YOU PLAY ON THE SET: I was a production assistant. Midway through the shoot, I was named the walkie production assistant. I was responsible for maintaining the walkie-talkies, tracking who had which one and keeping batteries fresh, as well as normal PA duties, like guarding the set and keeping my eyes and ears open to attend to any needs the crew may have. One day, I was a second assistant camera, slating for each shot and helping keep the cameras running smoothly, and another day I was assistant sound, helping mix a live band we had playing in the scene.

HOW DO YOU SEE THIS EXPERIENCE HELPING YOU AS YOU MOVE FORWARD: The big thing for me was connecting with people in the industry. Talking to the producer, the directors, the sound engineer, and anyone else I could and networking with them, I hoped, would provide a bit of a springboard for me as I tried to get work in the sound department for future projects.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY FROM THE EXPERIENCE: One of my favorite memories was actually the hardest day physically. We were shooting at the barn and the interior shots were taking forever, but it was our only day to get all the barn shots we needed. We stayed at the barn, working, until 4 a.m.