XAVIER ARIAS
Digital Media Apprentice, MSJC Class of 2020
I have always been intrigued by film production. Growing up, I loved watching the behind the scenes DVD of my favorite movies just because it was like magic how they brought the film to life. I have always been a curious person, and I love the idea of pursuing something that I can never truly perfect. Film does this for me; it allows me to be a perpetual student.
Once I graduated high school in 2013, I had no real idea of how to get into the production field. I had cold feet for a few years and jumped jobs in pursuit of something that could fund the high equipment cost of this passion. I was so against further education and convinced that I would just “figure it out” on my own. It was tough to keep my mind occupied outside of work, and aside from hanging out with friends and family, I found myself reaching out for other interests in the meantime. In late 2016, I stumbled upon a documentary that opened my eyes to the world of rock climbing. I was always an adventurous kid that loved the outdoors and it seemed like the mental challenge I needed. After the first day I was hooked, and a few months into it I had found a real passion. It’s something I love to do consistently to this day.
One of the biggest things that stuck with me was the fact that a film had pushed me to try something I never had before. I had ALWAYS wanted to create something like that to impact other people with my own films. At some point, I had to ask myself “how do I get that done?”. I had dreaded school for all of these years, but I began to realize it was a path worth entertaining.
It was the beginning of 2017. I was nervous when I first signed up for my digital media classes at Mt. San Jacinto College, but my hunger for knowledge well surpassed this. It took a few classes to get used to the groove of being in school again, but I absolutely loved what I was doing every day. Through the school, I now had access to equipment, mentorship, and networking opportunities that would have taken ten times as long to get to on my own. I was hooked.
After my first few semesters, I found out that I qualified to apply for an apprenticeship at a local production studio. I was constantly asking my instructor questions about the application and he was happy to answer all of them. When the list finally came around for applications, I was one of the first in line. I got an email not too long after to come in for my interview.
It took two interviews to get the call back to find out I had the job. I couldn’t believe it, a year and a half ago I had no idea how to enter the production world, and here I was now with a paying job in that same field. I was signed on as an apprentice writer, where I assist with scripts for a startup news program. I have been here now for about 9 months, and the experience along with the credibility I am gaining would have been much tougher to acquire on my own.
I don’t know where this career choice will take me, I can only hope it will be a place where I can finally move people in the way I’ve always wanted to. What I am sure of is that without the foundation of the education I chose to pursue, I would be in a very different place than I am now. It has been one of my wisest choices so far.
