Are we playing a game of Clue?
Who?
Chris “Bruizer” Butler, TRF Sequence 63. Originally from Philadelphia, I attended Syracuse University for undergrad and received a B.F.A. in Film Art & Art Photography as a dual major. After living and working in Philly and New York, I decided to go back to graduate school at S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. All the research of graduate programs, and a trial or two, lead me to one of the best decisions of my life. After completing the one-year intense program, I feel more knowledgable about the industry and confident in both my skills and self. I accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover and AMEX if you were wondering. Finally about me, you can follow my paper trail of charges at LinkedIN or get to know me better via Facebook.
What?!
I started off studying art, photography, and film in hopes of following in the footsteps of my music video icons like Mark Romanek, Michel Gondry and Floria Sigismondi. I hoped to start out with either my art and photography in music, much like the fore mentioned, or like Tim Burton, working for a company like Disney (Burton on Burton), to start on a path towards directing and producing. Alas, it isn’t easy and the ubiquity of digital media for consumer changed everything during this attempt. The fact that I had no idea of how the entertainment industry worked as a business, or what the term producer meant in that vein, also didn’t help. The art school path seemed not to work for me. Though I truly valued it, I “didn’t know how to get paid” according to Professor Evan Smith.
I concentrated my studies on understanding the entertainment industry while at Newhouse. Courses and conversations with the amazing faculty, staff, and peers led me to understand that I had skills that I didn’t know were in demand and valuable, as well as the discovery of a better game plan. After exploring the NACAN database and the L.A. Industry Seminar Trip, I realized that I may both succeed and enjoy stops along the journey that I didn’t know existed or considered. I applied for an internship with Rob LaPlante, SU 1998, a former casting director/producer who recently started his own company.
Where…
You can stop holding your breath… I got the internship! The fact that Rob LaPlante was an alumni and I was willing to work for free didn’t seal the deal, but rather the interview on the phone made it happen. As you’ll here Professor Dubin constantly say, “Most business in entertainment gets done on the phone.” So I smiled, very important to do on the phone, and I chatted with Rob. We had a good conversation, chatting about Syracuse and each other. Yeah, interviews are like dates but there is a reason why. Don’t know want to have an idea of who a person is before you go any further, before you let them in and commit to work with them? Trust? It’s all about trust… and if you can tolerate working twelve hours days next to someone in a cubicle or on a set.
I didn’t hear from him for about a month and finished the academic year without an internship but with a plan to work for the summer while searching for the fall. Am I not pretty enough? Did I have food in my teeth?! Alas, I got a call from Rob. He “really liked me” and apologized for letting so much time go by but the man is busy. He wanted to let me help him, for free, and I would get learn from it. I moved from Syracuse to Philly in three days and then from Philly to Los Angeles in three days and two hours. On the road, day one, I got a call from Rob saying, “Hey Chris, just checking in to see if you’re still interested in the internship and when you could start?” I was confused as I had accepted already. I’m driving cross-country with all my belongings shoved in my car… I replied, “Of course I am. I’m on the road out there now.” “Great!” he exclaimed, “When can you start?” I replied, “You said June 6th, so I’ll be there June 6th. What time do you want me to start?” “That’s exactly what I wanted to hear!” Rob said. I guess I passed test one, following through and be eager to go, go, go. And now I’m here in Los Angeles at LaPlanet Entertainment.
Orbiting LaPlanet
I am currently at LaPlanet Entertainment, a small company involved in the development of non-scripted television. Well, “at LaPlanet” is sort of a funny thing and lesson one. I have yet to step foot in the actual LaPlanet Entertainment office and don’t think that I ever will during my internship. The reason being is that Rob is partnered with other companies for various projects in development for different networks. The first thing I learned when I arrived is that I will most likely be working at a different location for each project that I work on, working in a space set aside for Rob and his employees within the offices of who he’s working with for that particular project. So I work for LaPlanet Entertainment but will sometimes sign communications with LaPlanet, a different company, or a network- all with the goal of getting that project done on LaPlanet’s end for the partnerships and on TV. Getting into this, I had no idea that my internship would be with a successful producer, working from the ground up with his own company and my career. It should be really cool, with other vantages to see and learn about the industry in the different satellite offices and companies orbiting LaPlanet.