Allie Stone is both the
assistant to MysticArt Pictures CEO Katy Wallin and the Development Coordinator
for the company. She also lends a hand on every show at MysticArt Pictures and
helps support film and television projects in production. She is excited to
hear from people who know they could star in a reality show, and encourages
charismatic and outgoing people from all over the country to apply for
MysticArt shows.
Where did you go to school, and what did you go to
school for?
I went to Boston University for Film and Television,
and I graduated in 2011 after finishing a 4-year program within 2.5 years.
Where did you work before coming to MysticArt
Pictures?
When I first moved to LA I reached out to my contacts
from internships I had done in college, and through an agent I interned for at
WME I got a job assisting a film director. After the director moved out of
state, I was an assistant at a PR company before landing my job at MysticArt.
It was definitely a range of experience.
What first made you interested in development?
I’ve always loved great stories. I love reading and
films and television for those plots that suck you in. All of my internships
were connected to development in some way, and I found that I really enjoyed
searching for those new and unique ways to share someone’s life experiences.
Unscripted development is just that – figuring out the best, most engaging way
to tell a story. It fits perfectly with everything I like!
What advice would you give to someone who would like
to develop a show idea?
Be willing to let your baby go. This is something I
learned early on. You cannot let yourself be hurt or insulted if someone
doesn’t like the way you’ve presented your idea or if they have suggestions for
how to make it better. Outside voices are essential to development and you have
to be willing to listen to various opinions to create the best show possible.
A big part of your job involves writing. What do you
do when you have writer’s block, but you’re working against a deadline?
When I have writer’s block I need to work through it
as soon as possible. My go-to is to think back to things in my life that have
really happened and imagine how they might have played out differently. This
helps spark new ways to phrase what I am trying to say and get the creative
thoughts flowing.
What advice would you give to someone who has just
graduated from college and is trying to get their first job in the industry?
I will not sugarcoat this: this is a hard industry to
break into. I had four internships through college and kept in touch with my
internship bosses. If you do have internships, make sure you check in with the
people you formed relationships with as you are getting close to graduation.
When you are applying for jobs, have a clear idea of what kind of job you want
and a solid pitch for why you are the perfect person for that position. Be
relentless. Do not stop applying, even if you get a “just for now” job to help
you pay the bills. I was so lucky that Katy took a chance and hired me from
what must have been hundreds of applicants, but I also may have stood out
because I am old-fashioned and delivered a thank you note for the interview
just a few hours after I left the office.
What qualities make someone a good entertainment
assistant?
Be extremely conscientious and have a
no-job-is-too-small attitude. Be organized, timely, and detail-oriented. Keep
up with industry news and trends and always open yourself to learning more
about the business. Assisting a producer and casting director like Katy is such
a multifaceted job that I never fully know what my day will look like…one phone
call can throw off my entire schedule, so I would say you also have to be able
to roll with change. Don’t sweat the small stuff and never let yourself get
overwhelmed!
What
attracted you to working at MysticArt Pictures?
While I wasn’t cornering myself into this when I was
applying for jobs, I was hoping to find a company with female leadership, which
is unfortunately still a rarity in this business. It is so important to
encourage young women to rise through the ranks in such a male-dominated
industry, and I was excited to learn that MysticArt was hiring and its CEO and
founder was Katy Wallin, who co-founded the Women’s Image Network. MysticArt
also champions projects that are inspiring and aspirational, and that is the type
of environment I knew I wanted for a workplace.
