Friday, September 30, 2011

Oh Say Can You CAA?

It's not too often I get to use the blog for a bit o' breaking news but here's a bulletin hot off the presses:

I got a job!....of sorts.

It's actually just a ten week paid internship, but the 'what' isn't as important as the 'where.'

Most notably, this paid internship is at Creative Artists Agency. Otherwise known as "CAA."

Otherwise known as "the preeminent A-List talent agency in Hollywood, if not the world."

Holy shit!

Those careful readers (Tom and Nick?) will know I've mentioned CAA a few times, most notably when I had a class in the top-tier, top-shelf agency last fall.

How it all came about is as simple as it is boring to write about. There was a posting on USC's job board. Looked like a pretty awesome - if not long shot - opportunity. I applied. A month later I had a phone interview. A week later I had an in-person interview. Now next week I start what is sure to be some of the busiest, most interesting, most educational, most intense, and most stylish* few months of my tenure in California.

*As a scruffy film student I've been on a steady wardrobe diet of flannels, t-shirts, and Cubs paraphernalia. This is the first time I'll be wearing a tie consistently since leaving the hallowed halls of Benet Academy. 

Luckily, what was true then remains true today.....I look damn good in a tie. 

So, yeah, pretty wild right? It's funny.... I kinda feel like the episode of Seinfeld when George lands his job with the Yankees....(which is an apt analogy since CAA happens to represent....the New York Yankees...)

Jerry : The New York Yankees?!
George : The New York Yankees!
Jerry : Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle ... Costanza?

From the first time I found out about CAA was and even after going to classes their for a semester never in a million years did I think I'd be driving to 2000 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles, CA every day (at least, not to go to work).

Btw, how about this place? Like, even the address is pretty baller.

I feel like Jerry should be somewhere saying "Spielberg, Clooney, Hanks, De Niro .... Kosin?" 

Now, I'm expecting my tenure at CAA will end better than Costanza's.... getting traded to Tyler Chicken for an all-chicken Yankee concessions.

Hopefully I'll have more on this to come, but shit who knows if I've got time to keep up on this thing?

We all know how demanding agents can be...



BOOM. Think I'd get an agency gig and not show some love to the most famed agent around. Enjoy the video, and just think......that wonderful screaming asshole could be ME someday!

(not likely)

But speaking of art imitating life....or art imitating Creative Artists....funny that after finding out the news I also came across this audio clip from a musical based off a former CAA assistant's experience. It's a rather catchy and entertaining dig on the famed "high-stress" atmosphere inside.....check it out.

The lyrics are a little inside baseball but you get the jist. Rumors of dreams being crushed and hearts ripped out always swirl at the big agencies.

Is it true? Are the next few months going to be nothing but torture? Will I become horribly bitter and disillusioned? Is my soul going to be crushed?


I doubt it.


But, being a Cubs fan, at least I'm used to it.


- mjk

1 comment:

Nathan Ruegger said...

Congratulations! That's great!

As for music & assistant stuff, check out this little rap music video "Hollywood A-S-S-T":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmB_nnQALCI