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Name: Dawn
Username: bestbabe
Hometown: Chicago
Occupation: Best Babe (Best Boy)
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What attracted you to the Entertainment Industry, and what was your first job or big break in the business?
I've been shooting stills since I was 8 and did theatrical lighting in college. Film is a marriage of the two senses. Besides, I love movies.
What is the biggest challenge you faced trying to break into the industry, and how did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge was doing it. I was skeptical of the financial stability involved in working freelance, but when I decided to take the plunge, I quit my job as Executive Director of the WPA Film Library and took an internship.
What advice can you give those trying to break into the "industry?"
Don't grow old regretting what you didn't do or didn't try. If it isn't your flavor after experiencing it first-hand, try something else. Be persistent.
Please describe your job for those who might not know what a Best Boy is.
The Best Boy Electric is the Chief Lighting Assistant, the Gaffer's right-hand man/woman. The Best Boy is in charge of running power to the set, personnel, and equipment and is the liaison between the department and production and rental houses and other departments. The Best Boy Electric is the organizational structure of the lighting department.
Can you share any tricks of the trade that help you work faster/cheaper/better?
Know what is needed and think ahead. Be conscious and aware of everything that is going on.
Please illustrate the way the performance of your position can help or hurt a movie. Name a movie that you've seen (or worked on) that we could view and understand the difference between a good job and a bad job.
The lighting department, in many ways, is like a military unit. Having electricians and equipment ready and prepared to mobilize helps completing (lighting) set-ups easier and faster.
Are you a writer, and if so, how many screenplays have you written?
I did graduate work in English Literature, but I am not a screenwriter. Not everyone in the business wants to be a director or sell a screenplay.
What's the best lesson you've learned in regards to working in Hollywood?
Working together for many long hours requires patience, effective communication and compassion. Also, if you are unsure of something, ask.
What advice would you give to writers on how to craft a script that addresses practical production issues?
Be conscious of scenes requiring special effects, your locations, your time constraints and budget. Make the best of what you have and use you limitations to your best advantage.
What advice would you give a director on how to make production easier?
Think out your shots ahead of time. Rehearse. Think through your day before it begins. Indecision slows the process down and costs not only money but also production time.
List your top 5 favorite films
- Throne of Blood
- Violence at Noon
- Sword of Doom
- Cries and Whispers
- Woman in the Dunes
- Miller's Crossing
- The Cell
- Days of Heaven
- Hair
- The Abyss
- 8 1/2
**Please feel free to add other comments here
The best thing about being a Best Boy is that it always allows you to be creative, analytical and exercise you mind as well as your body. I just want those I admire to look favorably upon my work, Terry Dee, Gino Crededio, Anthony Lullo, Terry O'Dean, and the late Alphonose Blumenthal.
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