Every year at this time there is an influx of energetic and passionate young filmmakers as they graduate from college ready to take on the world and become the next great filmmaker. Most graduates (including myself) enter their career ready to take on the world and do whatever it takes to "make it" in the industry, including:

Working ridiculously long hours,
Consistently staying up all night,
Taking on multiple jobs...
Saying ‘Yes’ to everything (because you never know if another opportunity will ever come along).

This was my mentality as well, until it inevitably led to my first massive bout of BURNOUT.

Today’s guest, college student (and now graduate) Austin Coburn, began to notice that his all nighters and fast food eating habits were not the proper fuel for long-term success. His curiosity about finding work-life balance led him to talking to other students and professionals in filmmaking about their experiences, and he was so inspired by this topic he turned it into a documentary.

Because he was an avid listener of my ‘Fitness In Post’ podcast at the time, he reached out to me to be an interview subject for the film, and I found his questions and his perspective so engaging I wanted to invite him to be a guest on this show to share the student’s point of view, one I don’t get to share too often on this show.

This episode is part one of a two-part conversation. In part 1 I interview Austin about his experiences and the challenges he will face upon graduation. And in part two, we flip the script and I become the interviewee. Both parts of the conversation offer a fresh perspective on an important topic that most of us grapple with regardless of what stage we are in our career.

One quick caveat: This interview was recorded a few years ago back in the Fitness in Post days. Austin has since graduated and you can find links to his most recent work on Instagram.

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Here's What You'll Learn:

Why Austin decided to make a documentary on work life balance.
Austin spent his high school years on the computer editing his projects and wore his all nighters as a badge of honor.
He ate a lot of fast food and decided to go vegetarian to force himself to eat healthier.
What he learned from students he interviewed about their view on the demands of the industry.
The perception of what it takes to "make it in the industry".
Why students develop bad working habits while they're in school and how they carry over into their careers.
Why it's dangerous to think of the human body as a machine.
The dangers of developing bad eating habits while working.
How Austin learned to say no.
The different ideas of work life balance between students and Hollywood veterans.

Useful Resources Mentioned:

Ep34: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less | with Greg McKeown

Ep11: Making It In Hollywood as a "Creative" (What They Don't Teach You In Film School) | with Norman Hollyn

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Guest Bio:

austin-coburn-bio

Austin Coburn is a filmmaker and animator who graduated from George Fox University near Portland, Oregon. His latest works can be found in his Instagram & Vimeo accounts.

Show Credits:

This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, and the show notes were prepared by Debby Germino and published by Glen McNiel.

The original music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Joe Trapanese (who is quite possibly one of the most talented composers on the face of the planet).

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Ep156: What Every Recent Graduate Needs to Know About the Realities of Working In Hollywood Pt1 | with Austin Coburn