Words You Can Use: The BAVC BLOG

By Dannie Delvos, BAVC Education Recruiter & Outreach

Every year thousands of students take advantage of BAVC programs and services. They learn video production, editing, web design, or game development, or they get their film ready to go to festivals. One of those students is Denise Minter. Denise was not new to the field when she first came to BAVC. She had a great career under her belt, working with PDI/DreamWorks, in the animation division. Through DreamWorks, she was able to take advantage of BAVC’s ETP program, a state-sponsored training program free of charge to qualifying companies and employees.

Denise ended up finishing two BAVC certificates and made her already remarkable resume even more impressive. Her credentials made it possible for Denise to land the fantastic position of Head of Production at Tippett Studios in Berkeley, where she currently works on projects like the Spiderwick Chronicles.

Denise recently shared with me some of her valuable insights into the production field:, “If you are new to the field, networking and entry level jobs are the way to go. Even the biggest executives had to start small – take that PA job or the unpaid internship to make yourself known; do your job well and be sure to go out of your way to show your interest beyond the scope of work assigned to you.” Denise has no doubt that any manager will want to see a promising candidate succeed, and she counsels, if you play your cards right, that manager might become an invaluable mentor. Another important thing to keep in mind is to prioritize your goals – don’t get lost or side-tracked, and keep your intentions strong; this will definitely help you reach your goals in the shortest time possible, Denise suggests

As for networking, Denise goes to events like Siggraph. You should also look into local organizations that offer networking events for like-minded people. BAVC member mixers are a great opportunity for networking, as well as industry events. Use the community that’s out there to spread the word about your work.

Denise, as well as many other students, utilizes BAVC’s classrooms for networking. When Tippett Studios was recently looking for editors, Denise turned to established BAVC instructors and alumni to fill the position. What a great example of BAVC community—now, make it work for you!