Alumni Matt Van Wagenen ’94 (Executive Producer of Survivor), Daion Chesney ’18 and Ryan Hopkins ’20, alongside Hudson Smith III, led a panel to discuss Survivor’s Dream Team Production Assistant program and how SFTV students can use the alumni community to their advantage.
The Dream Team’s production program is a group of 25, hardworking, television minded Production Assistants hired by the Survivor challenge department. The day-to-day responsibilities for the Dream Team include testing challenges, assisting the art department, and shadowing teams across the production.
“The Dream Team is where we promote people. It’s where we find our next camera operator, our next producer, our next AD. We found Daion through LMU and she came on as an AC, but by the time we were halfway through our first season, she was shooting challenges and was as active as any camera operator out there” said Van Wagenen.
“By having this opportunity it made me that much better of an AC to this day. I got to say some of my shots were going to be on the show. I was behind the camera, in the middle of the ocean, shooting a water challenge. It was so crazy and so cool” said Chesney.
The Dream Team participates in on the job learning from industry professionals who enjoy teaching inspired young minds their trade in the hopes of it will help them land a job on Survivor or another production. For many who have gone through the Dream Team program it has been a launch pad into a dream career made possible by their hard work and this unique opportunity.
“It’s like film bootcamp, it’s like film school on a show. On the Dream Team you’re like a swiss army knife. You go where you’re needed and if you’re open, hardworking and willing to learn there’s not any amount of knowledge you’ll walk away not knowing” said Hopkins.
Interested in starting your career with an adventure of a lifetime? Matt and his team want to hire hardworking Lions who are eager to put in the work, with the beautiful beaches of Fiji as a backdrop. Check out LEO for application details and deadlines.
Do you want to join Matt, Daion and Ryan in giving back to the Lion family? Join The Pride, LMU’s networking platform. Students and recent graduates can search for a mentor in their field and alumni can share insights and opportunities. Learn more at lmu.edu/thepride
