Make The Most of Your Assistant Role & Grow Towards Your Goals

Make The Most of Your Assistant Role & Grow Towards Your Goals

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31 Application spots left

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Make The Most of Your Assistant Role & Grow Towards Your Goals

Details

APPLICATION GROUP 2
Applications Open:
8/1/25

THIS CIRCLE IS PERFECT FOR

  • Entry-level assistants
  • Established assistants looking to grow
  • Established professionals who have made a career change to be an Assistant in animation

WHAT TO EXPECT

  • Organization and efficiency
  • Communication skills – in-person, video calls, phone, emails, and instant messengers
  • Professional diplomacy and persuasion skills
  • Leadership and management
  • Networking and developing professional connections
  • Standing out without setting an impossible goal for perfection
  • Prioritizing mental health and recognizing signs of burn-out
  • Identifying when and how to move on from an assistant role
  • And much more!

WHAT NOT TO EXPECT

  • Advice on scoring your first assistant role
  • Discipline-specific training (e.g. training Production Assistants on how to line scripts at recording sessions, etc.)
  • Discipline-specific software training (e.g. Flix, ShotGrid, JIRA, Movie Magic, etc.)

Qualification Criteria

Entry Level (1-2 yrs of experience)
Early Career (3-5 yrs of experience)

Day / Time

Times Per Month:  Weekly 
Day / Time:  Wednesday at 7:00 PM
Timezone: PST

* You must meet the qualification criteria AND be able to attend the posted day/time of the circle (please note the timezone posted)

CIRCLE DESCRIPTION

Congratulations – you’ve landed an Assistant job in animation! Whether you’re an Executive Assistant, Production Assistant, or Writer’s Assistant, you are probably working toward a dream. I know from experience that sometimes that dream can feel distant: maybe your daily tasks don’t seem related to your passions; perhaps you feel “stuck” and unable to make greater impact; or sometimes you feel that anything less than perfection will ruin your chances of success.

In this Circle, we will explore how to leverage your role as an Assistant as a true growth opportunity rather than a means to an end. We will cover topics ranging from administrative efficiency to preparing yourself to be an effective leader. You will learn methods for navigating difficult conversations and making lasting connections. Hopefully, you will be able to take these tools and apply them immediately to your job.

In your sessions, you will meet accomplished professionals who have worked their way up from Assistants to be Executives, Producers, Writers, Artists, Editors, and more. You will also be given a space to learn from and constructively challenge your peers. We will leave our egos at the door and embrace diversity of thought and approaches. There is no single way of finding success – this is all about unlocking your way.

If this sounds interesting to you, I look forward to seeing your application! 

ADDITIONAL Application Requirements

Please submit the following as part of your Application Profile:
*(AFTER you click to apply, you must go into your member profile and complete the member-specific portion; these requirements should be submitted through that profile):  

  • Resume
  • Personal Statement: Please write a few sentences describing your current role, areas you’d like to learn more about (e.g. managing up, organizational systems, creating and enforcing boundaries, etc.), and your career goals (5-year and/or long-term). 

Circle Leader

Maddie Lazer

Maddie Lazer has spent the past decade unlocking excellence in CG animation at lower costs. Her career has focused on collaborating with creatives from around the world, bringing unique stories and visual styles to audiences, and innovating workflows and technical pipelines.

With experience spanning both animation and live action development, production, technology, and marketing, she brings a holistic approach to filmmaking. Her leadership approach emphasizes proactive talent development, new technology adoption, and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

As a Creative Producer, her work is informed by lifelong passions for film and tv, literature, history, and philosophy. Her genre focuses are horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and thriller. Maddie is a VES, ASIFA, & WIA member. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Current Title: Production Manager 

Studio / Employer:  Lionsgate (In-Development Feature)

LinkedIn Profile: LINK

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