Ask A Former Assistant: Kayla Greenberg (Creative Executive, Jamie Foxx's Foxxhole Productions)

Kayla Greenberg

Creative Executive, Jamie Foxx's Foxxhole Productions

Interview conducted by Gabriela Rosati, Former Motion Pictures Assistant at CAA

Hi Kayla! Thanks for joining The Hollywood Assistant. Let's start off with a misconception: many people misunderstand the reality of working in an office, believing it to be less creative than working on set. Can you talk a little bit about the most rewarding parts of working in development?

My favorite part of development has always been being knee-deep in story. Readers of screenplays usually only see an end product—something finished—and their relationship with the writer is limited to what’s on the page. In development, you get to engage directly with the writer and the story. You’re invited to collaborate and get your hands dirty. It’s so exciting to see such potential in something, and then work and creatively problem-solve through each stage until it hopefully becomes the best version of itself. 

And did you always envision yourself going into development? What was your personal journey within the film industry?

I always loved reading and saw film as storytelling in three dimensions. I decided I wanted to work in development as soon as I learned it was an actual job. I went to USC where I majored in literature and minored in film, and when I graduated, everyone told me I had to work at an agency. I started at Creative Artists Agency not fully knowing what agencies did. It was the best education I’ve ever had, although I also learned a lot at my next job as an assistant at Netflix.

Having been an assistant at an agency, how would you say those skills have translated to your current role?

Being an assistant teaches you how to problem-solve, see the "big picture," multitask, and work with a huge range of personalities. I’ve never worked in a more collaborative environment than an agency, and while creative collaboration is different in some ways, the foundation is the same. The work ethic you develop as an assistant is also crucial. 

What advice would you give to assistants at agencies and management companies hoping to similarly pivot into development or production? 

I think sometimes when assistants know they want to work on the creative side, they undervalue the corporate side. That’s the side that gives you a bird’s eye view of the industry—that teaches you which levers to pull and how everything connects.It’s on-the-nose advice, but read as much as you can (including samples). Find every opportunity you have to talk about material, especially with people whose taste you respect, and when you read, practice giving notes. Develop a habit for honest feedback; sugarcoating is how bad movies get made.

The entertainment industry is one of the most difficult to get your footing in. What inspires you after a particularly difficult challenge to continue chugging forward?

For me, it comes down to knowing there’s no other field I’d rather work in.There are a lot of things I could say about this industry, but at the end of the day, I’m amazed by how brilliant and talented some people are, and how exciting it is that they care about fiction as much as I do. One great creative conversation is enough to keep me going, and there are so many gifted people who see things I couldn’t have imagined.That being said, there’s no point in being a martyr. I’ve recently had some friends leave the industry; they decided there are other fields they could be happier in, and I respect the hell out of it. 

Almost all of my bosses have encouraged me to keep up with watching everything that comes out, but sometimes at the end of the day, I’m just too tired to head out for a movie. If you’re willing to indulge, what are your guilty pleasures movie and TV wise?

Since we do this for a living, I think a lot of the time we forget that we’re also consumers. In the past, I would’ve felt guilty about how much I love Bridgerton or The Great British Bake Off, but the entire point is to enjoy and be entertained. When you watch out of obligation, or just to educate yourself, there isn’t a lot of joy, and you distance yourself from the audience. It’s important to stay up-to-date, but there’s so much out there, and a lot of it isn’t connecting with people. I think it’s just as important for us to love what we’re watching because it teaches us what works, keeps us passionate, and reminds us that we’re here to entertain people, including ourselves. 

And finally, what advice would you give to your younger assistant self?

I would’ve told myself that there are a million ways to work in this industry, and that the most important thing is forging a path that is specific to you. It’s so hard not to compare yourself to the people around you, but there’s honestly no basis to compare your path to anyone else’s. You’re different people, have different interests and different abilities, and if you respect them, you should collaborate with them instead.I also would’ve told myself to be bold from the beginning. Sometimes it takes a little time because you’re like, who the hell am I to say this?, but odds are people are thinking the same thing and are afraid to say it.