Ask an Assistant: Ingrid Nin (Literary Assistant, 3 Arts Entertainment)

Ingrid Nin,

Assistant to Literary Manager / Academy Award Nominated Producer,

3 Arts Entertainment

- Interviewed by: Laine Margulies, Assistant to 2 Managers/Producers, 3 Arts Entertainment -

Hi Ingrid! I am so excited to be speaking with you today! Can you tell us about your day-to-day working with Jermaine Johnson at 3 Arts Entertainment?

I am SO honored you and The Hollywood Assistant asked me to be interviewed!! Each of my days at 3 Arts never looks the same. Being on this desk makes me feel like I'm in producer-bootcamp with all the fires I get to put out (but in the best way possible). Outside of the typical assistant duties I do on a daily basis, I get to sit in on all the project calls & take notes, read all incoming materials for clients and non-clients to give coverage, and help build client and producer submission lists on projects. I also get the opportunity of sitting down and meeting great creatives and execs down here in Atlanta since it's just myself and my boss building the 3 Arts' Atlanta office at the moment. That's been the most rewarding part– it makes me feel more than just another assistant in the cog.

And can you tell us how (or if!) your day-to-day changed with the success of AMERICAN FICTION (which Jermaine produced, written by his client, Cord Jefferson)

The phones are definitely busier post-AMERICAN FICTION! Haha. In all honesty, the journey of AMERICAN FICTION from a script I read back in 2021 to now being a Best Picture-nominated film (with Cord Jefferson winning Best Adapted Screenplay) has been so surreal. I feel so grateful to have witnessed this journey and being a part of making cinematic history– even if it was just a small contribution. Not only that, but seeing my boss, Jermaine, produce this feature has made me feel that my own goals as a producer are so much more achievable.

Speaking of your goals as a producer– what are your dream career aspirations, in the next 5-10 years and beyond?

My dream would be to have my own media company, whether that be a small studio like A24 or a pod like Plan B, that’s focused on producing BIPOC content, as a stepping stone for BIPOC creators with a focus on women of color. In the next 5-10 years– while I know times are tough in this industry– I hope to be promoted to work on bigger positions while continuing to work on personal projects.

Can you tell us any more about the personal projects you’re working on?

I am currently in post on a short film that I produced, it's a dramedy called LIKE A VIRGIN, written by Rebecca Rivera & Francesca Domingo and directed by Luna Cubides-Romero. It focuses on two Latinx friends after one finds out that the other has been lying about being a virgin (spoiler: she still is one!) and her friend creates a hairbrained scheme to get her on a tinder date to lose her virginity. It ends up a touching story about sexual assault and finding comfort in female friendship. We’re finalizing sound and color and we’ll be going on a film festival run this year. It’s so good! I’m super excited that everyone can enjoy it soon. I’m also helping a friend produce a feature film. We’re going to be shooting a proof of concept for it this year! I’m also helping a friend workshop a pilot at the moment.

What was your experience in entertainment before 3 Arts? How did these experiences shape you?

Before 3 Arts, I was a COVID Production Assistant on the last season of YOUNGER. However, the majority of my experience came from all the internships I did. I interned at places like NBCUniversal, Jax Media, Smokehouse Pictures, New York Women in Film and Television, Third World Newsreel, and a bunch of other places I'm most likely forgetting at the moment. Simultaneously, I also did different fellowships and mentorship programs like the Tribeca Film Fellows and the BIPOC Next Gen Mentorship Program through Reel Champs (f.k.a. Women Wednesdays).

All of these experiences really helped to widen the scope of what I now know as the film and TV industry. Before this, I never knew anything outside of the production stuff we learned in film school. These programs and internships showed me that I can carve out my own path and achieve my dream career in my own way. Not only that, but they showed how far hard work can get me when I am really passionate about something. Sometimes in school, I would be working an internship plus two jobs on the side to support myself– so I'm really happy that all my efforts have gotten me to where I am and continue to help me get through doors that I never dreamed could be there.

Speaking of doors, you moved from New Jersey to Atlanta solely to support Jermaine– what was that like?

It was a scary (but exciting) decision to say the least. I am an adamant believer of always following my gut. After a year of working for my boss remotely, and with everyone in the company going back to work in-person, I wanted to take the opportunity to be boots on the ground and work with my boss in-person to see what it really is like to be a manager/producer. Not only that, but I wanted to build a better relationship with my boss and really see what the Atlanta film industry was like. So, I told my friends and my family, and by September 2022 my dog and I were in Atlanta. It was weird being so far from my family and friends, but I've learned so much since being down here and taking part of the flourishing film community.

What attracts you to film and television? Do you see yourself steering towards one or the other in the long-term?

I've loved film and TV since I was a kid. My dad is a huge cinephile– every time he'd get his paycheck, he'd always bring me a VHS tape (I still have that collection in my mom's garage ha). Not only that, but I always loved storytelling and the escapist elements that came with it. I'll always remember the first time it clicked for me– when I was in high school taking media production classes and we made our first short film as a class. It was an invigorating rush, especially when we got to screen the film and see everyone react to what we made. Then, in college, I realized how I can use film and television to get important stories by BIPOC creators out into the world– especially Latine stories. Now, as an aspiring producer, my goal is to help bridge the gap of accessibility into the industry to help BIPOC creatives bring their stories to life on the screen. I want to make art that resonates with everyone, the way it's always resonated with me. I love both mediums and since AMERICAN FICTION I'm even more dedicated to working on a feature one day, but I hope to have a career that allows me to have hands in both!

What is your favorite part of the producing process?

I love working with writers. That's my favorite thing. I love getting a new script, I love brainstorming. I love putting all the pieces together with all the collaborators. People forget that it’s a collaborative sport. Putting it together, not just on my own, but with others– it’s like a fun puzzle!

You also volunteer with The Atlanta Entertainment Collective. How and why did you get started with them?

I've always known that as I came up in this industry, I wanted to give back and build community. I do that in two ways– the first is through the organization I helped co-create along with other assistants from the People Store and M88 here in Atlanta called the Atlanta Entertainment Collective. With the Atlanta film industry still so young, we wanted to build a community for young professionals like us to connect with one another and begin planting our roots for collaboration. We felt like, as the future of the industry down here in Atlanta, we needed to operate like LA and have a community we can rely on as we grow. With that, we started hosting quarterly networking mixers. We've been having the best time bringing everyone together.

The second way I give back is through my podcast Entertainx. I started it back in 2021 as a way to amplify the voices of Latinxs/Latinos working in entertainment. Not only that, but I wanted to provide an educational resource that I would have wanted when I was coming up in the industry. I try to cover all types of roles and backgrounds to show that anyone can come into this industry in a variety of ways.

What’s your best advice to anyone just starting out in this kooky business?

Hard work and kindness will take you so far. Put effort into everything you do (even the little things), treat everyone with respect, and be certain that this is what you want. If you can't see yourself doing anything else but this career, then you're on the right path.

Oh, and as a woman of color, don't be afraid of claiming your space and being assertive.