Pivoting to Find My Path

By: Kiara Prager, Executive Assistant to COO, Alcon Media Group

We’ve all heard it before: that starting in the mailroom of a top three talent agency is the “best” or “only” way to break into the biz. In middle school, I began to dream of working at a production company—a dream born out of a childhood making movies with my siblings, editing silly music videos, and always capturing every moment I could on camera. Everyone urged me to start at a talent agency. 

Upon graduating from Tulane in 2021, I had never really considered being a talent agent, but I recognized that beggars couldn't be choosers. The pandemic was eating its way across the industry, and the majority of connections I had were on the east coast. I did what any Hollywood hopeful would. I sent in tons of talent agency mailroom role applications, spent most of my days networking and diligently preparing for interviews, and eventually accepted a role with a great talent and literary agency. Moving across the country for the role was my chance to finally start on the path that would lead to making my middle school dreams come true.

It’s important to know what you’re getting yourself into when you decide to work at a Hollywood agency. The first few months were quite an adjustment. I was just a Jersey girl who’d never dealt with California gas stations or enigmatic parking garage systems, let alone the demanding work environment of a bustling agency. At times, I would come home exhausted and wonder if I could last another day. Regardless, I tried to be a “sponge,” soaking up every experience, conversation, and skill I could learn. One of my proudest moments was processing nearly 300 client checks in a single day. I had never previously thought twice about doing anything related to math, but the skill really came in handy at my next job where I was required to use accounting software that I had already been well trained in and came in knowing more than what was expected of me. Mostly, I was fascinated by everything from the scripts I’d be tasked with printing to the pitch decks I put together. In the end, I learned more here than I ever have at any job before, from accounting skills to leading a group of assistants as head of the mailroom to handling the phones at reception and building the confidence to approach agents, many of which are skills that still serve me today. 

As pandemic layoffs hit, I was eventually forced to move on from the company. While recovering from my damaged confidence, I reached out to my former collegiate production partner who was working at a mid-size agency. With her help, I sent in an application to the company she worked for. I was terrified I’d be judged for my brief stint at my former job. Luckily, recruiters seemed to understand that COVID completely changed the job landscape in many ways, leading to my path taking a surprising turn: backward. 

Unfortunately, I had to start back where I began: in the mailroom. At first, the majority of my job was restocking fridges, purchasing snacks… But pretty soon, I was supporting the Digital and Talent departments, welcoming important guests, and shadowing and “floating on” (i.e. temporarily covering) desks. After landing my first desk in a department I wasn’t too interested in, I realized how much I preferred to work in a more creative department, like development. As I learned more about the industry, I finally saw more of my path laid out before me. Agencies began appealing to me less, and it was now management that piqued my interest, mostly for managers' ability to produce on projects. I contacted a management company I had interned with in college to see if they had any positions available, and it turned out they had a massive Partner-level desk opening. After being offered the role, I quickly found my boss a replacement and even relocated to a different part of LA.

Soon, I realized that I had bit off a bit more than I could chew moving from a floating mailroom assistant to a busy A-lister talent desk at a sizable management company. More importantly, I was replacing an assistant who had been there for four years and wasn’t there to train me, leaving me to learn from various floaters who didn’t actually know my boss well. It was also my first time working remotely in a Hollywood role, and that took some getting used to. As the year came to an end, I realized I wanted to do something creative, where I could at least have a chance to stretch beyond my core assistant duties. At this point, I decided that the best thing for me was to take a break—not just from representation, but from all corporate entertainment roles.  

My time out of the entertainment industry was the scariest part of my career journey. Would I ever be able to set my path straight again? Over the course of a few months, I worked a part-time teaching job, walked dogs, acted, and worked on film sets as a Production Coordinator, Set Photographer, etc. to pay rent and stay afloat. Although I was super busy, I didn't feel like I was moving toward my goal. A mentor suggested that I apply to a temp agency. At first, I thought that idea felt like moving backward all over again, but I soon remembered that sometimes you have to move backward to move forward. At the temp agency, I was bombarded with jobs in representation at first. Although tempted, I refused to apply to them with my sights set on a small production company. 

Weeks later, I was in the middle of a Passover seder with my entire family in New Jersey when the temp agency called. There was a production company temp job for me with no guarantee to become a full-time gig, but it was a respected and tight-knit company. If I wanted the job, I had to get on a plane to Los Angeles ASAP so that I could start on Monday. I excused myself from Passover, booked a flight, and landed the gig.  After temping for some time, they told me they were thoroughly impressed with my performance and wanted to hire me full-time. 

I was back on track. I had finally reached my goal, but it wasn't easy, linear, or straightforward. For the greater part of the last year, at my new production company, I’ve felt respected, comfortable yet challenged, and like a necessary part of the day-to-day operation. Instead of watching how the sausage gets made, I finally get to be a part of the process. Additionally, I finally found a work-life balance and have time to pursue projects on the side, such as writing, filmmaking, and producing monthly comedy shows.

I tried the route everyone recommended in order to succeed in Hollywood, but in the end, it wasn’t a straight shot to a production company. After my stint in representation, I took a good long break, took a chance with a temp agency, and was able to pivot. My point is, everyone has a different path and way of getting to where they are. Sometimes the most untraditional routes work surprisingly well. Resilience is key. It’s all about finding the courage to re-evaluate, trusting your gut, and putting yourself out there when you realize that something isn’t for you. 

The truth is, no matter what anyone else tells and no matter what path they took, you can do whatever you want and see where it leads. Regardless of where you land, you can always keep pursuing your passions and do what makes you happy on the side. A year ago, I never would have thought my path would lead here. And while I have no idea where it will take me in the future, I know it’ll be worth the risk... I’m walking into my future headfirst.