The festival life
Junior Diem Dang gains a professional opportunity be attending the Beyond Wonderland music festival.
As an aspiring video editor and an introvert by nature, being by myself behind a computer screen is a comfortable space for me. For the past 18 months I’ve had an excuse to stay in that space. Leaving the house was discouraged, and everything was online because of COVID-19.
The idea of coming to L.A., catapulting myself out of my comfort zone and interacting with this new environment was scary. However, it has been the most rewarding experience of my life.
I’ve never been the kind of person who spends more time with people than she spends by herself. And yet, now, it’s rare for me to go a full day without seeing the group of friends I’ve formed out here. In October, we all signed up for the AMC A-List, and together we’ve been enjoying movies on the big screen again. I have to say, watching these movies in the theater with fellow aspiring filmmakers makes the experience that much more special. I’ve also never been the kind of person to go out on the weekends, but now I have a favorite bar: a “Star Wars”-themed cantina on Hollywood Boulevard. Somehow, by coming to L.A., I went from being the nerdy girl who played video games alone in her room to being someone who thrives on the company of her cohort and the life in the city.
Being in this city agrees with me. I finally feel like I’ve blossomed, like focusing on my studies and not my social life since I was 15 is paying off. I spend time every week shadowing a dialogue editor who’s teaching me his craft. I’ve had networking meetings with amazing women who work for companies I would give anything to be a part of, companies doing work for the fandoms I love. I’ve even been lucky enough to land coffee meetings with editors from some of my favorite TV shows, who have given me advice on how to be part of this industry. I’ve proven myself to people I admire, had offers from multiple people to help me in any way they can and set myself up for success when I graduate in December.
Somehow, some way, coming to Los Angeles and being in this city has changed me. I’ve always felt just slightly out of phase with the world, like something hadn’t yet clicked. Being here, and being present while I’ve been here, has caused the click. And I’ve never been happier.
Thank you, L.A.