Alanna’s Secrets
Q: How did you get into your current role/industry?
A: I always knew I wanted to work in the entertainment industry.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be an actress, and throughout the years I jumped around career goals from director to writer to producer to editor, etc.
After college, I worked at an internship that landed me a job as the assistant to an Executive Producer on a reality show, and I fell in love with the process. From there, I’ve been networking, working hard on every show, and climbing the ladder.
Q: What’s something you do to help boost your productivity?
A: I love a to-do list. I like to put boxes next to every item so I can check it off when something’s finished. It’s so satisfying. Also never underestimate the power of a gel pen. On the days where my to-do list looks intimidating, a pretty pen color at least makes it a bit more fun to tackle the list 😊.
I also try to focus on one task at a time. If I bounce around doing a little bit of each task, nothing is ever going to get done. Of course, there are times a bigger fire needs to be put out suddenly, so I need to divert my attention, but I do my best to complete one assignment at a time so I can feel more accomplished.
Breaks are also key for me. If I find myself having trouble focusing, I give myself ten minutes (okay, fine, sometimes it turns into 15 or 20 minutes) to browse Reddit, watch a YouTube video, read a news article, etc.
Usually, when I get back to my work assignment, my brain doesn’t feel as foggy, and I can knock it out.
Q: How do you find work-life balance?
A: This is something I’m not the strongest at, I’ll admit. I’m getting better though!
So far for me, it’s a matter of prioritization. At the end of every day, there’s always more work I could do, but I’m training myself to only work late on the days where there’s a deadline we absolutely have to hit.
For the other days, everything can wait until tomorrow. I’m a workaholic so it’s a bit of a struggle, but I’m trying!
Q: What’s the best piece of professional advice you’ve received so far?
A: “There are many ways to do something correctly. You just have to pick one.”
One of my mentors says this all the time, and I try to think about it when I’m feeling overwhelmed. This obviously doesn’t apply to every career, but I know for me, sometimes there can be so much pressure to be perfect at work that it just becomes way too stressful.
I can get into a rut of second-guessing every decision I make and so this ideology has really helped me trust myself.
Q: What’s your favorite software or app that helps with your workflow?
A: Google Drive is a fave. I don’t think I’ve ever worked on a show in the last five years that didn’t use GDrive. It’s a great way to have everything you need for a project from all departments in one space.
Miro also became essential to me during the pandemic. Normally in the office, we would put index cards on a wall to visualize how an episode should look, but during the pandemic, since we couldn’t just walk into each other’s offices anymore to look at the wall, we were able to recreate our story boards on Miro and move cards around in real time as we discuss the best layout for the episode. It’s also super versatile. There are a ton of different ways to utilize Miro for all kinds of organizational purposes.
Q: What’s a book or podcast you’d recommend to a colleague?
A: I love reading books by successful women and bonus if they’re funny! Tina Fey’s Bossypants, Mindy Kaling’s Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, and Amy Poehler’s Yes Please are a few of my favorites.
It’s exciting to hear how these women made it in Hollywood: the triumphs, the setbacks, and the mistakes they made.
Q: What do you like to do in your free time outside of work?
A: I love spending time with friends, reading, watching scary movies, playing the piano, and especially hanging out with my adorable dog.
🤔 How do you focus on one thing at a time? The Pomodoro Technique, of course!
💡 New to Miro? Check out these tips on how to use it effectively.
