Last night I went to the Golden State Warriors vs. Phoenix Suns basketball game. This post is not about basketball and the millions players make, nor how it was very nice of Mary Gilbaugh to provide me with complementary tickets, but rather about the initiation college graduates have when entering the “real,” working world.

Brandon Wright around this time last year was the most recognized figure on the North Carolina campus. His lanky six foot nine frame and fifteen points per game scoring average was the subject of many basketball commentators praises as NBA scouts drooled at the opportunity of drafting him. Buying into the hype, Brandon decided to forgo his final three years of college and go to the NBA.

With the third overall selection in the draft, Brandon went to the Golden State Warriors.

Being a huge Golden State Warriors fan and Bay Area native, I have had the privilege of enjoying the best year the team has had since the ’91-’92 season. I have also seen very little of Brandon (the Mr. Wright is completely unnecessary considering he is three years younger than I). He has averaged about four points a game while appearing in half the games this season, with the other half being spent on the bench.

Last night Brandon did make an appearance in the game, albeit for about six seconds. As he joyously responded to the call to put him in the game, he was briefly corralled by the head coach before reporting to the scorers table. Brandon’s first impact on the game was immediately fouling Shaquille O’Neal, which the big man did not take a liking to. For a minute I thought Shaq was going to break Brandon’s braces with one swift jab. With that, Brandon was quickly taken back out of the game and took a seat on the bench, where he would not move from for the remainder of the contest.

What Brandon did for the Warriors is what an entry-level college grad would do for his first employer. Fouling Shaq was like getting a cup of coffee, or washing the boss’s car. Both are meager tasks only assigned to rookies, for no other good reason other than to give the message of “welcome to the real world. If you think you’re going to own this business in six months you’re wrong. Now take a seat back on the bench/cubicle.”

“In the film industry,” CathyAnderson, president of the San Diego Film Commission says, “most people are mistaken by thinking, “I want to be a director. I want to be a producer. I want to be an actor.” But there are so many different levels, so many different avenues to do something just as exciting, if they only knew it was out there.”

This was one of my challenges coming out of college, and one of the reasons why I started Pursue the Passion. I didn’t know what was out there.

Cathy shared a few areas that are often overlooked, or not thought about in TV and film industries. Here are a few:

1) Public Relations. An actor has its own PR. So does the TV show or film. And so does the network. Three different angles of PR, and never enough publicists to do all the work.

2) Accounting. Every show or movie has a budget. Someone needs to keep track of the numbers. Plus, you might even make it to the credits.

3) Computer Science. Cathy said that her organization might not even be needed in the future because computer science people might just create the background for a scene instead of shooting on location. Might be a head start for you computer savvy people.

4) Filmmaking. Yes filmmaking. There are some filmmakers that have nothing to do with a movie, but they will compile a trailer for the film, or shoot some promo pieces. Apparently, Stu Segal has a reputation for hiring young filmmakers and teaching them a thing or two.

5) Swing Gang. A swing gang cruises around the city from set to set to pick up props. A “green man” does the same, but just picks up plants. Might be pretty cool.

There are many more opportunities that are out there, and if you’re in San Diego, you can find them in the Film Commission handbook, available online. Or you can call them at 619-234-3456 and ask for one, or talk to someone about additional opportunities.