Mallory Erwin-Forehand is a second-year Master of Fine Arts student in the Peter Stark Producing Program. Originally from Adrian, Michigan, she moved to Los Angeles in 2014 and earned a Theatre and Media Production degree from Pepperdine University, where she was salutatorian of her graduating class. Post-grad, she worked extensively in theatre producing and college admission before coming to USC as a graduate student. There, she has written and directed FATED, a short mockumentary about the three Fates of Greek mythology living together in modern-day Los Angeles, helped adapt books and short stories into movies at Winterlight Pictures, and worked on YELLOWJACKETS and DEXTER: ORIGINAL SIN through her internship at the Showtime Network. She now works at Comedy Central as the assistant to the SVP of Comedy Development. Outside of school and work, she’s currently writing her debut novel, a near-future enemies-to-lovers sci-fi romance.

What interests you most about your specific division or program at SCA?
I came from a patchwork-quilt professional background of theatre producing, theme park entertainment, and college admissions, and I earned my creatively-focused undergraduate degree in film production and theatre performance — but none of these things taught me the “business” part of “film business” in the way that Stark has. As an applicant, I was hungry to learn more about the complex web of relationships, traditions, artistry, and technology (new and old) that make the gears of entertainment go ‘round, and how I could have agency and ownership over these things, both as a writer myself and as an aspiring development executive lifting up the work of others. Stark has done all that and more. It teaches not just the nuts and bolts of physically producing a film or television show, but the greater forces at work that you must understand if you are to pilot your work in the right direction.

Why did you choose SCA?
The School of Cinematic Arts is a storied institution with so many remarkable alumni who have gone on to make a tremendous impact in the world of film and television. But what might not always be clear from the glitz and the enormity of the SCA name is just how wonderful and tightly-knit the community is on our little corner of campus. I chose SCA not just for its reputation (which definitely helps out there in the real world) but for the 24 brothers and sisters in entertainment that I now have in my cohort at Stark. Relationships are everything in this business, and SCA sets you up with a wonderful foundation of not just your cohort members, but the amazing students in all the other disciplines, as well, who act both as your safe haven and as the people who push you out into uncharted waters.

What has been your biggest challenge at SCA so far?
Saying “no” to experiences that seem incredibly cool, but which just aren’t suited for my particular goals in this season of my life. As a chronic over-committer and as someone who loves to learn, I usually like to try everything and get involved wherever I can. The reality of Stark life at SCA is that there is physically not enough time in the day to manage your studies well and also do every single thing that could possibly excite you here at USC. Don’t get me wrong, you can do a lot - but you can’t do everything. I’ve learned to think hard about what’s really important to me in my experience here, and prioritize those things that matter most, so that I can give my all where it counts.

What has been your biggest success?
When I first arrived at USC, I had enormous imposter syndrome and a lot of doubt as to whether someone with such a strange collection of career experiences could actually find success in earning internships and job opportunities in the area of the entertainment business I’m most excited by. I knew I wanted to work my way up to a full-time day job at a major studio, streamer, or network by the time I graduated, and I’m happy to say that through my education at Stark, I learned how best to strategize, work hard on the right things, and put myself forward for the opportunities that excited me. After an amazing spring internship with the Winterlight Pictures production company, I became the Original Programming Intern at the Showtime Network at Paramount. That team provided me with the exceptional mentorship to turn my internship into a full-time job at Paramount — now with Comedy Central, assisting the SVP of Comedy Content.

Is there a project you are working (or have completed) that you're especially proud of?
I’m really excited about a thirty-minute adult animated comedy pilot I’m writing as part of my thesis project. The world of animation has always been of interest to me, and this seemed like a great way to immerse myself in the unique challenges of writing and producing for this particular medium. Through my time at Stark, I’ve been encouraged to embrace my comedic voice as a writer — so it’s really thrilling to graduate from writing and directing my first comedic short in my first year at Stark to writing my first full-length pilot in my second year.

How has SCA prepared you so far for the career you want?
SCA has prepared me exceptionally, and I say that without reservation. For a long time, the entertainment industry felt like a puzzle I couldn’t quite crack. It’s only now that I’ve received the stellar education that Stark has given me that I can see all the puzzle pieces I was missing before, both in terms of the business and in terms of the creative side of entertainment. Though the way ahead is never completely certain in the world of film and television, SCA has given me the tools to build my own path. Every single person’s journey is different in this business, which means it’s sometimes hard to know if you’re doing the “right” thing — there really is no larger metric on which to judge yourself, as there is in some career paths. But SCA helped me figure out what the “right” thing is for me. That’s been absolutely huge in driving my career in the direction I want it to go.

What advice do you have for prospective students looking to apply to SCA?
When you are considering graduate education, you should have specific goals for what you want to get out of the experience. Though those goals may change as you progress through your program (and that’s normal!), you must think about them now as you prepare to apply. Two years goes by very quickly, and you need to use your time intelligently. “Producing” is a very broad field, with many entry points and many career destinations, so having clearly articulated, specific goals will help you not only come across as much more focused and ready for the professional entertainment world in your application, but will also help you narrow down the sorts of extracurricular activities, filmmaking opportunities, internships, and jobs that will actually benefit you in the long run. Believe me, you will be presented with more opportunities than you can possibly take advantage of — that’s the beauty of SCA! — so having a way to filter the best opportunities for you as a unique individual is invaluable.