Work with your mentor on real shoots from the start.

“It’s been a pretty eventful and very satisfying first two weeks with the Film Connection and my mentor. Less than 12 hours after getting my student orientation, I was out on what turned out to be a 12-hour shoot with him, acting as the PA for the gig, getting to watch him work with the cast and producer, helping him set up, take down and move equipment, and all that. And that was even before my first official lesson!”