Initial Impressions

I realize I’m late to post about just starting/ initial impressions, but here it finally is. HSI Productions is a commercial and music video production company based in Los Angeles. My first day there, although I was told to come in at 9:00am, didn’t start until around 9:45. It was the beginning of Cannes Lions festival and so everyone from production executives and agency heads were in France networking and receiving awards. As a result, the day and the week was slower than usual but still, a nice transition. 

The culture is very relaxed. I was told to wear casual clothes but did not expect it to mean that some would be wearing ripped jean shorts and tank tops. In a way, despite the casualness, everyone here in the office is well presented and acts professionally. 

The office itself is designed with modern architecture, exposed wood beamed ceiling, concrete floor, white walls, and some killer art pieces on the walls - including an extremely large original KAWS piece right behind the front desk.

As a production company, the flow of work and traffic is sometimes sporadic. The production bays are either all filled by crews working to deliver a commercial or music video in only a few days of turn around time, or are empty as a wave of new business has already passed. At the moment there are three commercial shoots being prepped.

Although the accounting department is located in a separate building, I, along with the other employees, frequently cross the parking lot to deliver documents or help with what is needed there. And, although the employees are in separate buildings, there exists a certain sense of camaraderie throughout the company.