In November 2023, Hollywood legend Jason Bateman stood before a packed audience of USC students at Bovard Auditorium and made them a promise.
“I’m an advocate of creating a shadow program whereby folks like you get to go hang out on the set,” Bateman said.
Live on that stage, Bateman (who was on campus to share his wisdom in a spirited discussion with faculty member Alexandra Billings) promised to arrange for a group of USC School of Dramatic Arts (SDA) students to visit a working set, and last month, he made good on that promise. Ten SDA students were able to visit the set of Bateman’s new horror-comedy television show, Based on a True Story, at a soundstage and creative offices at Universal Studios, where they were given a tour of the set and invaluable Q&A time with artists and executives.
The day on set had the anticipated effect.
“When you’re not in the industry, it has an unrealness about it,” said Kehara Edirisinghe (BA Theatre ’27), one of the students who participated in the set visit. “But when you’re actually there, it’s so much less of the Hollywood glamor than you think. It’s people passionate about creating stories and about bringing different perspectives to the screen. I definitely got that out of it.”
“It inspires people,” said Corey Gifft (BA Theatre ’24). “It gets people motivated, it reminds people of what they’re working towards.”
The students were met by Sara Hendel, Vice President of Television, Aggregate Films, and several other creatives working on the production. In addition to in-depth tours of the backlot and soundstage, students were taken through a comprehensive how-to of making a television show, including an in-depth Q&A session with Hendel, who answered their questions about various aspects of the entertainment industry.
“We saw a lot of story building. We learned a lot about set culture,” said Alexa Feldman (BA Theatre ’26). “[There was] a lot of insight into the creative process.”
Knowing what your options are
For the students, it was the crash course in different jobs within the entertainment industry that was the most eye-opening and valuable part of the experience.
“[Sara] showed us her process and what the job options are for everyone interested in doing them: set design, prop design, artistic design,” said Gifft. “She talked about writing, which is interesting to me since I’m interested in writing. To see how many people are working together gives you faith that there are enough jobs to get you where you want to be.”
Feldman, who is complementing her Theatre degree with a minor in the Entertainment Industry, agreed.
“It’s hard to be an actor—everyone knows that. It’s good to have a backup plan in an industry that I love,” she said. “So I love learning about the other directions that someone can take.”
Students also said that it felt heartening to see that what they were already doing at USC, in classes and productions on campus, could be immediately put into practice at the top levels of the entertainment industry. Edirisinghe, who has worked both in productions at SDA and in films produced at the School of Cinematic Arts, said she was glad to see that the work she was already doing was readily applicable at a major studio.
“I felt like—wow, I am already working on these things, even though I’m still in college,” Edirisinghe said. “We were in the Universal Studios offices. When you’re in there, it’s just an office of people working hard. It takes away the sheen and thinking that the industry is unreal.”
This sort of demystification is precisely what Bateman had in mind when he generously offered to arrange the visit back in November.
“It’s this really cool process where you actually need somebody to tell you, this is what’s going on, this is what’s not going on,” Bateman said from the Bovard Auditorium stage in November. “It alleviates some of the mystique of it, such that you guys don’t need to be intimidated anymore, because you see: oh, that’s pretty cool, I could do that.”
The students were grateful, both for the hands-on experience and the generosity of those involved with the production, and also for Bateman’s thoughtfulness in arranging the visit.
“I am so happy I got this opportunity,” Feldman said. “I’m a huge Jason Bateman fan. I went to his talk back in November, I was the first one in line.
“So, so generous,” she said. “He’s so kind for that.”
Gifft, who recently graduated with a degree in Theatre with an emphasis in Acting, looked back on similar opportunities offered to SDA students during his time at the School, including Professor Bayo Akinfemi’s set visit to the TV show Bob Hearts Abishola, and a private Q&A with actor Daniel Kaluuya.
“The school provides opportunities, especially when it comes to its teachers,” Gifft said. “Even to just have these moments to speak to people who are in the industry, it’s so important. Knowing what your options are.”