I was 17 the first time I stepped onto the backlot of a major movie studio.
It wasn’t through the tram tour. In fact, one rolled past us while my parents and I walked quietly down the street with an assistant film editor who had invited us to visit. Tourists leaned out hoping to catch a glimpse of someone famous.
They were disappointed to see it was just us.
The surprising part isn’t that I went behind the scenes at Universal Studios.
It’s how it happened.
The connection didn’t come from a family friend in the industry. It came from my high school French teacher.
“I have a former student who works in film. Would you like me to connect you?”
At 17, I assumed he was probably just someone who said he worked in movies.
He wasn’t.
Scott Hill was an assistant editor at the time on films like Liar Liar and The Nutty Professor. He met us at Universal, walked us along the backlot to his editing bungalow, and generously gave us his time. He showed us the digital editing tools he was using (cutting edge for the time) and even shared behind-the-scenes footage from a recent project.
Scott would go on to build an impressive career as a film editor. But that day, he was simply someone willing to sit with a teenager and his parents and talk about how he got started.
What stays with me isn’t the footage or the studio access.
It’s the generosity.
My teacher didn’t have to make that introduction.
Scott didn’t have to take time out of his schedule to meet with a high school kid who liked making videos.
But they did.
And that small act of connection expanded what felt possible for me.
Looking back, the lesson wasn’t about Hollywood.
It was about paying attention to people.
About noticing someone’s interest and deciding to open a door.
About offering without being asked.
I’ve come to believe that part of growing in your career isn’t just walking through doors – it’s remembering to hold them open.
When has someone done that for you?
And who might you do it for next?
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