I became a member of the Giant Screen Cinema community in 2001. Since then I have participated in many conferences and film expos. I wish that there had been a mentor program when I attended my first conference. I was left to figure it out on my own. Everyone seemed to know each other, and being a new theater manager, I knew no one. I had never experienced camaraderie like this at other trade shows.
A mentor could have introduced me to colleagues, could have relieved some of that “new kid” anxiety, could have explained the inside jokes that seemed to happen before every film was presented—you get my drift.
Fast forward to 2011, and the GSCA now has a mentor program. It has proven to be beneficial to not only the mentees but also the mentors. This association is made up of passionate professionals with a broad spectrum of experience, and most truly enjoy talking about the industry to anyone who is interested.
As the co-chair of the Professional Development Committee, I encourage all current members to volunteer as mentors. You will not only be assisting a new member learn the business and further the development our industry, you might just learn something new yourself.
I encourage all first-time attendees to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity to meet other members of GSCA under the wing of a seasoned professional.
To participate in the program, there’s a section on the conference registration form to indicate whether you’d like to be a mentor or mentee. Or, contact
Tammy Seldon or
Kelly Germain. And you can register for the conference here:
Conference Registration.
Senior Director/Theater, Retail & Exhibitions
Co-chair GSCA Professional Development Committee
Co-chair GSCA Professional Development Committee