The DL on GZ: Spotlight on Colleen Patterson
by AnnaLiese Burich ‘17
If you have a hankering for a milkshake at USC, you know where to go: Ground Zero. But Ground Zero is more than just a place for milkshakes—it’s an experience. There’s nothing quite like the ambiance: the hip dim lighting, the mood music, the constant whirring of blenders, and the oh-so comfortable couches. And, most importantly, there’s the stage. Night and day, there’s usually some sort of performance happening that’s cool, mindblowing, and all done by students.
But how does one get up on that stage? How does one get their moment in the spotlight? Well, lucky for you, I know a production manager at Ground Zero, Colleen Patterson, who is the point person for booking said performances. If you have a will, she has the way. Earlier this week, I sat down with her and chatted about her job.
A: What does a production manager do?
C: I’m responsible for booking all the events that take place in Ground Zero, which means taking a project from the initial inquiry from a student organization, club, department, or non-USC client all the way through to the actual event.
A: Interesting—and if you are a student, how do you go about sending an inquiry for an event?
C: You go to our website (http://gzusc.tumblr.com/events) and fill out a reservation request, which includes dates, times, descriptions, and questions about the nature of your event (food, filming, etc).
A: How did you get this job? What was your path? It’s such a niche job.
C: Well, I was an usher for USC Performance Venues, working at Bovard Auditorium and the Campus Center Ballroom. One day, I received an email for internal applications to become the Production manger of Ground Zero, and I said to myself “That’s something I could do!”
I’m interested in the music industry, and being an usher doesn’t necessarily relate to that field, so I wasn’t really furthering my career there. As a PM, you get to work with cool clients doing different events – music, comedy, educational, poetry, panels, etc. It’s helpful to learn about client relations and communicating, which is important for any job.
A: Do you work at Ground Zero itself?
C: No, actually, there’s a Performance Venues office located inside Bovard, where all of the managers of Bovard and Ground Zero work. It’s pretty cool to say I work in such an iconic building.
A: Any notable events coming up?
C: For sure! There’s the Women’s Student Assembly Body Love Week from October 5th – 9th (Click here), which is an open mic for people to express themselves. Our bookends of every week are Open Mic on Monday for anyone to showcase their talents, and Second Nature on Friday nights at 10:30 (Click here ). This Thursday, we have our first Thornton Jazz Night (Click here). We also have monthly KXCS shows, band nights, and much more!
So, there’s your behind-the-scenes peek into the life of a Ground Zero employee! If you ever see an important looking person wandering around Ground Zero, it just might be the one and only Colleen Patterson.
