Why You Should Go to a Spotlight@SDA

by Kristen Adams ‘25

What do Tessa Thompson, America Ferrera, Matthew Lillard, Will Ferrell, and Jason Bateman have in common?

They’ve all been visiting artists at Spotlight@SDA!

Spotlight@SDA is a hidden gem that all USC students should take advantage of, whether you are studying theatre, screenwriting, communications, business, or anything else. Spotlight@SDA is a professional development opportunity provided by the School of Dramatic Arts where the entertainment industry’s most influential artists and actors share advice, perspective, and thoughts with students through a Q&A format. The event is typically held in Bing Theatre and lasts for about an hour.

As a junior, I have now been to two Spotlight@SDA events where I have come face-to-face with actors I had only ever seen on the big screen. While I have no intention of becoming an actor, I am interested in the management of the entertainment industry, and there have been so many nuggets of wisdom in each talk which I can bring with me into a potential management role one day. For example, the Spotlight@SDA with Matthew Lillard, who played Shaggy in Scooby Doo and recently starred in Five Nights at Freddy’s, empowered me to start a vision board, to physically write down my goals, and to challenge myself to overwork in order to land the opportunities that I want, even if they’re in high demand among others. 

Each Spotlight@SDA is structured around the artist’s story and experience in the industry, their influences, their beginnings, and their advice for USC students. They’re typically quite casual, so it’s always fun to bring a group of friends to the event. Some Spotlight@SDA events also come with surprises: for example, when I met Tessa Thompson, a video of Kevin Feige magically appeared on the screen above the stage as he had prepared a heartfelt message for both his Marvel colleague and for the audience – not only had I met Tessa Thompson that night, but I also got to (virtually) see Kevin Feige, who is actually a USC alum.

One piece of advice that I received from a Spotlight@SDA is to aim to be a multi-hyphenate. I should not only be a writer, but I should understand the craft of a producer, an actor, and a director. I should not pigeon-hole myself into one field, but instead, be a jack of many trades by specializing in a few different areas. I have created a challenge for myself to embrace being a multi-hyphenate as a Business of Cinematic Arts major to juggle my business aspirations while also feeding my creativity. I also aim to be a multi-hyphenate by going to more events that USC and its schools offer, to learn a new skill or to meet somebody new – especially if they’re free and open to all USC students!

You can learn more about Spotlight@SDA from the School of Dramatic Arts website, or follow SDA’s Eventbrite to register for one. 

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