The SNL Dream

 The SNL Dream

Hi. My name is Anna Turning. I am a junior at High Point University majoring in Media Production and Entrepreneurship with a minor in Social Media Marketing.

Ever since I was younger, I have always been fascinated by TV and Movies. I realized very young that it was where I was meant to be for my career. Also when I was young, I have always loved Saturday Night Live. My dad always showed me videos with his favorite skits when I was growing up, and I have really positive memories associated with the show. 

Throughout my coursework at High Point, until the second semester of sophomore year, it has been very post-production-based. If it wasn't editing of some kind, it was narrative production (writing and producing short films, movie and TV show concepts, etc.) I loved that, however, it wasn't until I took Multi-Camera Production with Joe Michaels that I discovered how much I loved Live Studio Production. There has always been something so fascinating to me about how everything is chaos behind the scenes, but everything looks perfect to the audience. I was always the kid that wanted to see backstage at plays and see what was going on. After every movie or TV show I finished, I was going on Youtube and watching set tours, interviews, and blooper reels. I have always been obsessed with the creative process of movies and TV. 

What I love about Saturday Night Live is that it's timeless. It is repetitive without being boring. It has this "homey" feel to it. For example, the fact that they still use cue cards is one of my favorite little quirks about the show. There is something so classic about it. They truly have something for everyone.

I remember the first time I sat down in my Multi-Cam class, I walked right up to the front row and sat down, the most excited I've been for a class ever...and the first thing Joe put on was a video about what goes into producing an episode of Saturday Night Live. I remember being so excited because that meant I was going to learn how to do all of that stuff in class. At the end of that class,  Joe came up to me and said "You really like this stuff don't you..?" Ever since then, I have learned so much from Joe. I have taken multiple classes with him and spent several hours in his office chatting, hearing stories from his career, and getting advice. It is clear as day that I want to work for a Late Night NBC show, and SNL would be the dream.