Orange Becomes UT Junior’s New Black

Aspiring film editor/director Travis Misarti ’16 had never watched an episode of Orange is the New Black until the first time he was working on the set of Netflix's Emmy®-nominated comedy.

“I had heard about the show through my friends and family,” said Misarti of Scarsdale, NY. “However, once I started watching the show I immediately got hooked and ended up binge watching the first two seasons like most people do.”

This summer Misarti, a film and media arts major, worked as a production assistant on the show, gaining him invaluable experience in the film business.

He landed the job by being proactive. While in Europe filming the UT volleyball team's trip this past May, he contacted the key production assistant on Orange Is the New Black, seeking an opportunity to work on the show when he returned to New York. Luckily, they had an available spot, and he started working at the beginning of June.

“Many of the things I have learned on set are beyond what I could have learned in a classroom setting,” Misarti said. “The film industry has its own language that can only be picked up while working on set.”

A typical day for the UT junior began around 6 a.m. when he’d arrive on set, get his regulation walkie-talkie, have breakfast with the cast and crew and then report to the key production assistant for his assignment.

“My job was to secure the set, making sure no crew members or anyone other than the actors for that scene are on camera or making noise while the camera is rolling. I also repeated all of the calls that the director and assistant director yell out so the cast and crew know exactly what is going on and where they should be at all times,” Misarti said. “This allows the production to run smoothly. Each episode films in only nine days, so it is crucial for the crew to work in a time efficient manner.”

He said this experience helped him realize how crucial every department is to the overall production. Whether it's the grip, electrical, sound or camera department, he said everyone needs to work cohesively for the show to be successful.

Misarti said one of the highlights of this summer was a particular night when he had to block off an entire street corner in Queens for a night filming. A huge crowd of pedestrians stopped to watch, starstruck, and asked Misarti how he got his job and how they could do the same.

“It made me realize how lucky I am to be working on the show.”

Have a story idea? Contact Jamie Pilarczyk, Web Writer
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