FNMEC 2026: Coming Back to My True Passion

Ever since middle school, the media industry and filmmaking, for me, have meant being on a set, holding the camera, thinking about framing, lighting, blocking, and all the hands-on production elements that bring a project to life. In high school, I was super involved in that world, focusing on cinematography, and I had my path locked onto film school.

Instead, I ended up at a liberal college, which has been amazing in so many ways. But I have often wondered whether I took myself off a passionate path without ever fully giving it a chance. Especially as a rising senior now, thoughts of, “Wait, did I actually mess up by not pursuing a much more direct and straightforward route?” 

Because I already knew that I would be working in New York City for the summer, the FUTURE NOW Media & Entertainment Conference caught my attention easily when I first learnt about it from an email sent by my school’s career center. It felt like a perfect opportunity to connect with an industry that had long been the center of my interests while also exploring it from a much more professional perspective. I wanted to see whether there is still a place for me in this industry, even if my path into it seemed more obscure than I once intended. 

Looking back, I didn’t expect that going to the Conference would be as personally meaningful as it was. It was quite eye-opening for me. Even the name of the conference reminded me that the industry is not just “film” and “content” in the narrow sense. It is so much more. 

There are so many people doing crucial work behind and around productions, whether it's producing, development, business, distribution, strategy, talent, marketing, and all the other roles that keep the wheels turning. Getting to meet and hear from people who support productions in all these different ways reassured me that there are many paths into this industry, and that not all of them require me to fit into one specific conception of a “filmmaker.” 

In a weirdly comforting way, the conference gave me a glimpse into how the sausage gets made. It made the industry feel infinitely vast, but paradoxically more accessible. Instead of feeling like I had to choose to commit to being a pure creative or a more logistical-minded person, the conference was a reminder of how those aspects actually work together.

It also directed my attention to the process of how different projects actually happen, the leaders that bring people together, find the resources, make the calls, and turn ideas into something real. 

Practically, I also left with real connections with whom I have already followed up for advice and conversations about different projects I am working on. At the same time, I have also become more conscious of how complex this industry is. I think that is also why I find it so special.

Media and entertainment are meaningful because, somehow, in spite of all the challenges, it still manages to be artistic, collaborative, and creative at its core. And after these three days of conference, I feel more confident that there might be a place for me in that mix.