![\"john-bring\"](\"http:\/\/blog.valdosta.edu\/coa\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2016\/11\/John-Bring.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPictured below: VSU graduate John Bring, left, and Supernatural<\/em> actor Jared Padalecki.<\/p>\n PRESS RELEASE: \u201cJOHN BRING, TV SCREENWRITER, ADDRESSES FVS\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n FROM: DENNIS CONWAY, FOR THE FVS\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 DATE: NOVEMBER 17, 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n John Bring, a screenwriter for the TV show, Supernatural,<\/em> addressed the Film and Video Society Wednesday night, Nov. 16, and explained how a former VSU Mass Media major builds a career in Hollywood.\u00a0 Bring conversed via Skype, from the Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, California, and spoke for an hour from the Supernatural <\/em>Writers\u2019 Room, taking questions from members.\u00a0 This year, he has written Episode #18 of 23 Supernatural<\/em> shows, a program on the CW channel lineup.\u00a0 The fantasy horror television series debuted in 2005, and features two brothers as they hunt demons, ghosts, monsters, and other supernatural beings.\u00a0 His upcoming episode involves a wrestling storyline, to be shot in Vancouver, Canada, but he could not give advance details before \u00a0the episode premieres.\u00a0 Bring graduated from VSU in 2005, served as the FVS\u2019s first leader, and won its first film festival.<\/p>\n Bring, also a Valdosta High School graduate, told students that he saved his money for a year, before moving to Los Angeles, and survived by taking roles as a movie extra with Central Casting, serving as background in movies and TV shows. \u00a0He also took temporary office jobs, which often involved working for agents and celebrities such as singer Josh Groban.\u00a0 He claims that his big break came when he worked on an independent movie called Snakes on a Train<\/em> (not to be confused with Snakes on a Plane<\/em>) as the Second Assistant Director.\u00a0\u00a0 After that, he worked on TV shows such as Without A Trace,<\/em> about a Missing Persons Unit of the FBI in New York City, and comedies such as The New Adventures of Old Christine <\/em>starring Seinfeld\u2019s<\/em> Julia Louis-Dreyfus.<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0 Bring started as a writer\u2019s assistant at Supernatura<\/em>l in Season 9, and beginning with Season 12, was promoted to staff writer.\u00a0\u00a0 He has been working steadily in production for about ten years.<\/p>\n Bring\u2019s advice to students who land entry-level jobs in Hollywood include: \u201cDon\u2019t say \u2018No\u2019 to any task, no matter how menial.\u00a0 Listen to advice.\u00a0 Accept any negatives, for self-examination.\u00a0 Be nice to everyone.\u00a0 Never stop learning.\u00a0 Don\u2019t get discouraged.\u201d\u00a0 He adds that for young writers, \u201cTheir first idea is not their best.\u00a0 Get attuned to criticism. And have an answer to the question, \u201cWhat\u2019s Next?\u201d for both your script and your career.\u201d\u00a0 He says that people in Hollywood will look at student films, but shorts (under ten minutes) are preferable to longer pieces, and that students should \u201cmake them your best.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Bring adds that films under ten minutes also have \u201cthe best chance for being programmed at film festivals.\u201d\u00a0 He is currently meeting with various studios in Hollywood to produce his own TV series, and tells us that currently, \u201chorror shows are hot.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He hopes to someday become a Showrunner, which is a combination job of Head Writer and Producer for a TV series.<\/p>\n During his free time, Bring writes and directs his own video productions, and has even authored a comic book.\u00a0 He says that he is \u201cimpressed\u201d by the growth of the production industry in Atlanta, which didn\u2019t exist when he graduated college.\u00a0 He hopes that Mass Media graduates can gain jobs there.\u00a0\u00a0 Bring also said that he was excited by the growth and quality of VSU\u2019s Mass Media program and facilities over the years, which he visited last year.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Finally, Bring enjoys the California lifestyle, and mentions that he lives across the street from the Warner Brother Studios, and can even walk to work, which makes him the envy of his co-workers, who must commute in heavy traffic.<\/p>\n