Last we spoke with Film Program Alum Nick Mongoni Jr., he was working as a Production Assistant on “The Dark Knight Rises” and as the Director’s Assistant on the Sony Pictures/Screen Gems 3D feature “Battle of the Year:The Dream Team”, which you can read about here. When that job ended, Nick quickly moved on to other projects – he completed a 112 page re-write of a horror feature screenplay entitled “Let Me Out!” alongside Patrick Wehe Mahoney, the writer of the feature film, “Nine Dead” and the web-series which Nick produces entitled “Zombie Beer Run” (which is about to see the release of it’s 2nd episode within the coming weeks). Chris “Fish” Shadley, who directed “Nine Dead”, as well as episodes of “Zombie Beer Run”, is attached to direct “Let Me Out!”, which has a tentative shoot start date of early Spring 2013.

Towards the end of the Summer and through a good friend, Nick was then offered a job as a VTR Operator (which is essentially the person who runs video feeds and controls playback for the director in video village). Once unionized, this job position can pay up to $600 a day, and although it would have been a steady gig, another opportunity presented itself to Nick; being one of the assistants for Michael Bay.

A fellow LAFS grad, another of Michael’s current assistants, contacted Brian Tran in Career Development to see who he thought would be fit for the job and Brian recommended Nick, who is now working in Bay Films’ production office. The timing was just right so no bridges were burned, as Nick was only going back and forth about the VTR Operator job position and hadn’t fully committed yet. ”You have to look at the big picture,” Nick says. “If you want it bad enough, you’ll get it.”

In addition to booking awesome jobs, Nick also competes in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and plays drums in a band called “Tundras”… a name which will most likely be changing in the very near future. “Out of a ton of odd names and words, it was the only one we could all agree on!” Nick mentions. They recently played a show at the infamous Sunset Blvd club The Viper Room and plan to record and release a 6 song digital EP in early 2013. He also has been taking sketch comedy writing classes at the UCB and an acting course through Scott Sedita acting studios, so staying busy to say the least.

Congrats Nick! We’re proud of all your accomplishments and success.

Update on Alum Nick Mongoni Jr – Working as an Assistant to Michael Bay