Nina Corrado: At Work on 'The Mentalist'
The Film grad is involved throughout the police drama's production process
There are many factors that have played into Nina Corrado’s success in the film and television industry in the short time she’s been in Los Angeles. But one reason above all stands out in her mind.
“It’s the smallest little thing, but in such a cutthroat industry, you literally just have to make everybody love you. It’s about being nice to everybody, even the people who are below you,” the Full Sail Film graduate explains. “There’s no room for burning any bridges with anyone because you never know who’s going to hire you on for your next job.”
That philosophy has served her well. As assistant to in-house director and executive producer Chris Long on CBS’s police drama The Mentalist, Nina oversees nearly every step in the production process of the show.
“Chris and I prep all the incoming directors and I’m on set most of the time, in between meetings. When we’re done shooting episodes, I go through post-production, and my boss and I cut every episode after we get the director’s cut. I’m also there for the color correction, sound mix, and basically every part of the whole process. It’s amazing that I’ve been able to do this.”
After moving out to L.A. the day after she graduated Full Sail, Nina was able to land an internship at a small production company behind Glamour Reel Moments, Glamour magazine’s award-winning short-film series that uses a different female celebrity as director for each installment.
“I was working on Kate Hudson’s project, and after my first week I was offered a paying position as a production manager for another outside project,” Nina recalls. “I called Glamour Reel and told them, and they told me that they’d pay me more to become a Production Assistant with them, so I went back.”
A contact at Glamour Reel eventually recommended Nina to Long, who was then working on the FX Network’s television series Dirt, starring Courteney Cox. After that series was cancelled due to the writer’s strike, director asked her to come along with him to The Mentalist.
“It really is the world’s best job,” Nina enthuses. “This show is so unique because we’re in our first season, and we’re really trying to find our groove and figure out what works best for us. It’s sort of symbolic for me because right now I’m trying to find my place in this industry. I’ve recently been able to produce and direct some of the second unit stuff on the show. I’m also in the process of negotiating with the manager of the band Between the Trees to produce their next two music videos, and I’ve got two features in development right now, both with fellow Full Sail students.”
It’s been a momentous ride for her since she graduated from the school, but Nina still looks back at her Full Sail experience as being an integral part in shaping her career.
“Full Sail really taught me everything about production. I had great mentors while I was there who really believed in me, and I learned so much from them,” she says. “It really was the key to my success.”
“It’s the smallest little thing, but in such a cutthroat industry, you literally just have to make everybody love you. It’s about being nice to everybody, even the people who are below you,” the Full Sail Film graduate explains. “There’s no room for burning any bridges with anyone because you never know who’s going to hire you on for your next job.”
That philosophy has served her well. As assistant to in-house director and executive producer Chris Long on CBS’s police drama The Mentalist, Nina oversees nearly every step in the production process of the show.
“Chris and I prep all the incoming directors and I’m on set most of the time, in between meetings. When we’re done shooting episodes, I go through post-production, and my boss and I cut every episode after we get the director’s cut. I’m also there for the color correction, sound mix, and basically every part of the whole process. It’s amazing that I’ve been able to do this.”
After moving out to L.A. the day after she graduated Full Sail, Nina was able to land an internship at a small production company behind Glamour Reel Moments, Glamour magazine’s award-winning short-film series that uses a different female celebrity as director for each installment.
“I was working on Kate Hudson’s project, and after my first week I was offered a paying position as a production manager for another outside project,” Nina recalls. “I called Glamour Reel and told them, and they told me that they’d pay me more to become a Production Assistant with them, so I went back.”
A contact at Glamour Reel eventually recommended Nina to Long, who was then working on the FX Network’s television series Dirt, starring Courteney Cox. After that series was cancelled due to the writer’s strike, director asked her to come along with him to The Mentalist.
“It really is the world’s best job,” Nina enthuses. “This show is so unique because we’re in our first season, and we’re really trying to find our groove and figure out what works best for us. It’s sort of symbolic for me because right now I’m trying to find my place in this industry. I’ve recently been able to produce and direct some of the second unit stuff on the show. I’m also in the process of negotiating with the manager of the band Between the Trees to produce their next two music videos, and I’ve got two features in development right now, both with fellow Full Sail students.”
It’s been a momentous ride for her since she graduated from the school, but Nina still looks back at her Full Sail experience as being an integral part in shaping her career.
“Full Sail really taught me everything about production. I had great mentors while I was there who really believed in me, and I learned so much from them,” she says. “It really was the key to my success.”
