The Masters Class Series: Work Happier & Live Longer

A workshop to develop skills to address workplace conflict, regulate stress, reduce burnout, and foster leadership practices

PART ONE: Saturday, October 24th, 10am-12pm PST

&

PART TWO: Saturday, November 7th, 2pm-4pm PST

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:

• Identify leadership blindspots

• Increase awareness of what makes a healthy, functional team

• Learn insights to improve inter-department social alliances

• Learn how to address conflict involving power dynamics

• Gain new skills to promote assertive communication

• Reduce stress by learning mindful self-regulation

• Learn the factors that protect against burnout, mental collapse, and premature illness and death

At a time of significant change in the film industry, licensed psychotherapist, Mary Starks MA, LPCC contextualizes industry power from the only serious anthropological study ever done on Hollywood - Hortense Powdermaker's 1950 study titled - The Dream Factory- up to the Hollywood Commission's 2022-2023 Entertainment Industry Survey.

Starks will discuss power dynamics through a lens of industry intergenerational transmission of trauma; reducing a blame mentality and offering a neutral "human condition" framework from which to view power dynamics. She will guide participants through an exercise in which they can identify interpersonal situations on-set and in life that activate fear and discomfort and propose solutions helpful in personal and professional settings.

PROGRAM AGENDA PREVIEW:

PART ONE: Power Dynamics:

• Socio-centric vs Egocentric Perspective

• Historical context

• The applications of the work of social psychologist Phillip Zimbardo on the Entertainment Industry

• Shark Music © Part 1

• Using the 5 Conflict Modes found in the Thomas Kilman Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) to Navigate Complex Power Dynamics

• Recognizing Healthy Leadership

• Knowing When to Leave

• Understanding esteem sensitive culture

PART TWO: Resilience

• Why making movies is compared to combat

• Transference dynamics between Prop Masters/BTL and ATL and why this is important to identity, self narrative and resilience.

• Shark Music © Part 2

• Hollywood’s esteem sensitive culture

• On-set resilience strategies

• Resilience strategies to manage the end of and in between projects

• Breakdown of the UK's preventative process to manage risk

• Walkthrough of implementing the whole picture toolkit on set to stay on time and within budget

ATTENDANCE DETAILS:

FORMAT:

Available via zoom & in person at Studio Art & Technology. In person attendance is encouraged for those local.

COST:

Free for PMG members with a $20 refundable deposit is requested to secure your seat. $20 for non-members.

LIMITED SPACE:

Class size is limited to 30 participants, so please sign up early.

OUTSIDE OF LOS ANGELES?

Zoom attendance is available for those outside of the Los Angeles Region.

CAN'T MAKE BOTH SESSIONS?

If you cannot make one of the two sessions, but would still like to attend, feel free to sign up and we can share the zoom recording with you.

PRESENTED BY:

Licensed psychotherapist, Mary Starks MA, LPCC

Mary Starks MA, LPCC is located in Santa Monica, California and is delighted to offer her expertise for the Property Masters Guild. Starks has over 20 years of experience in the mental health field and is currently in private practice where she sees ATL and BTL entertainment industry professionals and aftercare for reality tv contestants. Starks has also worked with the producers of National Geographic’s Naming the Dead providing consultation on how to work with emotional trauma embedded in story lines. Starks has a Bachelor’s Degree from Carroll College in Helena, MT, Master’s degree in Clinical Counseling Psychology from Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA and post grad training from the Harris Institute in Infant and Family Clinical Practice. She is also a certified MBTI Type Practitioner and authorized to administer all of the assessments through CPP, Inc.