Middlebury Students Grace the Small Screen

Author: David Barker

The plot of FX's new drama, "The Shield," might revolve around one cop's fight against drugs and crime in Los Angeles, but usually, the drug dealers aren't Middlebury students. During Winter Term, Zach Ambrose '03 almost was.
Growing up in Helena, Montana, Courtney Hess '03 didn't have the opportunity to be a mall rat. However, when she was recently in charge of buying the clothes for the actors on "Law and Order: Criminal Intent" with a $16,000 budget, she became one.
As the majority of Middlebury students entered into skiing hibernation during Winter Term, Hess and Ambrose, both film majors, departed for opposite coasts to pursue their interests and gain experience as interns on the sets of two of the hottest television dramas.
Ambrose, who is currently working on a documentary film about taxes in his home state, New Hampshire, flew to Los Angeles after New Years to join Middlebury alumnus Shawn Ryan '88, the creator of "The Shield." In only its second season, the show won the Best Television Series Drama and lead actor Michael Chiklis picked up Best Actor at the 2003 Golden Globe Awards. In addition to being the creator, Ryan makes the key decisions for every episode as chief screenwriter and director.
Hess's long-standing penchant for costume design found her in New York City on the set of NBC's "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" for three weeks, a show that follows the job of a homicide detective (Vincent D'Onofrio). Working alongside the principal costumers, Hess bought the needed outfits for each show and then fitted the actors. "The first day was a whirlwind tour of all the department stores in New York," she said.
Ambrose's first day served as an indicator of the behind the scenes and inner-circle access he would receive as an intern. All the writers were plotting the direction of the next episode as Ambrose walked in. "It was kind of surreal," he said. One of the main writers gave Ambrose an introduction to the business, explaining the importance of capturing the intended emotion of the script during shooting. "Skeeter [the writer] told me that writers have been let go in the past for their inability to sufficiently realize the planned story," he said.
Learning about the television writing process was simply one aspect of the internship. Without one specific duty for the three weeks, Ambrose was able to witness all phases of production, a rare opportunity in the exclusive environment of Hollywood. "I could go any place on the set," he said. Observing things like sound editing, casting and shooting enhanced his appreciation for the time put in by the various crews. When on deadline, shooting sometimes lasted until 4 or 5 a.m. Ambrose even tasted the Hollywood lifestyle during a red carpet premiere of "The Shield's" second season. An after-party brought him face to face with several directors. The opening episode, which aired nationally the next night, would set a record for the number of viewers on basic cable.
Hess also gained access to more than the copy and coffee machines. "I was really hoping they wouldn't stick me next to a phone," she said. Often, the other designers took an interest in Hess's opinion. "It was nice they asked me what I was thinking," she said. During the eight days of taping for each episode, it wasn't uncommon for Hess to put in over 10 hours a day. Even though her duties might have been completed for the day, she sometimes stayed at the Manhattan studio to absorb the environment and to wait for, as she said, "something cool to happen."
The internships might have been brief in duration, but both Hess and Ambrose hope to continue to accumulate more experience. Hess, who has designed the costumes for the Dance Department at Middlebury, has two vague pictures of her future. One takes her back to New York to try her hand as an assistant director, while the other has her returning to Italy, where she studied abroad. "I feel there are so many exciting things to do," she said.
Ambrose admits he'd be more interested in doing documentary work than writing screenplays. A Los Angeles cab driver told him that that 99.9 percent of aspiring directors and actors who come to Hollywood fail. Observing the directors on "The Shield" allowed him to formulate a possible plan for success in the business. "I got a pretty good feel for L.A., and I was starting to get a sense of how Hollywood works and how I could chip out a niche for myself there if I were to return," he said. And with a little help from Middlebury, it's safe to say it won't be as a drug dealer.