Today we’d like to introduce you to Traci Trail.
Traci, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My career started in Reality TV over ten years ago. I left LA and moved back to Dallas after being burnt out on the TV world. Dallas didn’t have many television or film production going on so I ‘faked it to make it” in a post-production house in Dallas. We mainly edited TV commercials. It opened a whole new world for me. TV Commercials! And Dallas was one of the biggest markets. After moving up the ranks in the post house from receptionist to Client Services to Producer, I still felt like I was missing out on life…missing something in my career to feel complete. I knew I loved being on set and seeing a production come to life so I bit the bullet, grabbed a hold of my fear, and entered into the freelance production world after five years in Post Production.
I left the post house on December 1 of 2017 and booked my first production job as a PA on December 6ths. I was quick to learn and grow because of my post-experience and most of the clients I got to work with I already knew from working with them on the Post side! Everything was new and exciting and FELT RIGHT. I moved up into a Production Coordinator role pretty fast and built solid and respected relationships with Producers and Production Managers. Two years later, I am able to dip my toes into Producing, Managing and I still Coordinate. The Freelance world is not for the weak of heart, but it can be very rewarding if you do quality work and always have a positive state of mind! A good smile won’t hurt either.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It was not a smooth road, but a lot smoother than I planned it to be. I think we let fear stop us from moving forward. Fear kept me stagnate for far too long. I feared that I would get any work as a freelancer. I feared that people wouldn’t like me and that I wouldn’t be able to do the job.
This was a struggle that I had to overcome…And when I let go and let God, everything fell into place.
Traci Trail Productions – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am a Live Action Commercial Coordinator, Manager, Producer…Depending on what day of the week it is. I build a commercial production from the ground up…Hire the crew, handle the vendors, travel…you name it and I do it except for running the camera and shooting the spot.
Television Commercials are my specialty, but I also enjoy Live Productions/Instillations.
I’m most proud of the relationships that I have built in the last two years and my achievements as a Coordinator. I’m also proud of the fact that my “rise through the ranks” was fairly quick and that I was able to prove myself, have people remember my talents and share my name.
I think others would say that my attitude is what sets me apart from others. I’m always in a positive mood…I’m always smiling…and I am always finding a way to make others feel good. I like to call myself a spreader of smiles and human Xanax.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Proudest moment would be getting my first Producer title. Feels good to have people trust you in that role so quickly.
Also proud of the friendships I have made along this road.
And it always makes me proud when I get a phone call from someone who was referred to me by someone I previously worked with. My name has spread from LA to Chicago!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tracitrail.com
- Phone: 2146494628
- Email: tracitrail@yahoo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tptrail/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/traci.trail
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