From Workshop to Film Set: How This Learner Transformed a Netflix Workshop into a Career-Defining Opportunity
Sam Jeffries has always been passionate about film but was waiting for her opportunity to break into the industry. Fast forward to today, Sam is working on the set of Netflix’s Ransom Canyon doing what she loves.
Before attending the CNM Ingenuity workshop, Sam went to Eastern New Mexico University to earn her degree in film. Once she graduated, she came back to Albuquerque and worked with some UNM students, did local indie projects, and rounded out her experience working at Serious Grippage & Light Co.
Sam’s steady commitment to learning and gaining on-set experience positioned her perfectly when she heard about the Netflix Rigging Grip Workshop run by CNM Ingenuity.
“I just wanted to learn from people actually doing the work, and this workshop provided exactly that” she says. “Having the instructors be current union professionals made all the difference. They weren’t just teaching — they were showing us how it really happens on set.”
The workshop, a collaboration between CNM Ingenuity and Netflix, connects learners directly with industry experts and provides hands-on training in essential behind-the-scenes production skills like rigging, safety, and teamwork.
“By partnering with industry leaders like Netflix, CNM Ingenuity can identify in-demand skills and provide high-level, hands-on training for New Mexicans,” says Katelyn Attanasio, Senior Program Manager at CNM Ingenuity. “Trainings like these provide local talent with the knowledge and skills they need to get started with—and be successful in—these specialized industry trades.”
After completing the Rigging Grip training, Sam learned she had been recommended for Netflix and IATSE’s Next Up Internship, which gives participants paid, on-set experience while allowing them to earn union hours. About a week after being interviewed by Netflix, Sam started on set.
“The first few days being on set, I was applying what I learned in the workshop” Sam explains. “You’re surrounded by experienced crew members, and you’re learning every single day.”
Sam's career is already taking shape on productions like Ransom Canyon, where she now works as a part of a professional grip team — applying her skills on the large-scale sets that first sparked her passion for film.
Reflecting on her journey, she hopes others will see how important and accessible these opportunities can be with the right training and commitment.
“Even if you don’t think you’re ready — go for it,” she says. “The CNM Ingenuity workshop gave me the foundation I needed, and the internship gave me the experience. It really changed everything.”