Meet Rachel Westra | Aspiring Development Executive and TV Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rachel Westra and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rachel, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I did a lot of writing classes and improv classes at the Second City in Chicago and just loved the collaboration of creating. When I was looking into potential career paths, I felt drawn to the TV writing and as I explored that further during college found a passion for producing and working with writers to build out a show. I’ve just followed what draws my attention and keeps me laughing.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Like most, I started my first year out of college at a management company which was a mix of good and bad. Good because you meet so many people to grow with and share your passions. Bad because that just wasn’t the world I wanted to be in. I worked for someone I didn’t usually agree with whether that be business decisions or their personal agenda and learned pretty quickly that no one is a better advocate for you than you! Never wait on someone to give you the green light and jump on opportunities that excite you.

Initially, people told me to lie to get the job (i.e. say you want to be a manager to get a job at a management company), but I’ve learned that being open and honest about what you’re looking for is the best way to meet the right people. I’ve said from the beginning that I wanted to work in comedy development. When looking for a new job, even if the person you’re networking with isn’t quite in that universe, they may know someone who is. Better yet, they may help keep an eye out for the next position you’ve been dreaming of. Before I found my current position, I told anyone that would listen that I’m looking for a company that works specifically in TV development. A friend of mine got an email that had all my requirements and shared my info and even had her boss give me a recommendation. Within a month, I was on to my next step with Rhode Island Ave Productions.

While I’ve been with Rhode Island, I’ve had wonderful opportunities to hone my own taste, meet with up and coming writers, give notes, and learn how a show goes from first idea to final cut. I even started a script notes business which is linked on my website to help people flesh out their next project.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
UCB Theater, go see a show! There’s a show every night. They’re very affordable and worth a good laugh. Same Same in Silver Lake, I took my midwestern parents there and it was one of the best meals of their trip.
Lake Hollywood Park, A perfect picnic park with plenty of dogs to watch.
The Farmers Market, A fun Sunday or any day activity with awesome shops to wander through.
Wisdom Tree Hike, Steep but ultimately short hike with a beautiful view of the valley and Los Angeles.
Dynasty Typewriter, a great comedy venue with some of the best up and coming voices plus a few heavy hitters.
Employees Only, a delightful little bar during the week to drink and chat.
Rosebowl Flea Market, only once a month but worth the trip to Pasadena to snag some killer deals.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
If I had to choose one person, I’d say my manager in college, Tony Ascenso, greatly impacted my journey into this industry. He ran the TV studios and was/is such a source of knowledge and wisdom all while “keeping it real.” He was encouraging and gave great advice without sugarcoating the truth that this is a difficult industry to work in. To this day, I still give him a call when making any career decision.

Website: https://www.rachelwestra.com

Instagram: @rwestra14

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rwestra14/

Image Credits
Paige Freeman