Spring 2019

AT WORK WITH

Michelle Gritzer

Let's Get Physical

By Brandon Kyle Goco

The key to any challenge is to be as prepared as you can [be] but flexible when things start to go wrong," says key 2nd AD Michelle Gritzer. She could just as easily be advising her troupe of female wrestlers on the Netflix series GLOW.

Gritzer works closely with the stunt and wrestling coordinators to ensure safety precautions are met for every wrestling match in the script. "We work together to get the actresses to the training sessions," says Gritzer. "If we can get three or four sessions in before a match, that's ideal!"

On the shooting day, it's all about communication. "We want the cast to feel like it is an open and honest environment," says Gritzer. "If somebody needs a break, they take a break. There's no rushing anybody."

"GLOW is a very female-forward show. All of the ADs in Season 2 and 3 are women," says Gritzer, who got the chance to 1st AD after two seasons with the show. "It's not just the traditional positions that are often taken by women on the show, and I think that really makes it a nice environment to work in."


(Photo: Brian Davis)

At Work With

Short profiles of Guild members in all categories sharing their experiences at work.

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