Streaming and social media were transforming the entertainment industry throughout the 2010s, and UC Irvine’s film and media studies graduates were well positioned to meet it. Our 60th anniversary alumni series continues with Lawrence Dalusung ‘12 (B.A. film and media studies), who arrived undeclared, discovered his love for film in his third year and built a career at some of the biggest studio names in the business.
At UCI, Dalusung threw himself into campus life through Kababayan, a Pilipinx-American cultural organization, worked at the bookstore and even landed a DJ gig opening for a then-unknown Kendrick Lamar at Shocktoberfest.
After graduating, he joined Maker Studios – later acquired by The Walt Disney Company – where he spent more than a decade leading influencer marketing campaigns for some of the studio’s largest films and franchises. Today, he serves as Director of Global Influencer Marketing at Audible, building new ways for creators to reach audiences through storytelling.
What inspired you to choose your specific major and career path?
I came in Undeclared so I really just wanted to be close to home and go to college with my best friend who also got into UCI. It wasn't until my third year that I took a film class and immediately knew that I wanted to major in film and media studies. From there, I decided to go all-in to try and work in the entertainment industry.
What was student life and the campus culture like when you attended?
They were some of the best times of my life. There was always something to do whether it was going to the pub, club events or working out at the ARC. I was a part of Kababayan and SPOP where I built a lot of relationships, many of which I still keep today. I also worked at the UCI bookstore which was kind of a club in its own right. It was a commuter school for a lot of local Californians so I remember weekends were generally pretty slow. I would always go home every weekend.
Can you share a fond memory?
Through joining SPOP, I was able to get a gig DJing Shocktoberfest with my cousin where we opened for Tyga, Dom Kennedy and Kendrick Lamar! Kendrick was barely coming up at the time and was actually the opener for Tyga, to give you a sense of how early it was.
How did you spend your free time as a student? What were some of your favorite spots on and off campus?
I worked in the records office at UCI admissions and then at the UCI bookstore for the last couple of years which was so fun. On campus we would hang out a lot by the Cross Cultural Center or the Pub. Off campus, we would usually go to nearby parks to play basketball, or the Irvine Spectrum.
What advice would you give current UCI students and soon-to-be alumni?
Enjoy every moment! I look back on my time in college as some of the best years of my life. It was also the most simple that it will get as an adult, before you start building your career, family, etc. Also: don't feel the need to figure it all out right away.
What advice would you specifically give film and media studies majors?
You never know where this path can take you. Figure out which aspect of the industry you like the most and pursue any jobs or internships that most closely align with that. I wanted to direct and work on big movie sets, but the first job I got out of college was answering customer support tickets for YouTube channels at a digital media company. Eventually that company got acquired by Disney where I worked for 12 years doing influencer marketing for Disney Studios' biggest films and tv shows.
Looking back, how do you think your UCI education impacted your life and career path after graduation?
It was the start of everything. UCI wasn't my first choice, but it's because of UCI that I made the relationships that ultimately led me to the job, friends, wife and career that I have now.
Being at UCI and living on my own for the first time gave me the first sense of independence, but also the most opportunity for growth. I was the brokest I had ever been in my life even with financial aid so I had to figure out how to make ends meet. You learn pretty quickly how to do things like cook, budget, plan ahead – all skills that are valuable as you enter adulthood.
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