Alumni Spotlight: Rory Diamond

We are extremely excited to highlight our J-1 alum., Rory Diamond, from Canada. During his program at Sony Pictures in Los Angeles, Rory gained hands-on television writing experience in the Writers’ Room of the hit show, The Good Doctor. He also found time to experience life in California to the fullest by going to concerts, sporting events, and learning to surf!  He is now working as a Script Coordinator for The Good Doctor in Canada. Keep reading to join his wonderful journey in Hollywood!

What impact has your J-1 experience had on your life and your career?
I got to live in the city where the heart of my industry is, which not only was a dazzling life experience, but an eye-opening step in my career. I am now fully trained and able to Script Coordinate, a unique and valuable skillset, which grants access to the fabled Writers’ Room. I’m currently exploring ways to do it in Toronto for other Canadian shows. Not only has this allowed me to continue working on The Good Doctor from Canada, but also has opened many doors and created connections of which the value is difficult to measure.

What is your favorite memory from your J-1 program?
My favourite memory was of my first day being in the Writers’ Room. Just walking in and seeing the whiteboards covered in chicken scratch that may or may not be seen by millions of viewers. The free lunches, the coffee runs, the nervousness of speaking up, and the incredible feeling when something lands. By all accounts, deciding to be a TV writer is a silly decision, but in the Writers’ Room, those doubts seemed to melt into a warm sense of validation that I hold close to my heart.

What were some of your favorite cultural activities to do Los Angeles?
Eat delicious food and see amazing comedy and music. And if I could do both of those in one night, which was something I did often, I was a very happy boy. I loved living in Los Angeles. I saw my favorite band, Phish, play at The Forum, which is a classic venue I’ve always wanted to go to, which was a great experience. I did a lot of hiking, which you can’t really do in Toronto.

What advice can you offer to future exchange visitors coming to the United States?
Rent a furnished apartment if you can, to avoid the trouble of purchasing a bunch of furniture off Facebook Marketplace and then having to sell it all on Facebook Marketplace a year later. Sign up for classes and meet people. Go to as many networking things as possible; make connections that will help you in the future, wherever you end up. Take advantage of the unique things your city has to offer. Hike, bike, eat, and have fun.

What does cultural exchange mean to you?
It’s the true definition of a win-win. It makes me happy and gives me hope that two countries can work together to provide such a wonderful program and experience for their constituents. I think anyone who is able to endeavor this experience would be better off for it.

Any last thoughts?
At this point, I think I could thrive in any Canadian Writers’ Room and I don’t know if that would have been the case a year ago. [The exchange] was an amazing experience.

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, Rory!

Looking for a place to get started with your own exchange program? Check out our website to explore different fields or explore different cities!