Hollywood Game Plan: How to Land a Job in Film, TV and Digital Entertainment
Author: Kirschner, Carole
Date: 2012-03-02 01:00:00+01:00
Keywords: Arts
Description: Hollywood Game Plan is an in-depth, how-to guide for aspiring Hollywood hopefuls. It provides a concrete, step-by-step strategy to land a job in the entertainment industry. It is the first book to provide insights and advice from both sides of the spectrum: seasoned professionals with decades-long success and wisdom, and up-and-coming professionals who were pounding the pavement just a few years ago and share the up-to-the minute strategies that helped them land their first jobs. Book Description Hollywood Game Plan is an in-depth, how-to guide for aspiring Hollywood hopefuls. It provides a co
Publisher: Michael Wiese Productions
Rights: Copyright &#x00A9; 2012 by Carole M. Kirschner

I only wish I had had Carole Kirshner's unbelievably informative book when I started out. It would have helped me puzzle out what it takes to follow your dreams and succeed in this crazy and wonderful business.

—Lesli Linka Glatter, director, Mad Men, True Blood

You know how you always hear “Pay your dues,” “Learn the ropes,” “You have to know the right people”? And you know how you're always stuck wondering, “What the hell does that mean? How am I supposed to do that?” Well…finally…this book has the answers. Carole Kirschner has put together an incredible easy-to-read step-by-step how-to manual that guides you through all the stuff you thought you couldn't learn in books: How to meet the right people, how to format a great resume, and how to land an entry-level job and work your way up. Simply buying this book will jump start your career by a year; actually reading it will jump start it by ten.

—Chad Gervich, writer/producer, After Lately, Wipeout, Cupcake
Wars, Reality Binge, Foody Call; author, Small Screen, Big Picture:
A Writer's Guide to the TV Business

I traveled 1,800 miles to Hollywood, spent two years (and thousands of dollars) in film school, and worked at one of the most powerful talent agencies in Hollywood. Only after all of that did I learn what's contained in this book.

—Sean Covel, producer, Napoleon Dynamite

Hollywood Game Plan is the key to your success in the entertainment business. This book is a valuable resource full of information that will get you where you want to go. It's all about devising a plan, taking action, and making it happen. From mastering your resume and cover letter to knowing the ingredients of a killer meeting, this book shows you all you need to make it happen.

—Jen Grisanti, author, Story Line: Finding Gold In Your Life Story,
writing instructor for Writers on the Verge at NBC,
story/career consultant at Jen Grisanti Consultancy Inc.

I wish someone would have handed me a copy of this book when I got off the plane at LAX; it would have saved me so much time! If the entertainment industry is a fraternity, Hollywood Game Plan teaches you the secret handshake.

—Steve Mummolo, creative executive, NFL Digital Media

Breaking into the entertainment industry can be overwhelming. Hollywood Game Plan is a clear, step-by-step guide that explains the unwritten rules of the business and exactly what you have to do to go from being a Hollywood outsider to a successful insider. If you're looking to get into Hollywood, this is a must-read.

—Adam Biren, agent, United Talent Agency (UTA)

Hollywood Game Plan is your personal literary invitation to dive into the crazy Wunderland known as Hollywood! This book gives you all the information you need to maneuver yourself from “aspiring” to “emerging” to “established.”

—Kathie Fong Yoneda, script consultant, workshop leader,
author, The Script-Selling Game: A Hollywood Insider's Look at
Getting Your Script Sold and Produced (2nd edition)

Get Hollywood Game Plan, study it, and use it like a bible to chart your course through the murky, shark-infested waters of the Hollywood media industry From her positions in many aspects of the business—including quite a few at the top—Carole has seen what works and what does not. If you want to break in and move up the food chain of Hollywood, start with Carole's book.

—Pamela Jaye Smith, author, international speaker and
consultant, award-winning producer-director, MYTHWORKS
founder, and Alpha Babe Academy co-founder
www.pamelajayesmith.com, www.alphababeacademy.com

Hollywood Game Plan is the perfect guide to breaking in and navigating the industry. Honest, realistic, and current, this book answers every question newcomers ask in an accessible and helpful way.

—Pamela Douglas, author, Writing The TV Drama Series (3rd Ed.),
Professor at the USC School of Cinematic Arts,
and award-winning screenwriter. www.PamDouglasBooks.com

Ms. Kirschner does a masterful job of giving you the tools you need to make your way in and around Hollywood—reminding you that it IS a business and no one is an overnight success. It's going to take skills, hard work, determination—and this book—to help get you in the door.

—Matthew Terry, screenwriter/teacher/producer/director

Few people can match Carole Kirschner's expertise in hiring and mentoring young professionals in the entertainment industry. This book offers practical, concrete advice for navigating the often daunting culture of film and television.

—Alexander Woo, writer and co-executive producer, True Blood, HBO

Carole Kirschner is one of the best at preparing people for success in the entertainment business. Her guidance is invaluable for anyone entering the market, regardless of what path you may choose. I wish that I had had a book like this one when I was starting out.

—Barry Kotler, agent, Creative Artists Agency (CAA)

How to Land a Job in Film, TV, or Digital Entertainment

HOLLYWOOD GAME PLAN

Carole M. Kirschner

Published by Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd. #1111
Studio City, CA 91604
tel. 818.379.8799
fax 818.986.3408
mw@mwp.com
www.mwp.com

Cover design: Johnny Ink www.johnnyink.com
Interior book design: Gina Mansfield Design
Editor: Annalisa Zox-Weaver

Printed by McNaughton & Gunn, Inc., Saline, Michigan
Manufactured in the United States of America

© 2012 by Carole M. Kirschner

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Kirschner, Carole M.
Hollywood game plan : how to land a job in film, tv, and digital entertainment / Carole M. Kirschner.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-1-61593-086-9

1. Motion pictures--Vocational guidance. 2. Motion picture industry--Vocational guidance. 3. Television--Vocational guidance. 4. Television broadcasting--Vocational guidance. I. Title.

PN1995.9.P75K58 2012

791.43023--dc23

2011039285

TABLE OF CONTENTS

GAME PLAN:

A carefully thought-out strategy for achieving an objective in war, politics, business, or personal affairs; a plan of action.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

INTRODUCTION: How to Use this Book

SECTION ONE: GET prepared

Chapter 1: Welcome to Hollywood

Chapter 2: Learn the Basics: Entertainment 101

Chapter 3: Make Yourself Irresistible to Decision Makers

Chapter 4: Turn Your Current Resume into an Industry-Ready Resume

Chapter 5: Write a Killer Hollywood Cover Letter

Chapter 6: Land the All-Important Entertainment Internship

SECTION TWO: GET SMART

Chapter 7: Arrive in Town Prepared

Chapter 8: Find a Path to Development and Producing

Chapter 9: Find a Path to Physical Production and Beyond

SECTION THREE: GET CONNECTED

Chapter 10: Develop a Unique “Personal A-Story”©

Chapter 11: Network Like Crazy

Chapter 12: Find a Mentor and Treat Her Right

SECTION FOUR: GET FOCUSED

Chapter 13: launch a Fierce Five-Step Job Search

Chapter 14: learn the Secret of the Power Prep

Chapter 15: Give Good meeting

SECTION FIVE: GET HIRED

Chapter 16: Start Smart on Your First Day

Chapter 17: move up the Food Chain: Find Your Next Job

Chapter 18: Transition to New Career Paths

SECTION SIX: GET GOING

Chapter 19: Prepare for the Diversity Factor

Chapter 20: make Your Creative Work Agent-Ready

Chapter 21: Survive Rejection and let it make You Stronger

Chapter 22: Get Ready for Your lucky Break

GLOSSARY

APPENDIX A: HOLLYWOOD-ENGLISH WRITER'S DICTIONARY

APPENDIX B: RESOURCES

APPENDIX C: SAMPLE RESUMES

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

From the time I started in the entertainment industry working as a producer's assistant, to my executive years, through to leading seminars and providing career consulting, I've wanted to share the inside professional knowledge I've learned so I could help those coming up. This book is the newest part of that process. As with everything else in show business, it has been a group effort.

You wouldn't be reading this book if Michael Wiese and Ken Lee hadn't seen the promise in it. I am grateful to both of you for your belief in the concept, and in me.

It wouldn't have been possible without the help and support of my cherished friends: Susan Beth Smith and William Wells provided editorial support and insight; Joyce Michaelson, Kam Miller, Judy Ravitz, Doug Wood, and Tim Woods offered invaluable feedback; my brothers, Joel and Richard, supported me throughout the process; and, I'd never have finished it without the love and patience of my husband, Tom Crosthwaite, and my daughter, Sarah. Everybody graciously listened to me talk about this project long after they should have.

Chad Gervich helped give it shape and focus at the beginning of the process. Bobby Oswinski was my cheerleading section. Josh Ades was a great intern and tireless transcriber. Elisabeth Kiernan contributed excellent research and that clever map. Tally Barr, Akela Cooper, Leonard Chang, Steve Harper, Jim Jones, Christina Kim, Niceole Levy, Heather Regnier, and Nichelle Tramble offered invaluable comments. Jeffrey Melvoin passed along the Hollywood-English Writers Dictionary.

I also want to thank all of the talented people I've been honored to know as they embarked on their own Hollywood Game Plan, including the writers in my CBS Diversity Institute Writers Mentoring Program as well as the members of my seminars, workshops, and classes over the years.

Last, but definitely not least, this book would not be as meaningful without the following people, who so generously shared their experiences and insights:

Josh Ades, Clara Aranovich, Angie Averitt, Paris Barclay, Tally Barr, Hope Barkan, Lauren Berger, Yvette Lee Boswer, Felicia Brothers, Rosie Buada, Kyle Burns, Dominque Caamano, Chris Collins, Sean Conaty, Akela Cooper, Jim Dunn, Aaron Ensweiler, Sam Ernst, Omar Esquivias, Katie Fellion, Adam Fratto, Daryl Freimark, Stacy Greenberg, Vaughn Hannon, Cooper Harris, Richard Itskovich, Gregg Katano, Gloria Calderon Kellett, Eric Kovtun, Tyler Kroos, James Kyson Lee, Henry Lowenfels, Kristin Martini, Mo Masi, RJ Mitte, Adam Moore, Glen Mazzara, Meghan McDonald, Steven Mummolo, Charles Murray, Samata Narra, Ariel Nishli, Joy Oana, Brett Pacis, Josh Posner, Heather Regnier, Jaydi Samuels, Taryn Southern, Ron Taylor, Shana Waterman, Lucy Winn, Danielle Sanchez-Witzel.

INTRODUCTION

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

WELCOME TO HOLLYWOOD

The afternoon I called my mother from the private screening room at Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment was one of the best days of my life. I'd just gotten my job as Vice President of Television and was reviewing every film he'd made to see which properties might make good TV shows. From the time I had graduated from high school, my conservative mother had encouraged me to become a court reporter; it's a safe, solid career choice, she'd remind me every time I tried something new. With Raiders of the Lost Ark playing in the background, she finally had to concede the truth: I was right and the risks I'd taken to work in the entertainment industry had paid off. I was now doing what I'd always dreamed of.

This book is my way to encourage you to take a risk and follow your dreams. But you don't have to do it alone. When I began the journey that ultimately took me to that darkened screening room, I didn't know anyone in show business and didn't have a clue how to proceed. Along the way, I kept wishing someone would tell me what to do; explain the unwritten rules that everyone else seemed to know. As I was figuring things out, I vowed to help other aspiring hopefuls.

When I became an executive, I began to mentor wonderful, talented people. I also started to teach classes at colleges and universities on career development—how to break into and succeed in the entertainment industry. Over time the material evolved into the Hollywood Game Plan. It's a concrete, step-by-step plan that offers the tools you need to navigate this highly competitive, rapidly evolving business.

WHO THIS BOOK IS FOR

It's for anyone considering a career in show business; even if you don't know what you want to do yet. It's for aspiring filmmakers: writers, producers, directors, actors, cinematographers, make-up artists, visual effects artists, and everyone in between. It's for creative professionals interested in the traditional Hollywood model of success, as well as for those taking advantage of the Wild West environment of digital entertainment. The tools in this book are useful for people just breaking in as well as for experienced professionals wanting to make a career crossover. It's for people living in Los Angeles and for those thinking of moving here. It's also for creative individuals looking for entertainment opportunities in their local area.

Throughout the book I talk about working in Los Angeles because Los Angeles is where mainstream Hollywood does business. Getting work in show business is based on whom you know and on personal relationships. If you want to get personal in Hollywood, you need proximity. But there are entertainment jobs in most major cities, so whether you're in Beverly Hills or Charlotte, North Carolina, you can use these powerful career strategies to get a job you'll love.

HOW THIS BOOK IS DIFFERENT

In addition to sharing the insights I have gained over two decades, I wanted you to benefit from the advice of many others. Using the networking techniques in Chapter Eleven, I reached out to fifty newly minted Hollywood professionals—mostly young people who broke in within the past two years and who are on their way up the ladder—and asked them to share their experiences. They come from many different parts of the business and include aspiring writers, directors, actors, and cinematographers. They work as production assistants, production coordinators, agent trainees, junior executives, editors, costumers, and personal assistants. You'll benefit from their experiences, shared through their quotations and in stories placed throughout the book. You're getting a combination of advice and wisdom from someone who's hired hundreds of professionals and from those who were recently on the other side of the hiring desk.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

Like any game plan, this book is laid out in a linear progression so that you can take it step by step from the first chapter to the last. But it's also designed to allow you to jump around, depending on your specific needs at the time.

Throughout the book you'll find short

INSIDER TIPS as well as relevant quotations from the people I interviewed. If you're running out to a meeting and need a quick shot of advice, take a look at the Insider Tips in Chapter Fourteen on how to master the Hollywood meeting. If you're waiting in line at the grocery store, check out the quotations in Chapter Eleven on how to network like crazy or the ones on how to move up the food chain in Chapter Sixteen.

You'll find two exercises at the end of each chapter. They're fun and challenging. They're designed to help you immediately start using the tool or strategy you learned in the chapter. You will accelerate your job search and get quicker results when you do the exercises.

CONCLUSION

You're about to start on an exciting journey that will take you places you can't currently imagine. The Hollywood Game Plan is a detailed road map to get you there. My hope is that the practical knowledge in this book will be immediately useful as you begin to follow the Plan. My desire is that genuinely talented people will find their path into this business and help create the new face of entertainment.

section one

GET PREPARED

GET SMART

GET CONNECTED

GET FOCUSED

GET HIRED

GET GOING

CHAPTER 1

WELCOME TO
HOLLYWOOD

You're reading this book because you're interested in entertainment and are drawn to the creative opportunities in Hollywood. If you wanted to be a brain surgeon, you'd know exactly what to do: You'd go to medical school, practice interesting procedures on volunteer brains, do a residency, open your office, and start arguing with insurance companies. But you want to be in show business, so it's a totally different story. There's no one, single sure-fire way of getting in—and once you're in it's a roller coaster ride, complete with exhilarating highs and heartbreaking lows. One executive producer got 1,000 resumes for the assistant job he was looking to fill. NBC Universal gets over 10,000 applications for 700 summer intern slots. With these kinds of odds stacked against you, getting in the door is practically impossible.

When I break this news to the aspiring hopefuls in my workshops, I can tell who feels defeated. They're gone at the break. But the ones who stay have a certain look in their eyes. The defiant look that says, “That may be true for other people, but it's not true for me. I'm different. I'm going to beat out all those other applicants and get the job. I'm going to make it!” If you're one of these determined souls, your chances of succeeding in entertainment are excellent and the Hollywood Game Plan is made for you. It will be your guide as you pursue your dreams.

INSIDER TIP > Anyone in show business will tell you, if you can do something else, work in any other career and be happy do it. Hollywood is too competitive for the faint of heart or the uncommitted. But if you're focused and determined, it can be one of the most exciting experiences of your life.

WHY DO YOU NEED A PLAN?

The day I figured out I wanted to go into show business instead of teaching was thrilling. A little while later, it wasn't quite so exciting—I had zero contacts and knew nothing about the entertainment industry. What I did have was a fierce desire to be involved in entertainment and a willingness to do whatever it took to succeed. I had to learn everything the hard way. During my journey I created the Hollywood Game Plan. It evolved over time and helped me become a successful Hollywood executive and producer.

As a senior-level television executive and producer, I have hired hundreds of entertainment industry professionals and helped many more learn to navigate this unique industry. In addition to passing along my own insights gained over two decades, I interviewed fifty newly minted show business professionals who had recently broken into the business and are moving up. They work in all different parts of the business. Not long ago they were where you are now. They followed a version of the Hollywood Game Plan to get to where they are today. The Plan worked for me, it worked for them, and it can work for you. Before finding out exactly what the Hollywood Game Plan is, consider these questions:

IS THIS THE RIGHT BUSINESS FOR ME?

Successful show business professionals tend to share some important personal qualities: They have a powerful desire to express their creativity, they are risk takers, and they're able to withstand uncertainty and rejection. If you're interested in working in Hollywood, these qualities will help you succeed. If you're looking for stable, secure work, this probably isn't the business for you.

Production jobs, the hands-on tasks involved in making a project, are freelance gigs, so you'll always be on the lookout for your next gig. The jobs at studios, networks, and production companies aren't particularly stable either. People at every level get hired and fired regularly; sometimes for no discernible reason. Are you adaptable? Flexible? Open-minded? Entrepreneurial? If you said yes, this is a great business for you.

INSIDER TIP > Hollywood folks refer to the entertainment industry simply as “The Business” or “The Industry,” as though it's the only meaningful endeavor on the planet. Also, you don't “go to a meeting,”you “take a meeting.” Keep reading, you'll sound like an insider in no time.

IS THIS THE RIGHT TIME TO GO INTO THE BUSINESS?

Regardless of what's going on with the economy, people always want to be entertained. So if you have the passion, it's always a good time to go into the business. Certain parts of the industry are becoming more competitive; the number of jobs at studios, networks, talent agencies, and production companies are decreasing. There are still jobs, but to get them you need to be smarter, more competitive, better prepared. You need a concrete game plan.

There's some financial risk at the beginning of your career. You may not get paid as much as you would in another industry while you're paying your dues, but if you're on a path toward your goal, it's worth the investment. Happily, once you break in and move up there's an opportunity to make a good living. According to the 2010-2011 Bureau of Labor Statistics, many jobs in the motion picture and video fields, including executives, producers, directors, multimedia artists, animators, actors, executive secretaries, and administrative assistants pay higher hourly wages than almost any other industry. Of course, if you make it big, the sky's the limit, but even non-super stars can earn a good income.

Another thing to consider if you're wondering whether now is the right time to get into the business is technology. It's blazing new paths through show business, creating new forms of entertainment and more opportunities than ever before. All those projects need talented professionals to make them happen.

WHAT PART OF THE BUSINESS IS EXPLODING WITH OPPORTUNITY?

The digital technology side of the business is a dynamic, evolving field. Demand for talented people is growing every day and will be for years to come. As innovation creates new jobs, the titles and responsibilities are continually changing. A few current job titles in this area include motion graphics artist, compositor, visual effects artist, graphic animators, technical director, design compositor, and digital storyboard artist. If you have a technical aptitude, now is your time to shine.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE HOLLYWOOD GAME PLAN

Regardless of what part of the business you want to go into, if you have the right temperament and the will to succeed, all you need is a smart game plan.

A game plan is “A carefully thought-out strategy for achieving an objective in war, politics, business, or personal affairs; a plan of action.” Your objective is to get the job that will start you on your show business career or move you to the next level. Your strategy is the Hollywood Game Plan.

INSIDER TIP > Luck plays a part in getting your first job, but as you follow the concrete steps in this game plan, you will start to create and increase your luck.

Every plan has three phases: preparation, implementation, and follow-through. The Hollywood Game Plan takes you through these phases in six logical steps:

STEP ONE: GET PREPARED

Getting prepared includes educating yourself about the business so that you understand how things work and know what you're talking about. It's having the right Hollywood attitude so you'll be irresistible to decision makers. It's creating the right tools, including an industry-ready resume and cover letter, as well as doing everything you can to get an entertainment internship. Having an industry internship gives you a huge advantage in landing your first job.

STEP TWO: GET SMART

Being prepared may include moving to Los Angeles. If so, getting smart means lining up your prospects ahead of time; getting leads on places to live, meeting people to hang out with, and finding jobs. Getting smart also means zeroing in on what part of the business you're drawn to so you can focus your job search.

STEP THREE: GET CONNECTED

Hollywood is all about relationships. Networking like crazy will get you connected to peers and mentors who will help you throughout your career. Once you connect, you need to have a unique personal story to tell. As you'll learn in Chapter Ten, crafting your life experiences into your personal log line and “Personal A-Story”© will make you memorable, which is essential when forty hopefuls are competing against you for the same job.

STEP FOUR: GET FOCUSED

Now you're ready to launch a serious job hunt. You'll get an interview if your search is focused and intense. When you line up that interview, prepare like your career depended on it—because it does. Learn early in your career how to “give great meeting,” and you'll be a sought-after candidate.

STEP FIVE: GET HIRED

Arrive on the first day of your new job fully prepared to excel. Once you put in the time and are doing an outstanding job, start laying the groundwork to get your next gig and move up the food chain. If you're moving into entertainment from another business, prepare for a successful transition.

STEP SIX: GET GOING

Along with getting your first day job, make sure you're always honing your creative talent. Take your work to the next level and prepare to get an agent. Learn to harden your L.A. armor and the inevitable rejections will only make you stronger. Finally, in order to succeed in Hollywood, make your own luck and give back to others.

INSIDER TIP > If you want quicker results with the Hollywood Game Plan, do the exercises at the end of each of the chapters.

CONCLUSION

Congratulations! If you've read this far, you're up to the challenge of doing the work involved in landing your first job in show business. It's exciting. You're ready to get started on your own Hollywood Game Plan. Let's begin with a basic overview of how the business works.

CHAPTER 1

WELCOME TO HOLLYWOOD

EXERCISES

1.  What examples from your past show that you possess at least two of these qualities:

a.  Adaptable

b.  Flexible

c.  Open-minded

d.  Entrepreneurial

2.  You just found out about an entry-level assistant job at a high-profile production company. It's perfect for you. Write down three specific things about yourself that will make you stand out from the other 999 applicants applying for the job.

(Hint: Did you give examples of your previous successes? Did you give an example of your passion for the entertainment business? did you describe your amazing work ethic? did you mention something specific about the company that made you want to work there?)

CHAPTER 2

LEARN THE BASICS: ENTERTAINMENT 101

Think about your all-time favorite movie, television show, or online game. It was fantastic, right? It moved you like no other entertainment experience or made you laugh or engaged you for hours or days. Now think about why it got made. Was it because it was a story that had to be told or because the project was a lifelong creative obsession of the producer or even because the star had a passion for the material? Though all of those guesses could be factors, the bottom line is that it got made because a decision maker thought it would make money.

DOLLARS DRIVE HOLLYWOOD

With very few exceptions, the reason any project gets made is that someone in a position of power—a studio or network head, an advertiser or other decision maker—firmly believes it'll be profitable. In this way, show business is like every other business. The creative parts of the project, the story, the actors, the director, the set designs, and wardrobe, are all the “show” part. Making money is the “business” part. Both parts are essential. Along with the rest of Hollywood, one of the ongoing challenges you'll face throughout your career is to stay creative without forgetting the importance of the financial bottom line.

If Lesson One is Money is the primary motivator in entertainment, then Lesson Two is:

CONTENT IS CONTENT REGARDLESS OF HOW IT'S DISTRIBUTED

As Leslie Moonves, President and CEO of CBS Corporation, is fond of saying, “Content is king.” This phrase means that no matter what form it takes or which platform delivers it, entertainment content is what audiences crave. There's traditional media, like film, television, commercials, documentaries, and music videos. And there's emerging media, like original online and mobile content, themed entertainment, pure gaming, and interactive branded entertainment, which combines gaming with marketing and entertainment. Still other forms of entertainment are now just a glimmer of an idea in a creator's mind—but will end up being the next big thing.

All these types of media are blending together, creating new forms of storytelling and more avenues for creativity than ever before.

IT'S A GREAT TIME TO BE CREATING CONTENT

Now is one of the most exciting times in history to be involved in entertainment. Technology is pushing the industry to evolve at lightning speed and you'll see the business change more in the next five years than it has over the past fifty. As one interactive producer has observed, “One of the biggest changes is you don't need anyone's permission anymore to make entertainment. It's cheap to create and the Internet makes it essentially free to distribute.”

Creative entrepreneurs are writing, producing, directing, editing, and acting in their own projects. They're getting their friends together, creating content, and putting it online where millions of people see it without anything going through a studio or network. Traditional media is frantically trying to figure out how to make money in this new climate while digital media giants like Google and Amazon are cutting into the traditional entertainment market.

While they fight it out, you still want to get a job. Despite the down-turn in the economy, now is a great time to get a job in entertainment. More opportunity exists today than ever before; different kinds of productions are on the rise and new types of jobs in the digital industry are springing up all the time. “The job I have now didn't even exist when I was in college,” says one digital entertainment executive. In spite of all the changes, the entertainment industry will always respond to talent and passion…as long as there's a good chance it will generate a profit.

WHAT'S THE EASIEST WAY TO EXPLAIN HOW A PROJECT GETS MADE?

Hundreds of good books and online material explain in detail how different kinds of entertainment projects get made. I recommend that you read a lot of them. Because this book is about getting a job, we're going to scratch the surface of the topic with a very simple overview to get you started.

Feature Films

Approximately 80% of the U.S. movies released in 2011 were produced by just six Hollywood studios: Warner Bros., Paramount, Sony/Columbia, Universal, Buena Vista, and 20th Century-Fox. Studio executives develop thousands of scripts each year and the source of these projects can be anything. A good story can come from just about anywhere—published books, plays, comic books, TV series adaptations, in-house ideas, spec scripts (written on speculation by freelance screenwriters), story pitches, even magazine articles. Though ideas may come from anywhere, to be taken seriously, the project needs to be pitched by an insider with a track record. Of the thousands of screenplays that Hollywood studios develop each year, only an estimated 10% is actually produced.

Studios partner with producers or production companies on projects and gradually attach a director, screenwriter, and actors, with the film being greenlit by the studio head only after all of the elements are deemed commercial. With smaller-budgeted independent films, the process is similar, although the producers generally have to either raise the money for the project via independent financing or presell it to a distributor.

Television

A television project can begin with an original concept or script, a book, a movie, a successful blog, a magazine article, or an existing property, like Hawaii Five-0. A successful showrunner, someone with experience in executive producing a television series, or a first-time creator (who's been partnered with an experienced showrunner) sells the idea to a studio or production company. Then the studio or production company sells it to a network development executive. If the development executive likes it, she'll order a script and the writer will write it. If the script turns out well, the network will order a pilot, which is a single episode that shows what kinds of characters and stories will be in the series. If the pilot turns out well and the head of the network believes it has “legs” and will generate a hundred episodes or more, he'll “greenlight” it to series and more episodes will be made and distributed.

Other Entertainment Models

Because storytelling methods and distribution platforms are changing rapidly, no one development and production model fits them all. When original online content is user-generated, an actor, writer, producer, or director pulls together the people needed to produce the project, completes it, and puts it online. No studio, network, or distributor is involved. With emerging platforms like mobile, themed entertainment and branded entertainment, the basic route to an audience starts with an advertiser, venue, or client, who hires a production company to produce the project. The concept is developed into a script or other visualization of the idea and from there the project is produced. Once completed and approved, the final result is distributed to its targeted audience.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT STAGES A PROJECT GOES THROUGH?

Every project goes through specific phases as it transforms from an idea to a finished product. Each stage requires different tasks and jobs. Chapters Eight and Nine go into more detail on these stages and give job descriptions associated with each one so you can begin to think about what part of the business interests you the most.

1. Development

Development is where the process of creating entertainment begins. At this stage, the idea takes form and is developed and honed until it becomes a completed script or other form of work ready to be produced.

2. Preproduction

Once development is finished and the project is greenlit (ordered to production), deals are made to hire the cast and crew. Every step involved in actually producing the project is now planned and budgeted.

3. Production

Real or virtual cameras roll; actors (real or virtual) perform their roles, guided by the director; images are recorded and sound is captured.

4. Post production

Post production is the final stage of production for a project. It's where editing, music, and visual effects transform raw footage into the finished product.

5. Marketing and Distribution

Distribution is the process by which the finished product is delivered to an audience. It can be via a theater, television channel, theme park ride, mobile app, and/or other digital platforms. Marketing is the way a project is sold to audiences via traditional and digital advertising and social media.

WHAT'S THE HOLLYWOOD FOOD CHAIN AND WHO ARE THE POWER PLAYERS?

The term “Hollywood Food Chain” is a cynical reference to the pecking order within the entertainment industry. According to its paradigm, the power players are at the top and everyone else is miles below, hustling to move up.

INSIDER TIP > Not everyone breaking into show business wants to be a Hollywood Power Player. You may want to be an indie producer rather than make blockbuster studio films or be a working character actor rather than a movie star; or, you may have creative aspirations that take you in an entirely different direction. There's room for many different visions.

Power players are studio, television, or corporate executives with the authority to put a project in development or greenlight it (give it the go ahead) to production. Powerful agents, managers, entertainment attorneys, producers, directors, and stars can also be power players, depending on how much clout they have.

INSIDER TIP > The current food chain is based on the traditional Hollywood business model and, like everything else in this business, it won't look the same in the next few years. Look for innovative content creators to become the future power players.

Here's an assortment of today's power players and the entry-level jobs that'll start you on the path to the top of the food chain, if that's where your ambition lies. It helps to remember that today's power players all started off in the same situation you are in today: eager, excited to break in, looking for their first job.

ENTRY-LEVEL JOBS ON THE ROAD TO BECOMING A POWER PLAYER

Studio/Network/Production Company Executives

The ultimate power players are the decision makers who can spend the money to make a project. To know how to climb the ladder to the top it's important to understand titles. In Hollywood, executives' power bases and incomes are tied to their titles and they spend a lot of time maneuvering to get to the next highest one.

Here's a list of corporate titles. Although not every company has all of these titles, when they do, the order of authority goes like this:

•  Chairman

•  CEO

•  President

•  Executive Vice President

•  Senior Vice President

•  Vice President

•  Director

•  Manager

•  Coordinator

Suggested Entry-Level Positions:

A receptionist might be the easiest way to get in the door. But a stronger starting point is an assistant, either to a high-level executive—or, more likely—to a junior executive.

Powerful Agents/Managers/Attorneys

Whether in features, television, or digital entertainment, many insiders believe that a few high-profile agents, managers, and lawyers wield as much power as decision makers. They have tremendous influence and are often responsible for putting projects together and getting them made.

Different talent agencies and management firms structure their companies differently, but here's a general line up:

Talent Agency or Management Company

Chairman/CEO or President/Managing Partner

Department Head

Partner

Agent or Manager

Entertainment Law Firm

Partner

Lawyer or Associate

Suggested Entry-level Positions:

The entry-level position to become an agent or manager is working in the mailroom at a talent agency or being an assistant to an agent or manager. The entry-level position to becoming a high-powered attorney is junior associate. Both are brutal jobs with grueling hours and laughably low salaries, but each can offer an invaluable 360-degree perspective of the business.

Powerful Producers/Showrunners/Directors/Stars

This position is always a moving target because some big time directors wield more power than movie stars and some stars are higher up the food chain than powerful producers. It just depends on who's more in demand at the time and can command the biggest salary or most clout. In features, the producer or director generally has the most authority and in television it's the showrunner.

Suggested Entry-Level Positions:

The entry-level positions for these jobs include executive assistant or personal assistant, receptionist, researcher or P.A. (production assistant), or office P.A.

INSIDER TIP > To stay on top of the latest entertainment news, read the trades: Hollywood Reporter.com and Variety.com, along with Deadline Hollywood.com, are great sources of information and gossip about film and television. Other blogs and online communities are appearing every day.

CONCLUSION

Knowing these basics is just the beginning of your education. To get a great job, you need more in-depth knowledge in your particular field and you must stay current with what's happening in the business as a whole. Online communities, entertainment websites, and job-specific books and publications will give you the kind of advanced information you need to make progress toward your career goals.

Now that you have a very basic understanding of Entertainment 101, it's time to create the start-up tools of the trade: an industry-ready resume and a killer Hollywood cover letter.

CHAPTER 2

LEARN THE BASICS: ENTERTAINMENT 101

EXERCISES

1.  Do some research to answer these questions:

a.  Who's one of the producers of last year's highest grossing picture?

b.  What's the most popular viral video of the past three months?

c.  What's the number one sitcom?

d.  What's the name of one of CAA's talent agents?

e.  Who's the president of Sony Pictures Studio?

f.  What famous star just got out of rehab?

2.  Check off all the areas of the business you think you might like to work in:

a.  Film

b.  Television

c.  Original Online Content

d.  Development

e.  Production

f.  Post production

g.  Online Content Supporting Film/Television Projects

h.  Documentaries

i.  News

j.  Commercials

k.  Animation

l.  Themed Entertainment

m. Live Events

n.  Music Videos

o.  Talent Agency

p.  Business Affairs

q.  Public Relations

r.  Corporate Entertainment

s.  Promotions

t.  Motion Graphics

u.  Publicity

v.  On-air Promo

w.  Interactive Marketing

x.  Distribution

y.  Digital Content Management

z.  Educational Entertainment

CHAPTER 3

MAKE YOURSELF IRRESISTIBLE TO
DECISION MAKERS

Alex was one of two writers P.A.s hired. It was the perfect job for an aspiring writer to get in the door on a television show. His job was to make sure the kitchen was stocked with snacks and to pick up lunch and get people coffee in the afternoon. The other P.A. did a fine job. But Alex was meticulous. He arrived in the morning before anyone else on staff and made sure all the shelves were neat. He even organized and labeled them so the writers would know which snacks were in each cabinet. When Alex delivered lunch, instead of stacking the plates and utensils in the middle of the table like the other P.A., he set out each plate, napkin, and silverware in front of each of the writer's chairs. Throughout the day he'd check in with everyone to see if they needed anything. These sound like trivial things, but his attention to detail and work ethic impressed the staff so much that when it got out that he was an aspiring writer, every writer on the show offered to read Alex's script, give him notes, and help him find an agent.

WHAT MAKES YOU APPEALING TO A DECISION MAKER?

What makes you irresistible to decision makers is not your award-winning student film or even the ivy league college you graduated from—although both of those are appealing assets—it's simply having the right Hollywood attitude. Distilled to its essence, the right attitude combines passion for working in entertainment, confidence in your abilities, and an enthusiastic willingness to do whatever task you're given, regardless of how menial.

INSIDER TIP > A lot of people just out of college, especially out of film school, have a major sense of entitlement. They assume Ms. Hollywood Power Broker cares deeply about their dreams and creative ambitions—or, that she's so impressed with their eighteen-minute student film, she's dying to give them a multimillion dollar deal. Nope. What Ms. power Broker is looking for is someone who is focused on her needs; someone who will make her life easier, someone who's willing to do grunt work without complaining or insisting on getting promoted in two months.

The idea for this book came from a lunch I had with one of the top literary managers in town. He was complaining that whenever he asked his new receptionist to bring him coffee, she rolled her eyes. This was the third receptionist in four months and he was desperate to find someone who would do the job well, and not be a pain in the butt. At his company, the receptionist position was the first step on the path to becoming a manager. He was looking for fresh talent to groom, but there hadn't been anyone whose attitude impressed him enough to even consider them. I realized that if I could get this message out to talented newcomers, I'd be able to share one of the most important secrets for breaking into the business.

AN EXAMPLE OF HOLLYWOOD ATTITUDE

My story is a good example of how someone who wasn't connected at all managed to parlay a good attitude into her first job in the industry. When I graduated from college, I thought I was going to teach English, but kept putting off applying to graduate school and instead took low-paying, uninspiring jobs. When I saw a want ad to be an assistant to the director of a small museum, I figured I didn't have anything to lose. I knew how to type and it sounded a lot more interesting than being a waitress at Katz's Delicatessen.

In the interview, I was upbeat and enthusiastic, and convinced the director I would do a great job. During the two years I spent at the museum, I worked extremely hard and made myself indispensable. I was always in early, happy to do whatever needed to be done, and continually looking to improve my work. There were two dozen volunteers at the museum and I set up a color-coded system to help keep track of what each volunteer was working on and where we needed additional help. I had a good time and people told me I was fun to be around.

One day, Marilyn, a volunteer, told me she knew a television producer who was looking for an assistant. Seemed like a good opportunity.

The producer and I hit it off. At the end of the interview, he handed me three scripts and asked me if I could do coverage. “Absolutely,” I told him. He was headed to New York in the morning and asked to get the coverage by the time he returned. If he liked it, he'd set up a second interview with his partner.

As I walked to my car I panicked. What the hell was coverage? When I got home I called everyone I knew who knew someone who worked in the entertainment industry. There was no Internet then and I had to find out what coverage was!

I finally found a friend of a friend who told me coverage was a document analyzing a script and commenting on its strengths and weaknesses. I stayed up all night, read all three scripts, and typed up the coverage, even though I really didn't know what I was doing. At 4:30 in the morning, I drove to the Hollywood Hills and put the coverage on Jim's doorstep. I figured he'd have to trip over it when he left his house.

The next day, Jim called me from New York to tell me how impressed he was. Not with the coverage. Clearly I didn't have any experience so I didn't do a great job. What impressed him was that I'd stayed up all night to get it to him the next day even though he'd asked for it a week later. He said I was exactly the kind of assistant he was looking for and offered me the job on the phone.

I worked for Jim for the next four years. I set up his office and took his dogs to the vet and house-sat when he went out of town. But I also sat in on script meetings and pitch meetings and casting sessions. I learned about working with writers, actors, directors, studios, and everyone else in the entertainment business. It was fascinating and exciting. I had found my passion and direction: television development and producing.

Over time, I moved up at that company from lowly assistant to Director of Development, which was the launching pad for my career. My next job was Director of Comedy Development at CBS. From there I went to Steven Spielberg's company to help start his television division. Several other exciting jobs followed and today I get to help people navigate their own way through the entertainment industry. I was lucky that Marilyn had a producer friend who needed an assistant, but my career began because I was willing to work through the night to finish the coverage and delivered it to his doorstep.

INSIDER TIP > There are lots of “lucky break” stories in Hollywood. The truth is the luckiest people in show business are the ones who didn't feel anybody owed them anything and worked harder than everyone else.

FIVE WAYS TO ADJUST YOUR ATTITUDE

Regardless of where you currently are along the entitled/ not entitled attitude spectrum, if you follow these five principles, you'll transform yourself into an irresistible job candidate.

1. Radiate Genuine Passion. Passion is unbridled enthusiasm. It's having energy and excitement about a subject. Your passion is to be creative in some aspect of show business; or, maybe it's the entertainment industry as a whole. Whatever it is, you have to communicate your energy, excitement, and enthusiasm at all times, especially in interviews and meetings.

“I was that kid jumping out of his seat in junior high,
raising my hand because I was
so eager to participate. I'm still like that and people
seem to respond to it—I had
a couple of great internships and I think
I'm about to get promoted to creative executive.”

—Jonathan, assistant to feature creative executive

2. Convey Confidence. It's not necessary to be totally well adjusted and supremely confident in every aspect of your life. If that were the case, there wouldn't be anyone working in show business. You just need to convey confidence in your ability to “deliver”—to do whatever task needs to be done and to do it well. Being comfortable with your personal style adds to your self-assurance. One young director I know is wildly excited about whatever he's currently working on, his humor and enthusiasm are infectious, and you'd want to hire him if you met him. On the other hand, an executive's assistant I know, who will surely be running the studio one day, is soft-spoken, intense, and self-contained. Any style can work, as long as you transmit the conviction that you can do the job. If you're having a bad day, fake it.

“I don't think of myself as confident. Just really determined.
I've wanted to make movies my whole life and
I'll do whatever it takes to achieve my goal. I guess
that comes off as confidence.”

—Michael, aspiring filmmaker

3. Love the One You're With. You need to do the job you currently have with all the energy and commitment you possess. Even if it's just alphabetizing names on a studio parking pass list, always bring your “A-Game” to every task. It's easy to tell yourself the job doesn't matter because it's not what you ultimately want, but don't give in to that temptation. You want to make yourself indispensable at every job you have. If I hadn't been a really great assistant at the museum, Marilyn would never have recommended me to my future boss.

“I made a game out of figuring out which
restaurant my boss would want to go
to for lunch. It was fun. I got to the point where
I could guess accurately 95% of the time. She
was always impressed when I had her reservation
made before she told me which restaurant.”

—Kristin, assistant to studio vice president

4. Say Yes. When someone offers you an opportunity, always say yes (unless it's immoral, illegal, or violates your religious beliefs). This attitude means, in the beginning, nothing is beneath you. You'll sweep floors, pick up dry cleaning, or hold the boom mic. It doesn't matter if it's not exactly what you want. It's a chance to meet people, and meeting people is how you get work in this town.

5. Dazzle Them With Your Competence. Develop an awe-inspiring work ethic. Go to extraordinary lengths to impress people with your competence. Do whatever it takes to get the job done—then do more. Become a passionate overachiever. Jim, my first boss, told me later that he had been leaning toward hiring someone else until he saw that I'd spent eleven straight hours doing coverage and getting the form right, even though he hadn't offered me the job yet.

“I don't give anything less than 110%.
There are too many other people
who are doing a 100%.
It's not enough to stand out.”

—Sarah, production coordinator

INSIDER TIP > Because the person hiring you got to where he is by starting at the bottom and working his way up, he's looking to hire someone like him. Regardless of where you went to school or whom you're related to, if you come in with passion, intelligence, and an eager-to-do-whatever-needs-to-be-done attitude, you'll get hired – while everyone else complains about how impossible it is to find a job.

CONCLUSION

Remember those 1,000 resumes for the one assistant gig and the 10,000 applicants for the 700 internship positions? Somebody got those jobs. The ones who did had outstanding interviews where their passion was obvious, they conveyed quiet confidence in their ability to do any job they were given, and they made it clear they would be happy to do any job they were given. It made them irresistible. Adjusting your attitude for the Hollywood marketplace is an essential component of your game plan. The next step is getting your resume and cover letter industry ready.

CHAPTER 3

MAKE YOURSELF IRRESISTBLE TO DECISION MAKERS

EXERCISES

1.  The following tasks may seem tedious or demeaning, but might be the reality of your first job. Check off the ones you're willing to do:

a.  House-sit for your boss

b.  Take his big, mean dog to the park

c.  Stay at work until one o'clock in the morning organizing paperwork

d.  Get lunch for everyone (ten individual orders) every day

e.  Go downtown to pick up special buttons for wardrobe, then go back and return them when you bought the wrong kind, then go again when you got them wrong the second time, and once more because you still didn't get them right

f.  Get your boss front row seats to tonight's sold-out concert

g.  Stay at work until three o'clock in the morning until the rendering is finished

h.  Give your boss's cat its medicine, and it's not the oral kind

i.  Calm down an irate actor who's throwing things

j.  Sweep the floor and clean up the bathroom

k.  Lie to your boss's husband

l.  Deliver scripts until three o'clock in the morning and then be back on set at six a.m.

2.  The five principles of the right Hollywood attitude are:

a.  Radiate genuine passion

b.  Convey confidence

c.  Love the one you're with

d.  Say yes

e.  Dazzle them with your competence

Choose three of them. Regardless of where you choose to do it: at your current job, at school, at your church, with your family, or anyplace else, see if you can practice them for ten days. Can you do it? Ask for feedback about your new behavior from the people around you and write down what you learned.

CHAPTER 4

TURN YOUR
CURRENT RESUME
INTO AN
INDUSTRY-READY
RESUME

Jessica is a production coordinator on a $30 million feature film, and she's got a serious problem. In addition to being over-worked and over-caffeinated, she has to find a P.A. in the next three hours or her lead actor will get very cranky. He needs to get his imported sashimi and bottle of Penta H_20 water for lunch, and she needs a P.A. to pick it up. There's a stack of resumes from P.A. hopefuls on her desk. She dives in.

If you're the solution to Jessica's problem, congratulations, you've just broken into Hollywood. But to even be considered, your resume has to be special enough to make it to her desk.

“When I hired my last assistant,
I had 1,800 resumes in my inbox—and
the job wasn't even advertised.”

—Adam, executive producer

I first heard the term “industry-ready resume” from Kam Miller, my good friend and co-creator of the Hollywood Assistant Training Program (tv). It's the perfect description of a tight sales document specifically geared toward landing a job in show business. It demonstrates your attention to detail, showcases your savvy in presenting yourself, and compels its reader to meet you. An industry-ready resume:

1. Answers the only question that matters to a decision maker

2. Makes you look successful and desirable

3. Forges a personal connection with the reader

4. Is quick and easy to read

1. ANSWERS THE ONLY QUESTION THAT MATTERS TO A DECISION MAKER

Do you know what the single most important question someone who can hire you for an entry-level job is? Hint: It's not “How talented is this person?” It's “Will this person make my life easier?” Down the road she may be interested in your career aspirations. She may even decide to become your mentor or friend. But right now she wants to know whether you're going to make her life easier…and not be annoying about it—which means you'll do simple, unchallenging, often menial tasks that no one else wants to do. If you do them well, you've made her life easier. If you do them happily, you won't be annoying. A Hollywood decision maker looking for an assistant or a P.A. doesn't need an award-winning indie film director, she needs someone with proven ability to copy scripts and fetch coffee.

2. MAKES YOU LOOK SUCCESSFUL AND DESIRABLE

After months upon months of tireless work, Mark has finally been promoted to junior agent and now needs to find his replacement. He's nervous because he can't just bring in someone good—he has to bring in someone great. Mark knows it's a grueling job. He also knows that if he chooses correctly it'll make him look good. In Hollywood, looking good is one of the surest ways to move up the food chain. So how can Mark make sure someone's going to be exceptional enough to fill his shoes? By checking out previous achievements.

INSIDER TIP > It's an unwritten rule in Hollywood: In order to get the opportunity to become successful, you have to first be perceived as successful. In other words, to get hired you have to have already succeeded at something. In other businesses, your accomplishments have to be concrete and specific to that field. In show business, as long as you've achieved something interesting, you're an attractive candidate.

Use the “Awards and Achievements” section of your resume to start to establish your desirability based on previous recognition. Don't worry—even if you haven't won a student academy award or graduated from Harvard, you can still position yourself as a success.

3.   INCLUDES INFORMATION TO CREATE A PERSONAL CONNECTION WITH THE READER

You have an immediate advantage over other applicants if the decision maker personally relates to something in your resume. If you include an interest or organization he belongs to, he subconsciously feels “this person is one of us.” Being “one of us” puts the two of you on the same team, and it's natural to be a little biased toward someone on your team.

There's no way to know for sure what a reader will relate to, so the more diverse things you include in the “Interests” and/or “Organizations” section, the better your chances are of making a personal connection.

4.  IS QUICK AND EASY TO READ BECAUSE:

•  It's brief.

•  It gets right to the point.

•  It has LOTS of white space.

•  It uses a simple, readable font.

Brief means one page. Unless you have a couple of Ph.D.s, you only need a single page. A two-page resume from a recent grad looks ridiculous and takes too long to read.

Getting right to the point means using simple language and short sentences and including only information that's relevant to an entry-level job. Some applicants assume that if they use big words, they'll look smarter. Ninety-nine percent of the time it backfires. Readers see right through it and dismiss the applicant as pretentious.

Lots of white space ensures it'll be easy to read. If your resume is uncluttered and takes fewer than seven seconds to scan (which is about how long a decision maker will take to scan it), it's a lot more likely to get read. If it's very dense with lots of words and long sentences, it probably won't be considered.

The smallest font size that's easy to read quickly is 11 point. You don't want anything to get in the way of the reader having a quick, positive response to your resume, so choose a good professional-looking font like Times, Tahoma, Verdana, or Arial in a readable size. Anything too artsy or complicated tends to make a resume too challenging to read. It's simpler to toss it than try to decipher it.

Back to Jessica, the production coordinator; she's finally starting to get through the pile of resumes when the location manager calls needing permits faxed right away. She deals with the location manger but now only has fifteen minutes to get through twenty resumes. She races through the pile, spending about four seconds scanning each one. She throws out ones with obvious errors: anything with typos or misspellings. Next she tosses all the ones that are hard to read: too many words, weird fonts.

She's narrowed it down from twenty to ten. Progress! But wait: Her phone's ringing again. People are yelling about petty cash. She has to put the resumes on hold and deal with the money emergency.

While Jessica deals with petty cash, let's get your resume to the top of the pile. To make it simple to scan, divide it into easy-to-read sections. I've listed seven but only use ones that are relevant to you. At the end of this book, you will find samples of actual resumes that helped their authors get entertainment jobs within six weeks.

RESUME SECTIONS

1.  Objective Line (optional)

2.  Highlights (optional)

3.  Work Experience/Related Work Experience/Internships

4.  Awards/Scholarships/Organizations

5.  Related Skills

6.  Education

7.  Interests and Pursuits (optional)

Objective Line

There are pros and cons to including an objective line at the top.

Pros:

•  Immediately lets a prospective employer see what job you're applying for. She doesn't have to spend one minute wondering.

•  Can indicate a great attitude.

•  Sets you apart in a pool of applicants replying to a blind ad.

Cons:

•  A great objective line needs to be carefully crafted into a single concise but persuasive sentence that's specific to each different category of job for which you are applying, which means you need to write a new one each time.

“I tweaked my resume at least
twenty times. I tried to tailor it for each
company I was interviewing for.”

—Brett, talent agency coordinator

•  It's better not to have an objective line than to have the wrong one. If you're applying for a personal assistant gig but your objective line says script reader, it'll get shredded.

INSIDER TIP > One of the biggest mistakes inexperienced—and even some experienced—job hunters make is using the objective line to describe what THEY want this job to do for THEM and THEIR career.

Avoid wording like, “Seeking an entry-level job in a big, important production company that will allow me to learn more about the entertainment industry and further my career.” A decision maker looking to hire an entry-level person doesn't care about furthering your career. He doesn't even know you! If you use an objective line, focus on what you can do for the potential employer. Try something like, “Seeking a P.A. job where I can contribute my well-developed organizational skills to the production.”

“No spelling errors. I throw out resumes that have
spelling errors and I don't care what your objectives are—
I want to know how you're going to be helpful to me.”

—Susan Beth, producer

Highlights

A “highlights” section at the beginning can be extremely helpful to a busy decision maker. In fewer than five seconds, he can see whether there's something that interests him. If the bullet points under “highlights” are impressive or relate explicitly to the job opening to be filled, your resume immediately goes to the top of the pile.

Work Experience

If you haven't worked in the entertainment industry, list your jobs under “Work Experience.” Remember to focus on job tasks that relate to an entry-level show biz job. These include typing, organizing, answering phones, customer relations, analyzing information, creative problem solving, dealing with difficult people, or successfully working under pressure, and any type of management position that shows your leadership ability.

INSIDER TIP > If you include bullet points to describe the tasks of a particular job, make them short. Most people know what's involved in being a salesperson in a clothing boutique or a gourmet cookware store. One or two bullet points to cover the basics are enough. Never use more than three.

Related Work Experience

If you've managed to have a paying job—of any kind—in the entertainment industry, bravo! You'll want to list it in first position under a separate heading called “Related Work Experience” or “Entertainment Experience.”

Entertainment Industry Internships

If you're fortunate enough to have had an internship at a Hollywood company, again, bravo! The tasks given to interns are often similar to what an entry-level employee does. An entertainment internship is a tremendous asset and should be in the “Highlights” section, or at the top under the “Related Work Experience.” Whether it's an internship or related experience, put the job with the most prestigious company or most relevant tasks in the first position.

Related Skills

The reader quickly finds this section. It's important because it shows you can actually do the job. He figures you won't have to be trained in the skills you listed so you can hit the ground running. You'll hear that term a lot. If you can “hit the ground running,” your resume will move to the top of the pile. Include all the computer skills and programs in which you're proficient, and a foreign language if you're fluent.

Awards/Scholarships/Organizations

This section of your resume is where you can convey your desirability based on previous success. If you've won an award or scholarship, you've already excelled at something and you'll probably excel at this job, too.

This section also provides a valuable opportunity to make that personal connection with the reader. Any organization or club from Alpha Phi Alpha sorority to the Table Tennis Association or the Asian American Film Lab could create an immediate bond.

Education

I prefer to place this information at the bottom. Generally a decision maker is just looking to see if you graduated from college. Assuming you did, he'll be interested to find out if you went to his alma mater or a prestigious university. Unless you're a Fulbright Scholar, just use one line: the name of the school, the degree you got, the field you studied (only if it's relevant or extremely interesting), and the year you graduated.

“Education isn't the most important thing
on the resume. Experience is.”

—Eric, production coordinator

Interests/Pursuits

This section is the other place to make a personal connection with the reader. The more specific, the better; for example maybe you:

•  did your graduate thesis on Alfred Hitchcock

•  spent your senior year abroad in Beijing

•  are a Big Brother or Sister

•  have a huge following on a social networking service

•  collect first edition comic books

•  started an after-school program in your neighborhood

•  won first place in the state pie-making contest three years in a row.

“I look to see if they've done any volunteer work,
or if they're part of some philanthropic organization on
campus. It can be anything that they're passionate
about, as long as there's something.”

—Joy, H.R. executive

INSIDER TIP > Watch out for clichés and watered-down generalizations in the “Interests” section. Everybody likes to read and travel and go to movies. These interests are too vague to help you stand out as distinctive or special—which is one of the main goals of the industry ready resume.

Thirty minutes later Jessica finally gets back to the pile and she's stressed out. The clock is ticking!

Now she spends about ten seconds looking over the “Work Experience” section. Does this person have any experience that could possibly translate to what she needs done right now? Answering phones, using the copier, typing, running errands, collating scripts?

In three minutes, she eliminates six more. Only four left to reread more carefully to see if there's anything to show this person would be a good P.A.

She moves to the “Awards and Scholarships” section. Are there any awards she recognizes? Even if it's karate or debate club, earning a black belt or winning a school championship could indicate the candidate's an achiever. Just what she needs.

She takes five seconds to check out hobbies and interests. Anything she's familiar with or that someone in the office might relate to? If so, it goes to the top of the pile.

ADDITIONAL RESUME POINTERS

1.  ONLY include your GPA if it's stellar. Though it's a meaningful accomplishment to graduate with a 3.7 or 3.8, it may not be quite impressive enough in the competitive world of Hollywood to make a reader say “Wow!” You definitely do NOT have to include a GPA. On the other hand, if you do have a 4.0, it shows you're a classic over-achiever, which is always a plus.

2. DON'T LIE. Definitely describe yourself in the most positive light possible, but never lie. If you didn't graduate from college, don't say you did. I promise someone will find out. It's humiliating to be fired for lying on your resume just when you were going to be promoted (which happened to a P.A. I knew). Because everyone talks to everyone in Hollywood, lying can keep you from getting another job.

3. Start with the most recent job first and go backwards from there.

4. ALWAYS SAVE your resume as a PDF file and title the document your “Last Name. Resume.” That title makes it easy to identify quickly and the formatting won't change from one computer to another.

INSIDER TIP > To stand out from the hundreds of other emails in a decision maker's inbox, put something other than “Resume” in the subject line. It could be anything a little different. Try your own variation on “NYU Grad with Production Experience,” or use something humorous like, “One of 4,000 applicants – but a great choice” in the subject line. Use whatever wording would set you apart from all the other applications they're receiving.

5. A HOLLYWOOD RESUME does not list every student film you ever worked on. Your mother cares. Your friends are impressed. But because it's unlikely that someone is going to pay you a lot of money to be a writer, director, producer, or cinematographer right out of college, that information is irrelevant—unless, of course, your web series is getting a million hits a month, in which case you probably won't need a resume.

Rather than list each film, just include a brief and quantifiable overview of the work you've done. Provide a specific number of films or videos or Internet series without going into detail. Saying you've directed and produced fifteen student films makes the point and makes an impact. You don't need to give the title and a synopsis of each one.

Here's an example of “brief” and “quantifiable:”

• Film/Production Experience

– Wrote, produced, and directed 12 student films. Secured financing for each film; budgets ranged from $100 to $10,000.

or

• Online Series

– Wrote, produced, directed, and starred in twenty, three-minute videos. Got 10,000 hits a day.

6. INCLUDE your local street address. It suggests you already know your way around town and could start immediately. A cell phone number and email address are a must.

7. MISSPELLINGS and TYPOS are the kiss of death. They are messy and make you look bad. My friend Bill Wells, a successful screenwriter, jokingly refers to a document with lots of misspellings/errors as a “slopfest.” If you submit a resume that's a slopfest, it will get tossed or deleted before it ever sees the light of day.

8. The good news is that when someone starts to read a resume, he WANTS it, and you, to be great. The reader has a problem that needs to be solved and he is hoping the person behind an outstanding resume will be the solution to his problem.

Jessica's now down to the last three resumes, which is good because she only has five minutes left to decide. She quickly rereads them. Which one knows his way around town? Who can get to the airport, the set, and Starbucks without getting lost? Who can start immediately? She picks up the phone and starts dialing.

CONCLUSION

With the right resume you could be on the other end of the call. Keep your keys handy.

Now that you've created an industry-ready resume, the next step is to write a killer Hollywood cover letter to go with it.

CHAPTER 4

TURN YOUR CURRENT RESUME INTO AN INDUSTRY-READY RESUME

EXERCISES

1.  Rewrite the following sections of your resume, using tips from the chapter:

a. Objective

b. Interests/Pursuits

c. Related Skills

2.  Give your revised resume to someone with experience reviewing them (from the career center, or a business person who hires people based on their resumes) and get feedback.

CHAPTER 5

WRITE A KILLER
HOLLYWOOD
COVER LETTER

Joy is an H.R. (Human Resources) executive at a large studio. She sees over a hundred cover letters and resumes every week. She's delighted when she reads something interesting or unique. Susan Beth is a successful producer. When she's hiring P.A.s, she gets dozens of email cover letters and resumes a day. She pores over them them, looking for someone telling her what they can do to make her life easier.

THE BEST COVER LETTERS ARE LIKE MOVIE TRAILERS

Think of a killer Hollywood cover letter as a movie trailer. The same way a great trailer entices you to see the movie by showing a few select, exciting scenes from the movie, a killer cover letter entices the reader to meet you through a few choice pieces of information. The killer cover letter is a short, compelling peek at who you are and what you have to offer. More personal than a resume, the cover letter gives you the opportunity to go into detail about what makes you special.

“An impressive cover letter is essential
when I'm hiring an intern.”

—Hayley, creative executive

Lots of online advice about cover letters encourages you to “have a well-written letter that shows you're serious about your job search.” They instruct you to “highlight one or two of your skills or accomplishments that show you are the right person for this position.”

A killer Hollywood cover letter does that too, but in a bold, imaginative way. As the award-winning director Paris Barclay says, “This is a creative business, to get my attention a cover letter needs to be creative and provocative; something clever without being desperate.” The hallmarks of a great show business cover letter are that it's bold and brief, demonstrates a great attitude, and respectfully asks for something specific.

Because a cover letter needs to be short and sweet, write a total of three or four short, concise paragraphs; each about three or four sentences each. If you're sending it as an attachment, the document should be about twenty sentences total. If it is in the body of an email, your cover letter should be no more than two short paragraphs; in some cases, a few well-crafted sentences are enough.

“A cover letter email should be painfully short.
'Hi, I got your name from my friend
who worked with you on such and such.
She said you're always looking for good P.A.s.'”

—Susan Beth, producer

You want to capture the reader's attention with a bold opening sentence, say what you can do for him or his company, demonstrate your can-do attitude, and close with a call to action. Five brief sections pull it all together.

COVER LETTER SECTIONS

1. Salutation

2. Introduction

3. Main Point of the Letter

4. The Ask

5. Close

“First paragraph was why I wanted to be an agent.
Second was about me—just graduated from Syracuse, etc.
The third or fourth was about what I could do
for them, how I added value.”

q—Scott, talent agency coordinator

Salutation

When your letter is written to a particular person, as opposed to a general letter to a company, start it with a “Dear Mr. (or Ms.) so and so.”

INSIDER TIP > Even though Hollywood appears casual, it's not. You'll be out of the running if you address a letter to Mr. Spielberg with a “Hey, Steve!”

Introduction

Grab your audience from the first line. You've only got one or two sentences to grab a reader's interest, so put the most compelling or distinctive things about yourself up front. Once you have the reader's attention, give a little background on who you are and what you aspire to do. You can include where you went to school, projects you've worked on, and something relevant from your life.

Don't waste valuable space in the first two sentences giving your name and where you're from. Your name's not important here because the reader will see it at the bottom of the page in the signature line. Where you are from isn't important either, unless you happen to be from his hometown, in which case, nice job of creating a potential personal connection!

INSIDER TIP > If you were personally referred to the reader, put the name of the person who referred you in the first line.

Use Your Personal Style

Finding the right tone is essential. Know your own personal style and use it. If you're a light-hearted person, start with something amusing or clever.

Dear Mr. Hollywood Power Broker,

My name is Josh Anderson. As you probably figured out from my subtly crafted subject line, I was sent your direction by Jaffar Burki. I worked with Jaffar a few years back and we have been great friends ever since, so any compliments he pays me are 100% accurate.

If light-hearted isn't your style, go with something original or heartfelt.

Dear Mr. Decision Maker,

I've loved XYZ [films] since I was in sixth grade and it's been my goal to work for you since then.

or

Dear Ms. Hollywood Power Broker,

When I was ten years old, I was struck by lightning. I know the odds of breaking into Hollywood are about the same as my childhood experience. Happily, I love a challenge.

Remember, no matter how much you want to impress the reader, don't lie. If you write that you were hit by lightning, you better have been hit by lightning because someone is sure to ask about it and discover the truth. It's okay to embellish a little, but never lie. Nothing is worth ruining your credibility over.

“I was humorous in my cover letter.
I put in, just sort of anecdotally,
that I was okay with getting ham
sandwiches. I think I sent out at least
three dozen letters and resumes.”

—Kyle, emerging director

Genuine Admiration

When appropriate, the first paragraph can also include genuine appreciation or admiration for the reader's work. But never fawn. Be brief, thoughtful, and detailed. Anyone can write, “You're great!” or “I love your videos.” The way to get the reader's attention is to write something that shows you've given serious thought to his work and explains why it's important to you; for example, “Your theme of deeply flawed characters earning redemption had a powerful emotional impact on me as I was growing up.”

INSIDER TIP > A useful strategy to impress a creative professional is to refer to a lesser-known or more personal piece of work instead of the most recent blockbuster. Johnny Depp might respond more positively to comments about one of his early films, like What's Eating Gilbert Grape than to the multibillion dollar-grossing Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

Avoid the temptation to use the phrase, “I am your biggest fan.” It's unimaginative, and worse—it can make you sound a little like a stalker. (See Stephen King's film Misery).

The Main Point of the Letter: What You Can Do For Them.

After you grab his attention and give some personal background, let the reader know why it's in his best interest to meet or help you. To explain how you'll contribute to his endeavors, spend the next two or three lines describing exactly what you have to offer. It doesn't have to be earth-shaking, just helpful and enthusiastic. Rather than a general description of your abilities, use something concrete and quantifiable:

1. “I'm very organized.”

vs.

“I once organized and distributed 300 personalized thank you gifts for a fundraising event.”

2. “I'm a fast learner.”

vs.

“I figured out how to use Final Cut Pro in two days so I could edit my student film for a festival deadline.”

3. “I'm a good communicator.”

vs.

“I was a residential adviser on a rowdy dorm floor and managed to keep everyone in check.”

4. “I'm a people person.”

vs.

“I won two ‘top customer service representative' awards when I worked in the complaint department at Nordstrom's, so I can probably deal with anybody.”

“I tailored every single cover letter to the company.
I would personalize it and describe how my skill sets
would help them. Imagine doing that for fifty
to sixty companies.”

—Dominique, assistant to executive producer

The Ask

If you want to break into Hollywood you're going to have to ask for help. In the beginning, you're going to ask for advice, an interview, or a job. A lot of people feel uncomfortable asking someone they don't know for a favor, especially if that person is in a power position. It's not as hard as you may think. There's a simple way to handle it: be respectful, ask directly, and give the person an easy way to say yes—or a gracious way to say no without actually rejecting you.

INSIDER TIP > Although there's plenty of rejection in Hollywood, no one wants to be personally responsible for it. Hollywood is a small town and if somebody rejects you now and ends up needing you later, there's fear you won't be inclined to help them at that point. Because nobody knows whom they'll need and when, it's safer not to reject anyone outright.

For example, you send a letter to a Hollywood Decision Maker. What you really want to ask is: “Will you please help me break in or give me a job?” What you write is:

“I know you're extremely busy, but I would be grateful for fifteen minutes of your time to get advice on breaking into the business.”

Because almost everyone enjoys talking about himself, if approached correctly, most power players will give you fifteen minutes to tell you how they made it. If you impress him, he'll probably help you—with a job opportunity if one's available or possibly a recommendation to another decision maker. If he's not impressed, he won't do anything more than meet with you; but technically he's not rejecting you because all you asked for was a meeting or a phone call to get advice. He still gets to be a good guy.

INSIDER TIP > Every power player in this town got to where he or she is because somebody helped in the beginning. Consequently most people are willing, if you do a decent “ask,” to sit down with you. Of course there are some jerks who would rather eat dirt then lend a hand, but they are few and far between.

While you're using The Ask to get a job or internship, a helpful strategy when you're just starting out is to state it as an offer rather than a direct request:

“I would be extremely grateful for an opportunity to work for you. I know my way around town and am an experienced Starbucks liaison.”

“I'd like to offer my enthusiastic services for any entry-level job you may have.”

“I'd be honored to intern for free in order to learn from you.”

“I'd be delighted to sweep floors or make copies for the opportunity to work for your company. Please consider me for any job openings you have.”

The Close

Use The Close to thank the person for taking the time to read your letter and to let him know you plan to follow up:

“Thank you for your time. If it's alright, I'll call or email your assistant in the next few days to follow up.”

“I appreciate your taking the time to read this. Knowing how busy you are, I'll contact your assistant to see if there are any upcoming job opportunities.”

By taking the initiative to be in touch again, rather than expecting the reader to do it, you're being persistent and confident; a great combination for breaking into Hollywood.

ADDITIONAL COVER LETTER POINTERS

1.  Make sure you're presenting yourself in a professional light everywhere. Expect interviewers to check your online profile before they meet with you. I was considering hiring a young woman I really liked, but before making my final decision I went to her Facebook page. A couple of pictures were taken at a party. In one she was dressed very provocatively and in another she looked like she'd had a few drinks too many. If it's out there, assume decision makers will see it. Clean up anything questionable before you start your job search.

2.  Stay away from stationery or email signatures that are controversial, religious, outrageous, or too adorable. Not everyone has the same taste or point of view. You don't want to get disqualified because you sent an email with a political slogan or a picture of your kitten. Under her email signature, one of my students used a religious quotation about the Lord, until she realized it was better to save that for her personal emails.

3.  Misspelling the name of the company or the person to whom it's addressed is a big red flag to a reader. I had a colleague who refused to read a cover letter if the person addressed it to “Jeff” instead of “Geoff.” To get it right, start with a general online search. If that doesn't turn up anything, try these sources:

•  Hollywood Creative Directory (hcdonline.com)

•  IMDb or IMDb Pro (imdb.com)

•  Variety.com or entertainment networking sites

INSIDER TIP > You can also call his office to get the right spelling. Tell them you're a student and you're doing a research paper on the person or company and want to make sure you're spelling everything correctly. I used this technique long after I graduated.

CONCLUSION

The next step in your Hollywood Game Plan is to secure an entertainment industry internship. Your new industry-ready resume and cover letter will help you beat out the competition.

CHAPTER 5

WRITE A KILLER COVER LETTER/EMAIL

EXERCISES

1.  See if you can figure out which opening sentences are keepers and which are stinkers:

1.  If you don't hire me, I'll kill myself.

2.  The first purchase I made from my babysitting money was the deluxe director's-cut editions of all your films.

3.  You are my idol. I have collected every picture and article about you that I could find. I think you should meet me so we can discuss them.

4.  Two years ago, at 23, I trained for and won a triathlon. I want to bring that same determination and effort to working in show business.

5.  My mother told me to write you because she said you are a very good person and would help me get a job in Hollywood.

If you picked #2 and #4 as the keepers, you're on your way to a killer cover letter.

2.  Choose two characteristics that describe you and turn the general statement into something specific from your life/personal experience:

1.  I'm very organized.

2.  I'm a fast learner.

3.  I'm a good communicator.

4.  I'm a people person.

CHAPTER 6

LAND THE
ALL-IMPORTANT
ENTERTAINMENT
INTERNSHIP

Stacy had already lined up an internship at her local radio station in the Midwest when a Hollywood producer came to speak at her college. He encouraged the students to come out to L.A. to do a summer internship. Sounded interesting, but Stacy was already set up at the radio station. Two weeks into that job, it became clear they'd hired too many interns because Stacy spent most of her time sitting around. She'd gotten the Hollywood producer's card when he spoke, so she called him for advice. He told her an intern position had just opened up and if she could get to L.A. on Monday, the job was hers. She got on a plane the next day. That internship eventually led to her first paid entertainment industry job, which launched her career.

WHY DO AN INTERNSHIP?

Though Stacy's experience isn't typical, internships are still the smartest way to break into the business, which is why they're a cornerstone of the Hollywood Game Plan. An internship adds that all-important “industry experience” to your resume, which will help get you an even better internship—or your first paying gig. According to Lauren Berger, the Intern Queen, “A lot of companies aren't even calling people in for interviews if they don't have the word internship on their resume.”

The other invaluable benefit of an internship is the opportunity to meet people and start building your network of friends and contacts. Tyler didn't know anyone in Los Angeles when he started, but during his internship at a production company, he met two guys who ended up being good friends. One of them gave him the lead that led to his first paying job as a P.A. on a movie.

IS IT WORTH GOING TO L.A. OR NEW YORK FOR AN INTERNSHIP?

Yes. The show business experience on your resume gets it closer to the top of the pile when H.R. executives and production coordinators look to hire an entry-level person. What will move you even higher up the pile is being personally recommended. Tyler got his P.A. interview because he was recommended by the friend he had met during his internship. In this super competitive environment, a recommendation can make the difference between getting an interview and getting ignored.

“It's really common for out-of-state students to come to
Los Angeles to intern for the summer.
It has never been an issue for us in finding good people.
Most kids figure out how to make it happen if they
want to break in. And ours is an unpaid program.”

—Jennifer, H.R. exec

WHAT IF YOU CAN'T GET TO NEW YORK OR LOS ANGELES?

Not everyone can manage a trip to one of the coasts for a summer internship but interning is a critical part of your game plan, so make the effort to obtain an internship at an entertainment company in a city near you. Apply for an internship at a local television or radio station, a production company, or an advertising agency. You can use the experience to move up the ranks there, or parlay it into an in internship or an entry-level job in a show business town. Some free and subscription internship websites have listings in larger cities across the country.

HOW TO FIND INTERNSHIPS

Through School

If your school has a career center or internship coordinator, start there. If there's a strong alumni organization at your college with ties to Hollywood, even better.

INSIDER TIP > All major studios, network, production companies, and talent agencies have internship programs. Go to their websites and check for internships or career opportunities at the bottom of the home page. If you don't see it on their website, call up and ask how to apply for one. They'll either send you to their H.R. department or give you an email address to send in your resume.

Through Internship Websites

There are several internship websites to explore. Internqueen.com is a free service and has excellent current listings. You can also try paid subscription services like entertainment careers.net and 4entertainmentjobs.com. Beware though: Some subscription sites promise lots of listings, but once you sign up they may not be available anymore. You don't have to shell out bucks to find an internship. Actress and digital diva Taryn Southern couldn't go the typical route of applying to a large company because she was just a freshman so she searched craigslist and found her first internship there.

INSIDER TIP > Though it takes more effort, you can always take the initiative and find an internship at a company you choose to work for rather than at one that's advertising openings. Start with your favorite movies, television shows, or Internet series. Check out the production company in the credits and do an online search. Use the contact info to start making calls. Ask to speak to someone about applying for an internship.

If you're looking for an internship in production or post production, websites and social media communities like Productionnotices.com advertise them at little or no cost and offer listings in different parts of the country.

GETTING A GOOD INTERNSHIP IS COMPETITIVE (But Easier Than Landing Your First Paying Job)

Large entertainment corporations, like networks and studios, can get up to 7,000 resumes for 400 summer internship positions. A midsize production company might receive 150 applications for ten jobs. As competitive as that is, interns can still break into the business without any entertainment experience. But when you're looking for your first paying job, industry experience is nearly always a prerequisite.

INSIDER TIP > The odds of getting an internship at smaller production companies are much better than at larger ones. If you're interested in working as an intern on a small film or TV production, there may only be a few candidates for each opening.

WHAT TIME OF YEAR TO APPLY

Several human resources execs advise sending in your resume in January for a summer internship at large corporations or prestigious production companies.

At smaller, less well-known companies, you might want to wait a couple of months. Angie, an internship coordinator at a sought-after midsize production company says, “I don't recommend sending summer internship resumes in January because the pace out here is so fast and I have so much going on that I don't even start reviewing resumes until the end of April, maybe May for summer internships.”

If studios and networks get 5,000 applications for a few summer internship slots, they might only get 500 in the fall for the same number of openings. Same thing with smaller companies; if there are a hundred people looking in the summer, it's probably only twenty-five during the school year. Even though you have to juggle the job with your classes, your chances of getting an internship in the spring or fall are much, much better.

INSIDER TIP > If you're lucky enough to go to school in an entertainment industry city, apply for a spring or fall internship when there's much less competition.

Getting a good internship is a numbers game. Rather than applying to one company and sitting by the phone, apply to lots of places. The Intern Queen recommends applying for twenty internships in order to land one, and if you're applying to “A List” companies like studios, networks, and production companies, she says apply to twice that many.

WHAT'S THE INTERVIEW PROCESS FOR GETTING AN INTERNSHIP?

Generally it's a three-step procedure. You submit your resume and it's reviewed. If they like what they see, they'll set up a phone interview. If you do well on the phone, they'll bring you in for a face to face. For a really big company, you might have two phone interviews before the in-person one. On the other hand, if it's a film or TV production that needs an intern the next day, they might skip the phone call altogether and just bring you in for the interview.

PREPARE FOR THE PHONE INTERVIEW

You're Being Evaluated from the Moment You say Hello

Jennifer, an H.R. intern coordinator at a major studio, does about twenty phone interviews a day. She says the best indicator of how interns will ultimately perform is their attitude, so that's what she's looking for in the phone call. She can tell from the moment somebody answers the phone whether he or she's excited and anticipating her call. That's the kind of person she's looking for.

INSIDER TIP > Make sure you're in the right frame of mind for your phone interview. Mo was at home during spring break when she had her phone interview. It was scheduled for the middle of the day and she decided to change her clothes. “I was spending my days in pajamas but for the interview I got dressed up, put on nice pants and a sweater just to be in the right mindset. I think that's one of the reasons I did so well on the call.”

Have Something Specific to Say About Why You Want to Intern at That Particular Company

The first question Jennifer asks is why specifically a candidate wants an internship at her studio. “The people who can be really passionate about our brand and our company and have done some sort of research are the ones we want to bring in. Those blanket answers about wanting to get into entertainment and loving movies are really a copout. If they can't take the time to prepare a thoughtful answer to that question, they're probably not going to be great interns.”

INSIDER TIP > Spend time before the call researching the company and figuring out why you want to work there rather than at any other company. It may be because you watched their shows or movies when you were growing up and from the time you were little you have wanted to be involved in making their kind of entertainment.

GIVE GREAT INTERVIEW

Enthusiasm is Your Strongest Selling Point

Every interviewer is looking for energy and enthusiasm. Vicki, a production coordinator who hires interns to work on commercials and television shows, looks for someone who is like her when she applied to be an intern, “When I first started I was so excited I couldn't contain myself. I couldn't wait to prove myself and do a good job and I just put everything out there in the interview. It worked because I ended up interning on five different series.”

The Cardinal sin: Being Unprepared

Jennifer, the major studio H.R. exec says, “Nothing's more off-putting than someone who comes across as aloof or unprepared. My biggest pet peeve in an interview is when someone doesn't have a question prepared for the end of the meeting. It's just such a bad wrap-up to the conversation when I say, “Okay, do you have any questions for me?” and they say, “Nope. That's about it.” All of our recruiters ask applicants if they have any questions. It's your opportunity to show off. You can phrase a question in a way that shows off that you've done research or that you know what's going on in the organization—that you were thoughtful about preparing. It's your moment to shine and when you don't take it, it's disappointing.”

An intern coordinator at a well-known production company talks about a girl who impressed her so much she hired her on the spot. “She had been reading Variety, she knew her stuff, and was ready to hit the ground running. Our company had been in the trades and she connected the dots. She discussed what she'd read and had some smart questions about it. I thought that was really cool because most interns and college students don't understand the way the business works and she took the time to learn it and come up with good questions.”

WHAT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO FOLLOW UP?

1.  send a Thank You Note Immediately

One of the main reasons to get an internship is to begin developing relationships and expanding your contacts. If you had a great interview, your first relationship can be with your interviewer.

INSIDER TIP > Within twenty-four hours of your meeting, send a thank you note. It can be an email or a handwritten note. Older interviewers tend to respond to handwritten notes. Younger ones are often fine with an email thank you. But you never know; sending a hand written note shows more effort and might be the little thing that puts you over the top.

If you had a good interview but didn't get the job, you still made a connection and should nurture the relationship. Start by sending a thank you note.

2.  Three Months After the Initial Thank You Note, Send a “Checking In” Email

Three or four months later, send a very brief follow up email; no more than a paragraph. Write something like Just saying hi or Checking in, in the subject line.

Very briefly let the interviewer know what you're up to. For instance, “I just finished an internship at Imagine and am headed back to school with a lot better idea of what I want to do. Hope you had a great summer” is perfect. Or, you can follow up by mentioning something that's going on with the interviewer or her company. If you're staying current with industry websites, blogs, and communities, you'll find something to write a few lines about; maybe she got a promotion or the company is expanding into a new area of the business.

3.  Continue to Send “Checking In” Emails Every Four or Five months

Continue to send one-paragraph emails every four or five months just to stay on her radar. Always send one when you get your first paying job and let her know how much you have appreciated her help and support.

CAN YOU GET AN INTERNSHIP IF YOU'RE NOT IN SCHOOL?

By law, most midsize and larger companies can only offer internships to current students. But many smaller companies and productions are happy to have you work for free and call you an intern even if you're not in school. Just call and ask.

INSIDER TIP > I call working for free when you're starting out “Going to Hollywood Graduate School. ” If you can afford it, it's a fantastic investment.?

NOT ALL INTERNSHIPS ARE CREATED EQUALLY

Some people want to offer a meaningful experience for their interns; others just want a warm body to do menial tasks. Try and figure it out in the interview. If it's your first internship and all they want is a warm body, don't worry—the experience on your resume can help you get a better one next time.

“My first internship was terrible. They had me reading scripts
and all the scripts were awful. At first I was depressed
and then I told myself I was glad to be there because I knew I was
getting the bad internship out of the way and
could go on to a good one, which I did the next semester.”

—Heather, aspiring writer

HOW TO BE AN INTERN ROCK STAR

Congratulations! You just beat out tons of other applicants and you're headed to the first day of your internship. How can you be a rock star there? If you follow the simple principles below, you'll have people enthusiastically recommending you for your next internship or first paying job.

Here are the dos:

•  Be ten minutes early…to everything.

•  Be upbeat. Smile casually and make eye contact with everyone.

•  Be willing to do any job that needs to be done—with enthusiasm.

•  Be curious. Ask questions if you don't know something. Make sure you're not interrupting, but make sure you're doing a task right.

•  Be the first one in and the last one to leave, if your school schedule permits.

•  Be ambitious. Always ask for more work whenever you're finished with a job. Ask if you can organize something that you noticed is messy—a closet or shelves.

•  Be considerate. Ask for career advice only when the person has a free moment and seems open to helping.

•  Be fun to be around while still doing your job well.

Here are the don'ts:

•  Don't be late. Ever.

•  Don't complain about any job you're given. Even subtly, like rolling your eyes or hesitating before you say yes.

•  Don't sit around. Always ask for more work. You'll be surprised that most of your peers don't really want to work hard. If you do, you'll get noticed and appreciated.

•  Don't text while you're working. Everyone else does it, so if you don't, you're special. Even though it's tempting to text…resist.

•  Don't tell people about your career aspirations unless/until they ask you.

•  Don't interrupt people when they're working unless you need to be sure you're doing a job correctly.

•  Don't leave something unfinished.

•  Don't wear sloppy or dirty clothes or t-shirts with controversial wording or pictures and be sure to cover up any questionable tattoos.

“One of the things with entertainment companies in general
is that we're all very, very busy and sometimes interns can become
a nuisance if they aren't proactive and able to find
their own projects. One of the things that make people stand apart is
when they're able to identify a problem with a process
they're doing and figure out how to make it more efficient.”

—Angie, intern coordinator

CONCLUSION

An internship is a major building block in your game plan. It's a chance to get industry experience that will be instrumental to landing your first entry-level job. It's where you'll begin to meet people and form relationships that can grow into meaningful friendships or help you launch your career, or both. It's your chance to impress a boss who may open doors that lead to your first paying job or the one after that. Once you've done one or more internships, you're ready to move to the next phase of the game plan: getting situated and finding the path to your dream job.

CHAPTER 6

LAND THE ALL-IMPORTANT ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY INTERNSHIP

EXERCISES

1.  Regardless of whether you're currently looking for an internship, find five companies you could internship at, either locally or in Los Angeles or New York. Contact the company and find out the name of the H.R. person or coordinator who's handling intern applications and find out when to send in your letter and resume.

2.  Choose three of your favorite movies, television shows, or webisodes (or one of each.) Find contact info for the companies that produce them and check out the internship opportunities on their website or by calling the office. Give yourself extra credit if you send them a resume and cover letter.

section two

GET SMART

GET PREPARED

GET CONNECTED

GET FOCUSED

GET HIRED

GET GOING

CHAPTER 7

ARRIVE
IN TOWN
PREPARED

Matt knew he wanted to work in Hollywood but didn't know a soul there. His plan was to reach out ahead of time to everyone he knew: friends, relatives, and friends of friends, asking if they knew anyone who lived in L.A. or worked in the entertainment industry. He heard back from fifteen people. They connected him with a range of folks in and out of the business; from a production coordinator and a visual effects editor to an advertising executive. He followed up and when he got to town, he hustled and called everyone to set up face-to-face meetings. He sat down with his mom's best friend's cousin and with complete strangers. He met them for lunch or coffee or went to their offices. He never asked for help in getting a job, only for advice and if they'd mind referring him to someone else. He got ten new referrals and within six weeks got a job as an assistant at a production company.

CAST A WIDE NET OF FUTURE CONTACTS

If you're not an L.A. native, an important strategy in your game plan is to make connections before you cross the California border. It's possible to get work in the entertainment industry within a relatively short period of time if you're willing to launch a serious networking campaign before you leave home. You can go the Matt route and ask to meet everyone in person or try the phone call approach: “I just graduated and am moving to L.A., if you have any advice, I'd love to set up a time for a quick phone call when you have a few minutes.” Reach out to everyone because you never know who knows someone who can help you. Just for fun here's a list of actual connections that opened doors for newcomers:

•  My father's best friend's niece is a production manager and she told me about a PA. job opening.

•  My best friend from high school's parents let me stay in their guest-house in Beverly Hills for a week until I found a place.

•  My mother's ex-husband's brother works in finance at Warner Bros. and passed my resume to the H.R. department.

•  My favorite philosophy professor's brother, a screenwriter, spent two hours talking to me and giving me advice.

INSIDER TIP > If you can afford it, arrange to come to L.A. for a week or ten days to meet everyone who responds to your request for advice. When you move to town you'll be prepared to hit the ground running (be ready to act quickly to find a place to live or leads on jobs. Almost everyone will give you a half hour to pass along advice and refer you to other friends or colleagues. Those referrals can be instrumental in landing your first job.

“I met with a range of people; from someone who's a writer
on a sitcom to a retired production designer.
I met with people in VFX houses, even though I didn't
think I was interested in that. I just wanted to see if L.A.
was where I wanted to move to after graduation.
Everyone I talked to was really nice and I ended up
deciding to move here.”

—Jonathan, assistant to a director

INSIDER TIP > If you're a “diverse” person, reach out to similar people who are established and ask for their advice for maneuvering through Hollywood. It will help you get the lay of the land as you begin to build your networking community.

LEARN YOUR WAY AROUND TOWN

L.A.'s sprawl isn't laid out in any logical order. Using a GPS will get you to a particular destination, but spending time driving around when you first arrive will give you an invaluable overview. Cole, an experienced P.A., advises, “Drive around on a weekend and figure out where everything is. Explore the different neighborhoods and see how long it takes to get from one place to another. Watch the sun set at the beach. Then drive around again during the week, during rush hour traffic and figure out how long it takes you to get from one place to another. You can do all this in a day or two.”

INSIDER TIP > Yes, you need a car in L.A. Many entry-level jobs, from production assistant to personal assistant, require making runs: driving around town to pick things up and drop them off. Reliable transportation and car insurance can be the deciding factor in getting hired for your first job.

See the map at the end of the chapter for a quick visual reference of how the city is laid out. It's also helpful to familiarize yourself with a couple of common terms:

•  “Up the coast” as in, “I have to go up the coast and drop this off at Julia Roberts' house in Malibu” The coast is Pacific Coast Highway

•  “Over the hill” as in, “I'm headed over the hill to meet Daryl at Starbucks in Studio City.” Studio City is in the San Fernando Valley.

•  “Taking the canyon,” as in, “The traffic's a nightmare on the 405 so I'm taking the canyon.” The canyon is one of several routes taking you from L.A. into the Valley or vice versa.

•  ” The Strip” as in, “ We're going out on the strip tonight.” strip is the famous Sunset Strip: the area on Sunset Boulevard between Doheny Drive and Crescent Heights Boulevard.

•  ” WeHo” as in, “ We're getting brunch in WeHo.” It's the area west of Hollywood and features interesting cafes and shops.

•  ”Fashion District,” as in, “I don't have a lot of money; let's shop in the fashion district.” It's located downtown near Santee Alley.

•  ”Main Street,” as in, “Meet me at O'Brien's Pub on Main Street. ” A street in Santa Monica that's filled with shops, bars and restaurants.

“The most important thing is to know the area
around you and get comfortable. If you're
comfortable with where you are in your day-to-day life,
it's going to be easier to go into an interview
and have the confidence to get the position.”

—Mo, showrunner's assistant

FIND A PLACE TO LIVE

Getting the right affordable place may seem a little daunting. There are more than a dozen neighborhoods to choose from and each one has pluses and minuses. Ideally you want a neighborhood where there's a good chance you'll meet other folks in the business and can make connections. A location reasonably close to potential work places will help you avoid spending your life savings on gas. Safety's another factor to consider. Here's an array of options, in alphabetical order:

Beverly Hills: Why pay for a zip code? Save your money and visit Rodeo Drive.

Burbank: In “The Valley,” so it's affordable; close to the studios (ABC/Disney, Warner Bros.), but doesn't have much nightlife for young people.

Century City: Fox Studios and several agencies (CAA, ICM, etc.) are here, but other than that the only real attraction is a mall.

Culver City: Near other studios (Culver Studios, Zoic, Sony), relatively affordable, with great restaurants and bars in walking distance. It used to the epicenter of the industry so there's a ton of history there; however, if you're working in the Valley it's not a fun commute.

Downtown: Recently, downtown has seen a surge of gentrification. You'll love the beautiful new lofts but hate the distance from most studios and production companies. Getting to a job on the Westside can be a traffic nightmare, but if you work in Universal City or Hollywood, you can take the Metro.

Echo Park: It's an edgier Silver Lake with dive bars and cheaper rent but it's not as safe and consists mostly of families. It is accessible to ALL major freeways (5, 10, 101, 110, 134), but watch out for traffic during baseball season.

Hollywood: Centrally located, full of nightclubs, bars, shops, restaurants, and improv theaters. You can find a reasonably priced apartment but visit it at night as well as during the day to make sure the vibe feels right. Look for a place with designated parking.

Hollywood Hills: Since most of the Hills are very expensive, forget it (for now).

Koreatown (K-town): It's one of the most densely populated neighborhoods in L.A. Predominately Korean. Folks from West Hollywood and Los Feliz have moved in for the lower rent.

Los Feliz: More expensive than Hollywood, this area is home to artists and hipsters. A strong sense of community has been established with mom-and-pop restaurants, eclectic cafes, and character-filled apartments and houses. Home to Griffith Park, one of the largest urban parks in North America.

Malibu: Not affordable, but maybe you'll get lucky and land a house-sitting gig there.

Miracle Mile: The two-mile stretch on Wilshire Blvd., between Fairfax and Western Avenue. It's known for its art deco structures and mix of commercial and residential buildings, notably upscale singles communities. Best to find a place with parking.

North Hollywood: In the Valley. More affordable than Studio City, but farther out of the way. There are many small theaters so it's been dubbed the NoHo Arts District.

Pasadena: Very residential, family-oriented area with lovely homes and a charming “Old Town” neighborhood. Too bad it's far away and you'll have to suffer through daily traffic to get anywhere.

Santa Monica: It's ten degrees cooler all year round because of the proximity to the beach. Lots of places to go out and meet people, but it's a little pricey.

Silver Lake: Further east of Hollywood, it's home to artists, musicians, hipsters, and the second largest GLBT community in L.A. Restaurants, boutiques, coffee shops, and music venues line the streets.

Studio City: It's “over the hill” (which means ten degrees hotter), with a younger crowd than other areas of the Valley. Parking is a dream and the rent is cheaper. You can zip down Laurel Canyon and get to West Hollywood in twenty minutes without traffic.

The Valley: Everywhere west of Studio City to Calabasas. Might want to wait until you start a family and are interested in good school districts.

Venice: A laid-back vibe and a hippy, eclectic crowd. Traffic gets bad in the summer, but you'll never want to leave because of the restaurants, boardwalk, and beach.

West Hollywood (WeHo): A great place to live, within walking distance to trendy restaurants, bars, clubs, shops and markets, as well as home to largest gay population in Los Angeles. Has many rent-controlled buildings.

INSIDER TIP > If you can't afford to live alone and you don't have someone to share a place with, a couple of reliable rental services are worth a try: Roommate Finders is a good source and Westside Rentals is very entertainment-industry friendly.

FIND PEOPLE TO HANG OUT WITH

If you've cast a wide net before you got to town, you've made some contacts. Take them out to coffee or a meal and connect. Ask for their advice on the best ways to meet people. If they're nice they'll invite you to join their softball league or to dinner with their friends. Malcolm Gladwell, in his book The Tipping Point, describes the type of person who brings people together as a “connector.” You'll know one when you meet him. He has a huge circle of friends and loves to introduce them to each other. If you're a connector, then you were made for Hollywood. If you aren't a connector, seek one out, he'll set you up. You can also start to form a community through entertainment-related websites.

INSIDER TIP > If you don't know anyone in town, team sports can be one of the quickest ways to start building your Hollywood community. You can find informal groups and leagues made up of people of both sexes breaking in or just a little way up the ladder. Venice Sport and Social Club is a Westside group of coed leagues that plays sports like softball, volleyball, and bowling. You don't have to know anyone; just show up and introduce yourself.

If you're into it, try pick-up basketball. It worked for writer Charles Murray. “Since I'm such a quiet person, I was trying to find something that would help me connect with people, so when my friend told me about directors and writers and actors hooping I thought, okay, maybe I'll learn how to play basketball. Now I love it. There are pick-up basketball games everywhere. There are parks in West Hollywood, on San Vicente and Robertson Boulevards and lots of places in Venice. If you mention you hoop, nine times out of ten people will start to recommend places.”

“I met with about seven people before I moved here.
I set it up ahead of time so we could get together
during the week I was here checking things out. Four of
them were through the alumni database at the school.
One was my dad's client's son. One was a guy who was
from my town and my mom knows his mom. They
introduced me to other people and
that's how I started my network of people here.”

—Megan, production coordinator

FIND A DAY JOB

If you don't get a foothold in the business within a month or two and your money's running out, you probably need a day job. Two criteria for a good day job are 1) it can put you in proximity of people in show business and 2) it isn't so demanding that you can't pursue your entertainment aspirations.

INSIDER TIP > If your day job pays too much, has too much responsibility, or requires too many hours, it's easy to get sucked in and not be able to do what you came to do—so be mindful of that when taking a gig.

Temp jobs can be good day jobs if you go to agencies with entertainment clients. Chelsea got hired for a permanent position at the celebrity public relations firm she temped at. Even though Brandon didn't get a permanent job at the studio he temped at for a month, one of the assistants he became friends with told him about an opening at a small talent agency and he got hired there.

INSIDER TIP > If you have the required skills, try agencies like Friedman Personnel or Apple One. If you go to Apple One, apply at their Westside or Beverly Hills locations.

Assuming you can live on what they pay you for pouring lattes, there are so many Starbucks, Coffee Bean and Tea Leafs, and small local coffee shops that you'll have plenty to choose from. As long as you're working for tips, you might as well pick the best locations. There are plenty of aspiring writers and producers typing away at their laptops in West Hollywood, Silverlake, Studio City, Santa Monica, and everywhere on the West Side.

“I needed part-time work so I hit the pavement.
I walked into restaurants, and was friendly and talked
to whoever was there and let them know I was
new in town and asked if they were hiring or knew
of anything. My main goal was to stand out and
be different than the timid guy who just walks in, asks
about jobs quickly and leaves. It worked.
I got a job two weeks after I started looking.”

—Josh, aspiring writer

CONCLUSION

Good work. You're undemanding day job. You know your way around town and you're starting to build a circle of friends and acquaintances. Now that you're situated, it's time to figure out what your dream job is and the path that'll take you there.

CHAPTER 7

ARRIVE IN TOWN PREPARED

EXERCISES

1. How many people do you know in L.A.? One or two? Five? Ten? If it's fewer than five, put out the word to everyone you know to see if they know anyone you can contact before you move to L.A. Don't stop until you get the names and contact info of at least ten people in Southern California. Put their info into a database and be ready to contact them two to three weeks before you head to town.

2. True or False:

1. You need a car in L.A.

2. You can take laurel Canyon to get from West Hollywood to the Valley.

3. A good paying, demanding day job will help you break into Hollywood.

4. Playing team sports can help you start a social network in L.Ad.

5. Downtown is driving distance to all the studios.

6. GPS is the best way to learn your way around town.

7. If you meet a “Connector,” run the other way.

8. The 101, 10, 405, and 110 are major L.A. Freeways.

(true: 1, 2, 4, 8)

CHAPTER 8

FIND A PATH
TO DEVELOPMENT
AND PRODUCING

Olivia knew from the time she was eight that she wanted to be a director. She started making movies with her parents ‘ camera; writing, starring in them—along with friends—and editing them. On her fifteenth birthday, she got her own high-end camera. She entered her videos into film festivals and won prizes in several. Before she graduated from college, she sent a letter to her favorite director, told him how much she loved his work, explained how passionate she was about filmmaking, and asked if he would meet with her briefly to give her advice. The director was so impressed with her enthusiasm and commitment that he got her a job as a P.A. on his next film.

Some people know from the time they're eight exactly what they want to do in show business. Others are drawn to the industry but don't have a clear idea of how they can fit in or even what jobs are available. This chapter and the next describe different jobs and what it takes to get started.

A good thing to know is that many job categories cross over between film, television, commercials, concert videos, premiere themed entertainment, original online content, and most other forms of entertainment. Though new technology is changing how projects get made—eliminating some jobs and adding others—a human still needs to write the lines, say the lines, hold the boom mic so you can hear the lines, and edit the lines together.

BE AN ENTREPRENEUR AND DO ALL THE JOBS YOURSELF

One of the major differences between traditional media and new forms of digital entertainment is that with the latter, the producer, writer, director, editor, and actor can easily be the same person. It's a more hands-on-at-every-stage entrepreneurial endeavor. Many content creators give themselves their own show business break by creating something exceptional and distributing it themselves. As one producer said, “I can make a Hi-Def movie on my phone.”

“Because I want to write and direct,
I wrote and directed.
I've made about seven short films.”

—Kyle, emerging director

THE TRADITIONAL APPROACH

If that's not the path for you, check out the following lists and see what appeals to you. It's broken down into three major categories: what happens before the camera rolls, meaning development and deal making; what happens once the camera rolls, meaning physical production, including post production; and what happens once the production is complete, which includes distribution and marketing. Though many jobs are listed, some haven't even been invented yet!

INSIDER TIP > The terms “above-the-line” and “below-the-line” refer to an imaginary line drawn on a production budget. Above-the-line covers costs associated with major “creative” talent, whereas below-the-line covers the production crew, which provides craft and technical services to make the project happen.

Above-the-line refers to writers, directors, cast, creative producers, and executives. Below-the-line includes cinematographers, production designers, editors, camera operators, special effects artists, sound editors, and so forth.

ABOVE-THE-LINE: DEVELOPMENT

Development is where the process of creating entertainment begins. It's the stage where the idea takes form and is developed and honed until it becomes a completed script or other form of work ready to be produced.

WRITER

Without writers no one would be working in Hollywood. If there's no script, actors don't have lines to say, directors don't have anything to direct, and production designers have nothing to design. Even television reality shows have a version of writers called “story producers.”

How to get in

Writers can take many different avenues to break in, but the most import thing to do is, as my friend Chad Gervich, television writer and author of Small Screen Big Picture says, write your ass off. Write a lot of bad scripts and keep writing until they get good. Then write more until they're great. Once your material is great, you can get hired or get representation through screen-writing contests, film festivals, and personal referrals.

Start your screenwriting career by creating an original piece of work, without getting paid, which is called a “spec” (for speculative) script. If you're very lucky, a producer may buy that script and make it, but most often it's used as a sample of your work. If your spec is outstanding, you might get hired to write a script based on someone else's ideas or on existing material.

“When I was in middle school, I would rewrite
episodes of my favorite television shows
and make them end the way I wanted them to.
That's how I knew I was wanted to be a writer.”

—Morgan, emerging writer

PRODUCER

“Producer” is one the most over-used, baffling titles in the business. There are executive producers, supervising producers, coproducers, line producers, and associate producers.

Depending on the project, the title can mean different things. In general though, there are three primary categories: creative producer, line producer, and those who finance a project.

Creative Producer

The creative producer may be the hardest working person on the project. She starts the process by finding an intriguing idea or great script; or, a studio or network may ask her to develop a project based on one of their pre-existing brands, like Batman. In projects outside of film and television, she may create the concept herself or be given one by a client.

Then she develops the material with a writer and/ or director, “sets it up” at a studio, network, production company, or distributor and oversees all creative aspects of the process, from development through production and post production to distribution and marketing.

In the world of independent feature films, the producer has a more challenging job; it's a huge amount of hustling, convincing people, and raising money. Producer Adam Fratto describes producing as, “Somehow keeping at least one hand on the reins of a particularly ornery bronc.” It's a massive undertaking and can take years to complete. More than one Academy Award-winning film has taken a decade or longer to make it to the screen.

In television the person with the creative vision and the power to execute it is usually a writer with the title of Executive Producer or Showrunner. She creates and writes the show and oversees every aspect of the production, from budget and wardrobe to promotion.

How to get in

In the traditional studio model you might transition from a senior-level executive to a creative producer through a “production deal.” You can also become a creative producer by producing a project. That means coming up with a script, concept, or other property, securing the financing, and making it.

INSIDER TIP > Who else gets a producer credit? It was a wildly arbitrary process until the Producers Guild of America issued a Code of Credits used as a guideline to settle title disputes. Previously a vanity credit like “producer” or “executive producer” was given as a reward to big name actors or the person who financed the film or the star's manager.

Line Producer

The line producer is absolutely essential. He's the one who actually makes the production happen. He manages the budget and scheduling and hires the key members of the crew. He's the head of production on the set. Though he doesn't usually function as part of the “creative” team, he is the critical liaison between creative and production. He works with the creative team to determine what can be accomplished within the budget. Part of his unique brand of creativity is getting the most on the screen for the allotted amount of money.

How to get in

Line producer is a technical job that requires years of experience to do well. You work your way up through the ranks, learning the job as you go. The entry-level job is a production assistant or production secretary, then coordinator, then production manager, and finally, line producer.

DIRECTOR

Directing feature films is one of the most sought after jobs in Hollywood. Talk to almost anyone in show business and he or she is harboring a secret desire to yell “Action!” It's probably because film directors have so much power. They develop the creative vision and are in charge of the set as they bring that creative vision to life. They decide how to shoot a scene, guide the actors' performances, and shape the movie in post production. In independent features and the online world, directors are often the writer and producer as well.

How to get in

In most cases, in order to get a job as a director, you have to already be a director—an exceptional director whose work sets you apart from the thousands of other aspiring directors. So the first step is to direct a lot of projects on your own and to keep improving your craft until it's stellar. Take risks and create a distinctive body of work that shows your unique, highly original voice. Start by directing student films, inexpensive music videos, and online projects. As you grow as a director, you'll begin to be hired to take on larger projects in film, television, commercials, and other media.

Another time-honored path to directing is to write a screenplay that's so compelling you can attach yourself as a director. It doesn't usually happen with the first one, but eventually you could have enough clout to insist on being the director.

Starting your career as a set P.A. gives you a good overview of what's involved when you're ready to step onto a set in the leadership role of director. Another way to start is as an assistant to a director or producer. It'll help you learn the business from the inside and you'll make contacts for later when you're working toward your first directing gig.

ACTOR

Glamorous movie stars and serious actors, comedians and dramatic character actors; they're the face of the project. Big stars have clout and get projects made. But for every big star there's hundreds of working actors who are happy just to have a job and thousands of aspiring actors who would kill to get the chance to be on screen.

INSIDER TIP > As all seasoned professionals know, the hard reality of becoming a successful actor is less about your talent and more about how you look. Unfair but true. If you're young and gorgeous or a particular “type” that's currently in demand, your chances of getting work are much greater than if you're older than an ingénue or look like everyone else. But don't give up, for every rule there's an exception.

In addition to being a comedic, dramatic, or character actor, there are other acting categories and opportunities worth considering. You can be the host of a reality, game, or variety show; a voiceover artist, a stunt person, a stand-in, or an extra. You can work in commercials, online projects, themed entertainment, corporate entertainment, and other types of productions.

How to get in

Graduating from a prestigious performing arts school is very helpful, but it's still focus, commitment, and work ethic, along with luck, that will launch your career. In order to get cast, people have to see your work. Put yourself in front of casting directors, agents, directors, and producers every chance you can. Put up a play or one-person show yourself; do stand up or write, produce, direct, and star in your own online series. Sign up for classes, workshops, and showcases. Take classes where the teachers are industry professionals. It will help you improve your craft and expand your network of contacts. To get current information on what roles are available, register with breakdown services like actorsaccess.com. You might consider getting a job as an assistant to a casting director to get an inside look at the business.

EXECUTIVE

There are two general categories of executives: those involved in the development process and those involved in the production process. They work for studios, networks, and production companies. In films, development executives are called “creative executives”; those overseeing production are referred to as “production executives.”

Creative executives decide which projects will be put into
development. They work with writers, producers, and directors to get the best script possible. They're also involved in attaching talent, producers, actors, and directors to projects in order to get them made.

Production executives represent the studio's interests and make sure that a project runs smoothly and stays on budget. Because the studio is paying millions—sometimes hundreds of millions—of dollars on a production, they need to be sure the project is not headed for disaster.

In television, the titles are “development executive” and “current executive.” Development executives work on developing new shows and current executives work on series that are currently on the air.

How to get in

The typical path to becoming a creative executive is to start off as an assistant and work your way up the food chain. Because these jobs are almost never advertised, the way to get one is through industry job boards or through your contacts. Assistants at talent agencies are usually the first to hear about these jobs.

INSIDER TIP > You can find traditional film and television assistant jobs through the UTA Job List. This elusive listing of Hollywood assistant jobs is put out by assistants at one of the biggest talent agencies in the business, the United Talent Agency. The only way to get it is to have it forwarded to you by someone inside the industry. Many people say all the jobs are taken by the time the list goes out, but a number of people I interviewed for this book found their first jobs through the List.

READER/STORY ANALYST

A story analyst, often referred to as a reader, evaluates and summarizes material that's been submitted to a studio, network, production company, or agency. It can be a screenplay, manuscript, play, or short story. Though most reader jobs are freelance, some staff positions exist.

How to get in

If you don't have a personal connection to find out about job openings, call every studio, network, production company, talent agency, and management firm in the Creative and Representative Directories and IMDbPro and ask if they're hiring readers. After you go through the directories once, start at the beginning and go through them again. If you can afford it, start out reading for free to get experience. Once you can put a story analyst or reader job on your resume, getting a paid gig will be easier. It's a typical path to launching a career as an executive, producer, or writer.

INSIDER TIP > Though getting your first industry job is very competitive, being a reader is one of the “easiest” ways to get into the business. Because so much material needs to be evaluated, more opportunities exist to be hired as a reader than any other position except P.A. Readers are used at studios, networks, production companies, and agencies.

AGENTS and MANAGERS

Agents get jobs for their clients. That's their whole job. They work their butts off and hustle day and night to get their clients work. It's a hard job and it's easy to get burned out; but successful agents are at the center of the action. They make deals and they make things happen.

Managers hustle night and day to get their clients work too, but they also provide emotional support and help guide their clients through long-term career goals. There's a trend of managers acting as producers on projects to which their clients are attached. Because of this trend, being a manager is now a career trajectory to becoming a producer.

“Starting out at a talent agency is the best way
to get a 360-degree understanding of the business.”

—Brett, agency coordinator

How to get in

Most major talent agencies have training programs, or you can start in the mailroom. It's a demanding, thankless, pitifully low-paying job, but it is an invaluable opportunity to learn the business and get on the inside track. In smaller agencies, starting as an agent's assistant is sometimes possible.

Becoming a manager is similar to becoming an agent. You start in the mailroom or as an assistant and work your way up. Agents have to be licensed by the state, but managers don't, so if you, on your own, find talent to manage, then congratulations, you're a manager!

Business Affairs Executive/Entertainment Attorney

Lawyers who work at studios, networks, or production companies are usually in the Business Affairs or Legal Affairs department and represent their company in negotiating deals. Entertainment attorneys work at firms or independently and negotiate contracts on behalf of their individual clients. Highprofile entertainment attorneys who represent A-List talent can use the leverage of their client's participation in a project to become a powerful player in the business.

How to get in

Graduating from a prestigious law school helps give you a leg up, but getting into an entertainment law firm is still very competitive. A lot of lawyers start at smaller firms and then join a larger firm or transition into a Business Affairs job at a studio, network, or production company.

Now that you know what's involved in development, let's move on to production.

CHAPTER 8

FIND A PATH TO DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCING

EXERCISES

1. Development and producing are collaborative. To prepare yourself to succeed, start collaborating now. Find three people you would be comfortable working with—an aspiring producer, director, writer, or actor—and work together to come up with a project you could develop and produce.

2. As you go through the jobs in this chapter, see if one type of job really calls out to you. If it does, identify someone whose work you admire in the field and contact them using the search techniques in Chapter Thirteen. Ask if you can interview them for a school project or see if they'd spend fifteen minutes on the phone with you explaining how they got to where they are. If the first person says no, move on to the next.

CHAPTER 9

FIND A PATH TO
PHYSICAL
PRODUCTION AND
BEYOND

Growing up, David divided his spare time between drawing and computer games. He had an aptitude for both. When he discovered there was an actual career as a visual effects artist, he found out what he'd need to do to become one. After college he took classes at a specialized school and when he graduated, the school helped him get his first job in the industry. It was an entry-level, basic support position at a visual effects company where he did digital clean up. As he became more experienced, he got more responsibilities and within two years was working his way up the ladder to becoming an employed visual effects artist.

BELOW-THE-LINE: PHYSICAL PRODUCTION

Once the script is finished, the director's attached, the actors are cast, and employment deals are closed, the project is ready for production. With the specialists in post production, production personnel are the hands-on, behind-the-scenes people who actually make the project. This chapter offers a general description of what's involved in each of the basic work categories. You can find out more in-depth information through online resources.

How To Get In

A lot of production jobs are skilled crafts that can take years to learn. For those jobs, you start as an intern, production assistant, or in an apprentice-type role, and work your way up as you become more proficient at the task. If appropriate, start building your portfolio and demo reel along the way.

With the skilled positions, you used to have to belong to a union in order to work and it was almost impossible to get into the union. It's still hard, but not nearly as difficult as it was. Now, if you complete a certain number of hours on non-union jobs, those hours might help to get you into the guild.

Another change is the way digital technology is affecting many aspects of traditional physical production. Tasks like stunts, locations, extras, and model making are often being accomplished on the computer rather than on the set.

The demand for digital post production professionals is on the rise. The route to these jobs is as an intern or production assistant in a post facility. While you're working, do small projects on the side like student films or help a friend out with a concert video and get proficient with the software.

Your First Job

Start as an intern or production assistant on small, low budget independent projects. These include student films, friends' projects, online series, small independent features and shorts, low-budget music videos, local television shows, local commercials, corporate videos, and other smaller productions. In addition to soaking up everything that's going on around you while working on these sets, you are connecting with people who'll eventually be working on paid shoots, and when they do—if you've impressed them—they'll take you along.

INSIDER TIP > Interning or offering yourself as free labor is one of the best ways to get experience. In a sense, you're auditioning. You're showing people what you can do without their taking the risk of hiring you. The odds are very good that if you work for free and you're energetic, positive, eager to help, and fun to be around, you won't be working for free for long.

JOB CATEGORIES

Production Staff

The production office is the administrative heart of a production; if you need information, that's where you go to get it. The production coordinator, script supervisor, and location manager all report to the line producer.

“I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, I just knew
I wanted to work in the film business.
I moved out to L.A. with two friends and we stayed
at my aunt's house. She told us about a show that
needed PA.s and we applied and we all got jobs.
One friend eventually moved back home,
one friend is an assistant camera operator,
and I'm a production coordinator. It worked out well.”

—Eric, production coordinator

Assistant Directors

Assistant directors don't direct. The first assistant director (AD) runs the set and creates the shooting schedule. They do a lot of scheduling, coordinating, managing, and wrangling. The second assistant director wrangles the talent (actors) and handles their paperwork. Set PA.s report to the Assistant Director Department.

Camera Department

The Camera Department includes the director of photography, sometimes called a cinematographer, along with camera operators, assistants, and DITs (Digital Imaging Technician) when digital cameras are used. The camera department translates the director's vision to the screen through images and lighting.

Set Operations

The electrical department supports the cinematographer and his vision for how a shot is lit. This job includes everything from setting the lights to operating them. The gaffer's in charge of lighting on set. Grips are the muscle of the crew. They work with the electrical department and set up, move, and strike (dismantle) equipment and scaffolding that holds the lighting.

Casting Department

The casting director brainstorms with the director and producer to find and bring in the best possible candidates for a role. The casting assistant helps with scheduling auditions.

Set Design

The production designer is the head of the department and works with the director and producer to create the visual style. The art director and set designer help carry out the production designer's vision. The set decorator supports the production designer to design and plan how the set will be dressed, including the furnishing, wallpaper, lighting fixtures, and so on. Though it is technically a different department, set dressing works very closely with the production designer.

“I know a lot of people who P.A.-ed and just sort of shadowed
whoever they wanted to be. I know a guy that wanted to be an
art director, so he got a P.A. job in the art department and followed
the art director around. After doing a number of films, he applied
to be an art director on a film. He told them he'd worked as
an art director on the films he had P.A.-ed on. He got the guys he
worked for to vouch for him because he did such a good job.
And now he's an art director.”

—Daryl, producer

Property Department

A prop is different from set dressing because set decoration is never touched by a performer for any reason. If something is touched by the actor, in accordance with script requirements, or as deemed by the director, it is a prop. A prop is any movable object on a set and the prop department is responsible for buying, renting or making, and maintaining all the props for the project. They can create amazing objects from scratch. The property master is head of the department.

Wardrobe

The costume designer works with the director and production designer to create the look and style of the actors' clothes.

“Being a costumer involves a lot of shopping, fitting actors,
and organization. You track costumes for continuity,
rotate them in and out, and see what looks better.
I love working on shows. You're always looking at shots
to make sure everything is right.”

—Chelsea, costumer

Hair and Makeup

Because makeup and hair artists make an actor look good, they tend to become a performer's best friend. The makeup department is also responsible for creating and applying special effects makeup including horror and fantasy looks. (If you want to find out the latest gossip on the set, go to the hair and makeup trailer).

Production Sound

Sound is essential for emotional impact. Production sound records all the dialogue and audio effects during the shoot. The department often includes a sound engineer, sound mixer, boom operator, and playback operator.

Special Effects/Mechanical Effects

Special effects are the physical effects that happen on the set during shooting. They include explosions, bullet hits, and rain, snow, and flood effects. Many other visual effects are created by computer.

“I worked on ten films and television shows
as an assistant on special effects gags. You have to be
careful, because it can be dangerous. But it's
the most fun job I've ever had and it can pay well.”

—Scott, special effects assistant

Set Construction

This department builds the sets and strikes (dismantles) them when shooting is finished. Carpenters report to the construction coordinator.

Transportation

The transportation department, led by the transportation captain, obtains and manages all vehicles associated with production, including big trucks, trailers, honey wagons, picture cars (vehicles seen in the shot), and any other vehicles needed.

Catering and Craft Services

Some of the most beloved people on a set, craft service workers provide the cast and crew with snacks and drinks and, on smaller shoots, meals. Larger shoots use a catering company for meals. Really great catering and craft service people are always in demand because a well-fed crew is a happy crew!

POST PRODUCTION

Post production is the final stage of production on a project. It's where editing, music, and visual effects transform raw footage into the finished effort. Post production, more than any other part of the production process, is on the cutting edge of technology. A post production producer or post production supervisor manages all elements of the post process and increasingly is involved in the production process, not just when principal photography ends.

Editing

Editing is one of the most creative and critical jobs on a project. It establishes the rhythm of storytelling and sets the emotional tone for each scene. An editor can solve major story problems and help turn bad performances into good ones. Many writers, directors, and producers feel that editing is really the final rewrite of the script. Some productions have different editors for picture, sound, and special effects.

Visual Effects

Until recently, visual effects were strictly part of the post process. Now that computer-generated visuals are such an integral part of the whole production, planning for visual effects often begins during development.

Music

Music can have a powerful impact on a scene; it helps set the emotional tone and subtly moves the story forward. Larger projects may employ a composer, arranger, and musicians along with a music supervisor and editor. Smaller productions might hire a composer using Pro Tools-type software.

BEYOND PRODUCTION

For creators and investors to make money, a project has to be sold. That's where marketing and distribution comes in. In the large-scale media model this part of the process can involve several departments or companies and dozens of individuals. In the new, streamlined model, successful independent content creators are completely involved in their own distribution, marketing, and promotion.

Marketing

The world of film marketing is undergoing a major transformation. It used to rely on traditional media like television and newspapers to position and sell a new project. Now online marketing, including viral and social media campaigns, are an essential element of the overall marketing strategy—and sometimes more compelling than the project itself. Marketing includes advertising, publicity, promotion, and product placement. Major studios have in-house marketing departments and there are many independent media-marketing firms.

Distribution

Traditional distribution of films is the process of selling movies to theaters. It also includes selling the digital and online formats. Distributors might help finance a film by paying money toward production in return for the rights to sell it in this country or internationally. The new distribution models exploit social media and other online platforms to sell projects. Independent content creators generally distribute projects directly to the public through entertainment sites, social media platforms, and online retailers like Amazon and Netflix.

How to Get In

For the traditional marketing and distribution universe, a degree in marketing or communications is a good start. Strong writing skills are a requirement in marketing and a flair for sales is important in distribution. You can go the traditional route and start as an intern or assistant at a studio or independent marketing or distribution company, or make a name for yourself and have the companies come after you. For instance, Nichole's popular blog about movies was noticed by a publicity firm that ended up hiring her. As one digital producer says, “If someone graduates from school with 1,500 followers on Twitter, marketing and distribution companies will find them.”

CONCLUSION

As you read through the lists, did any particular job or field call out to you? Anything you feel you could spend twelve or more hours a day doing? (If you're looking for a 9-5 job, this business isn't for you). If you're drawn to a specific job category, do an online search to get more in-depth information. Then use your contacts to find someone who's doing the job and ask for an informational meeting to get the inside story. If you hit it off, ask if you can shadow him for a few days.

If nothing speaks to you, that's okay; you're still a generalist. As part of your game plan, take any entry-level job you can get and check out different types of work first hand. Whether you know exactly what you want to pursue, to land a job you need to learn how to talk about yourself and develop the art of networking so you can begin to create a community of supporters.

CHAPTER 9

FIND A PATH TO PHYSICAL PRODUCTION AND BEYOND

EXERCISES

1. Choose one of the jobs or arenas in this chapter that you might be interested in. Do a search to find out six facts about the job that you don't currently know. Write down the new skills you'd have to learn in order to prepare yourself for that job. Next to each skill, jot down what steps you will have to take to learn it.

2. As you go through the different job descriptions, note: Does a specific job category appeal to you? If it does, what can you produce that shows you can do that job? Do you have a portfolio or reel? Or, is there something else that demonstrates your potential for that kind of work? If you don't have a portfolio or reel, start to put one together. If you do have one, show it to at least two people and get feedback on how you can improve it.

section three

GET CONNECTED

GET PREPARED

GET SMART

GET FOCUSED

GET HIRED

GET GOING

CHAPTER 10

DEVELOP A
UNIQUE
“PERSONAL A-STORY©”

Jonathan had been in Los Angeles a month when he got invited to a party in Silverlake. Lots of people there worked in the industry; as he watched the sun set from the deck, he struck up a conversation with a friendly girl. After she told him the story of how she got her job as a P.A. at a post house, she asked, “So, what do you do?” Luckily he'd been practicing the answer to that question since he got to town.

Jonathan understood the P.A. didn't really want to know how he spends his time, she wanted to know: Who are you? What makes you special? Can you help me? Am I willing to help you? It's the same information a potential employer is after when she says, “Tell me about yourself.” The best answers make you interesting and memorable; mandatory when you're selling yourself. As one executive producer puts it, “Being boring in Hollywood is a federal offense, punishable by lack of employment.”

Developing your personal stories and practicing them until they roll off your tongue is an essential building block of a successful game plan. You need three different types of stories; a personal log line, a “Personal A-Story,” and entertaining anecdotes from your life. Together, they become the elements of a unique personal pitch that you'll learn to deliver spontaneously.

WHAT'S A PERSONAL LOG LINE?

In show business a “log line” is a one-sentence, intriguing description of a movie or television project. It's what producers throw around to sell their project and it's what makes viewers clamor to watch it. Here are some examples: Jaws: “The residents of a small coastal village fight back against a killer shark.” If you're a fan of The Simpsons, you probably remember the episode where: “Homer encourages Marge to pose naked for a charity calendar.” One of the biggest money-makers of all time, Avatar: “takes us to a spectacular world, where a reluctant hero fights to save the alien world that has become home.” You get the idea—they're short but compelling.

A personal log line is a few sentences that describe who you are, what you currently do, what you want to do, and what makes you different from others doing it. An effective personal log line makes a listener want to find out more about you.

I use the following questions in my workshops to help people come up with their own personal log lines. Put down the first thing that comes to your mind and then revise it three or four times until it's short but memorable.

1.  What do you currently do?

2.  What do you want to do?

3.  How are you different than others doing it?

“When I meet someone and they ask me what I do,
I know exactly what I'm going to say,
because I've said it so many times. In the beginning,
I figured out how to say it so it sort of emphasizes
the stuff that makes me look good.
It took me a while, but now it comes really easy.”

—Jonathan, production coordinator

WHAT DO YOU CURRENTLY DO?

The response to this query is just a neutral statement of fact that describes what you're doing at this moment in your life. If you're in school or a recent grad, put that down: I'm a film student at NYU or I just graduated from Morehouse College with a degree in theater arts. You might be an aspiring cinematographer currently working for a real estate mogul to pay the bills or a makeup artist working on a low-budget horror film.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?

What's your goal? State your intention: “I hope to get a chance to direct one day so I'm looking for a job as a P.A. to spend as much time as possible on a set.” “I'm an aspiring writer, hoping to find a job as a script analyst.” “I love indie films and have call backs for two of them.”

Hollywood veterans are jaded by the hype of people overselling themselves. You can avoid the trap by using the following guidelines when shaping your stories and describing yourself.

Aspiring

You're working toward your dream job; maybe taking courses or working for free on student films, but haven't yet been professionally employed to do it.

Emerging

You're becoming visible at your craft. You may or may not have been paid for it, but you've been acknowledged in some way; won a prize at a film festival, worked as an assistant editor on a commercial, got a million hits on your latest video, or won a spot in a fellowship program; or you may have just started to be employed regularly in your chosen field.

Established

You've got a successful track record. You're consistently employed or independently producing. Being acknowledged for your work adds to your credibility and your “established” status.

HOW ARE YOU DIFFERENT THAN OTHERS DOING IT?

What makes you unique as a person in your desired field? Have you done the job before or been successful at something similar in the past? Are you more motivated or passionate than anyone else? For example, were you a stand-up comic? Do you speak another language? Were you a camera operator on five student films? Did you do the costumes for a college presentation of Sweeney Todd? Have you entered your videos in film festivals since you were eight? For some jobs, the fact that you got to the highest level in World of Warcraft is a testament to your passion, expertise in gaming, and leadership skills. The question you want to answer is: What makes you special enough that I would hire you rather than the next person?

EXAMPLES OF ACTUAL LOG LINES

•  I'm an aspiring writer. I grew up in Taiwan and learned how to speak English watching American movies. From the time I was ten, I was determined to come here and find a way to work in this business.

—Kuang, aspiring writer

•  I'm a graduate student in the production department at USC and I want to work in television and films. I'm lucky because I got an internship as a researcher on a TV series that I think is one of the best shows on the air, and there's even some promise that it might turn into a permanent, paying position.

—Clara, graduate student and aspiring filmmaker

•  I'm the assistant to the president of a production company. Before I got this job I was working toward an MBA but I also wanted to be an artist. I was trying to find the balance between creativity and business. I think I made the right choice, because when I finally do become an executive, I think I'll be able to do both.

—Stacy, second assistant to studio executive

DEVELOP YOUR UNIQUE “PERSONAL A-STORY”

In a screenplay, the “A-Story” is the main character's journey. If it's a good script, the character begins at one emotional point in his journey, overcomes an obstacle through an action he takes, and is transformed in some way so he ends up at a different emotional point. Writer Charles Murray refers to an “A-Story” as the “transition” story. His own example is, “I think when someone asks to hear my story they want to hear a transition because they're looking at me thinking, “I'm sitting across from a 6'4” black guy that should be making a shitload of money in football and instead he's sitting here pitching me a science fiction movie.” How he came to be pitching that movie is Charles' “A-Story.” Because everyone in Hollywood loves a good story, in order to sell yourself, you need to fashion the unique “A-Story” of your own life, explaining how you got to where you are today. Use your unique life events to describe a memorable transition.

The first exercises at the end of this chapter will be extremely helpful for starting to develop your “Personal A-Story.”

EXAMPLES OF REAL “PERSONAL A-STORIES”

•   I went from being this kid in Indiana who lacked career guidance who ended up being the Co-executive Producer on a television series. I didn't go to college so I didn't sit in somebody's class learning one particular way—here's how you point the camera and here's how you put on a lens—instead, I lived in Gary, Indiana and didn't know anybody who wanted to make films. Because I loved movies and wanted to make them I decided to read everything I could about filmmaking. As I was reading about Spielberg and Coppola and Scorsese, which is the triumvirate, I realized these cats were comfortable putting themselves out in front of people, so I had to learn to do that. I hate doing that, but okay, I did it anyway. I moved to L.A., put myself out there and met enough people who were willing to read my scripts and help me that I got my first job. It was being an assistant to an award-winning showrunner. I learned a lot from him and moved up from there.

—Charles, writer

•   At college I majored in international communications, business, and Spanish. I didn't really think about entertainment. The only thing I knew was that there was a producer, director, and actors. I didn't know anything other than that. When I graduated, I moved to South America for a year even though I didn't know a soul. I travelled around and had some pretty interesting adventures. When I moved back home to Houston I worked as an event planner for a very successful company. After about a year I was ready to get out of Houston. I started looking into entertainment, at what kind of transferable skills I might have. I didn't know if I wanted to be on set or in development, but my goal was something that translated into international. One day I just kind of got in my car and drove out to L.A. Two days after I got here there was a writers strike. Being as naïve as I was I thought, “Oh, I don't want to be a writer, no big deal.” Little did I know the entire industry shuts down. The only person I knew here was my stepdad, but I reached out to every person I knew back home, asking them if they knew anyone I could talk to. So the first thing I ended up doing when I got here was to set up coffee, or drinks, or whatever, with forty different people. I got really lucky. Through meeting all those people I got a job within three weeks.

—Hayley, Manager, Sales and Acquisitions for an international production company

• My college fraternity had a huge event and I went around with a video camera shooting a bunch of stuff. Around the time I was graduating I was pretty broke. During the graduation my fraternity brothers started asking me for copies of my movie. That's when a light bulb went off. I invested the money I had left, bought editing software, learned how to use it and put together this DVD package of the event and sold them for ten dollars a piece to everyone in my fraternity. I made about $400. I loved making that movie. I didn't have a credit card yet, so I used that cash to buy a ticket to L.A. and stayed out here for about a week. I finally got a credit card so I could finance the week I was here and started interviewing at talent agencies. That first round of interviews went well enough that I went back home and one month later booked a one-way ticket and came out here. I still had to work retail clothing for six weeks before landing a job in entertainment but once I did it was really exciting.

—Ariel, assistant to feature film producer

•  I'd been living in New York City, just kind of treading water and went home to Kansas to regroup and finish college. I ran into one of my high school friends from down the block who was going to Cal Arts College in Los Angeles. He was home visiting his parents and was about to make his first student film. Since he was shooting in Kansas he'd farmed out all the crew jobs to his friends but didn't have anyone to do costumes and asked me if I wanted to. I said sure and we made this movie and I had a blast. When he went back to L.A. he told me I should come out because one of his roommates was moving so there was a room if I wanted it. I didn't have anything else to do so I packed up and went to L.A. There were four other roommates and they were all working as interns or P.A.s on these little, low budget, nonunion films. Whenever they needed someone to work for free, I jumped at it and within a couple of months I finally got a paid P.A. gig. Spending time on sets, I was drawn to the wardrobe department and when I heard of an opening for an intern in the costume department on a low-budget film I did everything I could to get it, which I did. I worked my butt off and was really nice to people and when the costume designer got another job she brought me along as her paid P.A. From that job I got another and then another and eventually got into the union. After a couple of years of working consistently, I got this gig, which I love.

—Meghan, costumer

• I came with a suitcase and a one-way ticket, which I would never advise anyone to do. For fun I took an acting class at Santa Monica City College. I'd already gone through college, my parents wanted me to be a lawyer and I was headed for a different career, but I really enjoyed that acting class and started to take more. My first three years in L.A., I took a lot of classes and I would read Backstage West from cover to cover, just really soaking it up. In the back, they would have different casting notices. I started doing plays and some student films, then independent films and short films. During one of my first plays I met a girl who worked for a talent agent and she asked me if I had an agent. I didn't, so she introduced me to her boss. He didn't sign me but told me to keep in touch, which I did. After three years I ended up going to an audition and got a costarring role on a CBS show. After that I started booking roles. I did some voice over parts, some co-stars, and a few guest stars. That's when her boss starting representing me and now I'm going out for roles on feature films.

—Alex, actor

As you read these stories, analyze the transition in each one. What did they overcome and how did an action on their part make it possible for them to overcome it? Obviously all of these “Personal A-Stories” are about people who are already working in L.A. Your story doesn't need to have you in L.A., it just needs to demonstrate how you overcame an obstacle that helped you move toward your show business goals. Use the questions at the end of this chapter to put together a basic story, with you as the protagonist. If you get stuck and can't think of anything, ask your friends or family to help. Sometimes they'll remember stories and incidents you've forgotten.

CRAFT ENTERTAINING PERSONAL ANECDOTES

Anecdotes are little mini stories from your life. Good ones are memorable and show you're an appealing person. In addition to being entertaining conversation starters, these stories can also illustrate a desirable personal quality; things like being a risk taker, a problem solver, a creative thinker, or someone who doesn't give up easily—all qualities that can help you get your first job in Hollywood. If you're drawing a blank and can't think of anything interesting that ever happened to you, do the second exercise at the end of this chapter. It has helped many students in my workshops. These are folks who started out thinking they had nothing interesting to talk about. Sometimes it took a while, but eventually everyone came up with some excellent stories. You want to develop an engaging one or two-liner to kick off your anecdote. A conversation starter, these couple of lines grab the listener's attention and make him want to have a conversation.

“I had stories I would tell about how we moved around, or how
I moved to South America without knowing a soul, and the point
of that story was to show that I have an adventurous spirit and
am easily adaptable to any situation, that I'm a problem solver,
and all kinds of elements to show that when I'm put in a situation
I swim and I swim really fast and this is why.”

—Hayley, Manager, Sales and Acquisitions
for an international production company

EXAMPLES OF REAL-LIFE ANECDOTAL ONE-LINERS:

1.  I did a semester abroad in Russia and outside of a nightclub I got stopped by these Russian government guys who thought I was a spy. It took me three hours to talk my way out of being arrested.

2.  My parents were both ministers and I survived growing up in a famous mega-church. You can't believe the stories.

3.  I got kicked out of Girl Scout camp for telling a dirty joke

4.  My grandfather won my grandmother in a card game.

5.  I was afraid of heights and wanted to get over it so I jumped out of a plane.

6.  I made a documentary about the first Asian American serial killer.

7.  I lived in eight countries before I was fifteen.

8.  I have a black belt in Tae Kwan Do and taught self-defense at a retirement home.

9.  Half of my family is cops and the other half is criminals.

See if you can identify what positive qualities each of the above anecdotes illustrates about the storyteller.

“In interviews, I tell stories to illustrate my point.
For example, to show that I'm a collaborative writer,
I tend to tell a short story about the ways
I worked with different people. Tell a story to illustrate you're
organized, but never use the word “organized.”
Tell stories in which you're the character taking decisive action.”

—    Thomas, producer

PUT IT ALL TOGETHER AND BE READY TO TELL YOUR STORY IN SIXTY SECONDS

Practice your log line and “Personal A-Story” until you know them backward and forward. You should be able to say your personal logline in about fifteen seconds and the “A-Story” in a minute and a half. Anecdotes can be longer if they're truly engaging. Try your stories out on your friends and see what kind of reaction you get. If it's not overwhelmingly enthusiastic, revise them until listeners sit forward in their chairs because they can't wait to hear more. Even though it may feel silly, practice until you're comfortable saying them. Shannon practices her “Personal A-Story” in front of a mirror and Akela uses the camera on her computer. You want to know them well enough to be spontaneous, but not so rehearsed that they sound fake.

INSIDER TIP > If you have an interview or meeting and you know ahead of time who's going to be there, it's worth spending a little time tailoring your “Personal A-Story” and anecdotes to that particular situation and those people.

“Interviews come pretty easy to me, in part
because I craft stories ahead of time and
sometimes I'll practice in the mirror—answering
questions, or asking questions. Saying it
out loud lets some of your nerves out.”

—Chelsea, agent's assistant

CONCLUSION

As you do the exercises at the end of this chapter, you'll dig deep and discover you have more memorable stories than you thought. It takes some creative thinking to develop them into a smooth narrative, but if you weren't creative you wouldn't be drawn to this business. Armed with your compelling personal stories, it's time to start networking.

CHAPTER 10

DEVELOP A UNIQUE “PERSONAL A-STORY”

EXERCISES

1.  To develop your unique “Personal A-Story,” take ten minutes to answer these questions. They'll help you begin to think of experiences and character traits that will be part of your compelling personal narrative. The answers don't have to be related to the entertainment business. Once you jot down the quick answer, go back and spend another ten minutes adding more detail.

a.  What are you most passionate about? Why? What experiences or events influenced you to feel so strongly about it? Did you have to overcome any obstacles to pursue your passion?

b.  What's something you're good at? How did you become interested? What did it take to excel?

c.  What are you most proud of? Why? What did you do to achieve it? Was it difficult? Were you acknowledged for it?

d.  What was the most difficult part of growing up or getting through school? How did you handle those challenges? What was the outcome?

e.  What are some other obstacles you've overcome? What created the obstacle and how did you overcome it? Did you do it alone? Who helped you?

2.  Start to come up with the story nuggets for your personal anecdotes. Divide your life into segments using school years: preschool, elementary, high school, college, and postcollege. Write down at least one example of an interesting, unusual, or exciting situation that happened to you during each segment. As you review them, where appropriate, jot down a positive character attribute that's illustrated in the story.

CHAPTER 11

NETWORK
LIKE CRAZY

Morgan started doing internships in her freshman year. She was friendly and introduced herself to everyone. She kept a notebook with scraps of papers of how she met them and what they did. After graduating from college she went on to make successful online series and kept in touch with many of the people she'd met. At a party she ran into one of them. He was now head of syndication at his company. He remembered Morgan fondly and when she mentioned she'd just produced a travel show pilot, he was interested. Within a week he'd set up a distribution deal for the show. Because she stayed in touch, she was able to connect with him at the party, and that conversation ended up in a deal.

THE INSIDER STORY OF EXPANDING YOUR CONTACTS

What you've heard about Hollywood is true: It's all about who you know. Relationships build careers. As you begin your career, and throughout it, you are creating a community of people with whom you will have mutually beneficial relationships. Everybody understands that the more people you know, the greater your chances of finding career opportunities. Here's why: The entertainment business is creative and subjective. There is no single standard by which everyone's work is measured. One director thinks you're a fantastic editor, another director doesn't. One producer loves your demo reel; another thinks it's amateurish. This star adores how you do her make up; the next one, not so much.

Because there's no objective way to predict who will be successful, people feel most comfortable hiring someone they know personally or who is recommended by a trusted friend or colleague. The more people you meet, the more people you have who can respond to you and your work and end up recommending you. Continually expand your network of mutually beneficial relationships and you'll help each other navigate the business.

“The solution is always networking.
You may not know anyone in the
entertainment industry, but your network does.”

—Hayley, junior executive

THE SECRET TO MEETING NEW PEOPLE

When you're meeting industry people it's important to know there isn't one individual who will make or break your career. You don't have to impress everyone. You won't like everyone you meet and not everyone will like you. If you understand that your entire career doesn't depend on one encounter, you can relax and start to build your community.

HOW DO YOU CONNECT WITH NEW PEOPLE?

The best connections are genuine. They're not desperate attempts to suck up to power players but the beginning of a mutually beneficial acquaintance or relationship. Here are a couple of approaches to networking that can make it less stressful.

Take the Pressure Off and Just Make an Acquaintance or Two

Think about getting ready to go into a networking situation you know will be filled with industry folks. You might be conjuring images of smarmy wannabes schmoozing everyone in sight. You want to meet people but you don't want to be a fake. You don't need to put a lot pressure on yourself because no one person you meet is going to make your career. Your goal should be to relax, engage a few people in conversation, and make a couple of acquaintances. No need to connect with everyone in the room, just have a couple of casual conversations and call it a day.

Make It Your Goal to Find A Way to Help the Other Person

Another way to reduce the stress is to switch your focus from “What can I get?” to “What can I give?” If you worry about being that smarmy schmoozer, this simple shift in thinking changes the equation. It allows you to stop fretting about being too pushy or getting rejected. “Giving” can be counterintuitive when opportunities seem scarce and you feel you have to grab every one of them that comes across your path. I'm not suggesting you let an opportunity slip by. I'm reassuring you that when you approach an encounter with the focus on how you can help the other person, you'll be surprised at how many opportunities will present themselves.

Jennifer discovered this at a Friday night mixer when she overheard a guy talking about the trouble he was having finding a good sound person for his new web series. Because Jennifer's boyfriend worked in post production, she politely interrupted the conversation and offered to help. They swapped info and on Monday she texted him four good leads. Without much effort, Jennifer added a filmmaker to her contacts; someone she might work for or collaborate with one day. She wasn't hustling; she was being helpful.

INSIDER TIP > Sometimes being helpful is letting others know what you have to offer because they need your skills or abilities. If you think of your talents (even if it's just being a great coffee fetcher) as the solution to someone's problem, than you're doing that person a favor, rather than trying to convince them to give you a job. Giving rather than getting can be the secret to promoting yourself without being uncomfortable.

WHAT IF YOU'RE NOT A NATURAL-BORN NETWORKER?

Networking in Hollywood is sort of like dating, which can make it a little scary. The best networkers are just friendly individuals. Say the word “networking” and they get excited. Say that word to other people and they start to hyperventilate. If getting out there and meeting people feels overwhelming, break it into small steps.

Start by giving yourself the manageable goal of just smiling at three people the next time you're in a networking environment. Just be yourself, make eye contact, and smile. You don't have to talk to them and it doesn't matter if they smile back or not. All you have to do is get in three smiles. Once you do, you go home a success.

Now build on that. Go to another networking situation—could be a formal one or a barbeque—and make it your goal to have a casual conversation with three people. There's no agenda when you're talking to these folks, you're just introducing yourself and making small talk. Once you've talked to three people, you've succeeded and can leave. Next time out, get three business cards and then build from there. Take it slow. I've had many people who started out being nervous about doing these exercises, but after a while, their anxiety level dropped to the point they could go anywhere and connect with people easily.

INSIDER TIP > Drinks are often served in networking situations. Have one to relax, but don't get drunk. I've seen too many people, including a high-level network executive, shoot themselves in the foot because they overindulged at a professional gathering.

Whether it's social networking or career networking, the principle's the same: In order to cultivate more relationships, you have to put yourself out there and increase the number of people you interact with. If you're not a natural networker, take baby steps to build your confidence. Start with one networking event a month and next month make it two. Successful career networking is a numbers game. The more people you know, the more people they'll introduce you to until eventually you've built a deep list of contacts.

“The term “networking” seems cold. I like to look at it
as relationship-building; I'm building a family.
Which sounds really corny, but it's true.
The crop of assistants I work with now will become the
agents and managers and creative associates
I'll be working with in a year or two. You never know
who people are going to be, so it's always good
to build some sort of relationship. It's a lot warmer
that way when you end up doing business together.”

—Rosie, literary manager's assistant

MORE SIMPLE STRESS-REDUCING STRATEGIES

How to Handle Parties and Mixers: Go with a Friend

You can network on the set or at the office, set up one-on-one dates for coffee or lunch, or join a sports league, but it's still a good idea to get to the occasional networking event or mixer. If it's not your favorite thing, double team it and go with a friend. Jaime, a makeup artist, hated walking into a room full of strangers by herself, so she invited her friend Marcus to go with her. He helped ease her into conversations, and once she felt comfortable, he went off to do his own networking. The next time they went to a party, they split up as soon as they got there and by the end of the evening they'd each talked to everyone they wanted to. Together they found a comfortable way to make new industry contacts.

How to Start a Conversation

For some people introducing themselves and starting a conversation at a gathering is the most challenging part. The easiest way is to start with eye contact and follow up with a general, positive question or simple compliment. Here are some examples:

•  I didn't expect to hear so much good information, what did you think?

•  Great speaker. I haven't heard her before, have you?

•  What are they serving for lunch? Looks good.

•  That's an incredible purse. Where did you get it?

How to End a Conversation

Wrapping up a conversation is an art in itself. If you're ready to end the conversation and the other person isn't, you need a graceful way to exit and move on. You don't want to be mean to anyone in this town so use common courtesy and be gracious.

Here are some options:

•  It was great to meet you; can I get your email?

•  I was hoping to connect with the speaker. I'm going to head over and introduce myself to him. Want to come with me?

•  It was so nice to talk to you, do you have a card?

•  Thanks for chatting with me. I promised my friend I'd meet up with her at 1:00 so I should take off.

INSIDER TIP > Nobody likes a self-involved networker. We've all had the painful experience of standing across from someone who doesn't stop to take a breath. Ninety percent of the time she's going on about her accomplishments or struggles and completely ignoring you. Asking questions and really listening to the answers will make you a good networker.

The Initial Follow Up

Following up is at the heart of successful networking. If you meet someone at an event and want to follow up, get a card or email. Follow up within a week after the event and have an email relationship first to see if there's a mutual connection. If there is, set up a time to grab lunch or have a drink.

If you've offered to do something for your fellow networker, like make an introduction, don't wait; do it that night. If he mentioned he's a fan of adventure dining, send him a link the next day to an article about a new Caribbean restaurant.

INSIDER TIP > If you've made a connection with a peer, someone at your level, you can be specific when you follow up, “Great to meet you, love to take you up on your offer to have lunch. Maybe next week?” If it's with someone who's higher up, be more general when you contact them, “It was great to meet you, would love to talk to you again sometime.” Let them decide if and when they want to connect again.

Maintaining Relationships

The secret to successfully maintaining relationships is to stay in touch regularly, not just when you need something. Send emails or touch base online when something good happens for either one of you. Remember birthdays, offer to crew for free on a project, or attend one of their performances. Jenna makes amazing chocolate-covered biscotti and gives them to business friends and close acquaintances during the holidays.

INSIDER TIP > One of the biggest sins in Hollywood is failure, which is why it's important to be in touch when something negative happens. Send a note or make a call. Because everyone else is abandoning him, he won't forget you were there when he needed a friend.

CREATE A PERSONAL NETWORKING DATABASE

It's much easier to stay in touch and follow up if you keep a database file of every person you meet. Include the name, contact info, how you met, when you met, who introduced you, and anything interesting that came up in your conversation, like where he went to school, what company he works for, or that he's obsessed with Alfred Hitchcock movies. Keep it current and you've got a powerful tool for staying connected.

If you've stayed in touch consistently, when you need a new job, a favor, or a recommendation, the network you've built will be there to help you and, over time, you'll be able to return the favor.

“Stayed in touch with people, sent emails.
Stayed in contact. I didn't look at them as resources.
I looked at them as friends.”

—Kyle, emerging director

WHERE DO YOU GO TO MEET MORE PEOPLE?

Now that you know how to take the pressure off when you meet new people, you're ready to branch out and find them. See the “Resource” section at the end of the book for a long list of organizations and additional networking opportunities. You might want to start with some of these specific ways to connect:

•  Reach out to people at work. Besides doing your work well, you should reach out to friendly colleagues and suggest having lunch or getting drinks.

“I make sure to get to know people and keep conversing
with them—make them an acquaintance
more than just a coworker. I always involve myself in
whatever is going on. Ask questions and
seem interested and people pull you into conversations.”

—Omar, P.A.

•  Connect with people through online communities in your areas of interest.

•  Attend panels, seminars, workshops, and networking sessions put on by professional organizations in your area of interest. There are several industry organizations you can join before you actually start working in the business.

“There are a lot of organizations or groups that
help you network. JHRTS (Junior Hollywood
Radio and Television Society) is how I met
a lot of the TV world. They have the most amazing
panels. They have mixers where you can
go to socialize. They have a holiday party, which
is a huge event. Anyone can join.”

—Felicia, agent's assistant

•  Enroll in an industry-related class at the local college or university. Connect with the professor and fellow students.

•  Get active in your alumni organizations. Many colleges and universities with large film departments have vibrant alumni organizations and put on workshops, holiday parties, and networking events.

•  Volunteer at a Hollywood charity or political organization—but only do it if you genuinely care about the cause.

INSIDER TIP > When you're starting out, you don't always have the money to go to seminars, workshops, lectures, or fundraisers. Some organizations, guilds, and unions will swap the price of admission for your services as a volunteer. Make a call and find out.

CONCLUSION

Networking is searching out people you want to be part of your community and building mutually beneficial long-term relationships. It's a marathon endeavor, done over decades, not just in your first three months. Done right, relationship-building enriches your career and your personal life. Developing the art of networking lays the groundwork for the rest of your Hollywood Game Plan.

CHAPTER 11

NETWORK LIKE CRAZY

EXERCISES

1. Identify three entertainment industry organizations you can volunteer at in order to meet people in the industry. Contact them and offer your services at their next event.

2. Attend—or crash—one industry event this month. Collect five business cards.

CHAPTER 12

FIND A MENTOR
AND
TREAT HER RIGHT

Alisha came to L.A. with a passionate desire to do special effects makeup for horror films. Her friend tipped her off to a job opening as the assistant to a famous makeup artist—the perfect gig, but how was she going to get a chance to throw her hat in the ring? A few months earlier, she'd had coffee with Justin, her mom's friend's son who was a costume designer. When she heard about the job opening, Alicia emailed Justin to see if he had any connection to the famous makeup artist. It turned out they'd worked together on a project and he forwarded Alisha's resume along with a recommendation. Alicia had a great interview and got the job. After the movie wrapped, the famous makeup artist was so impressed with Alicia's work that he helped her get her first paid job as a makeup artist. They're still good friends.

ARE THERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MENTORS?

Alicia's story is a perfect illustration of the three types of mentors you need: a peer mentor, an advisor mentor, and a guru mentor. A peer mentor is someone at the same stage in his career as you. The friend who told Alicia about the assistant job is her peer mentor. Justin is her advisor mentor. He's been working in the business a couple of years, has a good network of contacts, and is willing to help her. The famous makeup artist is her guru mentor. He's well established in the entertainment industry with a strong track record and lots of contacts. He enjoys helping Alicia not just because he likes her as a person, but also because he knows she'll make him look good whenever he recommends her.

INSIDER TIP > Newcomers often feel that if only they had a guru mentor, their careers would be made. A better strategy is having more than one mentor. After earning their respect, you can expect mentors to give you career advice, help you navigate the bumps in the road, and maybe recommend you for a job.

HOW DO YOU GET ONE MENTOR…OR THREE?

Maintaining realistic expectations of a mentor is the first step toward finding one. Though having that one powerful mentor who opens doors and makes things happen for you is a beautiful thing, it doesn't happen that often. More often, it's a collection of peer and advisor mentors, along with an occasional helping hand from a guru.

“I had two really great cinematography teachers
at USC whom I still call when I have an
important question. As long as I give them the
necessary deference because they've been
doing this much longer, we can sustain that sort of
relationship. They're very generous with their time,
even though they don't owe me anything.”

—Sean, cinematographer

Even though it's nice to have all three types of mentors, I know many professionals who've succeeded with just peer and advisor mentors. Connecting with a highly respected guru mentor takes timing and luck. You can't control either one of them, but you can stack the deck in your favor by being prepared when one crosses your path. That includes having the right attitude, a compelling personal story, and a great work ethic.

INSIDER TIP > I've mentored a number of people over the years. Here's what the mentees have in common: I believe in them, think they're enormously talented, and know they have great potential. They are sincere and smart. I care about them and their future success. When they succeed, I feel like I have, too.

Where do you find a mentor?

PEER MENTORS

Peer mentors are all around you. They're friends, classmates, and colleagues who toil alongside you at entry-level jobs. Some are already working and others are hustling to get their first gig. When you're starting out in show business, think of yourself as part of a freshman class. These “classmates” are your peer mentors.

ADVISOR MENTORS

You'll meet advisor mentors through friends, relatives, and on the job. They've been in the business longer, know their way around, and are willing to offer guidance when you're grappling with a career dilemma.

Advisor mentors are especially helpful because they've been where you are recently enough to remember that someone helped them too. They bridge the gap between where you are now and where you want to go. It's your job to approach them and ask for help, but it's important to do it the right way. First, ask them about themselves and their journey, then ask for advice. Be an attentive listener and be respectful of their time.

“The best thing that happened to me when I moved
here is that I found a mentor. Amazingly, he
lived in my apartment building and we met in the elevator.
He was a few steps ahead of me career-wise and
had experience. He could talk me through everything, he
really understood what I wanted and he wanted to help me.”

—Felicia, agent's assistant

GURU MENTORS

Guru mentors are scarce, and forming a meaningful relationship with them is a longer process. They can be bosses or teachers, senior-level producers, or executives you met during your internship. They might be seminar leaders or guest lecturers at a university.

I know a newly minted cinematographer who met his mentor at a USC lecture. Sean had already graduated, but came back to hear the man who was his role model speak. Afterwards, Sean thoughtfully complimented him on the lecture and asked if he might talk to him sometime to get career advice. The speaker graciously offered to chat with him the following week. After an informative phone call, Sean followed up with a heartfelt thank you email and asked if he could stay in touch.

Over several months, Sean would occasionally reach out with a brief email or phone call and ask for advice. His role model always responded, and Sean took him out for lunch to show his appreciation. Without ever formally declaring it, Sean's role model became his mentor. After they'd known each other for two years, his mentor recommended Sean for a job on a commercial, which he got. By doing an excellent job behind the camera, Sean made his mentor proud and they continue to have a warm relationship several years later.

INSIDER TIP > How do you ask someone to be your mentor? You don't. A good mentor-mentee relationship evolves. If a potential mentor likes you or finds you impressive, she'll want to help you. If you're appreciative and respectful of her time, a relationship will develop naturally.

What's in it for them?

Why would any type of mentor want to lend you a hand? Because at some point, someone helped them in their career, too. Despite the competitiveness of this business, many generous professionals want to give back. They're sympathetic to your situation and can offer invaluable advice. If they're convinced you'll be successful, then supporting you makes them look good and they'll do more than offer advice.

Another motivator for a mentor who believes you'll be successful is the old Hollywood adage, “You meet the same people going down the ladder as you do going up,” which means the newcomer she helps today could be the person who hires her tomorrow. A powerful mentor didn't get to where she is by ignoring talented young people on their way up.

“My mentor is my old boss. I only worked
for her for a couple of months,
but I really admired her and we hit it off.
After I changed departments we stayed friends
and she's been a champion of mine ever since.”

—Brett, talent agency coordinator

Think of the group of mentors you're cultivating as your support team. It takes time to get the team together, but once in place, they'll be instrumental in your breaking in and eventually landing your dream job.

CALL ON YOUR SUPPORT TEAM TO “MAKE CALLS” ON YOUR BEHALF

“Making calls” is at the heart of how things get done in Hollywood. It means a professional with credibility, often someone from your support team, is calling another professional and personally vouching for you.

INSIDER TIP > Hollywood is fueled by personal recommendations; the more the better. When you're at the entry level, even if you have a stellar resume, having a mentor pick up the phone on your behalf can be the difference between getting a show business job and staying at Starbucks.

I used my support team to get my job running Steven Spielberg's television department. A business colleague with whom I'd become friendly told me about an opening for the new head of television at Amblin Entertainment. It turned out his wife's good friend was doing the initial interviews and I'd met her at a party at their house. My interview with her went well and she set up a second interview with Kathleen Kennedy, the woman who was running Steven's company. That interview, which was supposed to be a half hour, went on for over an hour and seemed like a home run—but I knew they were meeting other people so I activated my support team.

I reached out to two of my advisor mentors (bosses I'd worked for in the past) and had them call Kathy and say nice things about me. That was a good start, but I thought it might not be enough so I had my lawyer, a universally well-liked and highly regarded attorney, call her. Kathy told him it was between me and another person. Finally, I pulled out the big guns and went to my guru mentor, a partner at CAA and a very powerful player. CAA represented Steven so the partner knew Kathy well and over lunch he pitched me to her—telling her how much the agency liked me, what a good job I was doing at CBS, and how I would be a great fit for the company. All those calls together, with my support team in action, resulted in a job offer. I accepted. Then hung up and danced around like a crazy person.

“In the interview, my future boss said
that everyone she knew in Hollywood called about
me. It was a full court press. I had agents,
fellow execs, and writers call. I made sure I had
all those different arenas covered.”

—Shana, studio exec

HOW TO NURTURE YOUR MENTOR RELATIONSHIPS

You can ensure mutually beneficial relationships with your mentors by following these basic rules: Don't ask too much, show your appreciation, and make your mentors proud.

“If they're looking for a mentor, they need to
come across as somebody who's worth investing in.
Somebody who's talented, who's appreciative,
who's going to reflect well on the mentor. If the person
becomes a needy burden, the mentor will see them
as a drain on their energy. If you're at the table with your
hand out, sullen because no one's putting anything in it,
no one wants you at the table.”

—Glen, showrunner

Don't Ask For Too Much

When you're starting out you'll need favors and have lots of questions. You may be tempted to ask a generous mentor for help on a regular basis. Be a little careful. Constantly asking is an abuse of her generosity and you could end up scaring her away. At the peer mentor level, you have a lot more latitude, but still avoid being excessively needy. Be even more considerate of an advisor mentor's time and most judicious with a guru mentor.

INSIDER TIP > Depending on the relationship with your advisor mentor, contact her once a month or once every couple of months. The exception is if you're up for a job and need your mentor to make a call.

With a guru mentor, you might only want to call on her if there's a critical situation that she can help with. I only went to my CAA agent guru one time—for the Amblin job—and I had known him a couple of years. Assume you only have one or two “asks” with your guru mentor over the course of your early career. If she offers to help, that's a different story, but if you're doing the asking, be very, very deliberate about calling in that favor.

INSIDER TIP > A good way to find out if you're being a nuisance is just to ask, “Am I being too annoying?” or “Please let me know if I'm coming to you too often, I know how busy you are and will completely understand.”

One successful showrunner, extremely generous with his time and support, had an assistant who continually asked him for help; to read her scripts and to make calls for her. The first couple of times he was happy to help because he believed in giving back and helping talented people get their break. But by the third time she asked him to read another script—right in the middle of the show's busiest time—he felt taken advantage of. He had to tell her no, he didn't have the time. She was upset with him, which only made him less inclined to help her. By asking for too much too often, the assistant lost a powerful guru mentor.

Show Your Appreciation and Send a Gift

When a mentor does you a favor, let her know how much you appreciate her time and efforts. Thank her in person and always send a note. If she's gone out of her way and done something especially helpful send a small gift. It's doesn't have to be lavish or expensive; a basket of cookies or chocolate-covered strawberries is fine. It's more about the gesture than the dollar amount.

INSIDER TIP > I knew my CAA guru mentor loved junk food so I sent him (in a lovely basket) a hundred dollars worth of candy bars, cookies, chips, and Hostess cupcakes. He was used to getting extravagant presents from his rich and famous clients, but he told me mine was one of his favorites because it was so original and made him laugh. Use your imagination before your pocket book.

Make Your Mentor Proud

The best way to repay your mentor is to be a rock star at the job or project she helps you get. Overperform. Your goal is to have the person who hires you tell your mentor what a great find you are and how much he appreciated the recommendation. Make your mentor proud and she'll help you get your next job too.

“I know a bunch of old timer directors I go to
lunch with every few months, and keep in
touch with and send my short films to…they give
me more of a big picture career advice sort of thing.”

—Brandon, web series producer/director

CONCLUSION

From your first job to your dream job, you need a support team to help you achieve your goals. That's why the careful nurturing of your mentor relationships is an essential part of your game plan. As a “mentee,” you'll be a pleasure to help if you're respectful of their time, genuinely grateful, and deliver an exceptional job performance at the gig they help you get. With a mentor or two in your corner, it's time for the rubber to meet the road and embark on a fierce job hunt.

CHAPTER 12

FIND A MENTOR AND TREAT HER RIGHT

EXERCISES

1.  Send a check-in email to an advisor mentor. Ask how he's doing. Tell him one good thing that's happening with you professionally and let him know you're still looking for a job and ask him to let you know if he hears of anything.

2.  Be creative! Identify one or two inexpensive, thoughtful gifts you could send to a mentor. Cupcakes? Flowerss? I'm sure you can come up with something more interesting. Keep the info handy for the next time you need it.

section four

GET FOCUSED

GET PREPARED

GET SMART

GET CONECTED

GET HIRED

GET GOING

CHAPTER 13

LAUNCH
A FIERCE FIVE-STEP
JOB SEARCH

After graduating from college, Rosie arrived in L.A. with her husband and daughter, but no job and no contacts. What she did have was a fierce determination to work in show business. For three weeks she spent between thirty and forty hours a week job-searching, sending out sometimes twenty resumes in a day. Each morning she checked industry employment websites and craigslist, she looked on college websites, even though she hadn't gone to the schools, and went to entertainment company websites, sometimes twice in a day, and sent in resumes for every position that was even remotely appropriate. At the end of three weeks, she'd sent out close to 250 resumes before landing an internship at a prestigious P.R. firm.

Rosie's story is impressive because of how hard she worked and how quickly it paid off. She knew no one and still got a job in three weeks. It might take you longer, but if you apply the same laser focus to the task and generate the same kind of output, you can get similar results. Your first job doesn't have to be your ideal job, it just has to be the one that gets you in the door.

INSIDER TIP > If you want to get a job in Hollywood, you need to be in Los Angeles. If you have a good phone interview with an H.R. executive, she might want to set up an in-person interview the next morning. If you have a great meeting with a production coordinator on a movie, she might want you to start that day. When openings happen at the entry level—in an office or on a set—they get filled fast.?

WHAT ARE THE FIVE STEPS?

You're making good progress on your game plan: You have an industry-ready resume, a killer cover letter, a compelling personal story, and you're starting to build a network of contacts. You're perfectly positioned to launch the intensive, five-step job search that will get you your first—or next—industry gig. If you want fast results, make your job search a full-time effort.

1.  Reach out to everyone you know and ask for help with your job search.

2.  Constantly check industry job websites and answer every ad that's even remotely close to what you want to do.

3.  Make cold calls and contact companies directly. (A little scary, but worth it).

4.   Follow up like a job depended on it, because it does.

5.  Set up a job search routine and enlist the help of a reliable friend.

REACH OUT TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW AND ASK FOR HELP WITH YOUR JOB HUNT

Kick off your job hunt by contacting everyone you know, by every means possible, even if you don't think they have connections in the entertainment industry; you just never know whose sister-in-law is a business affairs executive at Warners. Let them know you're looking for work and be specific: “I'm looking for an assistant position (or a P.A. job or apprentice gig), if you hear of something, please let me know.” If you haven't seen someone for a while, invite him to coffee or lunch, find out what he's doing and then ask for his help with your search.

Use your online community contacts

My favorite story of someone using social media early on to land a job is about Jaydi Samuels, a graduate of my Assistant Training Program and, at the time, an aspiring television writer. It was 2008. She'd just graduated from college and was determined to get a job as soon as possible. In addition to contacting friends, she did something that was unique at the time: she checked the credits on IMDb of her favorite TV shows and cross-referenced them on Facebook. When she found an interesting lead, she posted the perfect, four-sentence message on their page:

I was wondering if you were looking for a writer's assistant or writer's P.A. for “According to Jim”?

I just graduated USC with a screenwriting B.F.A and would love to serve the show in any capacity. If nothing is available, could you advise me on how to get my resume into the system for the future?

I really appreciate any advice you could give, and I'm sorry for having to contact you on Facebook !

The response from one executive producer was:

I'm happy to get your resume into the system and I am happy to give you advice (even though I did it in the Stone Age, I still remember how hard it is to break into TV). Unfortunately I don't think there are any openings in the show. Give me a call next week (he included his number). I'm usually in the writers' room but I'll call you back.

Good luck,

Les

PS. Don't worry about the Facebook thing—I wouldn't have put up a profile if I didn't want to talk to people.

They spoke a few days later and even though there was no job, she made a nice contact, which she still has today. Jaydi sent out a total of a hundred Facebook messages. She landed her first job through one of them. A P.A. on one of her favorite series told her that there were no openings on the show but asked for her resume. When he left the show a couple of weeks later, he passed it along to the person who was hiring. Based on her resume, she was invited for an interview and then landed the job.

INSIDER TIP > While you're asking friends to keep an eye out for job openings, put out the word that you'd also like to meet anyone who would be willing to give you career advice. When you get a lead, follow up immediately.

When you're setting up a career advice meeting, also known as an “informational” or “general,” ask the person out for coffee (or lunch or drinks) and pay the bill. If your industry insider is busy, expect the meeting to be in his office. Be considerate of his time and once the small talk is over get to the point by saying something like: “I'd like to get your advice on how to get my resume into the system, any pointers you have for improving my job hunt would be really helpful.”

INSIDER TIP > As you're leaving your informational meeting, ask your host to keep you in mind if he hears of any openings. Be as specific as you were with your friends: “I'm looking for an assistant position (or a P.A. job or an apprentice gig) if you hear of something, I'd be very interested.”

Ultimately, getting hired is a numbers game. Your odds of finding a job increase by the number of people who know you're looking.

CONSTANTLY CHECK INDUSTRY JOB WEBSITES AND ANSWER EVERY AD THAT'S EVEN REMOTELY CLOSE TO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO

A number of websites are devoted to the entertainment industry. General ones like entertainmentcareers.net and showbizjobs.com tend to lean toward assistant listings. Sites devoted to production opportunities include productionnotices.com, Mandy.com, Productionhub.com, and some general ones like Craigslist, have entertainment listings too. Search “production jobs,” “production assistant jobs,” and “production listings.” Most industry-specific sites want you to pay for a subscription but if you look hard enough you can find a few free ones. Check all the sites every day and apply to any job that seems even close to what you're looking for.

“It was worth it to me to pay for a subscription to
entertainmentcareers.net. It's pretty cheap.
I spent a few full weeks, full time, looking constantly
throughout the day and sending in over a
hundred resumes. I got several interviews and two offers.
That's how I got my current job.”

—Taylor, assistant to managing director of management firm

INSIDER TIP > The famous “UTA Job List” does exist, even though the United Talent Agency won't confirm it. The elusive list includes assistant and intern job listings for production companies, studios, networks, talent agencies, management companies, and public relations firms. You need to know someone in the business who will pass along the list to you, so as soon as you make your first industry contact, ask nicely if he'll forward it to you. Many people complain that by the time a job hits the UTA list it's already taken, but I know two people who got great jobs from the list.

“I got my first job through the UTA joblist. I've had
great luck. Because of the volume of response
they get, it's imperative that you respond immediately
to any posting if you want your resume to be seen.”

—Clara, aspiring director

A word about temp agencies. If you have the required clerical skills, working at a temp agency might lead to a full-time paying job at one of the companies you're interested in. But only apply to agencies that service the entertainment industry. Try Friedman Personnel or Apple One. If you go to Apple One, apply at their Westside or Beverly Hills locations.

Going to all the industry job websites every day—or a couple of times a day—can be tedious and frustrating. Although you won't hear back from 99% of them, the ones that do reply can be promising job leads.

MAKE COLD CALLS AND CONTACT COMPANIES DIRECTLY

You can find contact information for almost any company you're interested in working for. The big companies all have websites. When you're searching for the smaller ones, a collection of directories and databases will become your new best friends. They include the Hollywood Creative Directory and the Hollywood Representation Directory, along with their sister directories, Hollywood Distribution Directory and Blu Book Production Directory.

The Creative Directory lists every studio, network, cable channel, major production company, and many smaller production companies—along with a phone number, address, staff names and titles, and website addresses. The Representation Directory lists talent agencies, managers, entertainment attorneys and business affairs departments, casting directors, and publicity companies. Most of the directories are available as either monthly or yearly online subscriptions.

INSIDER TIP > IMDbPro (Internet Movie Database, Professional) offers the same information as the Creative Directory, and then some. If you want to find out who represents an actor or director, the info is there along with a link to that agency or management company. If you want to contact an executive, production designer, makeup artist, or stunt person, their information is listed, too. IMDb is a free service but IMDbPro is a monthly subscription.

Once you get a phone number, take a deep breath, call the office, and ask if they're looking for an assistant or production assistant. If the answer's no, thank them, and ask if you can send in your resume and check back again in a couple of weeks.

INSIDER TIP > The best times to call production companies or talent agencies is 11:00am-12:00am and 3:00pm-4:00pm or after 7:00pm. During those times, the assistant isn't dealing with the heavy call volume that happens first thing in the morning and right after lunch.

Once you get all the way through a creative directory or the IMDbPro database, start from the beginning and do it again. It takes a lot of work, but there's a very good chance this kind of concentrated, personal search will result in an entry-level job or internship.

“I sent out my resume to a bunch of different places.
I sent out to at least fifty or sixty different jobs.
There's tons of different websites. Entertainmentcareets.net,
and somehow I got the UTA list, and then
I cold-sent resumes to these companies. Then one night at
school, I got a call at like ten o'clock at night and
it was CAA calling me.”

—Dominque, assistant to showrunner

FOLLOW UP LIKE A JOB DEPENDED ON IT, BECAUSE IT DOES

You've put out the word to everyone you know, you're applying to jobs every day, you're calling companies and sending in resumes, now it's time to take the next step. Following up effectively can be the deciding factor between getting a job on a film and continuing to work the register at the bookstore. Friends and acquaintances may want to help, there may be a P.A. job in the camera department or an assistant opening at a production company, but if they haven't heard from you recently, you're not at the front of their mind.

How often to follow up

Assuming you've been told it's okay to follow up regularly, if you've applied directly to a company or a production coordinator for a P.A. job, check back every two or three weeks to see if there are any new openings. If it's a smaller company and you're applying for an assistant gig, make it a month.

If you've sent your resume to an H.R. department, the time between calls might be shorter, especially if you only get voicemail when you call to follow up. When Samata was visiting L.A., she had a promising phone interview with the H.R. person at a talent agency. He told her to call back when she actually lived in L.A. When she moved here, she called and left a voice message, “Hi, it's Samata. We spoke. I'm in L.A. now.” No one returned her call, so she called back and left a message every other day until finally, after two weeks, she got called in for an interview.

You may not be comfortable calling every other day, but don't be shy about checking in with an H.R. voicemail every week. Regardless of where you're calling, if your message is polite and very brief, chances are they'll be impressed with your persistence and eventually call you back.

INSIDER TIP > Honor the fifteen-second rule. This refers to the amount of time you spend talking to a gatekeeper (assistant or receptionist). Be respectful of his time. When you call a company every couple of weeks to follow up after you've sent in a resume, just take fifteen seconds to remind him who you are and why you're calling. If the person's not inclined to chat, just ask if it would be okay to check in again in a couple of weeks and then say goodbye. If they're willing to talk, spend a few minutes schmoozing, but be mindful of how busy they are and make it brief.

After putting so much work into the rest of your job search, don't drop the ball on the crucial step of following up.

SET UP A JOB SEARCH ROUTINE AND ENLIST THE HELP OF A RELIABLE FRIEND

It's easy to get side tracked by an addictive online game when you should be working on your job hunt. A helpful method to stay focused is to give yourself a schedule and stick to it. David, an aspiring creative executive, decided he would put in three solid hours every day on his job search. A morning person, he gave himself 9:00-12:00 every weekday to send out emails, make calls, and answer ads. He took a couple of ten-minute breaks but other than that, he focused on it completely. In the afternoons and on weekends, he met people for coffee and let them know he was looking. In six weeks he landed an assistant job at a large production company.

INSIDER TIP > Getting a job is a full-time job in itself. If you want to see quick results, put the same kind of energy into your search as you would if you were getting paid to do it. If you're a determined overachiever, spend six solid hours a day on it.

Get a friend to help you stay on track

If you're not a resume-generating, company-calling, following-up machine by nature, a job hunt can be discouraging. To combat it, find someone to commiserate with and be accountable to. Choose a friend who shares your work ethic and ask if you can check in during your job search to report on your progress. Set up a regular time to talk or email and let him know how many resumes you sent out or how many calls you made. Some people refer to it as an “accountability partner.”

If you have a challenging task like an important upcoming phone call or meeting, check in with him ahead of time; maybe even rehearse. Once you've completed the task, report back and let him know how it went. I know people who continue this kind of relationship long after they get a job, just to have a partner in their corner.

INSIDER TIP > What's the magic number of contacts you need to get your first gig? Among the people I interviewed for this book (who started without knowing anyone in L.A.), the magic number of personal contacts (calls, emails, or online community connections) that led to interviews that resulted in landing their first job was fifty to sixty. If you're putting in that kind of effort, you can expect similar outcomes.

CONCLUSION

If your aunt isn't the vice president of production at Fox, don't despair; a focused, strategic five-step job hunt will deliver results. The best way to think of your search is as a full-time job. Start by reaching out to everyone you know; contact people you don't know through online communities, make cold calls to companies you'd like to work for, and answer every blind ad that is even a little close to what you're after. Keep yourself focused by setting up a schedule for calling and sending out resumes and get support in your quest from a reliable friend.

INSIDER TIP > In spite of how ridiculously competitive the Hollywood job market is, hundreds of openings become available every day. Someone's going to get one of those jobs; it might as well be you.

Assuming you've put in the effort, it should just be a matter of time until you land a job. How do you make the most of the opportunity? By following your game plan and starting smart on your first day.

CHAPTER 13

LAUNCH A FIERCE FIVE-STEP JOB SEARCH

EXERCISES

1. Just as an exercise, choose three companies you're interested in working for and get their contact info. Cold call the office and ask if you can send a resume. If they say no, call another company. Keep calling until you get three yeses and send in your resume to them. Follow up a week later.

2. Reach out to one person you know and trust and ask if they'll help keep you accountable during the next month of your job search. Share your daily/weekly goals and check in at least once a week for a month.

CHAPTER 14

LEARN THE SECRET
OF THE
POWER PREP

As Chelsea prepared for the most important interview of her career, she knew the competition was going to be insane. She was being interviewed by a partner at one of the most successful talent agencies in Hollywood. She needed an edge and just researching his professional background wasn't going to do it. She spent four hours the night before finding out everything she could about him. She went to LinkedIn and found out where he grew up and what college he went to; she Googled him, searched the trades, and made calls to friends who worked at the company. She found out who his clients were and how he came up in the business. To her astonishment, she discovered he'd never had a female assistant because he was reluctant to work with a woman. Armed with her research, she walked into the interview totally confident and changed his mind, convincing him she was the only one for the job. All her preparation paid off, and he offered her the job in the room.

That's an example of the power prep in action. Once you learn to do this type of intensive preparation, you're positioned for success every time you walk into a meeting. You get to be part detective, part researcher, and part performer. First you find out everything you can about the person you're meeting with and his company or the production, then you prepare yourself intellectually and emotionally and, finally, you do a wardrobe review.

START WITH HIS PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

Find the answers to these questions:

•  Current job title? Find out what it actually means because titles can be vague or misleading or both.

•  Previous jobs? What did he do? Which companies did he work for?

•  Projects? What projects has he been involved in? Which ones were successful and which ones not so much? Do you know any of the other people involved in those projects, someone you can mention as a conversation starter?

•  Major career accomplishments? Has he won any awards or been recognized by organizations?

•  What professional organizations is he affiliated with?

INSIDER TIP > If you've tried every avenue and can't find the answer, call his assistant and ask for help nicely. Tell her you're “doing your homework,” and would like to know as much as possible before you meet her boss.

•  What does his company do?

•  How long has it been around?

•  How large is it (how many employees, how many offices)?

•  Who are the principals of the company?

•  What projects /clients does it have?

•  Have any of the projects won awards?

INSIDER TIP > If you're meeting with a production coordinator for a P.A. job, find out everything you can about who's involved in the production, that is, the director, producer, actors, and writer. Use your contacts and online resources to research the coordinator, too.

RESEARCH HIS PERSONAL INFO

Research his personal life next. Not like a stalker—just enough to find out if the two of you have any common ground for conversation starters. Here's the kind of info that will be helpful:

•  Where did he go to school?

•  Was he in a fraternity?

•  Does/did he play sports?

•  Does he have a family? If so, what does his spouse do?

•  What are his hobbies?

•  Is he involved in charities?

•  What online communities does he belong to?

“I find out everything I can about the person,
beyond just their career. You can find out where someone
went to college, where they grew up. You never
know when you'll be able to bring up that one thing
that you know they'll have in common with you.
I Googled and Googled and Googled. I searched their
names in the trades online. Before interviewing
with the person I wanted to be working for, I found key
points about their background and personality.”

—Christopher, assistant

By the way, don't ask his assistant for the personal information…that's up to you and your research skills.

INSIDER TIP > Of course the most important part of preparing for a meeting is getting one of your mentors to call ahead of time to say how wonderful you are. Sometimes it's best if the call comes after the meeting. Confer with your mentor to decide on the best timing.

DO YOU KNOW THE BUSINESS WELL ENOUGH TO BE A PART OF IT?

You've been doing a good job of educating yourself with books, blogs, online communities, and websites. You have a general idea of how the business works and you're learning the specifics of your area of interest. Now's the time to ramp it up; spend at least an hour finding out about general business developments and the latest gossip. For general entertainment news, read the trades: Hollywood Reporter.com and Variety.com. For gossip, start with DeadlineHollywood.com and Gawker.com. Do in-depth research in your specific area. Pore over websites, blogs, and communities so you can easily discuss the latest developments and the newest players in your arena.

INSIDER TIP > While you're researching the company or bringing yourself up to date on what's happening in the industry, start to formulate a thoughtful opinion about what you're learning. Why is the recent trend in new film production exciting…or disturbing? Why will using gaming to market a mainstream project be an effective strategy? Or not? What do you think makes the latest viral video such a success?

COME UP WITH SOMETHING INTERESTING TO TALK ABOUT

You'll set yourself apart from all the other people he's meeting by asking perceptive or interesting questions. Use the information you uncovered in your research to prepare specific, insightful queries. Ask how the company put together an important deal or how he beat out his competition for the client he just landed. What was the most challenging part of working with a particular director? Choose the kind of questions that show you've done your homework.

INSIDER TIP > Prepare a few general ice-breakers ahead of time so you can make small talk. Only use ones you're comfortable with. Bring up the most recent technology breakthroughs, or if you're a sports fan, talk about the latest draft pick. Find an uncontroversial news item to discuss. Chat about the highest rated comedy videos or comment on a movie star's latest outrageous behavior. You might not need an ice-breaker, but have one just in case.

KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE TO OFFER AND PRACTICE YOUR PERSONAL PITCH

The people you're meeting with can offer advice, leads on other people to get to know, and maybe even a job. But you have plenty to offer, too. You have passion and commitment and a powerful work ethic. Your enthusiasm will remind them of themselves when they were in your position. You have knowledge about the business and thoughtful insights, even if you're a newcomer. These are desirable commodities in the Hollywood marketplace and less common than you might think. As you're preparing for your meeting, remind yourself of the attributes you bring to the table and be prepared to talk about yourself. This is where your personal anecdotes come in. Figure out which character traits you want to emphasize and polish the anecdotes you have developed that demonstrate them. Be ready to gracefully insert the stories that showcase how hard you work on projects or the focus and passion you've brought to past endeavors.

INSIDER TIP > Get a friend to help you practice answering interview questions. No, I mean it. Practice. Have your friend be merciless and fire the questions at you so you practice answering them under pressure. Include questions about what you like about the company, why you want to work there, jobs you've had previously, why they ended, how much you've been paid at other jobs, and why you're better than anyone else they could hire. If you've got good anecdotes to support your answers, use them.

Now that you've chosen relevant anecdotes, be sure the rest of your personal pitch is in great shape. Know your logline and “Personal A-Story” backward and forward until they roll off your tongue. If you haven't used them lately, practice on friends or in the mirror. If you're prepared, you'll walk into that meeting relaxed and confident.

INSIDER TIP > Find out what they're finding out about you. Part of your personal presentation is your online presence. Before you meet with anyone, Google yourself and check out your online profile in all the usual places. That's what your interviewer or decision maker is doing. One client I worked with didn't realize there was a picture of her defiantly holding up her middle finger at the camera until she did a thorough search. Because she was looking to make a move up the career ladder, she took it down.

DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING?

Jake, an aspiring animator, had an appointment to see the head of a visual effects house about getting his first job. He didn't factor traffic into his travel time and was almost twenty minutes late. He rushed in, anxious and apologetic. Having gotten off to a rocky start, the interview was short and didn't end with a job offer. Taking care of logistics allows you to relax and focus on being present. Here's a checklist of what to handle ahead of time:

•  Confirm date, time, and place the day before.

•  If it's someplace you haven't been before, get directions from a real person. Don't just rely on MapQuest or your GPS. I know people who, if they're anxious about a meeting, go to the office a day or two ahead of time to see exactly where it is and how long it takes to get there.

•  Being ten minutes early is being on time. Take the ten minutes to do a little deep breathing and relax.

•  Give yourself another ten minutes if you're meeting someone on a studio lot. It can take that long or longer to get through security. The NBC Universal lot at 9:00 in the morning has cars backed up half a block waiting to get through the security kiosk.

•  Call the assistant ahead of time and find out if anyone else is going to be in the meeting. Get that person's name and title and ask what their role is in relation to the person you're meeting with.

INSIDER TIP > Assistants can be your strongest allies. You need to impress them first. As the gatekeeper, the assistant will present you to her boss with either a positive or negative spin. When I was at Amblin, I was hiring a new director of development and meeting with a lot of candidates. One guy was a strong candidate but Danielle, my assistant, told me he was rude when she was setting up the meeting. Even though he was good in the meeting, I never seriously considered him because of the way he treated Danielle. Learn the assistant's name, be charming and respectful when you're chatting, and be sure to thank her for her help afterward.

DO YOU KNOW THE HOLLYWOOD DRESS CODE?

Even if you're interviewing for the lowliest P.A. job, you need to dress to impress…Hollywood style. There are two basic rules: Don't wear a suit (unless you're trying to be an agent) and don't be a slob. On the surface Hollywood looks like a casual industry; first names and instant friendships, but it's a serious business. And that applies to fashion, too. It looks casual, but it's deliberate. For women, the goal is casual chic. Not fancy, but good fabrics and a little trendy. For men it's pressed and presentable but casual. One sure way to tell a real newcomer is if he walks into a meeting or interview wearing a suit. A sport coat is good, but a suit is overkill.

“Just look nice and presentable. If you're going to wear
old stuff, make it look stylish and vintage. Appearance does matter.
If you're better looking, you have a better shot. But there's
a way of carrying yourself and presenting yourself that makes you
look better than average. Not everybody can afford Prada.
Go to Forever 21, H&M. Just pull it all together.”

—Samata, manager

FASHION dos and don'ts:

WOMEN
Do:

•  Wear something that fits well (no button-down shirts popping open).

•  Wear something that makes you feel good. Your confidence will show.

•  Dress your age. You can look like a responsible twenty-two-year-old without wearing your mother's cardigan.

•  Cover up questionable tattoos.

Don't:

•  Wear anything you would wear out at night. Dress for a job interview, not a date.

•  Wear too many accessories or anything super trendy (you'll look like you're trying too hard).

•  Wear perfume. You never know who's allergic.

MEN
Do:

•  Wash your hair and make sure it's neat. That includes trimming facial hair.

•  Wear a clean, ironed, button-down shirt. If the environment is more casual, you can wear a t-shirt once you get the job.

•  Wear polished casual dress shoes.

•  Cover up any questionable tattoos.

Don't:

•  Wear anything too old or faded.

•  Wear pants that hang below your butt.

•  Wear cologne.

•  Wear obscene or radical political slogans on a T-shirt (I once had to send a P.A. home for wearing a T-shirt with the F-word. He wasn't invited back).

MEN AND WOMEN

Invest in a good haircut. It's worth it. Although it's subtle, a good haircut makes a difference in how you're perceived.

INSIDER TIP > Women: Wear a conversation starter. Try to wear something that'll spark a comment and make you memorable in a good way. If a decision maker is meeting with six people, they can all blur together, but you and your vintage purse will stand out in her memory. It doesn't have to be expensive or elaborate, just interesting.

CONCLUSION

The power prep is one more game plan strategy that sets you apart from other aspiring hopefuls. Use your detective skills to find out everything you can about the company and person you're meeting with; come up with a list of thoughtful questions; educate yourself about the business; practice your personal log line and “Personal A-Story”; revise your anecdotes to reflect your positive, meeting-specific qualities; and be just as clear about what you have to offer as about what you're hoping to get. Know where you're going and get there ten minutes early; follow the Hollywood dress code; and be extremely nice to assistants. If you put the time and energy into your power prep, you'll walk into the room relaxed and ready to give good meeting.

CHAPTER 14

EMPLOY THE SECRET OF THE POWER PREP

EXERCISES

1. Choose someone you'd really like to work for. Do an in-depth power prep on them and their company, as if you were going to a meeting. After you do it, cold call and see if you can get an interview for a P.A. or intern position.

2. Go through your closet and find two outfits you could pull together for an interview.

CHAPTER 15

GIVE
GOOD MEETING

Because Tyler did a solid power prep, he was completely ready for the interview to be a producer's assistant. He knew about the producer's previous projects, the awards she'd won, and the small town in Ohio she came from. He was ready to talk about why he was the best person for the job. The moment they shook hands, Tyler felt confident and relaxed, sure it was going to be a great meeting. The only problem was the producer wouldn't stop making small talk. After twenty minutes of it, Tyler tried to steer the conversation to what she was looking for in an assistant. She never really answered the question and they went on talking about the movies they liked and the newest crop of reality series. When the meeting was over she told him she was meeting with other people, but would get back to him quickly. Tyler left feeling a little depressed. Because they never actually talked about the job, he was pretty sure he didn't have a chance of getting it—until two days later when she called to offer it to him.

The producer had already reviewed Tyler's resume so she knew he could do the job; she just wanted to find out if she could spend twelve hours a day with him. He gave good meeting and she was convinced. “Giving good meeting” means you're prepared, relaxed, confident, and enthusiastic. You're selling yourself as someone who's easy to be around, you're using your personal anecdotes to show you're a team player who will excel at whatever job you're given, and you're telling portions of your “Personal A-Story” to distinguish yourself from the ten other people she's meeting with.

It's easier to give good meeting if you know what to expect when you walk in the door. Whether you're going on an informational “meet and greet” (also known as a “general”) or a formal interview, every meeting has similarities. Doesn't matter if you're a P.A. or a CEO, it's the same dance and follows the same five steps:

1. Waiting in the Outer Office

2. Small Talk

3. Heart of the Matter

4. The Close and “The Ask”

5. Follow up

The more you know about each one of the stages, the better you'll be at giving good meeting.

1. WAITING IN THE OUTER OFFICE

You can expect to be a little nervous before a meeting, but because you arrived ten minutes early, you have time to relax. When I was taking a lot of meetings, I came up with a technique to quickly center myself. It takes less than a minute. If it's awkward in the office, do it in your car. Close your eyes, take a deep breath and let it out very slowly. Then slowly say to yourself, “I'm calm and relaxed and ready to have a great meeting.” Then picture yourself walking out the door feeling great because it went so well. Then take another deep breath and repeat, “I'm calm and relaxed and ready to have a great meeting.” Repeat it a couple of times, as needed. It was a big help for me.

INSIDER TIP > If an assistant offers you a beverage while you're waiting, take it. As executive producer Glen Mazzara says, “Take the bottle of water. It shows you think you're worth it.” And that water might come in handy later.

Use the time you're waiting to check out your surroundings and see if there's a picture or poster or award you could use as a conversation starter.

Be prepared to wait

Most of the producers, executives, or other decision makers you're meeting with are very busy. Whatever the reason, you may have to wait a while. Don't be offended and storm out of the office. Ryan, an aspiring writer, was applying for a job as an assistant to a feature producer. He waited two hours in the outer office and then was told he'd have to come back the next day. He didn't complain or get snarky, he just left. While he was making a call in the hallway, he saw the boss head out of the office, toward the elevator. He caught up with her and as they rode down the elevator Ryan said he was sorry he didn't get to meet with her. Then he enthusiastically pitched his personal log line and “A-Story.” Ryan's tenacity and passion impressed the producer so much, she ended up hiring him.

2. SMALL TALK

The small talk stage gives you the chance to find some common ground and start to make a personal connection. The opportunity to make that connection begins the moment the production coordinator lays eyes on you. Start with good eye contact and a genuine smile. (Picture yourself meeting a close friend. Smile like that). Then offer a solid handshake.

INSIDER TIP > If, because of gender, race, age, or physical abilities, you are different from the person with whom you're meeting, the small talk stage is the ideal opportunity to make a personal connection: a connection that can transcend your differences and increase the comfort level. Use research from your power prep to find the common ground between you two and work it into the conversation.

“We never talked about the job. We just b.s'd
about movies and games. I didn't get the gig, but we
stayed in touch and four months later he told me
about another opening, and recommended me for it.”

—Scott, P.A.

What if your interviewer doesn't start the conversation?

If your interviewer doesn't immediately launch into small talk conversation, you can take the initiative by asking a question, offering a compliment, or making a comment about something you have noticed in the office. I've been in offices where there are toys on the desk or pictures of the producer with her happy-looking family on the ski slopes. If you're a toy lover or a skier, you've got your conversation starter. If there's interesting artwork, or the office is beautifully decorated, compliment her on it—but only give a compliment if it's sincere.

3. HEART OF THE MATTER: THE REASON YOU'RE THERE

A Meet & Greet or General Meeting

Regardless of what point you're at in your career or the type of meeting you're in, you always have two objectives: to sell yourself and to make a personal connection. During a general meeting, once you're finished with small talk, your host will probably move into the next stage of the meeting; why you're there. If she's a good meeting giver, she'll make the transition with a comment such as, “Tell me about yourself” or “How can I help you?”

INSIDER TIP > As with Tyler, you may find that your host may just want to keep up the small talk. If it looks like she's never going to get to the heart of the matter, gently steer it in that direction, with “the reason I wanted to meet you is…” If that doesn't work, don't worry, some of the best meetings never get past the small talk. Making a personal connection was the reason you were there.

When she does ask you about yourself, start with your personal log line and work in your “Personal A-Story” when it's appropriate. After you talk about yourself, you can move the conversation to her—what you genuinely admire about her career or the projects she's working on. Ask about how she got to where she is. People like to talk about themselves. Ask questions, be complimentary, but genuine.

INSIDER TIP > Don't fawn. If you sincerely admire her or her accomplishments, say so. If not, move on to the next question or topic.

When she's done, describe where you are in your job hunt and if you haven't already told your “Personal A-Story,” now's the time. Talk about your goals and ask her opinion and suggestions on getting to the next step in your career. Listen closely to her answers. If she's being helpful, she might offer to call people she knows for you. If she doesn't, ask if there's anyone else she thinks you should talk to. Your goal during a meet and greet is to make a personal connection, impress the person enough to get on her radar, and expand your contacts through her referrals, if possible.

INSIDER TIP > Given how busy everyone is in this business, you may experience some rude behavior. The producer across the desk from you might keep answering her phone or texting while talking to you. Don't be offended. She might be a jerk, but more likely she's in the midst of preproduction and dealing with a time-sensitive crisis. Be patient and just glance away. If it keeps happening, at some point you can say, very nicely, “I can tell you're really busy. I don't want to take up any more of your time. Thank you so much for seeing me,” and make a graceful exit. Hopefully it won't happen too often.

An Interview

The interview is very similar to a meet and greet; you're there to sell yourself. You want to impress your interviewer with your personality, passion, work ethic, and ability to handle the specific job you hope to be hired for. You accomplish it by asking smart questions and using your log line and personal anecdotes to distinguish yourself.

Entry-Level P.A. gig

If you're going for an entry-level P.A. job, you have likely been referred by someone the interviewer respects or he is responding to something in your resume. At the P.A. level, you might just be called in so they can be sure you're not an ax murderer before they send you out to pick up the leading man's Shi Tzu from the groomer. If you dress nicely, make eye contact, don't take yourself too seriously, and have an entertaining anecdote about dealing with rush hour traffic, you'll probably get the job.

INSIDER TIP > If you get nervous or tongue tied, here is where that water bottle comes in handy. You'll buy yourself a few moments to organize your thoughts as you open the bottle and take a sip or two.

“I was meeting with this famous director and I was so
nervous I could barely talk. I kept taking big sips
of water and eventually I calmed down enough to tell
him why I'd be a great assistant.”

—Sarah, aspiring filmmaker

Assistant, apprentice, researcher, or coordinator gig

If you're interviewing for a more complicated job, one that requires specific skills, like an assistant to an executive, director, editor, or head of the art department, the meeting will be more involved but follow a similar pattern. First there's small talk and then there's the reason you're there.

•  She'll ask you about your experience; have you done this kind of job before, can you type, what software are you familiar with, etc?

•  She'll ask if you have any questions. Avoid clichéd, corporate-type questions like, “What would a successful candidate have to offer?” Instead, try asking a more original question like, “What did the last person in this job do really well and not so well?” or “If I had this job, how could I make your life easier?”

INSIDER TIP > One question NOT to ask: “How soon will I get promoted?” It's a big red flag for a potential employer. If you get the job and do it exceptionally well, don't worry—you'll get promoted. Asking about a promotion in the interview smacks of entitlement and the interview could be over as soon as the words come out of your mouth.

•  If she asks you whether you think you can do the job, say yes, and tell one of the anecdotes you prepared ahead of time that demonstrates your ability.

•  At the very end of the meeting, if the subject hasn't come up, in a very casual manner ask, “Can you tell me about the hours and salary?” It shouldn't be your first question, but it's something you'll need to know.

4. THE CLOSE & THE ASK

A successful close is a gracious exit and a request to follow up. Thank the person for her time and tell her what a pleasure it was to meet her. If she offered to refer you to a colleague, thank her for extending herself. If it's an interview, thank her for considering you and let her know how much you admire the company or the work she's doing. Enthusiastically remind her of what you'd like to contribute to the company or project.

If it's a meet and greet, the most important part of The Close is The Ask. You're asking her to refer you to a colleague; or, you're asking to continue the personal connection by staying in touch. Staying in touch means sending an occasional email just to let her know what's happening with you or reaching out to her if you have a specific question. If she encourages you to follow up, you've successfully elevated this contact to a personal connection and laid the groundwork to interact again.

INSIDER TIP > Not every meeting or interview is going to be a smashing success. Sometimes there's just no chemistry. Don't worry about it. Ask yourself if there was anything you could have done differently. If there was, learn from it. If there wasn't, move on!

“The worst meeting I had was when
this producer kept checking his email and answering the phone.
The meeting lasted about twenty minutes and
we only talked for about ten of them. He essentially told
me why I wasn't right for the job in between texting
and talking on the phone. When I left I called my mom
and told her I was getting out of show business,
it wasn't worth it. She talked me down and I went out
for a beer with some friends who reminded me how
much being in entertainment meant to me.
By the time I went home that night I was over it.”

—Taylor, agent's assistant

5. FOLLOW UP

Successful Hollywood insiders nurture relationships by following up immediately after a meeting and on an on-going basis.

Short-Term Follow Up

Within twenty-four hours of a meeting or interview, send a thank you note. It can be a brief email or a hand-written note. Some people are old school and really appreciate a written thank you. If you do send a card, make it a simple thank-you card: no kittens or flowers on the cover, please. If you send an email, make it brief: one paragraph.

Whether it's a general meeting or an interview, take the time to craft a genuine thank you. Let the person know you appreciated her taking the time to meet with you. Mention something specific you found interesting or helpful that came up in the meeting. End with a reminder that you'd like to stay in touch. If it was a job interview, let her know you appreciate being considered and remind her how excited you'd be to work there.

INSIDER TIP > Even if you don't get a job, write a gracious thank you. Emma interviewed to be an assistant to a film editor she admired. She didn't get the job, but sent a very nice note, saying she was disappointed but really appreciated the opportunity to meet with him. A few days later a friend of the editor asked if he knew of anyone who would be a good assistant. Because he liked her in the meeting and was impressed with her thank you note, the editor recommended Emma. She met with the friend and ended up getting hired.

Put the meeting in your database

Right after your meeting or interview, add the info to your networking database. Include the date, the name, title, and contact info for the person you met with, who referred you, and a few sentences on what was said in the meeting. If you found out something personal, like a favorite home team or a passion for gaming, be sure to add that; it can come in handy over time, as you get to know each other.

Long-Term Follow-Up

Proper long-term follow up can be confusing even for experienced professionals. If it was a meet and greet, what's the right amount of time between correspondences to keep up the personal connection and stay on her radar without being a pain in the butt? What should you say, how often should you touch base? Here are some concrete guidelines:

• A thank you note within twenty-four hours.

• A follow-up, “checking-in” email two months later.

• Another follow-up email three or four months after that.

• Then, follow-up emails every six months.

The exception to these guidelines is if something positive has happened: she got married, won an award, or sold a project. In that case send a very brief congratulatory email. Or, send an email if something positive or exciting has happened in your career; you got a job or an award, or your play opened or you sold a project.

INSIDER TIP > Make your follow-up emails short! No more than a few lines. Something like: “still looking just wanted to see if you've heard of anything.” If you keep it brief, she's more likely to open the next one you send. Make the subject line really simple too. Something like, “congratulations” or “checking in” or “exciting update,” whichever is appropriate.

“I'd prepared really well and knew I'd aced
the meeting because when I left, he called
my mentor and told her I was his top choice.”

—Akela, aspiring writer

CONCLUSION

As part of your job search, you'll go on lots of meetings and interviews. Since giving good meeting is such an important foundation of your game plan, think of each meeting as an opportunity to practice and improve your skill at it. Do it enough and one day you'll get that exciting phone call asking how soon you can start. Once you finish celebrating, begin thinking about making the right moves on your first day.

CHAPTER 15

GIVE GOOD MEETING

EXERCISES

1. Find someone you trust and do at least one practice meeting. Work on your small talk/conversation starters technique, practice answering questions about why you'd be good for this assistant job, then practice the close. Ask your friend for feedback and practice it again in a couple of days.

2. Try an old school thank you. Buy a small box of tasteful thank you notes. Choose one with the words “Thank You” in a simple font on the outside flap, or, order note cards with your initials on the front flap of the card. You can order personalized note cards at a stationery story or get them online.

section five

GET HIRED

GET PREPARED

GET SMART

GET CONECTED

GET FOCUSED

GET GOING

CHAPTER 16

START SMART ON
YOUR FIRST DAY

Amy was an out-of-town P.A. hired for a week-long commercial shoot in Philadelphia. She showed up to work about ten minutes early, dressed professionally but comfortably, and proceeded to impress the heck out of the producer. She found her way around a huge city to buy the right copier. Before she left she asked the right questions: What kind of copier? Do we need black and white, or color? What kind of paper and how much? How many cartridges? Because she had the answers, she came back with the right one and didn't have to go back once or twice like other P.A.s. She listened and followed instructions perfectly to input the information for the shooting schedule. She thought ahead to what the production coordinator would need in an hour or two hours. She handled so much small stuff that everyone else could focus on the big stuff. Based on her work ethic and attitude, the producer hired her for his next job in Los Angeles, and Amy was able to make the move out here.

One of the best things about an entry-level job is that the tasks aren't too complex. There's definitely a learning curve, the hours are long, and you don't always get the respect you deserve; but once you figure out what's expected, you'll be able to do the job quickly and well.

A typical entry-level job is an assistant. You might be in an office or on a set. You could be a personal assistant, assistant to an executive, a writer's assistant, mailroom assistant, or agent's assistant. You could be a set P.A., office P.A., or post production P.A.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES

Regardless of the type of assistant you are, you'll be expected to work hard, know a lot, do a lot, and be happy while you're doing it. It's a tall order, but if you use the following principles you'll meet those expectations and be on your way up the ladder.

•  Be early. Always.

•  Learn people's names and use them.

•  Be the solution to a problem. Anticipate what needs to be done.

•  Don't whine! Be positive and enthusiastic.

•  Never do nothing. Always be working.

•  Don't gossip. Stay above the conflict.

•  Be easy to be around. Don't take yourself too seriously.

•  If you don't know how to do something, ask. It's better to ask a question than to seriously screw up something.

WHAT TO EXPECT AND WHAT'S EXPECTED: ASSISTANTS

On your first day, arrive fifteen minutes early and expect to work hard. Interestingly, the minute you walk in, you face your first challenge. Your boss wants you to be able to hit the ground running (i.e., know what to do and start working right away) but you also have to be sure you're doing things correctly. The solution is to speak to your boss as soon as possible and ask, “What's the most important thing you'd like me to accomplish today and what would you like me to start with?” Ask him who to talk to if you have a question about how something gets done. If he doesn't have time to talk right away, make yourself useful: answer phones, organize your desk, ask a fellow assistant how you can be helpful.

INSIDER TIP > Always bring a pad and pencil or something else to take notes with. Don't rely on your memory. Write down everything your boss asks you to do and cross it off when you're done. A pad is also handy to jot down the name of the director of business affairs you just met in the coffee room.

THE A.W.B. RULE

No matter what level you're at or what job you have, if you can master the A-W-B skills, you'll get hired again and again: 1) A nticipate what needs to be done, 2) W ork harder than anyone else, and 3) B e fun to be around.

“I think part of the reason I was a good assistant
and got promoted was that I didn't mind managing every detail.
I thought of the office as my little world and
I was producing everything that went on and made sure
it all went correctly.”

—Shana, network executive

WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC ASSISTANT TASKS?

A lot of your job as an assistant is to take care of details and solve problems—or better yet, anticipate the problems and keep them from happening. Depending on the type of assistant you are, these are the kinds of tasks you might be asked to do:

•  Handle phones

–  This means answering the phone, taking messages, and rolling calls. Rolling calls just means calling one person after another while your boss stays on the line, until you reach someone. Something you should know: Many executive assistants are expected to listen in on their boss' calls. Just confirm that before you jump on the call.

•  Keep the call sheet

–  A log of every call made or received. The Hollywood Assistant Handbook has a good example of a comprehensive call sheet along with advice on how to handle different kinds of calls.

•  Keep the calendar

–  Schedule and reschedule business meetings and conference calls, doctor's appointments, hair appointments, cosmetic surgery, the dog groomer, and every other type of commitment.

•  Order Food & Get Coffee

–  It could be your boss' working lunch at his desk or you may be responsible for ordering dinner for six people in a meeting.

INSIDER TIP > Make sure you check that the order is right before you leave the restaurant or before you pass out the meals. People get very cranky about their food and if you're the assistant who always gets it right, you will have a fond place in their heart.

•  Arrange travel plans

–  Be prepared to coordinate and book business trips, high school reunions, vacations, and honeymoons for your boss and his friends and family.

•  Buy Gifts

–  For everyone. Business and Personal.

•  Find Things Out

–  It might be “Who directed the 1938 version of Robin Hood?” or “Which Mercedes dealership has the best lease options?”

“I'm a chronic note-taker. I always have a composition book
or a notebook and I'm constantly writing notes.
Anything that someone says around me that seems like it
could be relevant, I write it down. I've never had to be
told how to do something more than once,
because I took notes on it.”

—Rosie, literary manager's assistant

INSIDER TIP > When you're “finding things out,” think ahead and anticipate what the information will be used for. If you're asked to find out which wild animal trainers specialize in wolves, don't just find one. Find a couple of different options. Do an online quality check and find contact info. If you take the initiative to go beyond a cursory online search, drill deeper, and be comprehensive, you'll distinguish yourself among all the other assistants.

•  Run Errands

–  Take pets to the vet, pick up dry cleaning, house sit, dog sit, bird sit, take you-don't-want-to-know-what-it-is sample to the lab, pick up the boyfriend from the airport, and deal with anything else that needs to be fetched or delivered.

INSIDER TIP > In case it comes up: You don't need to do anything illegal. If asked, just say something simple like, “I'm happy to do a lot of things, but that's not something I'm comfortable with.” It happens sometimes.

RULES TO LIVE BY

Be Quick But Don't Hurry

John Wooden, UCLA's beloved basketball coach, famously said, “Be quick but don't hurry.” It's good advice for assistants. There are always a million things happening at once and everything needs to be done yesterday. Even though you have to move quickly, you still need to be deliberate enough to avoid making mistakes. When you're going nuts because you have two calls on hold and the third line is ringing, the microwave with your lunch just dinged and you have to finish typing up coverage for the 3:00 meeting, close your eyes, take a slow, deep breath, and do an instant mini reprioritize. Pick up the line that's ringing and put the head of casting through to your boss; ask the guy from the IT department to please hold; tell your mother you'll call her back; then finish typing the coverage while you wolf down your Chicken Panini Lean Cuisine.

Become That Go-To Guy or Gal

Smart assistants on their way up the food chain figure out how to become the go-to person for some kind of information. One television producer's assistant organized all the resumes of crew people who'd worked on projects for his boss. He continually updated them and whenever anyone in the company needed a director or a production designer, they went to his desk and got three recommendations. Being that go-to guy helped him move up quickly and he's currently head of drama development at a major network.

Learn to Manage Your Ego

It takes a strong ego to work in the entertainment industry, but keep it in check when you're starting out. Avoid telling everyone your opinion about everything. You'll get ahead farther and faster if you listen much more than you speak. You'll also get invaluable information from those people who can't keep their mouths shut.

Be Loyal, No Matter What

You might hate your boss but don't let that keep you from being fiercely loyal. It's not a moral issue, it's a practical one. The more loyal you are, the more your boss will trust you and the better your chances of getting his help in moving up. Because it can be in short supply in show business, genuine loyalty tends to be respected and rewarded.

INSIDER TIP > Even if you're having a hate-fest with your boss, don't post it online. It will come back to bite you. As my friend Lyle says, “Post at your own peril.”

It's Not Personal

Don't take anything personally. There are some screamers in Hollywood and if you're unfortunate enough to work for (or near) one, you're going to get yelled at. To stay sane, you need to learn to let it roll off you. Even if that red-faced senior talent agent is going off on you, the anger has more to with how stressed out he is than with what you did. If it is something you did, apologize with dignity, and then move on.

WHAT TO EXPECT AND WHAT'S EXPECTED: P.A.s

On your first day, and every day, get to work fifteen minutes early. Look sharp. Even though the dress code is casual, wear clean, unwrinkled clothes and nice sneakers. T-shirts and jeans are standard, but avoid anything controversial or in bad taste written on the shirt. If you're new on set, it's best to fly below the radar for a while, but when the opportunity arises, without being pushy or interrupting someone in the middle of a task, introduce yourself, smile, and make eye contact. Learn everyone's name. Be energetic and helpful without being annoying. P.A. jobs can be tedious or menial; the P.A.s who move up the fastest do those tasks happily and when they're done ask for more work.

“Even if you're stocking fridges, if you have
the cold drinks in the front and the warm drinks
in the back, people will notice. I think a lot
of people at the P.A. level tend to get burned out,
and they feel like their hard work isn't
paying off and no one's paying attention. I feel like
if you're going to be doing anything, you
should be doing your best. And that gets rewarded
in due time.”

—Jaydi, former production coordinator

As an office P.A., you spend most of your time in the production office handling the phones, copying and delivering scripts, picking up lunch orders, and running errands. If you're sent on an errand, don't go anyplace but there and back (everyone knows how long it takes to get around L.A., so don't take time to run your own errands).

INSIDER TIP > Always call in before you head back from running an errand to see if anybody needs something else while you're out.

On larger projects, set P.A.s work on the physical set of the production, on location, or on a sound stage. You report to the assistant director (AD) department. It's usually a twelve to sixteen-hour day. If the shoot's behind schedule, it can be longer. Regardless of the size of the shoot, you're the first one there and the last to leave.

Instead of working on a set, post production P.A.s work in a studio or post facility. Many of the tasks are similar to a set P.A.s, but the environment is quieter and the jobs can be more detail-oriented.

INSIDER TIP > Don't text while you're on the job. Even if the entire crew is madly pecking away be the one person who isn't. Be working or use the down time to ask the script supervisor or camera operator about their jobs.

RULES TO LIVE BY

•  Never.

Sit.

Down.

•  Make the people above you look good.

•  There's always tons of gossip on a set. As tempting as it is, don't add more juicy secrets to the mix, as it could come back and bite you.

•  If you have any question about how to do something, ask for clarification. It's much better to inquire up front than make a potentially serious mistake.

“People seem to be really amazed at my work ethic.
Never occurred to me to not be 100% dedicated to what I do.”

—Morgan, aspiring director

ADVICE FOR EVERYONE

Be Friendly and Meet Everyone

Make personal connections at all levels. Smile and talk to everybody; network with your peers and the people coming up behind you. Be friendly, initiate conversation, and if you see something you can do to help out, do it. It's an opportunity to build your networking community. You'll make some close friends and you'll nurture positive relationships with future colleagues.

Don't be afraid to connect with someone with a higher title or who's above you on the call sheet. The best way is by being sincerely interested in the work that person does. Be friendly, and when you have time between your responsibilities, respectfully ask her if she would have a few minutes to answer some questions about the job she's doing and how she got to where she is. If you're considerate of their time, most people are happy to talk about themselves and their careers. Everyone knows you have to network to move up; they did it themselves. If you've made a genuine connection, they're likely to be personally invested in you and help you later on.

MISTAKES, MISDEMEANORS, AND FEDERAL OFFENSES

The better you do your job, the more leeway you get, but it's always smart to watch out for mistakes, misdemeanors, and federal offenses.

Simple Mistakes

Anyone can make them. Try not to do it again. These kinds of mistakes could be messing up a food order by getting the balsamic dressing instead of the poppy seed vinaigrette, not recharging enough radio batteries, taking too long for lunch (assuming you get a lunch), getting the title of a vice president wrong on the call sheet, or getting to work late a couple of times.

Misdemeanors

These are more serious errors. If you do it once, you'll probably be forgiven but may be put on “probation.” The boss won't tell you to your face, but he'll be watching you. Don't do it again. Misdemeanors include being negative or complaining regularly, wearing wildly inappropriate clothes, asking to be promoted after three months, taking too long for lunch more than a few times, getting the wrong script to the wrong person, being a tattletale, or taking advantage of your boss' generosity.

Federal Offences

Not legally federal offenses, but these are major. You'll get fired if you're caught doing them. They include stealing, lying, coming to work high regularly, embarrassing or humiliating your boss, or disappearing for several hours.

HOW TO HANDLE MISTAKES

It's not possible to avoid mistakes; whether you're starting out or are at the top of your career. The most productive way to handle an error is to admit to it before you're found out. Don't be defensive. Don't grovel and don't go into a lot of detail. Just say something simple and straightforward like, “My mistake, I apologize. It won't happen again,” or “I'm sorry, I screwed up, I'll fix it.” Then move on to your next task.

“They'll forgive a mistake as long as you're honest.”

—Richie, PA

If you don't know the answer to a question, which will happen a lot, don't panic and don't apologize, just say, “I don't have that information right now, but I'll find out and get right back to you.” If you're feeling particularly confident, leave off the “I don't have that information right now” part and just say, “Let me find out and get right back to you.”

INSIDER TIP > When you solve a problem or you've uncovered some useful information, share it by saying, “I thought this might be helpful.” Giving your boss or the people above you information that will make them look good earns points. Same thing with giving a heads up that'll help him avoid looking bad. Preface this with a supportive, “I thought you should know…” These are all things you're going to want your assistant to do for you when you have one.

CONCLUSION

If you show up early, stay late, and fully commit to doing whatever it takes to get a job done right, with time you'll be beautifully positioned to move up the food chain and get your next job.

CHAPTER 16

START SMART ON YOUR FIRST DAY

EXERCISES

1. Choose two people at work (regardless of their job titles) and do something—even a small thing—to make their lives easier.

2. Whether you work in entertainment yet or not, in the next week find five things you can do at your current job to A.W.B. (Anticipate needs, Work harder than anyone else, Be fun to be around), and do them. Note how people react.

CHAPTER 17

MOVE UP THE
FOOD CHAIN: FIND
YOUR NEXT JOB

Richie, an office P.A. wanted to make the move up to production coordinator. He had a line producer friend who could help him, but Richie didn't want to be pushy. He knew there was another P.A. that the line producer was helping. This guy was the producer's protégé and Richie didn't want to step on any toes. Finally, he got up his nerve and emailed the producer, asking if he could buy him a drink and get some advice. When they met, Richie said: “I've been a P.A. for two years and feel stuck. My goal is to be a production coordinator but I can't seem to get to that next step. What's the best thing for me to do?” Because he wasn't asking for a job, just advice, Richie felt he was being appropriate. So did the line producer. He promised the next time a gig came up, if the protégé wasn't interested, he'd recommend Richie. It took a year, but the line producer made good on his promise and Richie made the move up to production coordinator.

You've gotten over the first big hurdle on the path toward accomplishing your ultimate career goal: You're on the inside, working at an industry job, getting a feel for the business, and making contacts you never could have when you were trying to break in. Once you're truly excelling at your current job, it's time to start thinking about moving up. According to the Hollywood Game Plan, you're ready to launch your next job/better job campaign.

Whether you're working in production or in an office, the principles for making your next move are the same:

•  Get Clear About What You're Looking For

•  Know When to Make the Move

•  Ramp Up Your Networking

•  Ask for Help from Mentors and Higher-Ups

•  Stay on Everyone's Radar

•  Update your “Personal A-Story”

•  Don't Lose Your Current Job Looking for Your Next One

•  Set Quantifiable Goals

GET CLEAR ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR

Now that you have the lay of the land, it's easier to clarify what you want to do next. If you don't know for sure, do some research and choose one or two specific job titles to start your search. It's easier for people to help you if they know specifically what you're looking for.

INSIDER TIP > Make a hit list of everyone who's currently doing the job you're yearning for—or does the hiring for that job. As you network, let your contacts know these are the folks you'd like to meet and would appreciate any help in getting an introduction.

Another benefit of being on the inside is hearing about jobs you couldn't have known about when you were on the outside. It might be through job boards, the UTA Job List, or information sharing with your friends. P.A.s tell each other about upcoming projects, assistants let each other know about job openings, and script analysts share inside info on who's looking for readers. At this point in your career most job leads will be word-of-mouth.

“Your first job is just getting your foot in the door.
Getting that first job can be done on your own.
The second job is going to be moving in the direction
of where your career is headed. That's when
your network of friends comes into play.”

—Felicia, agent's assistant

WHEN'S THE RIGHT TIME TO MAKE YOUR MOVE?

In the eyes of those who can help you, you're ready to move up once you've paid your dues. This stage is evaluated in a couple of different ways.

You've Put in a Meaningful Amount of Time at Your Current Job

This call is tricky because “meaningful” is a subjective term. For you, three months may be plenty of time to request a promotion, but your boss may have something closer to two years in mind. Whether you're looking to move up on a set or in an office, to avoid being frustrated, be sure you and your boss see eye-to-eye on a time frame.

INSIDER TIP > One of the biggest complaints I hear from Hollywood higher-ups is that new employees feel entitled to move up quickly. Not only does that mindset annoy them, but they also question promoting the person at all.

You Made an Agreement about Moving Up When You Took the Job

If you're an assistant, most executives or producers I know ask for a one to two year commitment before they're willing to help you make a move. I used to tell my new assistants “Give me a year of your undivided attention and effort and then I'll do whatever I can to help you get your next job.” Every time my assistant kept her part of the bargain, I was delighted to keep mine, and all my assistants went on to better jobs. Some bosses will ask for two years. Whatever the time frame, don't expect her to come to you and say, “Okay, time for you to leave the nest now.” You have to bring up the subject.

“In Hollywood you get promoted not to the job you deserve,
but to the job you're already doing. The way
I demonstrated that I could do the job of being an executive
was to be an executive while on the assistant desk.
I had to read, write, and network like the executives did.”

—Adam, executive producer

INSIDER TIP > If a fantastic opportunity comes up and you want to leave before the amount of time you promised to stay be sure to ask your boss if she's okay with it before you say yes. That way you won't burn any bridges.

You've Earned a Promotion Triggered by a New Development

If your next move is a promotion within the company—for instance, you were promised an associate producer credit because you found underlying material to a project—pick the right moment and remind your boss of the agreement. The same thing applies to getting a promotion if there's a new project or a series gets renewed. You may need to remind your boss about it. If she develops amnesia, start looking for another job.

RAMP UP YOUR NETWORKING

Once you're on the inside, new networking opportunities open up. There are formal events like Junior HRTS (Hollywood Radio and Television Society) and informal get-togethers like Friday night drinks or pick-up basketball games.

INSIDER TIP > If you do twice as much networking as you are doing right now, your chances of finding a new gig will increase by 50%.

If you're not meeting enough people, take things into your own hands and start some kind of gathering yourself. Talicia, an aspiring writer, organized a poker game one night a month. Within three months, she'd met ten new people. Austin a set PA.,put together a dirt bike outing that ended up becoming a bimonthly event that keeps attracting new riders and connections.

“I got my second office assistant job through a friend
I met at a temp job. He was working at Fox and
got an email about this awesome job opening. He forwarded
it to me right away and I emailed him back
within five minutes. He sent in my resume, along with a
recommendation and I ended up getting the job.”

—Taylor, assistant and aspiring director

ASK FOR HELP FROM MENTORS AND HIGHER-UPS

As you move up the food chain, getting hired is even more dependent on personal recommendations. Take your mentor to lunch, buy her a drink, or ask for a meeting at her office. Let her know you're looking to make a move, share your hit list with her, ask for advice and any help she can offer. Do the same thing with senior-level professionals you've met at internships or through personal introductions; the ones who told you to keep in touch. Now is the time to make those calls.

INSIDER TIP > Don't be afraid to use the Hollywood “soft” ask. If you're hesitant to ask a more senior person for help getting a better job, just ask for advice and see where it leads.

STAY ON EVERYONE'S RADAR

Once you've let your colleagues and mentors know you're looking for that next gig, check in via email or online every eight or ten weeks to let them know you're still actively searching. A few lines to update them on your progress will keep you on their radar.

Here's a good example of a Facebook message from a script supervisor I've known for a couple of years:

Hi. Hope all's well. Been working on a fantastic low-budget horror film. But all good things must end and I'm looking for my next script supervisor gig if you hear of anything. I'd love to work on a big time special effects film if you know anyone who knows anyone.

As always, thanks for your support!

Traci

Tara is a young woman whom I'd interviewed for my CBS Writers Program. She didn't get in but I mentioned I might be looking for someone to take notes for another program I run. It was a great opportunity for a young writer, but wasn't going to happen until the following year. She kept herself on my radar perfectly. Over that year she dropped me an email once every three or four months. Every time I got one I was reminded of her and impressed with how graciously she stayed in touch. Here's an example of one her emails:

Carole,

Hello! Wanted to email you to see if you have any more info on the March Showrunner Program? Still need a notes taker, I'm your gal!

Have a good week -

Tara

She was persistent without being annoying and I eventually hired her for the job.

“Even though I was a little scared to do it,
I introduced myself to the head of development when
I was interning. He was really nice, gave me advice,
and told me to keep in touch. When I was
looking to leave my first assistant job to find something
better, I emailed him and he got right back to me.
I was really surprised, but he said he'd let me know
if he heard anything and he'd be
happy to make a call for me if I needed him to.”

—Shannon casting assistant

UPDATE THE THEME OF YOUR “PERSONAL A-STORY” TO REFLECT YOUR NEW STATUS

Now that you're actively looking for a new job by expanding your contacts and going on meetings and interviews, it's time to revise your story. Use the same successful “A-Story” that got you your current job but update it with all the great new stuff you've done. Your previous theme was “I'm just starting out, I'm passionate and committed, you should take a chance on me.” Your new theme is, “I love working in this business. I've learned a new set of skills and have a lot to contribute to my next, more challenging endeavor. Would love any help you could give me.” Incorporate this new theme into your “Personal A-Story” to help you sell yourself.

INSIDER TIP > Don't lose your current job looking for your next one!

DON'T BE CARELESS

If your boss doesn't know you're looking, don't jeopardize your paycheck while you search. Put in a full day's work. Don't use company emails or resources to contact people about your new job hunt. To be on the safe side, assume anything you write online will be seen by your boss. Take your meetings at lunch or on the weekend. Be careful how many times you use the doctor's appointment or sick day excuse, as bosses tend to catch on. Jason, an aspiring creative executive, interviewed with his soon-to-be-boss over coffee on a Sunday morning.

DON'T BAD MOUTH YOUR CURRENT BOSS OR COMPANY-NO MATTER WHAT

If your boss or the person you report to is a well-known nightmare, resist the temptation or pressure to dish about her. Even if it was the worst experience of your life and you had to go into therapy to cope, don't let on. When you bad mouth the person you work for now, you send the message that you're willing to trash talk whoever hires you. You can side-step the issue by using some key phrases like:

Kathy's incredibly talented (or smart or successful). I learned so much working for her, including how to make a big personality happy.

or:

It was challenging, but worth it. I realized all she needed to know was that I would be able to anticipate her needs, and I did.

SET NEW QUANTIFIABLE GOALS

It may be daunting to do a full-out job search when you're already working your butt off at your current job. Don't fall into the trap of being so overwhelmed by your present gig that you can't devote any of your time to finding the next one. If you have to, do it in small steps: Make one call during lunch (away from snooping ears) or send out ten emails over the weekend.

As you wage your new job campaign, continue to use your support system to help you through challenging times. Set up a new schedule to accomplish reasonable goals: send five emails a day or attend two networking events a month. Set up the same “checking-in” routine with a sympathetic friend as you did when you launched your first job search.

INSIDER TIP > Dylan, a junior creative executive for an independent production company, is a bit compulsive. He kept track of exactly how many people he connected with in order to make the move from being an assistant to junior executive. It took a year and a half. During that time he connected with 1 05 different people until the timing was right, there was an opening and he had the three people whose calls on his behalf put him over the top.

CONCLUSION

You have a lot going for you as you launch your new job campaign. You know how things work now and, as an insider, you can connect with mentors and senior-level professionals who will help you. Because you're going for a better job, plan on it taking a little longer for the right opportunity to present itself. With each new move up the food chain, you are one step closer to your ultimate goal. Depending on what that goal is, now might be the right time for a career crossover or to find an agent.

CHAPTER 17

MOVE UP THE FOOD CHAIN: FIND YOUR NEXT JOB

EXERCISES

1. Start to create your hit list. Write down the names of two or three people who are currently doing your dream job. They could be well known or they could be at the top of their game but not household names. Whoever is doing what you want to be doing should be on the list. The next time you connect with someone in the business, share your list with them and see if they know anyone who knows anyone who might help you meet your role model. As you continue to move up the career ladder, keep adding to the list.

2. If you currently work for a nightmare boss—or have in the past—use your creativity to come up with two clever ways to tell people about your work experience with a positive spin.

CHAPTER 18

TRANSITION
INTO NEW CAREER
PATHS

Freshman roommates in Minnesota, Sam and Jim knew they wanted to work in the entertainment industry but got sidetracked for seven years by opening several popular eateries. In spite of making a very nice living as restaurateurs, they were not willing to give up on their dream and started writing scripts together. After exhausting days at the restaurants, they would put in hours writing at night until they'd churned out fifteen scripts, only the last of which they felt was good enough to show people. Through a friend in St. Paul, they met a television producer. Six months later, she offered them a job in Los Angeles as her assistant. It was literally one job so they'd have to split the meager salary. After discussing it with their wives, they took the bold step of moving to L.A. and began working as her assistant. They continued to write and hustled and sold a couple of feature scripts and a pilot script. While in the middle of writing the pilot script, they landed an agent and eventually sold a television series to Syfy Channel. From the time they arrived in Los Angeles until they sold their show, it was exactly ten years.

TWO WAYS TO TRANSITION

Whether you're transitioning into entertainment from a different business or reinventing yourself by crossing over into a new part of the business, many of the principles are same.

TRANSITIONING INTO ENTERTAINMENT FROM A DIFFERENT BUSINESS

One of the questions I'm often asked during seminars is how to get into Hollywood from another profession. I say “Bring something to the table!” Make sure you have a proven, translatable skill or talent that a show business employer or buyer needs.

Before you decide to get into show business for the money and fame, you might want to reconsider. The odds of succeeding in the entertainment industry can be similar to winning the lottery. Except with the lottery, you only have to go down to the liquor store to buy a ticket, as opposed to spending twelve hours a day honing your craft or knocking on doors persuading decision makers to give you a chance to prove yourself.

If you do have a marketable skill, an engaging personality, and a powerful drive to succeed, you have a good chance of making a successful transition.

BRING A MARKETABLE SKILL TO THE TABLE

First, you need a concrete talent or skill that's in demand in Hollywood. Then you need to show your work so people can see it. Writers, actors, producers, directors, and editors who have day jobs but make the effort to get their work into festivals, online, or on stage, have found a way to showcase their talent and abilities. Hollywood can't find you if you don't put exceptional work out there.

Because success in entertainment requires so much hustling, impressive sales skills are in demand, too. Ben, a successful lawyer in Cleveland, was a genuinely great salesman. After practicing law for a couple of years, he decided to leave his law firm to get a job in the mailroom at William Morris. It took him two and half grueling years but his outstanding sales skills were recognized and he moved up to agent and ultimately opened his own talent management company.

WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED TO BRING TO THE TABLE?

Besides a concrete, marketable talent, you need patience and an almost obsessive devotion to making the transition. It took actor Ken Jeung more than a decade to go from practicing medicine to his star turn as a comedic actor in hit movies like The Hangover and the television series Community. Working at a day job with family obligations and transitioning into entertainment is a big challenge. Think of it as being a full-time job in itself.

INSIDER TIP > If you can make the first move into show business through your current profession, that is as a lawyer, accountant, or in public relations, it's an easier way to cross over than taking a bottom rung entry-level position. Making the change this way gives you the chance to get the lay of the land and then make your move into the “creative” path you're really interested in.

RELOCATING

“Do I have to move to Los Angeles?” is another often-asked question. Y;s and no. If you're interested in indie films, many come from New York. Ultimately you need to be in L.A. if you want to be in the mainstream film or television business. If you're self-distributing on-line entertainment, you can be a huge hit from your basement in Nebraska, but if you want to turn your viral success into a television deal, you need to come to L.A.

INSIDER TIP > In Hollywood, meetings can get set up with fewer than twenty-four-hour notice and you have to be available to take them. Many deals get made over lunch, at parties, or during softball games. If you're not here, how can you be on that team?

“There's simply no way to break into mainstream
television living in Poughkeepsie. You have to
come to L.A. if you're going to take the plunge.”

—Wyatt, writer

You Can Start—or Stay—in Your Own Backyard, Too

You don't always have to make an immediate move. If it would cause too much upheaval, consider all the opportunities where you are first. If you live in a medium-sized metropolitan city, local television, independent features, commercials, corporate videos, public relations, and news jobs are available. Or, you can use your accomplishments in a local market as your calling card for the larger arenas of Los Angeles and New York. Newscaster Alycia Lane parlayed her success at a local Philadelphia affiliate into a news anchor position at KNBC in Los Angeles. Considering the local entertainment career options, creative fulfillment could be closer to home than you might expect. You still need a game plan, but you won't have to commute.

PAYING DUES

When switching careers, chances are good you're going to have to pay a fair amount of dues. Chris Collins was working for one of the top music promoters in North America as a promotions manager when he caught himself falling asleep at an exclusive concert event. That's when he realized that he was ready for something new. He packed up and moved to L.A. with plans to get into the film business. Four months later he'd exhausted his contacts and savings, and had a difficult time transitioning from the music business to the TV/film industry. Luckily, one of Chris's contacts finally came through with an interview at HBO where he booked a two-week gig as an office temp.

It was a major culture shock, having left a position where he had an assistant and an intern working for him. Now, at twenty-nine, he was starting over on a desk for a production executive while working on independent film projects as a production assistant to gain set experience. His diligence didn't go unnoticed though, and Chris managed to turn his temp job into a full-time assistant position. While working demanding hours as an assistant over the next two years, HBO paid for his enrollment in the producing program at UCLA to further his production knowledge. After the program, while still an assistant, he started writing spec scripts and eventually got a chance to join the crew of “The Wire,” the award-winning HBO series, as a script coordinator. Soon after, he was encouraged to write a few scenes by two of the producers and submit them to the showrunner. The showrunner responded to the material and hired him as a staff writer the following season. His hard work and effort had finally paid off.

INSIDER TIP > One of the fastest ways to break in when you're transitioning from another business is to attend what I call Hollywood Graduate School, which means working for free for six months. It isn't for everyone, but if you have the temperament and can afford it, it can be a swift route to the inside.

Starting At The Bottom When You're Not 21

If you have a transferable, marketable skill and a track record of success in another business, you're probably older than most people just starting out. This puts you at a disadvantage because Hollywood favors the young—but, it also gives you an advantage; you are savvy about both business and life. You paid your dues once so you understand what's involved and you're prepared to do it again. For some wise decision makers your real-world experience and maturity are a plus.

TRANSITIONING INTO NEW CAREER PATHS WITHIN THE INDUSTRY

Even though you're on the inside, if you fell into the wrong job and got stuck or you're bored or the work you're doing isn't what you dreamed of, it may be time to cross over. With transferable skills, a good reputation, and strong contacts, you can make a successful transition to a new arena.

“Putting yourself out there because you want
to see your own work produced rather than producing other
people's work puts you in the position of being
rejected more than you have been in the past. It stings.
But it's worth it when it's your own project.”

—Tally, executive producer

Karen Gaviola started her career as an assistant director. She was accepted into the very competitive Assistant Director Training Program administered by the Director's Guild. She then spent more than twelve years as an A.D. before she got her opportunity to work at what she really wanted to do: direct. Being an assistant director is not a typical career path to becoming a director. However, Karen is one of the rare ones who was able to use her outstanding reputation as an assistant director, along with her contacts, to land her first directing job.

Tally Barr was making a good living as a line producer but yearned to be the creative force behind the projects. Once she made up her mind, she reached out to a number of talented writers she knew and put together television pitches. Because she'd delivered so many shows on time and under budget, the executives at Comedy Central respected her work and were willing to hear a pitch. After striking out several times, she finally sold one to the network and another to a British production company. Those two projects launched her new career as a creative producer.

SHOULD YOU MAKE A LATERAL MOVE WITHIN THE BUSINESS?

Angela was an attorney in New York when she got a job in business affairs at Showtime on the East Coast. With a well-thought-out game plan to transition into the creative end of the business, she made the strategic move to Showtime's west coast business affairs to be closer to the development department. Three years later, she moved into the creative side of the business as a lower-level development executive. It took five years, but she's doing what she loves and is moving up the food chain.

CHECKLIST FOR A SUCCESSFUL CAREER SWITCH

Meaningful Skills or Abilities That Apply to Your Desired Niche

•  A successful film marketing executive who understands how to promote a film can make a strong case for being hired in development because he knows what it takes to sell a movie to audiences.

Track Record of Success in Your Current Job

•  Hollywood reveres success in any field. Consequently, a production executive is more comfortable giving an aspiring director a shot if she's already a highly respected editor or visual effects supervisor.

Knowing Up-to-Date Information About What's Going On in The Business.

•   A savvy awareness of recent developments and trends in the industry, beyond your current job, shows you have an understanding of the big picture. This insight increases your overall credibility and your chances of getting hired in a new arena.

Strong Contacts

•  The longer your list of contacts, the better your chances of getting introduced to someone who can hire you in your desired field. Having your colleague in sound editing submit your script to her brother-the-agent gets it on his weekend reading pile; a casting director's contacts can help her cross over into indie filmmaking.

A Resume Slanted Toward Your New Field

•  Adjust your resume to highlight skills that transfer to your new career path. Put any experience that's relevant to your new field at the top of your resume in a “Highlights” section.

Willingness to Start at the Bottom and Earn Less Money

•  Unless you get really lucky, expect a lower salary and the other dues that come with starting toward the bottom. It can be a little hard on the ego to keep your mouth shut when you're used to giving your opinion freely, but suck it up. It's worth the bruise to the ego to be able to start doing what you love.

“I put in three years as a P.A. before I moved up to
production coordinator. I got two coordinator gigs and then
had to take a P.A. job to pay the bills. I met people
on that shoot that helped me get my next coordinator gig
and now I'm looking to start at the bottom and then
move up in the camera department, where I really want to work.”

—Cole, P.A. production coordinator crossing over
to camera operator

TURNING DOWN WORK IN YOUR OLD FIELD

Many people who transition into a new field are faced with the tough question of whether to turn down work in their old one as they're getting established in the new one. It usually comes down to finances. If you can possibly afford to hold out and only work in your new field, do it. On the other hand successful transitions can take time and it's important to eat. It can be a difficult decision.

“I'm determined not to take another job as an editor.
I've saved some money so I'm okay for about six months,
and I'm just going to direct another short film and
hustle everyone I know until I get hired as a director.”

—Jeremy, editor crossing over to director

HOW DO YOU GET STARTED ON YOUR NEW QUEST?

Start your crossover by becoming an expert in the new field. If there's a guild for the career you're interested in, go to its website. Most websites describe what the different jobs entail and some offer training programs. Do your homework and search out people who've made the switch. Reach out to them via contacts or social media or online communities and ask how they did it; offer to buy that post-production-supervisor-turned-line-producer a cup of coffee and get his advice on making the transition.

INSIDER TIP > If you can afford it, consider using your contacts to wrangle an opportunity to shadow someone in your new field. If your money holds out, proving yourself by working for free for a couple of months can be a good path to employment.

A former mentee of mine was in ad sales but had dreams of being a writer. In addition to working on his writing, he jumped at every chance to volunteer at the Writers Guild, even though he wasn't a member. He knew so many people that when he was up for his first writing job, three of them called to urge the showrunner to hire him, which she did.

INSIDER TIP > A smart way to break into a new area is to get involved in organizations in that field even before you start working in it. Put yourself out there and volunteer at events or for jobs and committees. It'll help you get known to members of the profession who could open doors for you.

CONCLUSION

Because the business is evolving at lightning speed, it's the perfect environment in which to make a change. Because there's no one “right way” to do things, weigh the rewards of a change against the sacrifice it takes, bring in-demand talents to the table, and set out on your new path. Assuming it doesn't jeopardize your current gig, tell every person you know about your new goal and enlist their help. Follow your game plan. It will be your guide as you make your crossover dream a reality.

CHAPTER 18

TRANSITION TO NEW CAREER PATHS

EXERCISES

1. If you're interested in staying close to home, identify three entertainment companies (and jobs) you could work at in your city or nearby. Find out how to apply for each job.

2. If you're crossing over within the business, order new business cards (through a printing website) with just your name and contact info. Go to an industry gathering in your desired field and connect with two people. Get their business cards and give them yours.

section six

GET GOING

GET PREPARED

GET SMART

GET CONNECTED

GET FOCUSED

GET HIRED

CHAPTER 19

PREPARE
FOR THE DIVERSITY
FACTOR

Gloria graduated from a prestigious college with a highly respected theater department. She was excited to come to Los Angeles and start working as an actress. As a Latina, she continually found herself cast as the gangbanger's girlfriend. She finally got tired of having to say some variation of “Chuy! Put down the knife!” and began writing, producing, and acting in her own plays. A literary agent was so impressed with her plays, he signed her. While she continues to put up her own work in the theater, she's also a successful television writer.

IS THERE A “DIVERSITY” FACTOR?

Unfortunately, yes. Prejudice, race, age, and ethnicity are complicated issues and very few people are willing to talk about them openly. Although there is little overt discrimination in the entertainment industry, the power players in Hollywood are still predominantly white and male, which leads to an imbalance in race and gender in front of and behind the camera.

“Just remind yourself that any commentary directed
at what makes you different is the problem of who's saying it…
it really has nothing to do with you because they
aren't seeing you, they're seeing what they don't like or feel
threatened by. I've survived many an awkward moment,
by going, “Yeah, just feel bad for him” and walking away.”

—Niceole, writer

WHO'S CONSIDERED DIVERSE?

In most job categories, underrepresented and underemployed populations are considered “diverse.” These include women, people of color, GLBT, people with disabilities, and people over fifty. We don't see or hear from them nearly enough. The majority of leading roles in film, television, and commercials are cast with young, white, able-bodied actors. Male roles outnumber female roles two to one. The numbers behind the camera, including writers, producers, directors, and crew are disappointingly similar or worse.

INSIDER TIP > It's not always a result of racism, sexism, or homophobia. Sometimes it's the natural human tendency to want to stay within your comfort zone and surround yourself with your tribe: People who are like you. In Hollywood, perhaps more than anywhere else, creative professionals hire their friends and their friends tend to look like them. Fortunately, it's beginning to change.

IT'S HAPPENING SLOWLY, BUT THINGS ARE STARTING TO GET BETTER.

The population of America is becoming more ethnically and culturally diverse every day, and the entertainment industry is slowly beginning to reflect that shift. New voices are being heard as they move up the food chain. An increasing number of women are in senior, decision-making positions at studios, networks, and production companies. Culturally and racially diverse professionals are slowly beginning to get a foothold in almost all areas of the entertainment industry.

Will Smith and Denzel Washington are movie stars who can “open a mainstream picture,” meaning audiences of all colors flock to see them, buying enough tickets to make the movie number one at the box office.

Although for a long time the prevailing opinion was, with some high-profile exceptions like Angelina Jolie and Sandra Bullock, women couldn't open a movie, the blockbuster Twilight saga and the comedy hit Bridesmaids proved it wrong, encouraging studio heads to be more willing to take a risk on a female-driven movie. In 2010, Kathryn Bigelow was the first female to win the Academy Award for best director and her success is gradually beginning to open the door for women directors.

On television there are more diverse actors in leading roles than ever before. Shonda Rhimes, an African American woman and television creator and executive producer, had three series on the air at one time. On the writing side, television diversity writers programs have launched the careers of dozens of talented new writers. Happily, that change will result in more culturally and ethnically diverse characters on screen and professionals behind the camera. Although lagging behind other areas of the business, production crews, which were once exclusively white and male, are starting to get a little more female and diverse. Another encouraging development is that in the digital realm, new viral sensations come in every color, culture, size, and gender.

INSIDER TIP > Several of the television networks have diversity initiatives that help pay for part of the salaries of beginning staff writers who qualify. This support has helped launch the careers of many diverse writers. Check the diversity section network websites for details.

STRATEGETIES FOR MANAGING THE “D” FACTOR

Aaron, a line producer with an obvious disability, never mentions it. Because he's so good at what he does and so in demand, no one else does either. The opposite is true for Hillary, a writer in a wheel chair. “As soon as I roll in, my disability is the elephant in the room, so I make a joke about it, which relieves the tension and then we can get on with the meeting.”

FIND COMMON GROUND

Regardless of what makes you different from the person who's hiring you, your job is to be “relatable” to the person with whom you're meeting, which means you have to find a way to make a genuine connection. It's true for every single person breaking in, but it's more challenging when you're considered “diverse.” “I don't care if I only find out four hours ahead of time that I'm going to have a meeting or interview; I get online and find something about that person I can connect with. Sometimes it's just that we both grew up in the Midwest and can debate about the Bears and the Packers,” says Justin, an aspiring Asian American cinematographer.

INSIDER TIP > If you don't share the same hobby or come from the same city, discuss the show you just saw or your favorite all-time movie and you'll start to create a connection between you and the person with whom you're meeting. There are more than 500 new movies, fifty new television series, and millions of new YouTube videos every year. If you prepare ahead of time, you'll find something mutually relatable.

KNOW THAT YOUR DIFFERENCES ARE ALSO AN ASSET

The other side of the coin is that the things that make you “different” are a benefit in the entertainment industry. Hollywood is successful because its product sells not just in the United States, but also globally. Increasingly, diverse voices in the creative process help to make the product relatable. On a personal level, your life experiences can contribute a much-needed fresh perspective in a work environment.

“I think another way to go is to highlight how you're
different because you come from a diverse background.
At the end of the day, showrunners are looking for someone
who's going to make their lives easier and pitch some
good story ideas. And if you can demonstrate that being a
biracial, purple-haired, goth chick who grew up in Mumbai has
exposed you to all sorts of crazy stories and characters, most
showrunners will look at that as a bonus.”

—Christina, writer

MOVE BEYOND YOUR COMFORT ZONE

Nichelle, a writer friend of mine, says, “Look at your own social circle. What do your friends look like? Does it mirror what you see in the entertainment world? The first step might be to widen your own circle of friends, integrate your own world. Don't just attend the diversity mixers at your guild or networking groups specific to your race or sex. Go to everything. Strike up a conversation outside of your norm “build the world you want to see.”

TWICE AS PREPARED

The traditional way of succeeding as a minority is overperforming; working harder than everyone else who's doing the job. It's no different in show business. “You have to be twice as prepared to be considered half as qualified,” says Yvette Lee Bowser, the creative force behind seven successful television series. Deepika, a South Indian woman and junior agent, figured out how to stay ahead of the curve in the male-dominated agenting world. She uses her deep list of contacts to make sure she has the inside information on which high-profile actors are making deals, before anyone else in her agency.

Even when you're twice as prepared and overperforming, you can still experience ignorant comments and hurtful slights. Sometimes they're intentional but mostly they're just thoughtless. When Danielle Sanchez-Witzel got her first job as a brand new comedy writer, she was totally prepared to work harder than anyone else. She wasn't prepared to have a senior person on the show ask her, “How does it feel to get a job because of your last name?” She felt terrible and didn't have a comeback. “By the end of the year I'd given him the comeback to his comment without even knowing it. I'd worked my ass off, did a great job, and made his life and everybody else's life on the show easier. By the end of the year, he helped me get my next job.”

“My father always said work twice as hard as the
person sitting to your right and twice as hard as
the person sitting to your left and you'll never
have to explain why you are where you are in your life.”

—Danielle, writer

CREATE A COMMUNITY

Danielle could have gone to her boss and said the guy hurt her feelings, but she didn't. She knows anyone who gets emotionally defensive or teary is going to have a difficult time in this business, so she handled the situation herself. She reached out to her friends for support. Sometimes a situation is so egregious that you have to take it to the people above you. Regardless of how you choose to handle a particular circumstance, it's easier to deal with difficult situations if you find a group of friends and colleagues who understand what you're going through and can support and advise you. Start putting together your community early in your career by reaching out to diverse people you meet and connecting regularly.

“It's harder to deal with that kind of prejudice when
you're isolated. Building relationships with
other minority colleagues and creating a community of
kindred spirits helps you realize you're not the first
person to experience it and you're not going to be the last.
It really helps.”

—Cheryl, senior level studio executive

INSIDER TIP > Most of the guilds and unions, like the Writers Guild, the Producers Guild, the Directors Guild, Screen Actors Guild, and Cinematographers Guild have diversity departments, committees, or initiatives. The networks have diversity initiatives and writing programs. See “Resource Section” for more information.

“Something I kept telling myself is I may have gotten
through the door because I'm not a white male,
but that's as far as the diversity factor went. Once
I got the job it was up to me to perform.
The minute I got my second job it was validation
that I wasn't handed something, I earned it.”

—Ben, production coordinator

CONCLUSION

There is a “diversity factor” in Hollywood. Though it is more liberal than most businesses, the entertainment industry still has its share of unconsciously biased or just plain thoughtless individuals. Prepare for the subtle prejudice by finding common ground with people you're meeting and working with, knowing your differences can be an asset, working twice as hard as those around you, and building a positive, supportive community. Then help create more change.

CHAPTER 19

PREPARE FOR THE DIVERSITY FACTOR

EXERCISES

1.  Reach out to a diverse person who is doing the job you aspire to and ask her about the job and her experience. Find this person through friends, your sorority or fraternity, or a diversity program at the professional organization in your area of interest; or, contact someone in your H.R. department and explain what information you're looking for and ask for a referral.

2.  Start to build your supportive community by putting together an informal gathering. Through friends and acquaintances invite five or six diverse professionals to have lunch, drinks, or dinner together and share their experiences navigating the entertainment industry. If it's a success, think about getting together every quarter.

CHAPTER 20

MAKE YOUR
CREATIVE WORK
AGENT-READY

When Kam was a new film school student she interned for an independent production company over the summer. The producers knew she was an aspiring writer so they asked her to pitch in on development while she was working on their film going into production. She hustled her butt off as their personal assistant on the crazy, fast-paced production, which required several night shoots. The producers were impressed with her work ethic and asked to read some of her work. Kam wrote a feature script in two weeks. The producers liked her writing so much they hired her to pen their next feature, which was produced before she graduated from film school.

Kam's story is unusual. Not everyone can generate that much work in such a short time when they're exhausted. Yet it's important to know that the most accomplished entertainment professionals are driven and obsessive. To compete with them, you need to keep your goal firmly in mind when, after a thirteen-hour work day, you're tempted to hit the bed rather than the computer.

MAKE THE TIME TO HONE YOUR WORK

Though it's exciting to finally get your foot in the door and be employed, you probably didn't come to Hollywood to be a receptionist. Whether your dream is to deliver a passionate acceptance speech for your Best Director Academy Award or to create an awe-inspiring digital universe for the next sci-fi cult hit, it's time to turn your attention to your art.

In order to sell your creative work, make it exceptional. The only way to make it exceptional is to hone your craft and continually improve it. Though it's not easy to push yourself to write another spec script, create a one-woman show, or produce your first short-form series when you're exhausted from your day job, that dedication will help you succeed in this super competitive market place.

How do you manage to be outstanding at your day job while pursuing your creative dream? You can follow the Kam model and work in intense bursts of inspiration, or you can devote a certain set amount of time every week to improving your craft.

“After work, at night and on the weekends,
I'm writing and producing a side project: a short-form series
platformed as a mobile application, set in a created
world available through the app. Interactive for sure, but not
a traditional game or strictly a scripted series. It's taking
a lot more time than I thought it would, but I think it's worth it.”

—Ariel, aspiring writer producer, currently assistant to a studio executive

INSIDER TIP > If you find that no matter how much you push yourself, you just don't have the energy to work at your day job until midnight and then come home and edit your film, there's another option: You can get a mindless day job outside of the business and save your brain for your art.

After not getting staffed on a show three seasons in a row, writer Shawn Ryan, creator of the award-winning gritty police drama The Shield, worked as a math tutor for four years as he honed his writing chops. One of the scripts he wrote during that time helped him land a job on the show that was a stepping stone toward creating his own series.

WHAT'S THE “10,000-HOUR RULE” AND HOW DOES IT APPLY TO ME?

In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell refers to the “10,000-Hour Rule,” in which he claims that the key to success in any field is, to a large extent, a matter of practicing a specific task for ten thousand hours or more. Most of those who've achieved significant success in Hollywood are well on their way to putting in their 10,000 hours; now it's time for you to start putting in yours.

PUT YOUR BRILLIANT WRITING, PRODUCING, OR DIRECTING WORK OUT THERE

In spite of having a day job, you've managed to create work that you're proud of and is generating excitement, even if it's just among your circle of friends at this point. Now is the time to be bold and take action; be your own agent and get your efforts out there for public consumption. Regardless of the genre you're working in, with constantly evolving technology, countless opportunities exist for you to get your work seen by the masses. With many of these avenues, there's no barrier between you and an audience. For some people that's enough. Their goal is simply to create and distribute their art. However, if want to find an agent, you have to find a way to display your work. There are hundreds of different screenplay and filmmaking contests and festivals from which to choose.

“I worked as an assistant on a reality show.
It was a lot of hours, but I would come home at night
and write. When I saved up enough money,
I would make a short and enter it into contests.
Then I'd get another day job and start all over. From the
responses I get, I can tell my work is getting better.”

—Kenneth, filmmaker

INSIDER TIP > If you're entering contests with the goal of getting your work seen by a producer or agent, only enter premium contests that are recognized by the entertainment community. Do multiple searches of “Top 10 Screen-writing Contests” or “Top 10 Independent Film Festivals” to find the current ones. Don't waste your time or money becoming a semifinalist in a contest no one's ever heard of. If your work isn't good enough yet to be accepted into the prestigious contests or isn't earning one of the top prizes, keep honing your craft until it is.

HOW CAN YOU TELL IF YOUR WORK IS “AGENT-READY”?

You can't control how people will respond to your work, but there are some things you can do to slant the odds in your favor.

Is Your Work the Best it Can Be?

If your mother ever said, “You have one chance to make a good impression,” she understood Hollywood. A recent film school graduate asked me to watch a comedy video she'd directed. I'm always excited to discover new talent, so I was eager to see her work and pass her along to an agent if it was warranted. The sound quality was so poor I couldn't hear the dialogue. When I asked her about it, she told me she knew it was bad but hadn't had time to fix it. Unfortunately, I won't have enough time or the interest to watch her next effort and neither would a producer or manager. She fooled herself by thinking she'd fix it later. You only have one shot with potential representation, so do a thorough review of your material before you send it out. Whether it's a demo reel, script, film, video, or headshot, beware of the “I'll fix it in post” mind-set.

Although it's hard to hear negative feedback, don't deceive yourself. If your scripts or demo reel keep collecting rejections, your work may simply not be good enough yet. Although good work can get overlooked, great work rarely does.

Industry Professionals Can Give You Invaluable Feedback

If you're not sure why your work isn't generating excitement beyond your friends and family, use all your contacts to find a junior-level industry professional who would be willing to give you an honest critique. Assistants are often knowledgeable and much more accessible than their bosses. See if you can find an assistant to a producer, executive, editor, agent, or casting director and ask nicely for his help. Be sure to let him know you're not asking to be hired, you just want feedback to help you improve your work.

If you can't get access to an assistant or other junior-level person, take a class taught by an industry professional. You don't have to be in Los Angeles to find a course. Colleges or universities may have visiting professors and some local instructors have connections to the industry. The teacher can give you experienced feedback and, if he likes your work, can pass it on to a show business insider.

INSIDER TIP > Be wary of online or other “consultants” who want to charge you to evaluate your script, reel, or headshots. There are plenty of unscrupulous, inexperienced people passing themselves off as professionals. Check out their background and credits on IMDb—or through word of mouth—to be sure they have the expertise they claim. There are also some very reputable consultants. Just make sure to carefully vet them before you spend the money.

Do You Have a Body of Work to Sell?

In addition to having your material in the best possible shape, you need more than one sample. If a talent agent only sees a couple of roles on your resume, he's less likely to sign you. If a literary manager only sees one script, there's always a chance you've only got one good script in you. If that's true, he won't be able to make enough money to take you on as a client. Whether you're an actor, writer, or director, a common agent refrain is “This is good, but what else do you have?” Make sure you have the “something else” in your repertoire before you seek representation.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN AGENT, A MANAGER, AND AN ENTERTAINMENT ATTORNEY?

Once your demo reel, headshot, or script is ready, decide whether an agent, manager, or entertainment attorney is appropriate. Ideally the agent's role is to hustle and get you work. By law, agents are only allowed to take 10% of your paycheck and they aren't particularly interested in holding your hand or mapping out your career path with you.

A manager is willing to hold your hand and help you strategize your long-term career goals. Managers are not regulated by the state and will usually take somewhere between 10 and 15% of your earnings. An attorney can negotiate your deal and charge you an hourly fee or take a percentage of what you make on that deal.

INSIDER TIP > An entertainment attorney is often more accessible to newcomers because you can hire one, instead of waiting to be pursued by an agent or manager. If you find an entertainment attorney who is well connected and willing to work for you, he can submit your material to producers and managers. Before you pay money to hire an entertainment attorney, make sure he has enough professional relationships within the business to be worthwhile.

Managers are generally more willing than agents to take the risk of working with new talent. You can find listing of agents, managers, and entertainment attorneys in the Hollywood Creative Directory's special Representation Directory as well as on IMDd Pro.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF AGENTS

Different types of agents represent different types of clients:

• Talent Agents represent performers. Some specialize in film and television, some in commercials; some represent voice talent and some agencies represent all categories.

• Literary Agents represent writers, producers, and directors. While most represent clients across film, television, and digital media, some focus exclusively on one area.

• Below-the-Line Agents represent cinematographers, UPMs (unit production managers), Production Designers, and other below-the-line professionals.

INSIDER TIP > Warning I If an agent or manager wants to charge you a fee up front, run the other way. Real agents and managers only take a percentage of your earnings when you get hired.

Eight Ways to Get an Agent or Manager

Getting an agent or manager is a lot like dating. You're most desirable when everyone wants you and when you're desperate you can't get arrested. If you ask an agent how to find an agent he'll say, “When you're ready we'll find you.” Not very helpful, but true.

While it's every artist's dream to be discovered, unless you're an on overnight viral success, you're much more likely to get an agent's attention by working your contacts and relationships you've been nurturing than by having an agent or manager call you up out of the blue. There are three ways to get representation: the easy way, the smart way, and the best way.

Here's The “Easy” Ways to Have an Agent Find You:

1. Win a highly regarded contest or festival award.

– Agents and managers make sure they know who takes the top prizes in the premiere contests and often fight to be the first one to sign the winner.

2. Get an overwhelmingly enthusiastic public response to your performance in a Los Angeles, New York, or Chicago play, showcase, or comedy club.

– Junior agents are often out five nights a week checking out new talent.

3. Get a million hits on your video.

Here's the “Smart” Ways to Get in Front of a Manager or Agent:

4. Get referred by a friend or acquaintance of the agent.

– Most agents won't even look at a headshot, demo reel, or script unless it comes through a personal referral. This route may not be as hard as you think. Use every contact you have to find someone who knows someone with the connections to get your work in front of an agent. I know one writer who got his agent because his mother's manicurist also did a pop star's nails and she was able to get his script to the pop star who passed it along to her agent who liked it enough to sign him. It really happened that way.

5. Get Referred by a Current Client

– If you know someone who's already represented, ask if she'd be comfortable recommending you to her agent. Agents want to keep their clients happy, so your demo reel will get to the top of the pile.

6. Get Referred by an Industry Professional

– It can be a teacher you're taking a class from or a consultant you're working with; if they're connected in the business and impressed with your work, they'll refer you.

7. Get a Job Working In the Industry

– Once you get an industry job and are networking like crazy, you'll find a peer who can get your material to an agent trainee, assistant, or someone in the mailroom. If they like your work, they'll pass it along to their boss.

Here's the “Best” Way to Get an Agent

8. Already be making money practicing your craft.

– Once you're employed and earning a good salary, they'll find you.

INSIDER TIP > When I worked for Spielberg, I was at a funeral and the rabbi came up to me afterward and asked if I could get his script to Steven. Not the way to ask for a favor. If he'd written me a letter afterward reminding me where we met and asking if I might read his script, I probably would have. Be appropriate when asking for a referral.

“I was tired of just taking acting classes and paying for these
showcases that never ended up getting any results.
I sat down with a friend and we wrote this idea for an online
series and I spent some of my savings and invested
in a good camera and some sound equipment and we made
this web series and entered it in some contests and it
did really well and an agent signed me when he saw it.”

—Chloe, actress

BAD AGENT vs. NO AGENT?

The question often comes up, is it better to have a bad agent or no agent? A bad agent is someone with very few contacts who doesn't get his clients work. Still, my personal opinion is that a bad agent is better than no agent at all. If you're just starting out and can't land a good one, at least having a bad agent gives you some legitimacy and sets you apart from everyone else who's trying to break in without representation. If your agent honestly isn't getting you work, don't feel bad about trading up to the next model as your career takes off. It's standard practice.

CONCLUSION

Keep creating good work. Hone your craft until it's exceptional. When you're sure it's technically and creatively the best it can be, hustle like crazy until you get it to people who can help you, sign you, or hire you. Don't be discouraged, it can take a long time to make it, but exceptional work gets recognized and rewarded.

CHAPTER 20

MAKE YOUR CREATIVE WORK AGENT-READY

EXERCISES

1. Is your work agent-ready? Ask a friend to evaluate it for obvious errors like wrong script formatting or bad audio, and so forth. Next, network with all your contacts to find a junior-level industry professional to give you honest feedback. If you can't find someone through your network, sign up for a class at a local college and ask the professor to give you feedback.

2. Just for fun, add up the hours you've spent creating your work. Be very generous and count everything—classes, grade school plays, short stories, videos you made when you were seven years old—everything. How close are you to the 10,000-hour mark?

CHAPTER 21

SURVIVE REJECTION
AND LET IT MAKE
YOU STRONGER

The interviewer at one of Hollywood's top temp agencies called job applicant Aya, into her office. “I'm going to be totally honest,” she said as she closed the door. “You're too old, you need to lose about twenty pounds and you're probably too ethnic. I can't help you.” Aya felt like she'd been punched in the stomach. It took her two days of being angry and depressed to get over it. But instead of giving up and moving back home, which was her first thought, she became determined to prove the woman wrong. She worked twenty hours a week for six weeks sending out resumes and making calls. After those six weeks, she had a job as an assistant at a production company and two years later she was promoted to junior executive.

REJECTION WON'T KILL YOU…IT JUST FEELS LIKE IT

Most of the time you won't face rejection as blatant as Aya's. But be prepared: Working in show business means being rejected constantly. You won't get hired for a job you really want or you'll get fired from one you love; someone will pass on your screenplay or you'll have a great interview and never get called back. This business isn't fair. Talented people routinely get overlooked in favor of a producer's nephew. It's one of the most painful parts of the business.

HARDEN YOUR L.A. ARMOR

Because there's nepotism and sexism and ageism and lookism and just plain bad luck, you need to develop a way to cope with it. You can learn to survive the onslaught of setbacks by developing tough skin. Literary manager's assistant Rosie Buada has the perfect term for it: L.A. armor. You harden your L.A. armor by refusing to take rejection as an indication of your worth as a person. Use each negative response as an opportunity to remind yourself that you are not your job or career aspirations. Your intrinsic value as a person isn't tied to what happens with work. Use each rejection as an opportunity to prove them wrong.

“I love being told what I can't do
and then going out and doing it.”

—Taryn, producer, writer, actor, director

When Christopher interviewed for a job at a talent agency, the H.R. person was arrogant and dismissive, “Do you really think you can handle this job?” she asked as though she was sure he couldn't. Christopher said to himself, “Screw you. I can do this and I'll show you.” He didn't get that job but ended up getting one at a better agency. He didn't get defeated; he got mad and hardened his L.A. armor.

INSIDER TIP > When you get rejected, friends may try to reassure you by saying, it's not personal. But sometimes it is personal. The production coordinator just doesn't like your face or an H.R. exec clearly doesn't respond to you. Whether it's personal or not, don't take it personally. Harden your L.A. armor and move on.

YOU CAN LEARN TO MOVE ON

One of the best ways to move on is to realize that nothing of value is accomplished without setbacks. Instead of viewing rejection as failure, see it as a necessary step, taking you closer to achieving your ultimate goal. An inspirational example is Colonel Sanders, the founder of the KFC enterprise. When he was trying to sell his fried chicken recipe to restaurants, he drove across the country and knocked on doors. Some restaurant owners laughed at him and most of them said no. Legend has it he got 109 rejections before someone said yes. Every time he heard “no” he focused on what he could do better and considered himself one step closer to a “yes.” He finally got that yes and went on to have a spectacularly successful chain of fast food restaurants. I doubt you'll face 109 rejections, but to be successful you do have to put yourself out there, be willing to fail, and then move on.

As your L.A. armor hardens, you'll bounce back from rejection faster. My favorite story is about media mogul and billionaire Barry Diller. When he made a very public play to buy NBC television, he was roundly defeated. As he was leaving the courthouse, a reporter thrust a microphone at him and asked how it felt to lose something he wanted so badly. His reply? “They won. We lost. Next!” I encourage you to harden your L.A. armor by starting to cultivate Barry Diller's warrior philosophy.

“Even though I really wanted it, I was told I wasn't ready
to interview for a promotion and no one went to bat
for me about it. I started questioning myself…am I really
that great if no one's fighting for me? Next day I
woke up and realized no one is going to hand me anything
and I was going to have to get there on my own. I have
the motivation and passion. I just needed to figure out what
my next step was going to be. I knew I was going to get there.
And I did.”

—Samantha, assistant to executive producer

INSIDER TIP > In this industry everyone loves you and your project; until they just stop talking to you. Think of it as a soft rejection. One director told me, “Sometimes I didn't even know I'd been rejected until I realized a producer hadn't returned my call in two months.” Whether it's a soft rejection or an obvious one, you'll bounce back faster as you build up your L.A. armor.

“IF YOU GET A JOB IN HOLLYWOOD IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL YOU GET FIRED.”

There's a lot of truth in this classic show business saying because regimes change, bosses get fired, and you can inadvertently get on someone's bad side. With tough L.A. armor, you're emotionally prepared ahead of time and can weather any storm.

INSIDER TIP > It's never too soon to get your resume ready. If the rumor mill reports that people above you are going to be fired, start looking. If your boss is giving you a hard time, ask him directly if there's anything you can do better or differently. If he says no but you're still getting treated like a second-class citizen it's time to start making calls. Get ahead of the curve and get a jump on finding your next gig.

NO MATTER HOW BAD THINGS ARE, PUT A POSITIVE SPIN ON THEM

Even if your last gig drove you to drink, find something positive to say about it. Never publically bad mouth a horrible boss or a wretched job. As cathartic as it may feel, it doesn't help you and can even hurt you. Lauren was an intern for a notoriously dysfunctional editor. Everyone in the business knew how awful he was, but whenever someone asked for juicy details, Lauren just talked about how much she was learning and how talented her boss was. Other junior-level people in similar situations might not be able to resist dishing the dirt. Because Lauren found something good to say about her experience, she now gets hired for her talent and her loyalty.

INSIDER TIP > Because everyone in this business can tell when you're being insincere, it's important to find something that was actually worthwhile about your awful experience; even if it's just saying you learned how to perform under pressure or it was a great project to be associated with.

SOMETIMES REJECTION IS A CATALYST FOR SOMETHING BETTER

Doug's dream was to be an actor. Starting at Second City in Chicago, he teamed up with a fellow improv actor to form a comedy act and they went on to play at some of the biggest clubs and theaters in the city. When he and his partner came out to L.A. to perform at the Improv, they wound up signing with the William Morris Agency, and quickly landed a job as regulars on a summer variety television series. Eventually the partnership broke up and Doug got a day job in a real estate office while he auditioned. He was constantly rejected; he'd come close but never land a role. After two years, he came to the painful conclusion he wasn't going to make it as an actor. Around that time, I hired him to be a reader at Amblin. He worked his way up to executive in charge of television and feature animation and eventually made the move to the major studios, where he worked as head of feature animation divisions. As an executive he worked with dozens of writers and realized that he missed the creative process. He saved his money and quit his executive job to start writing spec scripts. He worked for two years without selling anything or getting an agent. But in the third year, he finally sold his first script and is now a successful screenwriter. Because you never know what a rejection might lead to, keep it in perspective, harden your L.A. armor, and move forward.

“I remember about a month after graduating,
I was very stressed because I needed money and none
of the jobs I'd applied for came through. I was sort
of fortunate because if I had gotten any of those gigs it
would really have thrown me off course and
I wouldn't have ended up doing what I really enjoy.”

—Brandon, commercial producer

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH OPTIMISTIC PEOPLE

It's easy to get discouraged if everyone around you is bitter or resentful about how hard it is to break in or move up. Most of these people will give up and head home or into another business within a year or two—if they make it that long. Usually it's because they don't work hard enough or have unrealistic expectations. They might also be harboring a sense of entitlement.

Sarah, an aspiring director, observes, “There are people who've been here the same amount of time as I have who are now leaving. They just talked a lot about what they wanted to do, but never seemed to do anything about it. One guy talked about the same screenplay he was writing the entire time he was out here, but I never saw it. These people got complacent working at non-industry jobs and ended up going home.” You'll notice successful people who stick around, break through, and move up tend to surround themselves with positive friends and acquaintances.

“It was the last of a long line of rejections, and
it was really trying my patience. I remember
being really upset after getting the call informing me
I didn't get the job. But I got over it.
I talked to my parents and friends, and they said,
'Just stick with it. You're talented and
you'll be fine.’ They were right. About three months
later I got an awesome job.”

—Emily, writer

INSIDER TIP > Creating a community of positive people isn't just about keeping your spirits up. Most of the jobs you get throughout your career will be through people you know, so you want to make sure your friends and colleagues are optimistic enough to make it through the long haul with you.

CONCLUSION

Harden your L.A. armor, don't take anything personally, put a positive spin on even the worst situations, create a community of supportive and optimistic friends, and get ready to put the finishing touches on your game plan: learn how to get lucky and give back.

CHAPTER 21

SURVIVE REJECTION AND LET IT MAKE YOU STRONGER

EXERCISES

1. Start to build your positive support community by putting together an informal gathering. Through friends and acquaintances invite five or six folks to have lunch, drinks, or dinner together to share their experiences about staying positive while navigating the entertainment industry. If it's a success, think about getting together every three or four months.

2. This is a two-part exercise:

a. Think of the last few jobs you applied for but didn't get; or, a job you had, and lost. Write down at least one positive thing about each of those rejections.

or,

b. If you've ever been in a nightmare work situation, find something legitimately positive to say about it. Practice this new version of your experience on a friend or two until it rolls off your tongue.

CHAPTER 22

GET READY
FOR YOUR LUCKY
BREAK

Stacey got her lucky break because the day she called the producer in L.A., a production intern had just been fired and a spot suddenly opened up. Josh got his because he happened to see a posting for an intern on the UTA Job List the day it appeared. James' lucky break came when he got the first network role he auditioned for.

EVERYONE LOVES A LUCKY BREAK

People in show business love to talk about lucky breaks. It makes a much better story to say a role just landed in your lap or the screenplay you wrote in your spare time as a bus driver got discovered by an agent and sold for a million dollars. It's more tantalizing to report that some fantastic opportunity just magically appeared than to chronicle the long hours, hard work, and many years it can take to get one of those “lucky breaks.” The truth is, the more prepared you are, the “luckier” you get. The best definition of luck I've heard is: “where preparation meets opportunity.”

Let's see how this definition applies to the “lucky breaks” above.

Stacey had good timing, but she'd gone up to the producer when he spoke at her school and asked to keep in touch with him, so she had his cell number to call when she was looking for a new internship. Without the courage to ask for his number and then hop on a plane and move to L.A. with two days notice, she might never have gotten lucky.

Josh read the UTA Job List every morning and immediately sent in his resume for every position that looked promising, so it was no accident he happened to find out about the job the day it posted. He also had an industry-ready resume on his computer to immediately send in.

James' break makes a great story but if you look a little more closely, you see there was more than luck involved. He'd made a lot of friends when he got to town and heard about the network audition from one of them. He'd also spent three intense years taking acting classes and working in plays, short films, and independent features, so when he did his audition he had the acting chops to land the role.

HOW DO I GET LUCKY?

Most luck is good timing: right place, right time. But fortuitous timing doesn't just happen. It involves opportunity, preparation, and chutzpah (Yiddish for courage or nerve). The more people you know, the more opportunities will come your way. Every time you connect with another person on a set, at a party, or during a guild mixer, you're laying the groundwork for good timing. Preparation is having everything in your portfolio updated and in the best possible shape all the time. But opportunity and preparation aren't enough to get lucky; you also need the courage to follow through on opportunities.

One of my favorite lucky break stories is about David, an aspiring director, who was just finishing up his graduate degree at USC when, on his way home from school, he noticed a film crew working. Hitting the brakes to investigate, he discovered it was a film directed by his hero, a well-known indie writer/ director. After explaining he was a film student, he got permission to observe the shoot for a couple of days and eventually wrangled a brief conversation with his idol, who was flattered when David explained his recent thesis film was inspired by the director's work. Impressed with David's chutzpah, the director offered to look at his film sometime.

David politely checked in with the director's assistant every six weeks to see if the director had had a chance to look at the film he'd sent. Four months later he got a call from the director's assistant to set up a meeting. She asked if David had any other work besides his thesis. He'd just finished another short film and sent it over immediately. David and his idol had a great meeting and the director ended up mentoring David and helping him get his first feature film. Here's how timing, opportunity, and preparation worked together: seeing the film shoot on the way home was good timing. Wrangling face time with the director took chutzpah. Having two great short films ready to show was being completely prepared. You could say David was lucky. I say he helped luck along—a lot.

DON'T SABATOGE YOURSELF OUT OF A LUCKY BREAK

Sometimes just one element of luck's not enough. I know talented people who, though prepared, don't create enough opportunities to get any traction. I also know people who have so many contacts they create lots of opportunities but aren't prepared enough to take advantage of them.

Christina, an aspiring actor and waitress, works at an upscale Malibu restaurant. She met her role model, an Academy-Award-winning character actress, when she waited on her. Christina is so charming, when her customer found out she wanted to be an actor, the Academy Award-winner invited Christina to visit the set the next day. Christina was overjoyed with the invite and went out with friends to celebrate. The next morning she overslept, managed to lose her car keys, and, once she found them, went to the wrong location. Consequently she never made it to the set, blowing a great opportunity.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I CAN DO TO IMPROVE MY LUCK?

Yes. You can be kind. It may not be a scientific fact, but I've noticed over the twenty-five years I've been in this business that truly generous people, who give without worrying about getting back, seem to be very lucky. They help a lot of people and very often those people end up helping them.

But if you are selfishly giving just to get something back, it'll probably backfire. Even though it's not how Hollywood is usually portrayed, most people in this town respond to sincere generosity and open their hearts. They also smell disingenuousness a mile away and run in the other direction. If you're being kind as a strategic maneuver to get something in return, you'll end up grumpy and disappointed. When you give back because it's the right thing to do, you feel good about yourself and you tend to get lucky.

Heather's story is an excellent example. Although she wasn't yet a member of the Writer's Guild, she volunteered to walk the picket line when they were on strike. She looked over and saw the executive producer of her favorite television series. “I told her it was my favorite show and I'd love to talk to her. She said “Sure!” and wrote down her number. It took me seven months to get up the nerve to call. As we were talking, she mentioned her favorite TV series growing up was this quirky little cult show called Square Pegs that was only on one season. The call ended because she had to get back to work, and I got off the phone, thinking what can I do to help this person who just gave me fifteen minutes of her valuable time?

I hung up and went on line and searched and searched and finally found this website that sold vintage t-shirts from the Square Pegs show. I bought one and sent it to her office. She sent me this really sweet email, saying, “Thank you, I don't know how you found it, but that was impressive.” Two days later, I got a call from her office because they needed someone to fill in for an assistant for week or so. That's the job that got me in. Because of that credit, I was hired to work on another show, and from that show I went on to be a writer's assistant and eventually got to write an episode and landed a staff writer job.”

If we analyze this interaction, everything flowed from a desire to give back. The executive producer didn't talk to Heather because she was going to get something out of it; someone helped her when she was a fledging writer and she wanted to do the same. Likewise, when Heather bought the t-shirt she wasn't trying to get something from the executive producer, she just wanted to express her gratitude for the time and advice she was given. Without an ulterior motive, Heather impressed the showrunner with her problem-solving ability and when an opening came up, she got the call.

YOU CAN'T DO THIS BUSINESS ALONE

You can't make it in this town without help. Everyone needed a break to get where he or she is and most are happy to help someone coming up. If you want to be successful in this industry, look for ways to be helpful. Do hair and make up for free on a student film. Take the time to read a friend's script and give him notes. Pass along information about an old boss who's changing jobs and looking to hire an assistant. Over lunch one day I casually mentioned to my friend Chad Gervich, author of Small Screen Big Picture, that I was looking for an intern. Within two days he'd sent me twenty names. He does that sort of thing for everyone he knows just because he's a good guy. He's now built a community of supporters who can't wait for the opportunity to help him with whatever he needs.

You don't have to wait until you're established to start giving back. Regardless of where you are in your career you have something to offer. Kam Miller points out, “Anyone, at any level, can contribute positively to the people around them. This industry is challenging at every stage and a word of encouragement, even from a newcomer, can make a difference during a difficult day.”

Start giving back as soon as you can. Not just to build your own community of supporters who'll help you get lucky, but because it's the right thing to do and will help you have a happier career.

USING A GAME PLAN HAS A DIRECT EFFECT ON HOW LUCKY YOU ARE

To break into entertainment you need some luck. There are twenty—or two hundred or two thousand—aspiring hopefuls trying to get the job you want. But don't worry; most of them aren't as lucky as you. They don't have a game plan. Unlike you, they don't know what Hollywood attitude is. They don't understand you need a good “Personal A-Story” and a database of invaluable contacts. They don't have the inside information on how to prepare and give good meeting. They won't follow up correctly or understand the value of giving back. Most of them want to be in show business, but don't have a step-by-step concrete plan for making it happen like you do. As you commit to the strategies in this book and practice them with persistence, you are preparing to launch a successful career in one of the most exciting businesses in the world. Genuinely talented people like you will be creating the new face of entertainment. I can't wait to see what it looks like.

I'd love to hear from you as you embark on your journey in the entertainment industry. Please email me at carole@Hollywoodgameplan.com and let me know how you're doing and how you're using the Hollywood Game Plan to achieve your dreams.

GLOSSARY

ABOVE-THE-LINE : Individuals who guide, influence, and add to the creative direction, process, and voice of a project; includes writers, directors, actors, producers, and executives.

AGENT : A representative who finds work and negotiates contracts for his clients.

ART DIRECTOR : The person who creates the look of the film through the vision of the production designer.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (AD or 1 st AD) : The below-the-line crew member who runs the set and creates the shooting schedule.

AUTOMATIC DIALOGUE REPLACEMENT (ADR) : The process of recording specific lines of dialogue that cannot be recovered from production tracks; also known as “looping.”

AVID : Nonlinear digital editing system.

BACKEND : Deferred revenue for certain above-the-line individuals once the film makes a profit.

BELOW-THE-LINE : Refers to crew members who perform the physical production and post production of a project; includes the line producer, costume designers, cameraman, etc.

BOOM : A long pole-shaped mount that holds a microphone over an actor's head on set.

BREAKDOWN : A description of characters from a film or TV show given to casting directors for distribution to agents and actors.

CALL SHEET : Daily report distributed to the cast /crew detailing the workday's schedule, locations, driving directions, and call times.

CALL TIMES : The times for the cast and crew to arrive on set.

CASTING DIRECTOR : The person who auditions and helps to select all of the speaking role actors in film, television shows, or plays.

CINEMATOGRAPHER : (AKA Director of Photography) The person ultimately responsible for the process of recording a scene in the manner desired by the director.

CONTINUITY : Making sure the actors, props, lighting, and other elements remain the same from shot to shot.

COVERAGE : When multiple camera setups and angles are filmed to ensure the editor has sufficient footage; also, a “book report” summarizing a movie, book, or TV script.

CRAFT SERVICES : The on-set person or people responsible for providing refreshments to the cast and crew.

CURRENT PROGRAMMING : The division of a network or studio that oversees and maintains TV shows already on the air.

DAILIES : The daily footage of the previous production day.

DEMO REEL : Video clips compiled to showcase the work of an actor, director, producer, editor, digital, and other creative artists.

DEVELOPMENT : The process of perfecting a script so that it is ready to shoot.

DIGITAL MEDIA : Any distribution platform using digital technology, usually including downloads, streams, or videos-on-demand.

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY : See cinematographer

DIRECTOR : The principal creative artist on a movie set. A director is usually (but not always) the driving artistic source behind the filming process, decides how the shots will be set up, and communicates to actors the way that he/she would like a particular scene played.

DISTRIBUTION : Any method by which an entertainment product is delivered to an audience.

DUB HOUSE : A facility that creates copies (dubs) of video and audio media.

EDITOR : The person who crafts the raw footage into a story.

EFFECTS HOUSE : A company that designs and implements visual effects.

ELECTRONIC PRESS KIT (EPK) : Video footage with interviews of the cast and creative team, as well as behind-the-scenes footage. EPKs are sent to visual media outlets to aid in publicity.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER : A producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the filmmaking process, but who is still responsible for the overall production.

EXTRAS : Background actors without any dialogue.

FEATURE : Full-length motion picture.

FINANCIER : An independent party that provides funding for a film.

FIRST-LOOK : A deal between the studio and a writer, producer, or production company so that the studio gets first dibs on all viable material from the writer/producer.

FOLEY : The reproduction of everyday sounds for use in filmmaking.

GREENLIGHT : Term used to describe a project in development that has been approved for production.

GUILD : See Union

HIP POCKET : When an agent unofficially represents a writer, director, actor, etc.

HIGH CONCEPT : An easily explained, very commercial idea.

HOT SHEET : A cost report stating production expenses for one day.

INDEPENDENT FILM : A film produced without the financing or creative input of a major studio.

IMDb : The Internet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, actors, television shows, and production crew personnel.

IMDb Pro : Subscription service version of Internet Movie Database providing more in-depth information.

KEY CREW : Department heads within a crew.

LEAVE-BEHIND : A document left behind with potential buyers as a refresher after a pitch.

LINE PRODUCER : The person responsible for managing every person and issue during the production.

LOCATION MANAGER : The person in charge of obtaining sites for shoots.

LOGLINE : One sentence detailing a story's premise.

LOOPING : See ADR

MANAGER : A representative hired by clients to offer career guidance and advice and who helps facilitate work opportunities.

MASTER : A wide shot covering an entire scene.

MATERIAL : General term used to describe a screenplay or a manuscript.

MEDIA CONGLOMERATE : A corporation that owns a large number of companies in various mass media such as television, radio, publishing, movies, and the Internet.

MIXING : The process of integrating all the various production soundtracks into one.

MULTICAMERA : A style of television shooting where actors perform on a soundstage while cameras, placed around the stage's perimeter, film the action. Usually includes a live audience and laugh tracks.

NARRATIVE : A story.

NETWORKING : Making mutually beneficial contacts within the industry.

ONE-SHEET (AKA ONE-LINER) : A list of each day's scenes and shots in order of filming.

OPTION : To take a project off the market for a certain amount of time by paying a deposit against a set purchase price.

OVERHEAD : The costs of operating and running a studio or production company (rent, salaries, expenses, etc.).

PITCH : To verbally present an idea or story.

PILOT : A sample episode of a new TV show.

POLISH : A slight rewrite of a screenplay.

POST PRODUCTION : Work performed on a project after the end of principal photography. Usually involves editing and visual effects

PRE-DUB : Cleaning, editing, and preparing of all soundtracks for mixing.

PREPRODUCTION : Arrangements made before the start of filming. This stage can include script editing, set construction, location scouting, and casting.

PRESS JUNKET : A postscreening, one-on-one publicity interview marathon between the media and a production's director and actors.

PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY : The actual filming period.

PRODUCER : A producer is responsible for raising funds, hiring key personnel, and arranging for distributors. A creative producer is the creative force behind the project.

PRODUCTION : The general term to describe the actual filming of a project.

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT : An entry-level person responsible for various odd jobs, which could include running errands, stopping traffic, acting as couriers, fetching items from craft service, etc.

PRODUCTION COMPANY : A firm that develops and produces films, television, and other online entertainment.

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR : The person who runs the production office.

PRODUCTION DESIGNER : The artist who oversees the overall visual design of a production.

PRODUCTION MANAGER : The person responsible for coordinating and supervising all of the technical and administrative details of a production.

PRODUCTION REPORT : The daily report listing the hours worked, total footage shot, and other information about each production day.

PROPS : Any item an actor touches or uses on the set.

PUBLICITY : The process of creating media coverage without paying for ads.

QUERY LETTER : A single page cover letter introducing a writer's screenplay to a producer or agent.

READER : A person who reads scripts and writes coverage.

ROLLING CALLS : When an assistant connects his/her boss to a third party then stays on the line (muted) so the boss can be connected to someone else once the call is completed (without having to hang up and dial again).

RUNNER : A production assistant whose main duty is to run errands for the production.

SAMPLE : A script used to attain writing assignments.

SCREENPLAY : A script intended for motion picture or television production.

SCRIPT COORDINATOR : In a TV show's writers' office, this person is responsible for tracking script changes, archiving scripts and paperwork, distributing drafts, etc.

SCRIPT SUPERVISOR : The person responsible for keeping track of which scenes have been covered, along with any deviations in the script, dialogue, or continuity.

SET : An area used for filming.

SET UP : A particular camera and lighting plan pertaining to a certain scene or shot.

SHOWRUNNER : The executive producer responsible for the day-to-day production of the show. He/she oversees everything from writing and storytelling to casting and set design.

SIDES : Pages of a script actors read for an audition.

SINGLE-CAMERA : A style of shooting that involves one primary camera.

SPEC PILOT : A pilot written without being commissioned by a network or studio.

SPEC SCRIPT : An episode of a television show currently on the air used by a television writer to obtain work.

STAFF WRITER : The lowest level writer on a TV show.

STAND-IN : A person who replaces the actor to block and light a scene.

STUDIO : A company that produces, finances, and distributes films.

STUNT COORDINATOR : The person responsible for making sure that stunts are safely choreographed and executed.

TALENT : A creative player, an actor, director, or writer.

TALENT DEAL : Contracts with talent that secure their services for a particular production or amount of time.

TRACKING BOARD : An online information forum where users find, post, and swap industry information.

TRADES : Daily and weekly industry magazines that cover the film industry, traditionally, Hollywood Reporter and Variety.

TREATMENT : A synopsis of a screenplay that gives the reader a general story line, plot elements, and characters. It's used to drum up interest for a script.

TURNAROUND : The amount of non-working hours a production crew must receive before beginning the next workday.

UNION : An organization created to protect the rights of its members in various occupations.

UNION SCALE : The minimum wage that a member of a union can be paid.

UNIT PRODUCTION MANAGER (UPM) : The line producer's second in command, usually responsible for issues like renting equipment and maintaining a budget.

UNSCRIPTED : Television programming not using a traditional script (reality, talk, game shows).

VISUAL EFFECTS : The engineering of imagery created to manipulate a film.

WEBISODE : An episode of a series created solely for the Internet.

WEEKEND READ : The material read by agents and studio executives over the weekend to be discussed in meetings at the start of the next week.

WRITER'S ASSISTANT : An assistant responsible for taking notes in a television writers' room, researching stories, typing outlines, etc.

APPENDIX A

THE HOLLYWOOD-ENGLISH WRITERS DICTIONARY

Verbs

to schmooze = befriend scum

to pitch = grovel shamelessly

to brainstorm = feign preparedness

to research = procrastinate indefinitely

to network = spread disinformation

to collaborate = argue incessantly

to freelance = collect unemployment

Nouns

agent = frustrated lawyer

lawyer = frustrated producer

producer = frustrated writer

writer = frustrated director

director = frustrated actor

actor = frustrated human

Compound Words

high-concept = low-budget

production value = gore

entry-level = pays nothing

highly qualified = knows the producer

network-approved = had made them money

Financial Terms

net = something that apparently doesn't exist

gross = Jerry Bruckheimer's salary

back-end = you, if you think you'll ever see it

residuals = braces for the kids

deferral = don't hold your breath

points = see “net” or “back end”

Common Phrases

You can trust me = You must be new

It needs some polishing = Change everything

It shows promise = It stinks rotten

It needs some fine-tuning = Change everything

I'd like some input = I want total control

It needs some honing = Change everything

Call me back next week = Stay out of my life

It needs some tightening = Change everything

Try and punch it up = I have no idea what I want

It needs some streamlining = Change everything

You'll never work in this town again = I have no power whatsoever

APPENDIX B
RESOURCES

ENTERTAINMENT DIRECTORIES

Hollywood Creative Directory

(800) 815-0503

www.hcdonline.com

Hollywood Distribution Directory

www.hcdonline.com

Hollywood Music Industry Directory

www.hcdonline.com

Hollywood Representation Directory

(323) 525-2369

www.shop.hcdonline.com

LA 411

(800) 545-2411

www.la411.com

ENTERTAINMENT TEMP AGENCIES

Apple One Employment Services

(800) 564-5644

www.appleone.com

Friedman Personnel Agency

(310) 550-1002

www.friedmanpersonnel.com

JOB BOARDS/INTERNSHIPS

•  JOB BOARDS

4entertainmentcareers.com

Free site that provides links to additional job boards.

www.4entertainmentcareers.com

EntertainmentCareers.net

Subscription-based site with jobs in entertainment and career information.

www.entertainmentcareers.net

Mandy's Film and TV Production Directory

Free site posting TV/film production jobs, casting calls, equipment classified ads, etc.

www.mandy.com

Media Match

TV/Film job board with a basic, free membership or a subscription-based membership.

www.media-match.com

Production Hub

Search engine for media and entertainment, serving film, television, video, live event, and digital media production

www.productionhub.com

Production Notices

Subscription website posting production staff and crew jobs.

www.productionnotices.com

Production Weekly

Subscription website posting comprehensive breakdown of projects in preproduction, preparation, and active development for film and television.

www.productionweekly.com

•  INTERNSHIPS

EntertainmentCareers.Net

Subscription-based site posting internships in entertainment.

www.entertainmentcareers.net

Intern Queen Inc.

Intern Queen, Lauren Berger, offers free internship applications and advice about internships.

www.internqueen.com

Internships.com

The largest completely free internship marketplace.

www.internships.com

CHARITIES/NETWORKING/ONLINE COMMUNITIES

•  CHARITIES

Entertainment Industry Foundation

Hollywood's leading charity

(213) 240-3900

www.eifoundation.org

•  NETWORKING

Connecting Reality

Networking site for reality TV artists and employees; includes networking events, online forums, blogs, job postings, etc.

www.connectingreality.com

Jen Grisanti's Friday Night Drinks Mixer

Popular monthly networking event geared towards writers.

www.jengrisanticonsultancy.com

Los Angeles Final Cut Pro Users Group

Support group with networking opportunities specifically for editors using Final Cut Pro.

www.lafcpug.org

mediabistro.com

Community for media professionals that includes networking opportunities, job listings, interesting projects/news, and showcasing your work.

www.mediabistro.com

Next Gen Femmes

Community-building site for young female professionals in the entertainment industry.

www.nextgenfemmes.com

•  ONLINE COMMUNITIES

The Actors' Network

Organization helping actors with the business aspect of the craft; includes internships, power groups, meetings, discounts, online forums, etc.

www.actors-network.com

Association of Celebrity Personal Assistants

Support organization for L.A.-based personal assistants

www.acpa-la.com

DVX User

Online community for filmmaking

www.dvxuser.com

Film Click

Online film community

www.filmclick.com

The Hollywood Hill

Social activism organization for members of the entertainment industry

www.hhill.org

Hollywood Radio & Television Society

Nonprofit networking and educational organization for West Coast TV executives and producers

www.hrts.org

Junior Hollywood Radio & Television Society

Junior division of HRTS, membership is exclusive to the assistant through coordinator levels from any area in the entertainment industry (studios, agencies, and networks).

www.jhrts.com

Organization of Black Screenwriters

Networking/support organization for African American TV and film writers.

www.obswriter.com

Women in Film

Nonprofit organization dedicated to women working in media and entertainment. Members have access to networking contacts, educational programs, scholarships, film grants, and mentoring.

www.wif.org

DIVERSITY RESOURCES/PROGRAMS

ABC Talent Development and Diversity

Several different programs promoting diversity among writers, actors, directors and executives.

www.abctalentdevelopment.com

CBS Diversity Institute

Five different programs provide actors, writers, and directors with professional relationship building and career development.

www.diversity.cbscorporation.com

Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment

Advancing Asian Pacific Americans and diversity in entertainment

www.capeusa.org

Disney/ABC Talent Development

Disney | ABC Television Group's Talent Development & Diversity programs play an integral part in launching successful careers in the entertainment industry. These programs are designed to attract, develop and staff individuals with diverse backgrounds and life experiences in either creative or production positions.

www.abctalentdevelopment.com

East West Players

The NY Times called it, “the nation's pre-eminent Asian American theater troupe.”

www.eastwestplayers.org

Emma Bowen Foundation

Created in 1989 to prepare minority youth for careers in the media industry.

www.emmabowenfoundation.com

First Americans In the Arts

Nonprofit organization created to promote American Indian participation in the arts and entertainment industry.

www.firstamericans.org

Fox Entertainment Group Diversity Development

Various programs and initiatives designed to increase diversity among actors, writers, employees, etc.

www.fox.com/diversity

Imagen Foundation

Organization dedicated to “encouraging and recognizing the positive portrayals of Latinos in the entertainment industry.”

www.imagen.org

Inner City Films

TV/film production company focusing on entertaining audiences through diverse storytelling.

www.innercityfilms.ca

Media Action Network for Asian Americans

Dedicated to monitoring the media and advocating balanced and positive coverage and portrayals of Asian Americans.

www.manaa.org

National Association of Latino Independent Producers

National organization that addresses the needs of Latino Independent Producers.

www.nalip.org

National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts

The Foundation provides graduate school scholarships and expands career opportunities for existing Hispanic talent.

www.hispanicarts.org

National Hispanic Media Coalition

Nonprofit civil rights media advocacy organization

www.nhmc.org

Native Voices at the Autry

Develops and produces new works for the stage by Native American playwrights

www.theautry.org

NAACP - Hollywood Bureau

www.naacp.org

NBC Early Career Programs

Includes diversity programs/initiatives for actors, writers, production apprentices, etc.

www.nbcunicareers.com/earlycareerprograms

Producers Guild of America Diversity Website

The PGA set up this website as a resource to increase diversity in the industry and to create an online community.

www.pgadiversity.org

Screen Actors Guild of America Affirmative Action and Diversity Department

Supports under-represented and underemployed actors to gain equal access and equal employment.

www.sag.org

Writers Guild of America, West, Diversity Department

The WGAW's Diversity department works with producers, studio, and network executives, and writers to increase employment opportunities and the availability of writing assignments for writers who are Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian, African-American, Latino, women, over 40, gay, lesbian, or disabled.

www.wga.org

TRACKING BOARDS

Deadline Hollywood

Nikki Finke, industry reporter, blogs about high-profile breaking news stories.

www.deadline.com

Hollywood Reporter

One of the top trade papers in the industry

www.hollywoodreporter.com

IMDb

Free database of production information and business data for TV shows and films.

www.imdb.com

IMDb pro

Subscription-based and offering more detailed information than its sister site, including representation listings, company and employee details, etc.

www.imdbpro.com

InHollywood

Formerly filmtracker.com, this site is a film tracking board for subscribers.

www.inhollywood.com or www.filmtracker.com

News in Film

The latest in movie news and reviews

www.newsinfilm.com

ShowbizData

Compiles film and TV news, box office data and films in development and production

www.showbizdata.com

Studio System

Subscription-based website providing up-to-the-minute film and television information, industry reports, tracking boards, business updates, etc.

www.studiosystem.com

The Tracking Board

“Hollywood's insider information,” complete with film/TV news, industry news, bulletin boards, and job listings.

www.tracking-board.com

TrackingB

Subscription-only tracking board

www.trackingb.com

TVbytheNumbers

Daily Nielsen TV ratings, analysis, and commentary, etc.

www.tvbythenumbers.com

TV.com

A collection of TV shows' crew lists and episode guides, past and present

www.tv.com

TVTracker

Subscription-only TV tracking board

www.tvtracker.com

Variety

Another top trade paper in the industry

www.variety.com

Who Represents

Subscription-based site detailing representation information for Hollywood talent

www.www.whorepresents.com

GOSSIP

E!Online

Entertainment and celebrity news and gossip

www.eonline.com

Gawker

“Today's gossip is tomorrow's news.” A ruthless gossip blog with open forums to encourage comments and discussion over stories reported.

www.gawker.com

The Hollywood Gossip

Celebrity gossip blog with the latest entertainment news, pictures, and videos.

www.thehollywoodgossip.com

Perez Hilton

Juicy gossip about your favorite celebrities, complete with sassy comments

www.perezhilton.com

Pop Eater

Celebrity news and gossip site

www.popeater.com

The Superficial

Celebrity gossip, photos, and outrageous commentary

www.thesuperficial.com

TMZ

Celebrity news and Hollywood rumors complete with pictures, articles, and videos.

www.tmz.com

NEWS

Deadline Hollywood

Nikki Finke, industry reporter, blogs about high-profile breaking news stories.

www.deadline.com

Fishbowl LA

LA media news

www.fishbowlla.com

The Huffington Post

Arianna Huffington is the editor-in-chief of this news, media, and cultural commentary site.

www.huffingtonpost.com

Lost Remote

“Where TV meets social media.”

www.lostremote.com

Past Deadline

The Hollywood Reporter provides TV/movie reviews and industry news.

www.pastdeadline.com

Television Without Pity

Snarky recaps of current TV episodes, as well as movie reviews.

www.televisionwithoutpity.com

Videogum

Scott Lapatire's blog covering TV, web videos, film, and on-screen entertainment.

www.videogum.com

BOOKS

Adventures in the Screen Trade by William Goldman

The Agency: William Morris and the Hidden History of Showbusiness by Frank Rich

Desperate Networks by Bill Carter

Hollywood 101: The Film Industry – How to Succeed in Hollywood Without Connections by Frederick Levy

The Hollywood Assistants Handbook: 86 Rules for Aspiring Power Players by Hillary Stamm and Peter Nowalk

It's All Your Fault: How to Make It as a Hollywood Assistant by Bill Robinson and Ceridwen Morris

The Mailroom: Hollywood History from the Bottom Up by David Resin

Small Screen, Big Picture by Chad Gervich

Television Disrupted: The Transition from Network to Networked TV by Shelly Palmer

Where Did I Go Right?: You're No One in Hollywood Unless Someone Wants You Dead by Bernie Brillstein

ORGANIZATIONS

Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences

(310) 247-3000

www.oscars.org

Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films

www.saturnawards.org

Academy of Television Arts & Sciences

(818) 754-2800

www.emmys.tv

Alliance of Motion Picture & TV Producers

(818) 995-3600

www.amptp.org

American Cinema Editors

(818) 777-2900

www.ace-filmeditors.org

American Federation of Television and Radio Artists

(323) 634-8100

www.aftra.com

American Film Institute

(323) 856-7600

www.afi.com

American Society of Cinematographers

(800) 448-0145

www.theasc.com

American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers

www.ascap.com

Assistant Directors Training Program

(818) 386-2545

www.trainingplan.org

Association of Independent Commercial Producers

www.aicp.com

Association of Talent Agents

(310) 274-0628

www.agentassociation.com

Casting Society of America

(323) 463-1925

www.castingsociety.com

Hollywood Foreign Press Association

(424) 230-4370

www.goldenglobes.org

Independent Film Project/West

(310) 432-1200

www.ifp.org

Music Video Production Association

www.mvpa.com

National Conference of Personal Managers, Inc.

1-866-91-NCOPM

www.ncopm.com

Set Decorators Society of America

(818) 982-8597

www.setdecorators.org

The Society of Composers & Lyricists

(310) 281-2812

www.thescl.com

Women in Film

(323) 935-2211

www.wif.org

GUILDS AND UNIONS

Art Directors Guild

(818) 762-9995

www.adg.org

Costume Designers Guild

Local 892

www.costumedesignersguild.com

Directors Guild of America

(310) 289-2000

www.dga.org

Electricians

IBEW Local 40, AFL-CIO

www.ibewlocal40.com

International Cinematographers Guild

Local 600

(323) 876-0160

www.cameraguild.com

Makeup Artists and Hairstylists

Local 706

www.local706.org

Motion Picture Costumers

Local 705

(818) 487-5655

www.motionpicturecostumers.org

Motion Picture Editors Guild

(323) 876-4770

www.editorsguild.com

Motion Picture Set Painters

Local 729, IATSE, AFL

www.ialocal729.com

Motion Picture Studio Grips

Local 80, IATSE, AFL

www.iatselocal80.org

Producers Guild of America

www.producersguild.org

Production Office Coordinators, Script Supervisors

Local 871, IATSE

(818) 509-7871

www.ialocal871.org

Production Sound Technicians, Television Engineers, Video Assist Technicians &Studio Projectionists

Local 695

www.695.com

Professional Musicians

Local 47, AFM

(323) 462-2161

www.promusic47.org

Screen Actors Guild

(323) 954-1600

www.sag.org

Script Supervisors

Local 871, IATSE

(818) 509-7871

www.ialocal871.org

Studio Electrical Lighting Technicians

Local 728, IATSE

(818) 954-0728

www.iatse728.org

Studio Transportation Drivers

Local 399, IBT

(818) 985-7374

www.ht399.org

Theatrical Wardrobe Union

Local 768

(818)789-8735

Writers Guild of America West

(323) 951-4000

www.wga.org

APPENDIX C
RESOURCES

Name
youremail.com
310.310.0000

WORK EXPERIENCE

Film Rites, Beverly Hills, CA | Jan – May 2008

Intern Coordinator

• Hired interns, answered phones, and wrote script coverage for writer/producer Steve Zaillian

WB Telepictures, Burbank, CA | Sept – Dec 2007

Research Consultant

• Served as an on-set PA

• Compiled research and wrote daily reports for Mom Logic website

Scott Rudin Productions, Burbank, CA | June – Dec 2006

Assistant

• Filled in as part-time assistant to Vice President Michael Ellenberg

• Scheduled meetings and wrote coverage

Daybreak Productions, Santa Monica, CA | Jan – May 2005

Intern

• Wrote coverage and performed various administrative tasks

EDUCATION

• USC: Writing for Screen and Television B.F.A 2008

• Assistant Training Program (TV), summer 2008

RELATED SKILLS

• Can type over 70 wpm

• Proficient in Microsoft Office, Final Draft, and File Maker Pro

OTHER INTERESTS

• Creator of www.funwithjen.com, a website listing activities in Los Angeles under $40

• Nationally-ranked table tennis player

• Former National Teen Chair of the Children's Center, a nonprofit organization for which I raised over $100,000

NAME
Name@gmail
Cell Number

Work Experience

Merrill Lynch New York, NY                                         06/05 – 09/05

• Summer Analyst for the Olson Group, Private Wealth Management advisors

• Assistant to the investment strategies team, managing heavy-volume phones and office duties for one of Barron's top 100 Brokers

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg Campaign New York, NY  06/05 – 09/05

•  Intern at Bloomberg Re-election campaign. Assisted with campaign activities and communications for Nov 05 election.

Senator Charles E. Schumer New York, NY    05/04 – 09/04

•  Assistant Caseworker for Banking, IRS/Tax Advocates, Federal Prisons, FCC, SEC, Agricultural and Housing Services; helped coordinate campaign functions, fundraisers and helped prepare for 2004 DNC convention.

Chambers of Ian Leist & Stephen Kramer, Q.C. London, UK    06/01 – 08/01

• Law internship at Barrister's Office. A college-credited internship, completed an independent legal research project and closely examined the British legal system.

Education

Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN    Bachelor of Science, 05/06

• Majors: Political Science and Cognitive Studies (Dept. of Psychology)

• Honors: Kappa Delta Epsilon Honor Society, Peabody College

New York University, New York, NY    06/03 – 08/03

• Summer Semester in Politics Dept.; focus on National Security & Int'l Relations

Personal

• Affiliations: Alpha Epsilon Pi

• Classical Piano Player; recognized by New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) competitions 1999 & 2000.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CAROLE KIRSCHNER worked as a senior-level creative television executive for sixteen years, including stints at CBS and as Vice President of Television at Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment, where she helped to develop Murphy Brown, Designing Women, and Steven Spielberg Presents Tiny Toon Adventures. She then became an educator, teaching at USC's School of Cinematic Arts and UCLA Extension, among others. Using her inside knowledge of the business, she created and runs two innovate training programs: The CBS Diversity Institute Writers Mentoring and The Hollywood Assistant Training Program. She also had the pleasure of working with writer/producer Jeffrey Melvoin to develop curriculum for the Writers Guild of America Showrunner Training Program and, as the director, is responsible for overseeing it. Ms. Kirschner leads popular industry seminars on networking, pitching and self-marketing for creative professionals. Through her career consulting practice, she teaches clients exactly what they need to do to succeed in Hollywood.

Visit www.hollywoodgameplan.com
Email: carole@hollywoodgameplan.com

In a dark time, a light bringer came along, leading the curious and the frustrated to clarity and empowerment. It took the well-guarded secrets out of the hands of the few and made them available to all. It spread a spirit of openness and creative freedom, and built a storehouse of knowledge dedicated to the betterment of the arts.

The essence of the Michael Wiese Productions (MWP) is empowering people who have the burning desire to express themselves creatively. We help them realize their dreams by putting the tools in their hands. We demystify the sometimes secretive worlds of screenwriting, directing, acting, producing, film financing, and other media crafts.

By doing so, we hope to bring forth a realization of ‘conscious media' which we define as being positively charged, emphasizing hope and affirming positive values like trust, cooperation, self-empowerment, freedom, and love. Grounded in the deep roots of myth, it aims to be healing both for those who make the art and those who encounter it. It hopes to be transformative for people, opening doors to new possibilities and pulling back veils to reveal hidden worlds.

MWP has built a storehouse of knowledge unequaled in the world, for no other publisher has so many titles on the media arts. Please visit www.mwp.com where you will find many free resources and a 25% discount on our books. Sign up and become part of the wider creative community!

Onward and upward,

Michael Wiese
Publisher/Filmmaker

SAVE THE CAT!®

THE LAST BOOK ON SCREENWRITING
YOU'LL EVER NEED!

BLAKE SNYDER

BEST SELLER

He made millions of dollars selling screenplays to Hollywood and here screenwriter Blake Snyder tells all. “Save the Cat!®” is just one of Snyder's many ironclad rules for making your ideas more marketable and your script more satisfying – and saleable, including:

• The four elements of every winning logline.

• The seven immutable laws of screenplay physics.

• The 10 genres and why they're important to your movie.

• Why your Hero must serve your idea.

• Mastering the Beats.

• Mastering the Board to create the Perfect Beast.

• How to get back on track with ironclad and proven rules for script repair.

This ultimate insider's guide reveals the secrets that none dare admit, told by a show biz veteran who's proven that you can sell your script if you can save the cat.

“Imagine what would happen in a town where more writers approached screenwriting the way Blake suggests? My weekend read would dramatically improve, both in sellable/producible content and in discovering new writers who understand the craft of storytelling and can be hired on assignment for ideas we already have in house.”

–   From the Foreword by Sheila Hanahan Taylor, Vice President,Development at Zide/Perry Entertainment, whose films include American Pie, Cats and Dogs, Final Destination

“One of the most comprehensive and insightful how-to's out there. Save the Cat!® is a must-read for both the novice and the professional screenwriter.”

–    Todd Black, Producer, The Pursuit of Happyness, The Weather Man, S.W.A.T, Alex and Emma, Antwone Fisher

“Want to know how to be a successful writer in Hollywood? The answers are here. Blake Snyder has written an insider's book that's informative – and funny, too.”

–    David Hoberman, Producer, The Shaggy Dog (2005), Raising Helen, Walking Tall, Bringing Down the House, Monk (TV)

BLAKE SNYDER, besides selling million-dollar scripts to both Disney and Spielberg, was one of Hollywood's most successful spec screenwriters. Blake's vision continues on www.blakesnyder.com.

$19.95 • 216 PAGES • ORDER NUMBER 34RLS • ISBN: 9781932907001

THE WRITER'S JOURNEY - 3RD EDITION

MYTHIC STRUCTURE FOR WRITERS

CHRISTOPHER VOGLER

BEST SELLER

See why this book has become an international best seller and a true classic. The Writer's Journey explores the powerful relationship between mythology and storytelling in a clear, concise style that's made it required reading for movie executives, screenwriters, playwrights, scholars, and fans of pop culture all over the world.

Both fiction and nonfiction writers will discover a set of useful myth-inspired storytelling paradigms (i.e., “The Hero's Journey”) and step-by-step guidelines to plot and character development. Based on the work of Joseph Campbell, The Writer's Journey is a must for all writers interested in further developing their craft.

The updated and revised third edition provides new insights and observations from Vogler's ongoing work on mythology's influence on stories, movies, and man himself.

“This book is like having the smartest person in the story meeting come home with you and whisper what to do in your ear as you write a screenplay. Insight for insight, step for step, Chris Vogler takes us through the process of connecting theme to story and making a script come alive.”

–    Lynda Obst, producer, Sleepless in Seattle, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days; author, Hello, He Lied

“This is a book about the stories we write, and perhaps more importantly, the stories we live. It is the most influential work I have yet encountered on the art, nature, and the very purpose of storytelling.”

–    Bruce Joel Rubin, screenwriter, Stuart Little 2, Deep Impact, Ghost, Jacob's Ladder

CHRISTOPHER VOGLER is a veteran story consultant for major Hollywood film companies and a respected teacher of filmmakers and writers around the globe. He has influenced the stories of movies from The Lion King to Fight Club to The Thin Red Line and most recently wrote the first installment of Ravenskull, a Japanese-style manga or graphic novel. He is the executive producer of the feature film P. S. Your Cat is Dead and writer of the animated feature Jester Till.

$26.95 • 448 PAGES • ORDER NUMBER 76RLS • ISBN: 9781932907360

THE SCRIPT-SELLNG GAME - 2ND ED.

A HOLLYWOOD INSIDER'S LOOK AT GETTING YOUR
SCRIPT SOLD AND PRODUCED

KATHIE FONG YONEDA

The Script-Selling Game is about what they never taught you in film school. This is a look at screenwriting from the other side of the desk – from a buyer who wants to give writers the guidance and advice that will help them to not only elevate their craft but to also provide them with the down-in-the-trenches information of what is expected of them in the script selling marketplace.

It's like having a mentor in the business who answers your questions and provides you with not only valuable information, but real-life examples on how to maneuver your way through the Hollywood labyrinth. While the first edition focused mostly on film and television movies, the second edition includes a new chapter on animation and another on utilizing the Internet to market yourself and find new opportunities, plus an expansive section on submitting for television and cable.

“I've been writing screenplays for over 20 years. I thought I knew it all – until I read The Script-Selling Game. The information in Kathie Fong Yoneda's fluid and fun book really enlightened me. It's an invaluable resource for any serious screenwriter.”

–    Michael Ajakwe Jr., Emmy-winning TV producer, Talk Soup; Executive Director of Los Angeles Web Series Festival (LAWEBFEST); and creator/ writer/director of Who…and Africabby (AjakweTV.com)

“Kathie Fong Yoneda knows the business of show from every angle and she generously shares her truly comprehensive knowledge – her chapter on the Web and new media is what people need to know! She speaks with the authority of one who's been there, done that, and gone on to put it all down on paper. A true insider's view.”

–    Ellen Sandler, former co-executive producer of Everybody Loves Raymond and author of The TV Writer's Workbook

KATHIE FONG YONEDA has worked in film and television for more than 30 years. She has held executive positions at Disney, Touchstone, Disney TV Animation, Paramount Pictures Television, and Island Pictures, specializing in development and story analysis of both live-action and animation projects. Kathie is an internationally known seminar leader on screenwriting and development and has conducted workshops in France, Germany, Austria, Spain, Ireland, Great Britain, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, and throughout the U.S. and Canada.

$19.95 • 248 PAGES • ORDER NUMBER 161RLS • ISBN 13: 9781932907919

LETTERS TO YOUNG FILMMAKERS

CREATIVITY & GETTING YOUR FILMS MADE

HOWARD SUBER

Letters to aspiring directors, producers, screenwriters, and other creatives from one of the world's leading teachers of film is a blend of success, failure, and life lessons which unfold from a wise and wonderful collection of simple personal letters. Suber emphasizes that what is required of a professional in the world of film is not just technique, but an understanding and ability to deal with the realities of how films get made.

“This master teacher of film provides us with a multitude of brilliant insights and sound, sage, advice. He has mentored generations of writers, directors, and producers with his intelligence and compassion for the art of film and the industry that sometimes manages to produce it.”

–   Tom Sherak, president, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

“Wise, kind, and direct. Howard Suber's advice is as piercing as Don Corleone telling Michael who not to trust, and just as vital. I LOVE this book!”

–    David Koepp, screenwriter, Jurassic Park, Mission: Impossible, Spider-Man, War of the Worlds, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

If anyone can be called the “Yoda” of filming, it's HOWARD SUBER. For 46 years, Suber has taught generations of screenwriters, directors, producers, and film scholars at UCLA's celebrated film school, and his former students are today creating films and television programs and teaching film studies throughout the world.

He created and for many years chaired UCLA's current Film and Television Producers Program, which is focused on the realities of the modern film and television industries. He has team-taught with, or brought into the Producers Program, many of the most important movie studio heads, agents, producers, lawyers, and executives in the industry.

Suber is also well known and widely respected outside the academy. He has worked for all of the studios and networks during the past four decades as a consultant on issues involving authorship, creative control, the creative process, and copyright. He has also been retained by corporations to advise them on strategic business plans and to explain to their own employees the nature and structure of the film business.

Suber has received two “Lifetime Achievement Awards” from film festivals and UCLA's “Distinguished Teaching Award.” He has lectured widely in the U.S., Europe, Japan, and China. His previous book, The Power of Film, was published by Michael Wiese Productions in 2006.

$20.95 • 214 PAGES • ORDER NUMBER 177RLS • ISBN: 9781615930630

SELLING YOUR STORY IN 60 SECONDS

THE GUARANTEED WAY TO GET
YOUR SCREENPLAY OR NOVEL READ

MICHAEL HAUGE

BEST SELLER

Best-selling author Michael Hauge reveals:

• How to Design, Practice, and Present the 60-Second Pitch

• The Cardinal Rule of Pitching

• The 10 Key Components of a Commercial Story

• The 8 Steps to a Powerful Pitch

• Targeting Your Buyers

• Securing Opportunities to Pitch

• Pitching Templates

• And much more, including “The Best Pitch I Ever Heard,” an exclusive collection from major film executives

“Michael Hauge's principles and methods are so well argued that the mysteries of effective screenwriting can be understood – even by directors.”

–    Phillip Noyce, director, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, The Quiet American, Rabbit-Proof Fence

“…one of the few authentically good teachers out there. Every time I revisit my notes, I learn something new or reinforce something that I need to remember.”

–   Jeff Arch, screenwriter, Sleepless in Seattle, Iron Will

“Michael Hauge's method is magic – but unlike most magicians, he shows you how the trick is done.”

–   William Link, screenwriter & co-creator, Columbo; Murder, She Wrote

“By following the formula we learned in Michael Hauge's seminar, we got an agent, optioned our script, and now have a three-picture deal at Disney.”

–   Paul Hoppe and David Henry, screenwriters

MICHAEL HAUGE is the author of Writing Screenplays That Sell, now in its 30th printing, and has presented his seminars and lectures to more than 30,000 writers and filmmakers. He has coached hundreds of screenwriters and producers on their screenplays and pitches, and has consulted on projects for Warner Brothers, Disney, New Line, CBS, Lifetime, Julia Roberts, Jennifer Lopez, Kirsten Dunst, and Morgan Freeman.

$12.95 • 150 PAGES • ORDER NUMBER 64RLS • ISBN: 9781932907209