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You’re Not in Film School Anymore, Toto

Don’t Count Those Chickens Just Yet

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression, “Don’t count your chickens until they’ve hatched.” Well, that’s never been more true than as it relates to this industry, because:

• Having an agent doesn’t mean the agent will line up work for you.
• Having the most wonderful project in the world doesn’t mean it will ever sell.
• Getting a part in a movie doesn’t mean you won’t end up on the cutting room floor.
• Having a producer, actor, studio or company like your screenplay doesn’t mean they’ll buy it.
• Having a company or studio option your project doesn’t mean it will get made.
• Knowing you’re perfect for a job or a role doesn’t mean you’ll get it.
• Having a fabulous meeting or interview, and/or being called back for a second or third meeting, doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get the job, sell the script or land the show.
• Having a gorgeous face, gobs of personality and talent to boot doesn’t mean you’ll be discovered.
• Finding investors doesn’t mean they’ll be able to come up with enough money or that they won’t back out.
• Just because you have a steady job today, doesn’t mean it will last forever or that the company you’re working for won’t fold or your boss won’t be let go (meaning you might be, too).
• Just because you become successful doesn’t mean you will remain successful.

I realize how negative this sounds, but you have to be aware that these things can and do sometimes happen. Without losing your optimism, your passion or your dreams, just be careful! I’ve fallen into this trap myself, even though I know better, because when you come so close to landing a great job, a role, a deal, an opportunity, and you want it sooooo badly you can’t think of anything else, it’s only natural to get excited. Who wouldn’t be thrilled when a producer says he loves your project, or when you have a great interview, or when you’re up for a big film or when someone promises to help you? But try not to get too excited until whatever it is, is 100% firm—and don’t spend the money until it’s in your hands (or safely in the bank), because, unfortunately:

• The competition is enormous. It’s simply a case of too many applicants and too few jobs to go around.
• Deals fall through every day (even ones that look like “sure things”).
• Good screenplays can take years to sell, if they sell at all.
• Production companies occasionally go under and/or are taken over by new management.
• Studio and network regimes come and go.
• A picture or two that doesn’t do well can rapidly knock a producer, director, actor or writer off the “A” list.
• The most competent and talented people aren’t always the ones who get hired.
• Picture commitments made by a studio can evaporate if there’s a regime change before the picture can get a greenlight, and the new regime wants to choose its own slate of releases.
• You can’t always count on the people you think you can count on.
• What’s “in” today might very well be passé tomorrow.
• Decisions are made by people who don’t have crystal balls and can only give it their best guess.
• Promises are often broken, and loyalties can be precarious.
• Nepotism and extreme politics do exist.So, don’t count those chickens quite yet, and understand:
• A deal isn’t a deal until you receive a contract and your attorney says it’s okay to sign on the dotted line.
• A job isn’t a job until you receive a deal memo and that first paycheck.
• Your film isn’t going to see the light of day until it’s been shot, gone through post and has a distributor.
• An understanding with or promise from another doesn’t mean anything unless it’s backed up in writing, and even then . . .
• Fame cannot be sustained by one or two successes alone.

Be practical and be careful whom you trust, but don’t give up your dreams and don’t ever stop trying, because deals do get made, great jobs do come through, screenplays do get sold, other people do come through for you, movies do get made and dreams do come true.

It’s Crowded at the Top

The climb to the top of the proverbial ladder is different for everyone. Some make it faster than others, and many never make it at all. Having connections definitely helps; so does a savvy understanding of how the game is played, an I’ll-do-whatever-it-takes attitude and a lot of hard work. And sometimes the ability to climb that last rung is merely a result of being in the right place at the right time. There are no set rules that guarantee if you do this, you’ll achieve that. It doesn’t work that way.

Think of the ladder shaped like a pyramid. There’s a lot more room at the bottom for those just starting out, and it gets narrower as you make your way up, to where the very top portion narrows to a tiny peak—an icy and slippery one at that. So as you can imagine, there’s not much room up there, and there’s a lot of pushing and shoving and vying for position going on from all those who haven’t made it yet. Some drop off along the way (and get out of the business completely) and others choose to settle into other rewarding, albeit less prestigious, positions and give up the climb. Then there’s the area reserved for the industry elite such as Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Ron Howard, David Geffen, Tom Cruise, George Lucas, Oprah Winfrey and other A-list power players who are so permanently embedded, they’re like the presidents on Mount Rushmore. But their solid presence on the summit leaves even less room for everyone else. It’s tough making it up there, and sometimes even tougher being able to stay. Because it’s so slippery, weather conditions are constantly changing and there’s so much pushing and shoving going on from the lower rungs—it’s not uncommon to slide off or get pushed.

There’s a tremendous amount of pressure for those who have had some amount of success to hold on to their positions, because circumstances change every day. A film or two that does poorly at the box office can turn a successful producer, director or actor’s career in the opposite direction. I know many people who had extremely successful careers producing high-quality movies for television (also called MOWs, or Movies of the Week), but in the past few years, MOWs have become a dying breed. I’ve also known prosperous individuals whose entire careers have been tied to one producer, one director or one company; and when something happens to sever those ties, the person is left at loose ends. Trends come and go, administrations change, long-running TV series get canceled, contracts expire, conglomerate mergers create downsizing and age discrimination does exist. Needless to say, “making it,” for most of us, is a relative term.

So what happens to those who fall from power? Many brush themselves off and get right back onto the ladder. Some accept lesser positions or move to other aspects of the business. Some give up the industry and take non-industry jobs or start their own businesses. Some move to smaller communities where the cost of living is more reasonable and many of them start or buy businesses. I’ve known people who start writing or teaching, and many try their hand at independent producing. And there are always those who end up having to sell their homes, cars and toys, because they didn’t count on this ever happening to them, and then they waste a lot of time being resentful, blaming others and waiting for the phone to ring. Falling from upon high is only as devastating as you make it, and the best thing you can do is merely get on with your life.

The Land of Big Egos and Bad Tempers

I was sitting in my eye doctor’s waiting room one day last year and happened to pick up a copy of a Readers Digest that was sitting next to me on the table. It was the December 2003 issue and in it was a piece on Julia Roberts. I started reading and then took out a piece of paper and a pen, so I could write this down: in discussing the issue of where she and her husband were living, Miss Roberts said she didn’t like living in California because of “the narcissistic, egomaniacal, judgmental, mean-spirited sense of show business.” Wow! What an indictment. The sad fact is that Julia Roberts is not alone in feeling this way nor is she totally wrong in her assessment. If you’ll remember in an earlier chapter called The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, of those I interviewed, several stated that in this business, you’ll meet the very best people you’ll ever know and also the very worst. Unfortunately, it’s the latter who give our industry its bad reputation and inspire people to make movies like Swimming With Sharks.

Work in this business long enough, and you’re bound to come across individuals who are any combination of insensitive, nasty, phony, abusive, demeaning, self-serving, intimidating, overly competitive and game playing. I’ve never known another business where bad behavior is so tolerated and one that’s so synonymous with walking into a lion’s den. I’ve seen executives rip phones out of the wall and hurl them across the room, performers act like the brattiest children you could imagine, people who think it’s okay to treat other people badly, berating and humiliating them in front of others, and individuals who are thoroughly convinced the entire world revolves around them and their needs.

When up against this, you have four choices: do nothing, quit, change your behavior or change your attitude. Doing nothing isn’t your best option, because it could often lead to hurt feelings, stomach aches, frustration, a lack of confidence and anxiety. Quitting is okay, if you’ve exhausted all other options. As long as you don’t make a habit of it, most new employers are fairly understanding (especially when your previous employer has a reputation for being abusive). I worked on a show once where the executive producer was so nasty, after two days I told the other producers I was leaving. I had wanted to do that on a couple of other shows, but never felt I could. Instead, I’d go home miserable every night. This time, I didn’t let it get that far. I just politely bowed out. It felt great! Quite a long time ago I was on a film on distant location and was having some trouble with someone on the crew. An older and much wiser production coordinator was doing a show in the same town and staying at the same hotel, and he sat me down one day and said, “Don’t ever forget that you have a return plane ticket.” You have a choice, too—always. Obviously, if you can change your behavior or attitude, that makes the most sense; because ultimately, your goal is to get the job done, learn and get on with your career. But if an intolerable situation makes that impossible, you do have the option to leave.

Often, the behavior you’ll encounter is a result of insecurity, which in this line of work, is not uncommon. It certainly was in the case of an actress I once worked with on a TV series. Part of an ensemble cast, she was higher maintenance than all the rest of the entire cast put together. It took me a while to figure out that in working with other actors who had much more experience and name value, she was terribly insecure about holding her own. And then there was the day I complained about her once too often, and my friend and boss Phil Wylly just looked at me and said, “Look . . . if it wasn’t for her, if it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t have a job.” It was a generic statement about all the high-maintenance people we had to deal with, and I got the message.

I’ve seen insecurity in producers, directors, other actors, DPs— any number of individuals, many times over. Much is expected of them, they’re carrying a lot of weight on their shoulders and a great deal is riding on their ability to produce a quality performance or product that’s going to be well received and generate top ratings or big box office numbers. I eventually developed a sense as to when poor conduct is project driven as opposed to, shall we say, strictly ego driven. I was told a long time ago to put myself in their shoes, which I was eventually able to do. And on a smaller scale, I’ve learned first hand what it’s like to have to pull something off I’m not at all confident I can do, even though others are counting on me to make it happen. The anxiety and fear can be intense. Add to that a lack of sleep, and you can see how easily someone’s normally pleasant, well-mannered demeanor can fall by the wayside.

Knowing why it’s happening doesn’t excuse the outbursts, rudeness and temper tantrums, but understanding that it has nothing to do with you, and that you can’t take it personally will help you get through it.

When someone pushes your buttons, instead of striking back, let him know you understand, you’re on his side and you’re there to help. When I see someone I’m working with bouncing off the walls, I can often diffuse the tense situation by walking up to that person and purposefully asking, “What can I do to help you?” You have to put your bruised feelings aside, and instead of walking away from an unpleasant person, direct the offender’s attention to the job at hand. Remind him that you’re both there for the same purpose, and if you can, try to get him to see another perspective. Let him know you’re there to help, offer solutions, and try to convince him you’re on his side—that you’re there to support him, to do your job and to be the best (PA/assistant/whatever) he’s ever had.

If the other person is not letting you in, tactfully interrupt, nonaggressively. Call him by name, and never strike back using sentences that start with “you,” as in, “You’re always such a jerk,” or “You never listen to what anyone else has to say.” Those are attacks, and you’ll only make it worse. You want to diffuse the situation, not fuel it. Instead, use sentences that start with “I” (make it about you), like, “I know you’re angry, but this is important to me, too” or “I’m having trouble understanding this—let’s try to work it out together.” Monitor your tone and get your point across without being offensive, or you’ll lose him.

Don’t confront anyone in public. Find the right time and place. If you think you might lose your temper, excuse yourself, take a short break and pull yourself together. Don’t fall apart in front of others. You can command respect without being aggressive, without withdrawing or giving up your ground. Look him in the eye, wait for him to stop and cut to the chase—“The way I see it is . . .” or “I’ll be happy to discuss this later when you’re calmer.” And again, ask what you can do to help, communicate your understanding of the job and offer options to resolve the situation.

I was once hired to work on a show, and when it was over, the producer asked me if I’d like to come work for his company on a permanent basis. This guy was a real screamer. I had seen him fire a succession of people on our show. They dropped faster than ducks in a shooting gallery, and he was definitely someone no one wanted to cross. But strangely enough, there was also something about him I liked. At that point in my career, I was feeling fairly confident, didn’t particularly need the job and had nothing to lose, so I told him I would be interested in working for him. But then I calmly added that if he ever screamed at me the way he screamed at other people, I’d walk out and never look back. He said fine, and that was that. I took the job, and he never once screamed at me. I think it’s perfectly okay to stand up to someone like that, but be prepared should it not turn out in your favor.

I’ve worked for some very difficult people, and it always makes the job that much harder. When you’re in this type of a situation, though, you’re the only one who can decide if it’s worth it. Is your need for the paycheck, the credit or the experience more important than what you’re having to endure? Sometimes it is. I know many people who just refuse to work for or with the notorious big-ego-bad-temper types, and if you were to ask them why, they’d simply say, “Because life is too short.” Others do it willingly because some of the toughest producers and directors also happen to be some of the most brilliant filmmakers. Working with them, they learn a great deal, get to work on some pretty extraordinary projects with some pretty amazing international crews and state-of-the-art equipment, and they’ve figured out how to let the bad stuff roll off their backs. From personal experience I can tell you that I’ve done some of my best work and have accomplished more than I ever thought I was capable of when working for people who were overly demanding and wouldn’t accept anything less. I couldn’t handle that kind of stress on a regular basis, but once in a while, it’s all right.

When it comes down to it, not everyone you come across is going to represent the worst aspects of the business. Some fall into a sort of a gray area—not the best and maybe a bit frantic, neurotic or disorganized, but certainly not bad people. And then there are some genuinely decent, honest, caring people out there. When you get to work for the good ones, do the best job you can for them, let them know how much they’re appreciated, how much you would like to work with them again—and stay in touch.

Avoid Burning Bridges

Continuing on the subject of working with certain individuals you’d rather not be associated with, I’d like to bring up the matter of burning bridges—or not. This goes beyond leaving a job or distancing yourself when necessary and touches on how you would leave or distance yourself.

I once worked for a company where neither of the two top executives could utter one complete sentence without using utterly foul language. Another time, I worked for a production manager who was taking kickbacks. And on yet another show, I worked for someone who was a lecherous alcoholic. And while I don’t believe in having to put up with a great deal of abuse, having to do something you find unethical or having to work in an environment that is offensive, burning a bridge behind you is not the optimal way to walk away from situations like these.

You can tell someone off, make a scene, dramatically get your point across, bad-mouth the offenders, cop an attitude, walk out in an indignant huff or any combination of such, but you do this at your own risk. Your initial thought is that you don’t care if you ever work with this person (or these people) again, and even though you may be thoroughly in the right, these rash and emotional reactions can have far-reaching consequences.

The person you’ve just told off may be more than willing to portray an uncomplimentary image of you should a potential future employer call for a reference. Taking that a step further, I once knew a producer who had heard that someone he had recently (and unjustly) fired had just landed a new job; and he called the producer she was about to start working for to strongly suggest he not hire her.

It doesn’t matter how right you are and how wrong or disagreeable others may be, powerful people do exist with the ability (and sometimes the inclination) to ruin your reputation and damage your career. On the other hand, some of these same people may also be in a position to help or recommend you at a later time, if their benevolence is something you’d even be willing to accept. It could be the frustrating studio exec you’re dealing with who has been acting like a complete jerk, but six months down the line, may decide it’s the perfect time to greenlight your project.

The longer I’m in the business, the more discerning I’ve become about choosing my battles, and the more judicious I am about the way I fight my wars. I’m also not as judgmental as I once was, I spend more time putting myself in the shoes of others and have also seen people change. So while I’ve burned my share of bridges in the past, I’m now convinced it’s much, much wiser to keep as many of them standing as possible.

When working with or for someone I don’t like, I tend to finish the project but am conveniently unavailable to work with them again in the future. When I find a work situation too uncomfortable, I will find a plausible reason to leave. I’m not terribly good at keeping my opinion to myself but manage to disagree or get my point across without creating too many waves. It’s possible to remain on cordial terms even with people you don’t particularly like or respect.

You may find being pleasant to people you don’t like is an affront to your integrity (many do), but you’d also be hard pressed to find any other business where the same kind of politics don’t exist. There’s a big expanse that lies between being overtly friendly and being dismissive, and your safest bet with people who aren’t your favorites is to be polite and professional.

It’s part of the game. Those who find the people or the work distasteful often opt for another line of work, like a former student of mine who left her job on the big movie because she found the script offensive. She eventually left the business altogether, because this just wasn’t a game she wanted to play.

If you should find yourself in a situation in which your integrity is being challenged, then I say go for it and take a stand. But avoid burning bridges if you can, because relationships in this business are like gold; and unless the offense is consequential, no one egomaniacal jerk or one miserable work experience is worth damaging your career.

There’s a Barracuda in My Office—More on Politics

In his book Reel Power by Mark Litwak (Silman-James Press), Mark states, “Successful filmmakers are distinguished, not only by a command of their medium but also by their political savvy. Unless a filmmaker is adept at the politics of moviemaking, it’s unlikely he will ever get the chance to demonstrate his skill as a moviemaker.”

As a rule, when you work as part of a crew, you don’t encounter too many heavy-duty political situations. Everyone is hired to do a very specific job, and you don’t see many grips or assistant cameramen trying to outsmart each other in a race to take over the script supervisor’s job. That doesn’t mean politics doesn’t exist on shows; it just usually exists within the higher echelons. When you start a production, notice who’s got the most power: the director or one of the producers. Who’s making the big decisions, to whom do you show deference and of whom are you respectful, even if for no other reason than her position. Each will undoubtedly have his own “people”—loyal individuals they were responsible for bringing onto the show. On Titanic, there were several layers of producer- and executive-types and each had his own camp of people. There was so little communication between the groups and so much rivalry, you’d walk into the production office and could cut the air with a knife. It made for a very uncomfortable work environment that was much less efficient than it should have been. Although few get to that point, it does occasionally happen.

It was when I was working in a staff position for a fairly large production entity that I found myself surrounded by more traditional corporate political types. I know this goes on in other businesses every day all over the world, but it doesn’t make it any easier. I sat in a meeting once where one individual had surreptitiously gotten information that another department head hadn’t been informed of yet and announced it at the meeting to show him up. It’s called one-upmanship, and it went on regularly. Then there was something I had never before encountered—a young woman whom I had confronted for being aloof, not sharing information and not being a team player came right out and told me it wasn’t personal—she just wanted my job. And I was told that the political atmosphere where I worked wasn’t nearly as bad as it was at other companies and studios. While you don’t generally find this level of politics in smaller companies and work environments, you can never totally avoid it, no matter what you’re doing or where you’re working. When you mix ego and power into any pot, it’s bound to boil. And as my friend Mark Hansson advises: “Don’t stir the pot . . . and fly low to avoid the radar.”

To enhance this chapter, it was important for me to talk to a few top industry professionals I respect for the way they conduct themselves in everyday work environments fraught with politics and to get their thoughts on how they deal with others within this competitive, ego-driven arena.

The first person I spoke to was my long-time friend Ira Shuman (The Wedding Singer, The Waterboy, Just Married, Cheaper By The Dozen, The Pink Panther), who’s a talented line producer and a great guy. The political attributes I see in Ira start with his affable personality. He’s easy to talk to, easy to laugh, is patient, fair, accessible, treats everyone with respect, does what he thinks is right for the entire company as well as the show, and he rarely if ever loses his cool or raises his voice. His philosophy is that you’re at work for more hours than you are at home, and you need to be a person, not a machine. And unlike those who separate their personal and professional lives, he prefers to integrate his. He said you have to care about the people you work with, their lives and their feelings. He wears many hats at once, of not only a producer, but also a husband, a father, a friend, a golfer and sometimes even a parent or coach. As easy as Ira is to work with, he holds the people under him accountable, and they know there are consequences for not doing their jobs properly. He sees filmmaking as a team sport, and values supportive and loyal team members. When he’s working for someone, his goal is to see that person win and to make the best picture possible. When people are working for him, he expects them to be there to help make him win, to support their teammates and to work to the best of their abilities. He says you can’t be a team player and have your own agenda: the team has to come before your personal interests. For those working in a more corporate setting, his advice is pretty much the same—honor your chain of command and make your leader a winner. If that happens, hopefully you’ll become a trusted and much relied-on member of the department. He adds: keep your nose clean, carefully watch what you say, don’t deal with others from an emotional level, don’t fight the fights you can’t win, and should you choose to get into it with someone, carefully ponder the dynamics and consequences before doing so. He says when people around you are playing dirty, you have to honestly ask yourself who you are and exactly how ambitious you are. If this isn’t you, nor is it the quality of life you see for yourself, then leave and find a less aggressive arena in which to work. If playing the game to the max and existing in a dog-eat-dog environment is something you’re okay with, then jump right in and give it all you’ve got.

Jonathan Sanger (Elephant Man, Frances, Vanilla Sky, Suspect Zero, The Producers) is another producer I greatly admire. His fabulous people skills come out in everything he does and are evident even in the way he answers his phone and expresses pleasure in hearing from the person on the other end of the line. Jonathan has several good tips for dealing with people in this industry, although to him, it’s not as a matter of politics, it’s just the way he is.

When dealing with his crews, he doesn’t talk down to anyone. He came up through the ranks, understands what they’re up against and conveys his understanding and respect for them and the work they do. He makes good deals but doesn’t go overboard to save a few bucks. He said the crew knows when you’re not being fair, and all they’d have to do is slow down for five minutes a day, and you’d lose more than you could have ever saved by shaving a few dollars off of a few salaries. He prides himself on being fair; and as a result, his crews are supportive and loyal, willing to go the extra distance when necessary.

This doesn’t mean Jonathan always gets to play the good guy and never has to make hard decisions. He said too many people are afraid of making the wrong choices, so often they do nothing, which is worse. If there’s a problem affecting the show, whether it’s someone on the crew who isn’t doing his job, a conflict of personalities, a petulant actor or a budgetary issue, Jonathan believes you have to act as soon as possible for the good of the entire production. Otherwise you end up diverting too much time and energy monitoring the problem and not enough on everything else that needs your attention. He said if you’re the one in charge, then you should be willing to take responsibility for your decisions, as long as you have justifiable reasons and can defend your choices.

When it comes to dealing with anyone, including top-level professionals and studio executives, he tries to start all new relationships by finding common ground in any situation. He gave the example of walking into someone’s office and seeing a photo of the guy playing basketball. “Great” he thinks to himself, “I like basketball,” so now he has something to start the conversation with instead of jumping right into business.

As it relates to selling projects, making deals, raising financing or dealing with the studio power structure, he clearly demonstrates to others that he knows what he’s doing, and that he takes his responsibilities seriously. When a situation gets too politically sticky, he quickly assesses who’s involved and the circumstances. While always up for a good challenge, when faced with too many competing agendas, he says sometimes you just can’t be effective enough and it’s better to walk away.

When I asked Jonathan how he deals with someone who’s being unreasonable or possibly out of control, he said there are no set guidelines on how to handle all situations, that sometimes you just have to improvise. Under these circumstances, however, his best advice is to find a way to comfort this person, calm him down, try to understand where he’s coming from and attempt to enlist his logic in finding an amenable conclusion.

Jonathan sees the fact that he likes people as one of his best qualities. He’s open and gracious and has the ability to get along with all types of personalities. He does this in great part by creating work environments that are enjoyable, not fearful. And he finds value in everyone he deals with. Feeling his respect, others are more open, they give more and there’s less friction. I don’t know about you, but this is my ideal universe.

I recently spoke to another friend who’s a production executive at a major studio who deals with highly political situations every single day. And while he prefers to remain nameless, he had some pretty insightful advice to share. First of all, he says that you need to treat everyone with respect, no matter their position. Secondly, know who you’re in business with before you get into business with them. For example, when they’re dealing with a producer or director who has little regard for budget constraints, they might build safeguards into their contracts, making them responsible for a sizable percentage of the cost overruns. If they know going in someone is high maintenance, they build in back-up plans to cover a range of possible situations. When producers and directors are contemptuous of the studio’s involvement or dismissive when it comes to studio guidelines, my friend endeavors to define their common objectives, reminds everyone that they’re partners in the process and proposes ways for them to share in the responsibility. He says you can’t let your own ego get in the way, because when it comes down to it, it’s all about respecting the integrity of the work.

All three of these individuals are people I look up to and try to emulate. They manage to get along with some of the most difficult out there, are adept at diffusing explosive situations and never find it necessary to lead by fear and intimidation. They’re the best at what they do, are firm and tough when necessary, able to make hard decisions on a moment’s notice, yet all the while managing to retain their integrity and humanity and earning the respect of those who know and work with them. Too bad everyone can’t be like this!

But then again, there are people who thrive in a politically charged environment, because they love the sport of it. There’s a Paul Mazursky film called An Unmarried Woman in which Alan Bates’ character says to Jill Clayburgh’s character, “You know, whenever you put 50 artists together in one room, you get a—really pleasant combination of gossip, paranoia, envy, fear, trembling, hatred, lust and pretense. It’s, er, wonderful.”