LOOKING FOR WORK IS UNCOMFORTABLE

I don’t know anyone who likes looking for work and having to sell themselves. Besides being hard work in and of itself, for the most part it’s pretty uncomfortable. We each want to think we’re smart enough and talented enough that any company or production would be happy to have us, that they should all be lined up outside our doors waiting to offer us jobs. Unfortunately, it doesn’t usually happen that way. Someone once told me he equated what we go through in this industry to having to “beg”; and at times, it certainly can feel that way—unless you tell yourself that it’s just part of the game. Everyone does it, and it’s an accepted part of doing business in this business.

Your mother probably told you not to brag and/or talk about yourself too much. You’re probably also uneasy being around people who toot their own horns too loudly. And now all of a sudden, you’re being told to get out there and sell yourself, stand out among the crowd, let others know how special you are. The prospect of having to sell yourself can be scary, and just the thought of trying to get meetings with busy, important people who don’t know you can be terrifying. But the simple truth is that you have to adopt a new mindset and get those old messages out of your head; because if you don’t toot your own horn, no one else will do it for you, and no one will know what you have to offer. You have to venture outside of your comfort zone, learn how to effectively sell yourself and start making those calls—or you might as well be in another line of work. It’s what we have to do in order to get work and to survive in this industry; and if you don’t, you’ll be left in the dust by the competition that passes you by. The only good news I can offer you at this point is that the more you do it, the easier and less terrifying it becomes.

FINDING YOUR MARKET

A couple of chapters ago, you read about the importance of knowing what you want and setting goals for yourself. Your next step is figuring out where you should be working and who you need to meet. Armed with the knowledge of where you’re headed, it’s to your advantage to target the employers who are doing what you eventually want to be doing and the companies that can provide the learning experience you need. The best scenario would be an employer in your targeted market who’s also in a position to hire. The next best thing, if there are no current job openings within your targeted market, is to make contact with the people you need to meet and to ask for their advice. You’ll learn more about doing this in Chapter 14, when you read about the value of general information meetings. But in essence, you’ll be requesting a meeting (and assuming the meeting takes place), you’ll get the opportunity to introduce yourself, ask some valuable questions, make a connection and stay in touch. This person then becomes part of your network and may be the source of future job possibilities and/or other valuable connections.

Depending on your area of interest and your goals, ask yourself questions like these, the answers to which should help you start forming your list of likely targets:

• Which companies or individuals are making the types of projects I’d most like to be working on?

• (If your quest is being a literary agent): Which literary agents and managers represent the writers I most admire?

• (If you’re an actor): Which casting director credits do I notice the most, and who are the ones who cast my favorite shows? What TV shows cast my “type?”

• Which companies have the best reputation for being a good place to work?

• Which companies have the reputation for promoting from within?

• Which executives, producers, directors, writers, agents, casting directors, VFX producers do I most admire?

• Who among those I’ve heard guest speak at a seminar or class have impressed me the most?

• Which companies use the technology I’d like to be involved with?

• Which companies tend to be more successful than others?

• What new trends are starting to emerge in the industry, and which companies are involved?

• Which studio exec just started his own production company?

• Which company just landed a first-look studio deal?

Now, to find the answers to all these and similar-type questions, you’ve got to do your research. That might include:

• Faithfully reading the trade papers (Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, TheWrap, IndieWire, Below-the-Line, Deadline, Backstage, etc.) and other industry publications.

• Scoping out company profiles on the Internet—on their individual websites and on their social media pages (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.).

• Following industry professionals on social media—individuals you admire who create your favorite shows.

• Joining networking organizations, attending industry-related events and talking to people. You can pick up gobs of good info and make valuable contacts while you’re doing it.

• Connecting with industry insiders through your school’s job fairs and alumni association.

• Asking friends, people you went (or are going) to school with, those you’ve worked with, anyone you know who’s in the business, and brainstorm! Just put it out there. Let everyone know what your goals are, ask for advice, solicit the opinions of others and ask for introductions.

TROLLING FOR GOLD IN THE TRADES

When you mention the trade papers, most people instantly think of Variety and The Hollywood Reporter—the two most recognizable industry icons. But show-biz news can be found in other print and online publications such as Below-the-Line (btlnews.com), TheWrap (thewrap.com), Filmmaker Magazine (filmmakermagazine.com), MovieMaker Magazine (moviemaker.com), Screen Daily (screendaily.com), Backstage (backstage.com) and more.

Even if you don’t have a lot of free time, make the time to read two or three of these publications each day and/or subscribe to the ones that will email you breaking news alerts. It will not only keep you informed of what’s going on in the business and give you topical issues to talk about at networking events—but it’s a great resource if you’re looking for work or other opportunities.

Here are some examples of how the information from these publications could be used to your advantage:

• You read that a producer just started his new production company and has secured financing to make five pictures a year. It’s likely he’ll be hiring. You write him a letter congratulating him on his new company and let him know how valuable you would be to his new start-up. You include a copy of your resume.

• You read an article on the five top showrunners in television, which includes interviews with each. You discover that one of them is developing a new drama on a topic in which you have a great deal of expertise. All of a sudden, you have a legitimate reason to get in touch with her.

• You read an interview with a woman who specializes in stop-motion animation. Your dream is to work in this field. You write to let her know that her comments resonated with you, and you request a general information meeting to learn more about her journey and ask for advice about yours.

• You read about an upcoming film finance seminar, and it’s just the type of information you need.

• You’re a writer looking for genres that are marketable, and you can clearly see what’s doing well by reading about box office numbers and TV ratings.

• You read an interview with Quentin Tarantino, and he happens to mention that he’s looking for a new western. Turns out, you just happen to have one.

• You read that one of the major studios is taking applications for their new Writers Program, and you apply.

• You read about an upcoming industry event, and you volunteer to help (giving you access to many new connections).

• You read an article about a group of up-and-coming producers, and you discover that one of them is someone you went to film school with. Perfect time to reconnect!

• You read that a certain state just passed new incentive legislation, and you realize that job opportunities will soon be plentiful there.

• You read an exposé on talent agents, casting directors and/or entertainment attorneys—just the people you want to set up general information meetings with and get to know, or just the people whose services you need or will soon need.

• You read that a major U.S. production entity has been purchased by a Chinese company. You speak Chinese, have lived in China and have done business in China. You would be invaluable to this company.

• You read about a promising young actor who’s not quite a household name. He’s still unknown enough and his rate is still reasonable enough to make him a viable candidate for the lead in your next low-budget feature.

• You read about a show that’s going to be shot in your hometown, and you let the production team know what a huge help you could be to them.

• You read that there’s a new production executive at one of the major studios, and you set up a general information meeting with her.

Learn to read between the lines, and you’ll be amazed at just how many opportunities the trade papers will reveal. Who’s hot? What genres are popular? Who’s got new sources of financing? Where are incentives driving production? Whose pilot just got picked up for series? What new trends should I be learning more about? Who should I be meeting? What events should I be going to? Who could use someone with my talents and abilities? Learn to keep an eye out for any opening you could use to your advantage. It’ll definitely help your chances of being in the right place at the right time.

LIKELY TARGETS

To help you keep all the information you’ll be collecting organized, I’ve created two forms for you to use as templates. Both can be found at the end of the chapter. They’re to keep track of the companies and individuals you’re targeting as likely prospects. The first form (Likely Targets) can be used to collect information on several companies. The second (Company Profile & Follow-Up) serves the same purpose, but it gives you the opportunity (and more room) to profile one specific company at a time.

Fill out as much as you can to start with, and by the time you’ve read the next couple of chapters, you’ll know how to get your cover letter and resume ready to send out, who to call and what to say. By then you’ll be ready to start setting up meetings.

Now there’s no guarantee your first job (or even your second) will be with the company or individual you most want to work for, but you should be able to land something that will at least get you moving in the right direction. And whether you initially land the job you want or not, you’d be well-served by taking the time to identify your target market, contacting the people you would like to meet, staying in touch with them and making it a goal to work for your top one or two choices in the future. It’s also a way to keep you on track heading toward your ultimate goal.

WHERE TO LOOK FOR WORK

Once you have a direction, and you’re ready to actually put yourself out there on the job market, here are some resources that will help you:

• Production Weekly (productionweekly.com), ProductionLeads (productionleads.com) and World Wide Production News (wcpnews.net) are subscription-based listings of all upcoming productions that include detailed contact information, as well as shooting locations.

• Try to find someone who receives the UTA (United Talent Agency) Joblist, and have him forward it to you. UTA puts out a terrific list of job availabilities once or twice a week.

• Use Facebook to find companies you’d like to work for and see if they’ve posted any job openings on their pages. Even if they haven’t, you may find a contact name you could send a cover letter and resume to or a request for a general information meeting.

• You can also search for job openings on Twitter.

• LinkedIn is a great way to find jobs—primarily staff jobs (also internships). Once you create your profile, click on the “JOBS” tab, and see the jobs posted in your area of interest. You can do targeted searches for certain types of companies, search for people with certain titles, connect with recruiters and make contacts through the groups you join on LinkedIn. Here’s a page of tips on how to use LinkedIn to help you find a job: university.linkedin.com/content/dam/university/global/en_US/site/pdf/TipSheet_FindingaJoborInternship.pdf

• Reference the most current edition of the Hollywood Screenwriting Directory (available at Samuel French Bookstores or through amazon. com). The book contains a listing of individual production entities, the types of projects they make and their contact information.

• Monitor the job sites of industry-related companies you’re interested in. Here are just a few examples:

— warnerbroscareers.com

— jobhuntweb.viacom.com

— jobs.lucasfilm.com

— foxcareers.com

— jobs.dailymotion.com/en/home

— dreamworksanimation.com/jobs

— careers.digitaldomain.com

— paramount.com/inside-studio/studio/careers

— timewarner.com/careers

— vice.com/jobs

• Sign up with employment and temp agencies that specialize in industry-related positions.

• Use subscription sites IMDbPro (pro-labs.imdb.com/) and/or Variety Insight (varietyinsight.com) to access contact information on people you’d like to connect with.

• Frequent industry-related job sites such as these:

— mandy.com/jobs.php?country=US

— entertainmentcareers.net

— greenlightjobs.com

— showbizjobs.com

— staffmeup.com

— hiddenhollywoodjobs.com

— indeed.com

— simplyhired.com

The information you need is out there, and it’s yours for the taking. You just have to do your homework!

A LITTLE EXTRA SUPPORT

I’d like to recommend a website that offers terrific advice for job seekers. It’s called Work It Daily (workitdaily.com). The advice isn’t tailored to any one specific industry, but you’ll definitely find useful tips that will be helpful to you and your job search.

Suzanne Lyons, whom I mentioned in an earlier chapter, is a producer, educator and author of Indie Film Producing: The Craft of Low Budget Filmmaking (Focal Press). I’d also like to suggest that you take some time to watch her wonderful series of YouTube videos. She offers valuable tips on topics such as how to be a success in Hollywood, goal setting, getting a mentor, pitching yourself, networking and relationships, social media and film financing. Check them out on: youtube.com/user/SuzanneLyons

THE RECOMMENDATION OF OTHERS

Nothing gets you in someone’s door faster than a referral from (or connection to) someone they know. When a prospective employer reads your cover letter, and it states that someone she knows recommended you contact her, or when a potential employer reads your resume and is acquainted with an individual you’ve listed as a supervisor or reference, your credibility quotient will instantly go up a notch or two. Those in a position to hire will always rely on the recommendations of people they know and trust over taking a chance on an unknown entity.

Once you assemble your list of likely targets, ask your friends, co-workers, classmates, anyone you know if they know any of the individuals you’d like to meet. Should one of your contacts know someone you’d like to meet, ask that person if she’d be kind enough to make a call or send an email on your behalf to recommend you or to help set up a meeting. Be sure to let her know how much you’d appreciate the help. (You might even express your gratitude by inviting her out to lunch or dinner. It never hurts!) If for some reason, however, she isn’t in a position to make a call for you (too bad, there goes that nice dinner), ask her if you could use her name as a reference. A direct call or email on your behalf would be preferred, but use of her name would be your second-best way in.

Another time when receiving a recommendation from others is helpful is when you’re up for a specific job. There have been a couple of times when I’ve been up for positions I really, really hoped to get; and each time, although totally unsolicited, a couple of colleagues made calls to my prospective employers to extol my attributes. On one occasion in particular, one of my producer friends called an executive I had interviewed with, even though the two of them had never met. Whether you ask for the help or it’s volunteered, it’s always a boost for you when someone can call on your behalf.

Keep in mind, however, that if someone recommends you for a meeting and you show up to the meeting late, aren’t properly dressed/groomed or aren’t prepared—or if you get a job you were recommended for and then don’t perform well on the job—it’s not only your reputation that will be damaged, but the person who referred you will lose credibility as well. There are some industry professionals who are hesitant to recommend anyone for just that reason. So understand that a recommendation is truly a gift.

YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE IT’S GOING TO COME FROM

You never know where a recommendation is going to emanate from, because:

• the person sitting next to you in a film class today could be directing his own movie within the year and in a position to offer you a great job.

• a production accountant you worked with three shows ago could be in a position to recommend you for a fabulous film.

• the assistant you’re calling to set up an appointment with her boss could have her boss’s position within six months’ time.

• the PA you’re working with could sell his own project and be producing his own movie the next time you see him.

• the casting director’s assistant could be your biggest fan and in a position to book you on a sizable feature once she starts her own casting agency.

You can never underestimate how quickly some careers will take off or how easily someone who likes you (or your work) can help your career. I’ve been recommended by and have received the help of people from whom I’ve least expected it, so respect others and do your best to impress, always and in everything you do.

BEING ABLE TO ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT

Being able to ask for what I want is also something I learned from Suzanne Lyons and her former Flash Forward partner, producer Heidi Wall. For years, when in between shows, I’d call up everyone I could think of, tell them all I had just completed a film, and ask if they’d please keep me in mind should they have or hear of any openings. Sometimes that strategy worked, but not as often as I would have liked. At dinner one night, Heidi told me I had to be more assertive in asking for what I want. I told her I’d be uncomfortable doing that. (So as you can see, the whole looking-for-work-is-uncomfortable-thing applies to me as well.) Anyway, Heidi finally persuaded me to give it a try—to be more direct.

I think the trick for me was learning how to tactfully make a request without coming across as demanding or presumptuous. What I’ve learned, too, is that most of the time, people are happy to help you with specific requests, as long as they know what it is you need, and that saying “let me know if you hear of anything” is often just too vague.

At the time I had been freelancing as a production supervisor, and as many contacts as I had, I realized I didn’t know enough line producers (the people who hire production supervisors), and I didn’t know all the studio production executives in town (individuals who are in a position to recommend production supervisors). So the first thing I did was to invite two friends to join me for lunch, both of whom either know or regularly work with any number of line producers. Over lunch, I explained that I needed their help and asked if they’d each give me the names of five line producers they knew whom I might contact using their names as references. Bingo! Done! I got my list and started setting up general information meetings.

Of the studio executives I didn’t know, I was able to set up general information meetings with each of them, except two. From having worked at a major production company some years back, I knew all the studio production heads were part of something called the “The Grog and Chowder Society,” and they met for regularly scheduled dinners to socialize and discuss common interests. Knowing that it was a fairly tight-knit group, I called the nicest production exec I knew to solicit his help. At the time, Bill Ewing was Senior Vice President of Production Administration for Sony Pictures. I had first met Bill a few years earlier, after having requested a general information meeting with him. I had stayed in touch, he had recommended me for a film at one time, and he very graciously agreed to meet with any number of my students each summer. Bill was one of those people I’d call whenever I finished a show, just to check in. So this time, instead of asking him to let me know if anything should open up for me there, I asked if I could come see him. Being the great guy he is, he immediately scheduled a time for me to come in. Then once there, I explained my quest to meet the two other executives. He immediately picked up the phone, and in succession, got each of them on the line. His exact words were, “you’ve got to meet this woman!” He was my hero, and I was able to get my meetings. Heidi was my hero, too, because without her urging me to be more direct, I never would have asked for this type of help, nor would I have realized how much better this approach works.

When it’s all said and done, there are many ways to land a job, but it’s going to take persistence, time and effort. The more you do it, the easier it’ll get. And the more jobs you can add to your resume, the more established you become—the sooner the jobs will start coming to you.