Do the Right People Know You?
Knowing people is cool. People knowing you even better.
BUT having the RIGHT people know you is the KEY to your success.
Meeting the RIGHT People…
“How am I going to get in if don’t have any connections?”
“How do I meet and make industry connections?”
“I’ve looked on all the online employment sites and no luck. Is there a chance I can get in from there?”
“Is there an entry point like, starting out in the mail room and working your way to the front office?”
Wow that’s a lot of questions. Actually, that’s only a small sample of questions I still get asked all the time. The answer isn’t as clear as mailroom to boardroom but there are a few things to know to get you started.
TALK TO THE ONES WHO ARE DOING IT…
First, you now know someone in the biz, me. Hit me up with questions or concerns and I will walk you through how to navigate. The reality is everyone you meet along the way will give you the same global advice. “it’s all about making connections?”
That’s great but they rarely get you beyond that. If they do offer more it usually lands at “I’ll introduce you to someone who might be able to help”. Now you’ve moved from the person you casually met, the person you first spoke to, to someone you have no ties to. If you get lucky that person might give you a few minutes of conversation, 99% of the time it ends there.
Second, get out and start meeting people. Anybody that is even remotely in production. At a wedding go up to the DJ, the wedding photog, the person setting up the gear. When you leaving a live show stop and talk to the folks by the sound and lighting consoles in the back of the house (cool talk for the back of the theater).
Just say, “nice job tonight. I’m fascinated by what you do. Do you ever take on interns? I’d work for free” YUP! Work for free. That’s the hook. Hey, don’t be offended. You paid to go to school to learn. Here is your chance to learn for free and make connections.
Get in the habit of talking to everyone. When you start looking for people working in production you’ll see opportunities everywhere. A film shoot in the city, talk to anyone on the inside the robes. Hang around after a gig (regardless of the size of the gig ) and give you little speech to them as they are loading out (again cool talk for packing up equipment and leaving).
Join industry associations and go to meetings. Preferably in person. Hang out after meeting and talk to people.
You know who knows EVERYONE? The folks at the rental houses.
Talk,talk,talk,talk,talk…. Meet meet meet meet
I know you have great ideas. I know you’re creative. I know you’re passionate.
But first you need to Get In then Get Skills those will lead to Get Ahead