Friday, June 12, 2009

Question 101: What is a smart question to ask at an industry Q & A?

Remember that old saying, "There are no stupid questions." Whoever said that, has never been to an entertainment industry Q & A. Okay, I'm being harsh, but it REALLY bothers me when people ask a question like this: "How would someone like me, who has (5 minutes of rambling off his/her credits) get hired by you?"

CLEARLY a resume sharing, job request, masked by a question. Unprofessional, and desperate, in my book.

A smart question, is a question that:

1. You really want the answer to, that establishes the level you're at.

2. Makes you stand out from the crowd (for example if you're at an event where everyone is asking questions about the editing, ask a question about the lighting).

3. Gives the person an opportunity to share a story.

Understand that the purpose of asking a question at a Q&A is two fold. First, you want the answer to further educate yourself. Second, you want to start a relationship, therefore the question will be a reminder of who you are when you follow up with the person.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry coach, The Greenlight Coach, visit www.theGreenlightCoachBlog.com

Question 100: I was top of my field in music photography now i want to get into set photography. How do I do it?

First, I must apologize for FALLING ASLEEP last night before posting question "100." I was so excited that I'd blogged for 100 days straight, and as I sat in my seminar room from 9am - 8pm, I thought about food, sleep, and blog # 100. Unfortunately, I left and did them in that order. Sorry about that. You'll get two today.

Second: answer to today's first question:
The most important thing I can recommend is that you accentuate the positive. Set photography requires specific marketing materials. If you haven't worked on a set shooting stills you need to build your book on whatever projects you can get hired on. Then, be sure to include a few of your most recognizable music photos. You do this because it shows that you've worked around celebrities and know how to handle yourself professionally, that you have the talent to be successful, and the photos make for great conversation starters.

Be sure to have informational interviews so you can learn the similarities and differences between the two industries.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry coach, The Greenlight Coach, visit www.theGreenlightCoachBlog.com

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1280: I grew up in India and as a result English is my second language (cont'd)

"I grew up in India and as a result English is my second language. I  am looking to improve my comprehension when I read my text book...