Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1089:How do you get to go to the Oscars if you're not nominated?

I assume you're not a star who would be a presenter either. There actually is a way to attend if you aren't invited. You can be a seat filler. Research it, and get yourself a nice dress (or tux).

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

To stay current on The Greenlight Coach's speaking engagements, recommendations, and work success articles, sign up for her free newsletter at the top of the page and get a great bonus 1-hour MP3 on creating powerful business partnerships when you do!

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1088: Is it okay to walk up to someone you know from Facebook but never met?

Is it okay? It's the beauty of social media. On Friday I was at a networking event and a guy walked up next to me and I instantly thought I knew him, like he was my buddy. Before he could introduce himself, I said, "Facebook friend!" We talked for a while, and it was so easy because he does comment on my posts so we know things about each other. Isn't that what a friend is? Someone who knows what's going on in your life and cares enough to talk to you about it. These days it doesn't have to be a phone call or an email. It can be someone in your Facebook friends who was once a stranger, telling you that he/she sends good thought to you when you've lost someone, or tells you to eat when you post that you haven't eaten all day, or has an Anchorman quote showdown with you on your wall.

I find the industry getting much smaller thanks to Facebook.

Absolutely walk up to the person and say, "hey, we're Facebook friends!" BUT as always, be professional about it. If the person appears to be having an important business lunch--- not the time.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

To stay current on The Greenlight Coach's speaking engagements, recommendations, and work success articles, sign up for her free newsletter at the top of the page and get a great bonus 1-hour MP3 on creating powerful business partnerships when you do!

Monday, February 27, 2012

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1087: How can I meet Casting Directors?

This was a question asked of me at a networking event, by a very charming young man. Our conversation didn't start out about his acting, it started out regarding his book which became a best seller. It's subject matter, imitates what my favorite writer did 30 years ago, so I was instantly pulled into the conversation. As we got further into the discussion and he brought up acting, I asked him the first question I always ask, "how many people do you know in the entertainment industry." His answer was 300 (that's 100 more than the "sweet spot"). Now I knew something was missing. How can he know so many people and not be making any progress?

Naturally I asked him my next question, "how many casting directors do you know?" He floundered for a moment then said, "one, sort of." AH HA! Mystery solved. So naturally he asked me how he was supposed to meet casting directors. I told him I'd answer him in my blog.

1. Ask the people you already know to give you referrals to the casting directors they know
2. Build relationships through casting director workshops (there's a whole strategy to this, but you have to coach with me... I can't give you all of my secrets for free)
3. Offer to do an internship in casting directors' offices
4. Attend networking events that involve casting directors
5. Join philanthropic organizations that casting directors are a part of

Yes, you have to do research for 4 & 5. Remember casting directors are people, treat them with respect and always look to create a win/win.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

To stay current on The Greenlight Coach's speaking engagements, recommendations, and work success articles, sign up for her free newsletter at the top of the page and get a great bonus 1-hour MP3 on creating powerful business partnerships when you do!

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1086: Do people have careers in entertainment anywhere else besides Hollywood?

Yes. I don't know how old you are or how small of a town you live in, but entertainment happens all over this country... all over this world. You must have access to the internet because you emailed me. There's a search engine (www.google.com). Put in where you live and entertainment organizations and see what comes up.

I've been traveling to production cities across the US and Canada. To everyone reading this, if you are so inclined, please email me: where you live and what your biggest work challenges are, so I can tailor my speaking engagements to your city. AND if you are a part of an organization, or a community and would like me to come and speak, send me an email.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

To stay current on The Greenlight Coach's speaking engagements, recommendations, and work success articles, sign up for her free newsletter at the top of the page and get a great bonus 1-hour MP3 on creating powerful business partnerships when you do!

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1085:How does being on a set differ from being in class?

It's a whole other world. Class is nurturing, it's practice, it can be "time-indulgent." On set, things happen fast. People aren't necessarily giving you feedback or positive reinforcement. You have to be at your most confident on set. You have to make your choices and leave self-talk and self-doubt behind. My coach Brad William Henke, a successful working actor, says to think about how much work goes into preparing for an audition and then the actual audition takes minutes (This applies to preparing for interviews for other classifications). It can go just as quickly on set.

Sometimes on set you don't get a second take. Do your work before hand and be prepared to do your best and do it fast. There are also a lot of distractions on set that aren't in class (unless you're in Brad's class where it's all part of his teaching). You can be in the middle of your scene and see people walking around in the background, a cell phone can ring in the middle of your line and you have to start over, or you can do an amazing take and the focus was soft so you have to do it again. You may not even be told that's why you're re-doing the take.

This is why you see the same people hired over and over, because they know how to work on set. That's why I recommend set visits so you can familiarize yourself with the pace, and the lulls.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

To stay current on The Greenlight Coach's speaking engagements, recommendations, and work success articles, sign up for her free newsletter at the top of the page and get a great bonus 1-hour MP3 on creating powerful business partnerships when you do!

Friday, February 24, 2012

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1084:Should you physically mail or email your resume to casting and production offices?

Since it's obvious that you're sending cold resumes (which I don't recommend but unless you're coaching with me you probably don't know what else to do, so keep doing it), the best thing you can do is take the guess work out of it.

CALL the offices and ask how they prefer to receive resumes and headshots. If they say email, ask to whose attention and for their email address. Otherwise ask for the physical address if you don't already have it.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

To stay current on The Greenlight Coach's speaking engagements, recommendations, and work success articles, sign up for her free newsletter at the top of the page and get a great bonus 1-hour MP3 on creating powerful business partnerships when you do!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1083:How can I reach out to Casting Directors in another state before I move there?

"I'm moving to Atlanta to pursue my acting career. I plan on sending my headshot and resumes to casting directors before I get there, How can I reach out to them to find about job opportunities working as casting assistant and reader."

Okay, my advice is not to reach out with headshots and resumes asking for job opportunities and to be a reader. They receive these requests from strangers all the time. Instead, reach out to them to be your mentor. Let them know you have a plan to move to Atlanta and want to be smart about it. Before you move there you are seeking business advice and guidance from them. Ask if they would be willing to answer some questions about the state of the industry there for you. Then when they agree, have 5 very specific questions that would help you get acclimated quickly; what networking opportunities are available? who should you focus on meeting before you move there? what is the state of the industry at the moment in the city? what should you be doing to prepare for your move? etc. Make sure you get off the call with action steps they've provided, and ask them if it would be alright to call them in the future if you have more business questions.

When they say YES, take the actions they suggest and follow up a month later to let them know your progress and ask for more action tasks. Do this at least three times until they know you, like you, and are building a trust with you. Eventually, if you have someone in each casting office advising you, one of them may give you a break and once that happens and you thank the others for their help and let them know the good news of your job, the domino effect begins...

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

To stay current on The Greenlight Coach's speaking engagements, recommendations, and work success articles, sign up for her free newsletter at the top of the page and get a great bonus 1-hour MP3 on creating powerful business partnerships when you do!

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1082:When you mail a headshot and resume to a casting director should you send a postcard a week later?

It depends on what the cover letter said with the headshot and also what the postcard says. Most CDs who keep headshots on file, don't need a "reminder" postcard.

On the other hand, there is always room for a postcard campaign. A campaign is a planned strategy for getting yourself noticed and branded toward what they cast. In other words, you want it to be unique, interesting, and if appropriate... funny. By campaign I'm talking about a minimum of 7 weeks. You want the people who work in the CD office to look forward to your postcards until they know your name and face. Then when something right for you comes along, they want to bring in the person who made them laugh, or made them think, and stood out!

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

To stay current on The Greenlight Coach's speaking engagements, recommendations, and work success articles, sign up for her free newsletter at the top of the page and get a great bonus 1-hour MP3 on creating powerful business partnerships when you do!

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1081:is it hindering my networking by not publicly letting people know where I am?

It only hinders you if you can't be where you're wanted when you say you're going to be there. If your contacts think you're in LA and give you a 9am call, and you decide to fly in from Texas but your flight gets cancelled because there weren't enough reservations, that will certainly hinder you.

On the other hand if you are in an area where there is a lot of production and you have the opportunity to work as a local there and you are not creating relationships there because you're afraid "word" will get back to your other contacts, that can be hindering as well.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

To stay current on The Greenlight Coach's speaking engagements, recommendations, and work success articles, sign up for her free newsletter at the top of the page and get a great bonus 1-hour MP3 on creating powerful business partnerships when you do!

Monday, February 20, 2012

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1080:How do I get noticed without dressing like a Ho?

What you're saying is, you're not into the fashions of the booty and boobalisious? Got. It. Usually, when you're "getting noticed" for what you're wearing (unless it's because the person is in rapport with you because you have the same style) it's a bad thing.

SO how do you get noticed? By talking to people about what you're passionate about, opening up about yourself, and sharing personal stories. That's how you get noticed because you're being yourself and people can connect to you.

I know, I make it sound so easy, but you know what? It really can be that easy... so start talking!

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

To stay current on The Greenlight Coach's speaking engagements, recommendations, and work success articles, sign up for her free newsletter at the top of the page and get a great bonus 1-hour MP3 on creating powerful business partnerships when you do!

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1079:How do I walk up to someone at an event who is bombarded by people?

You come up with something specific and unique to ask (that you really want answered), and push through the crowd, and say, "I don't want to keep you too long with all of these people waiting, so a quick question for you___________." The person gives you the answer and you're on your way.

Then you follow up with him and remind him that you were the guy/girl who asked him the question about ___________ and you've implemented his advice and could he answer a question about what you should do next...

It takes 3 conversations to create a relationship, so walking up to someone after a screening, a Q&A, or at an event, and simply telling him/her that you're an admirer and then walking away is a complete waste of time. Sure it's fun to tell your friends back in Jersey that you spoke to Robert De Niro, but it doesn't help your career if you have no plan for follow up.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

To stay current on The Greenlight Coach's speaking engagements, recommendations, and work success articles, sign up for her free newsletter at the top of the page and get a great bonus 1-hour MP3 on creating powerful business partnerships when you do!

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1078:I've been in the biz for 35 yrs how can you coach when every thing's changed?

I imagine in your 35 years in the business you've seen many periods of change, including multiple strikes, runaway production, ever-changing technology. With all of these changes how can I not coach? You see, the new people breaking in, haven't been through what you have, so they are going after their careers like "this is the way it is." For them, I coach them on the basic business tools to grow their business that EVERYBODY needs, no matter the climate or changes of the industry.

I do my best to keep up with the changes by speaking to Centers of Influence in the Industry and communicating what I'm hearing and how you can prepare for changes. For people like you, who've been in the industry a long time, I must (pardon the expression) "teach old dogs new tricks." Most people don't like change and resist it too long, hoping that the "money-spenders" will come to their senses and keep things as they were. By the time they realize that's not going to happen, a new crop of ____________(insert your classification) have jumped on the "change" bandwagon, and are getting hired on the jobs that used to be yours.

So I coach people who want to embrace the changes, move with them, and keep working. I also coach people who are starting from right now, empowering them with tools that will help them through future changes which they will encounter. As a coach, I change with the times too. Do you think a decade ago I was coaching clients to market themselves with social media? No. The people who are resisting the change, "fighting joining Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, & YouTube" are losing out on massive opportunities and losing work because of it!

If you are resisting change, and frustrated that things aren't what they used to be, I suggest you change your attitude and start looking for ways to be a part of the change.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

To stay current on The Greenlight Coach's speaking engagements, recommendations, and work success articles, sign up for her free newsletter at the top of the page and get a great bonus 1-hour MP3 on creating powerful business partnerships when you do!

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...