Question 42: how do you market and sell yourself without seeming fake?

This question is too easy. Answer: DON'T BE FAKE.

Obvious isn't it? Yet, so complicated, and trust me I'm not being sarcastic. I'm sure the person who asked this question is dead serious as were the hundreds (yes, hundreds) of people who've asked me before in seminars, groups, and one-on-one.  This question is a huge concern. So, let me put your mind at ease...

If you are not being fake, you will not be perceived that way. If you are being fake, what exactly are you faking? That you're talented? That you're hirable? That you're worthy of their time, work, and money? If you don't believe these to be true about yourself, you need to work on your confidence not your ability to "act" fake.    

I think that most people who ask this question, need to work on their marketing plan, so they have the confidence to back up what they're selling. The fact that you're even worried about appearing fake, convinces me that you are most likely not coming off that way. Most fake people could care less about being fake.

For more tips and articles by The Greenlight Coach, visit www.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com 

Question 41: How should I prepare for an informational meeting with someone I've been referred to?

Preparing for an informational meeting with a referral is similar to preparing for a job interview. The differences being:

1. The person is meeting with you because of your connection to the person who referred you

2. It's not for a specific job

Therefore, in your preparation, you want to:

1. Know your objective(s) for the meeting

2. Research the person you're meeting with (seems obvious, but SO many people don't)

3. Design at least 5 questions that you really want to know the answers to

4. Compile a package that shows you in your best light 

For more tips and articles by The Greenlight Coach, visit www.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com 

Question 40: Should you “settle” for work that may not be exactly what you want to pursue?

Never settle- Always strategize!

If you are going to take a job that is not ideal, strategically it should fall into one of the following categories:

1. It pays a tremendous amount of money (or the money that you need to survive)

2. There are new people you can meet, who can potentially hire/refer you to jobs you want, and/or people you want to meet

3. There are new "toys to play with" aka an opportunity to learn new equipment or sharpen your skills 

4. There's an opportunity to get a piece of footage that is necessary for or missing from your reel 

When a job is offered to you that is not "what you want", consider the possibilities of how you can use your business skills to turn it into an opportunity that will lead to jobs you DO want.   

For more tips and articles by The Greenlight Coach, visit www.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com 

Question 39: Why is it important to BCC my mass emails?

Ah, GREAT question!!! And no doubt in response to my latest Facebook post. 

Let me start by explaining BCC (Blind CC) for those of you whom are unfamiliar with it. In an email that you are sending to more than one person, you have 3 choices of how to send it:

1. To: specifically to whom you're sending your email 

2. Cc: carbon copy- others whom it may relate to, so you feel they should read it

3: Bcc: blind carbon copy- NO ONE you send it to sees who else you sent it to. 

What happens if you send to more than one person via "To" or "Cc?" Everyone receiving that email now has all of the email addresses of your colleagues.   

In business, this has the potential to create privacy issues. If you violate someone's privacy they may become very ANGRY with you. This may cost you:

1. a relationship

2. jobs

3. money 

Be aware of proper email etiquette. Beware you "Reply-all" people. Bcc!!! I don't need everyone in the internet ether knowing my email addresses. Neither do your valued clients, business relationships, mentors, and friends. 

For more tips and articles by The Greenlight Coach, visit www.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

Question 38: How do I deal with finding work in such a bad economy?

Finding work is always about one thing- relationships.  Now is the best possible time to be focusing on relationships because people who are generally hard to reach are more accessible. Instead of focusing on the economy, focus on relationships.   

For more tips and articles by The Greenlight Coach, visit www.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com 

Question 37: Should I get on Facebook for work reasons?

I think Facebook is a great way to maintain relationships and create new ones. People get to see your work updates (which you should post) and personal updates (that you should post with care). Put pictures up of your family, hobbies, and pets, so people who have commonalities will relate to you. Post your reel and clips from your work. 

Be aware of the "first 3-month addiction," that you will undoubtably get sucked into when friends from the old neighborhood, K-12, college, camp, old jobs, frat/sorority, etc., find you and want to catch up. 

Have fun and post strategically.

For more tips and articles by The Greenlight Coach, visit www.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com  

Question 36: What do you do when someone is stealing the conversation? Part 2

I think I'm going to stick with yesterday's answer... TRIP.

Perhaps tomorrow's question should address long hours.  18 hour day today. Back on track tomorrow.  Thanks for hanging in!

Question 35: What do you do when someone is stealing the conversation? Part 1

This is a question that came up in my seminar tonight. 

#1 answer: TRIP... out of no where, accidentally trip on your own foot. I even demonstrated.

Sorry for the short blog. I had a full day and I am waking up at 6 am to drive roundtrip to Vegas. I'll elaborate in part 2 tomorrow...

For more tips and articles by The Greenlight Coach, visit www.thegreenlightcoachblog.com 

Question 34: Should I go to film school?

First, let me say that this person gave me no history, so I have no idea where he/she is coming from. Having coached as many people as I have, I know this could be:

A: someone who isn't in the industry yet, and wants to be

B: someone in the industry who is not a head of a department, and wants to be

C: neither of the above 

I will not be addressing "C," unless the person is neither A nor B, and writes to give me the specifics.  

Let's be realistic, I can't answer this question because you have to answer it for yourself.  I can advise you on what to ask yourself in order to make your decision. So, here goes...

On numerous occasions I've had clients come to me and say, "I want to move up and no one's giving me the chance.  Should I go to film school?" I ask them how they see that as a solution. Here are some of the responses I get:

1. I would be forced to build up a reel (and variations that don't include force)

2. I could create relationships with other students and teachers

3. I could get mentors

4. I would hone my skills & perfect my craft

These are all good reasons to go to film school.  However, you can do all of those things without film school.  My old boss, a Producer, and at the time, head of the producer program at a prestigious film school, once said to me that the students could take all the money they spend on school and make a film.  It would teach them everything and more.

On the other hand, when I was working with clients who made the decision to go to film school and we created a 2-3 year business plan, they had outstanding results. 

For those of you not in the industry and interested, it's the same question: what do you want to get out of film school that you can't get from real world experience? If your answer is worth the time and investment, go to film school.  

If you do choose to go to film school, my advice is to make the most out of it. Film school can be so much more than what you learn in class.

For more tips and articles by the Greenlight Coach, visit www.theGreenlightCoachBlog.com 

       

Question 33: What do I do if my boss won't move me up?

There are many reasons why a boss or head of a department won't move you up.  I could list some of the reasons, but really, you'll never know the true answer unless your boss tells you.

The bottom line is, if you don't have a boss willing to move you up, you have to:

1. Build up your credits, in the "next-level" position, outside of your workplace/crew

2. Create relationships with people as your "new-position" so that's how they perceive you

My sister is in a completely different field, advertising sales.  She started as an assistant in a large company that didn't promote assistants.  She had to leave her company to get a sales job for another company. After that, she was able to return to her original company as a sales person. 

It happens all over, not just in the entertainment industry.  

for more tips and articles by The Greenlight Coach, visit www.theGreenlightCoachBlog.com 

Question 32: Should I re-rate?

The question actually read, "Should I re-rate to DP?" But, because my readers are in different classifications, I'll give the standard answer which applies to any classification.

My answer is a list of questions: 

1.Do you know enough people who WILL hire you in the new classification?

2. Do you have the marketing materials to back up your experience in the new classification (ex: reel, credits)

If you answered, "No," to 1 & 2 and still want to re-rate:

 

3. Do you have enough money saved to last you 2-5 years? 

That is not an arbitrary time period that I have chosen.  In my experience of coaching over 1000 people one-on-one, that's the average time it takes to move up in classification without proven experience and A LOT of contacts who are willing to hire you. However, all it takes is one person to give you a break, and that can change everything. I just wanted to give you an answer based on the average that I've seen. 

Being the exception to the rule is possible, being prepared for the realities of the entertainment industry is practical.  

For more tips and articles by The Greenlight Coach, visit www.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com