entertainment industry coach question 616: Did you watch the CMAs?

I taped them. I am going to watch them now. I went to a screening of Morning Glory (which I LOVED) and the whole ride there and back my Satellite country station was spoiling all of the winners because of the time change!

Thanks for asking and caring.

Teaching point: This is a good way to create relationships with someone. The person who asked this question is a Facebook friend. I don't know him personally, but his question tells me that he follows my status updates and knows I've "crossed over" to country. (Don't worry metal-heads, I still love my 80s hairbands!)

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entertainment industry coach question 615: how can I get a referral to an agent. Should I try the mentor approach?

Getting referrals to agents and managers is the same as getting a referral to anyone: you have to ask for it. A referral is an introduction from a mutual friend or work associate. It is not a recommendation (although those are good too.) Basically, you ask the people you already know if they are represented, and if so, if they would refer you to their representation for an informational interview or a meeting. The more referrals you can get to a specific agent, the better.

So if you're going after an agency that reps more than just actors, see if any of the writers or directors you know are repped by them. Aim for 3 referrals before making the call. Then there's the strategy of having 3 people make calls on your behalf to the same agent until the agent wants to know, "Who is this person I'm getting calls about and why don't I know him/her?"

Finally, you asked about mentorship with an agent. One of my first mentors in Los Angeles was an agent. It made sense; I wanted to study at the most respected schools, know the legitimate casting workshops, and get advice on which casting offices to target. It worked for me. And as a bonus, my mentor sent me out on auditions.

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entertainment industry coach question 614: I wrote a pilot. Now what do I do?

That depends on your long term objective. The person who asked this question is an actor. So, if you wrote it to act in it, you can shoot the pilot yourself. It would have to be the most exceptional, original, well-written pilot in decades in order to sell it to a network without an agent or an established career.

Now, if you want to pursue a second career as a writer, before seeking out an agent to represent you, make sure you have about 3 spec scripts for other shows. Even if you have a great pilot script, the next question you're going to get is, "So what else do you have?" Be professional and have more to show.

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entertainment industry coach question 613: My husband isn’t making enough money but I want to be supportive. Help!

Yuck! This one's a doozy...

I'm no marriage counselor, and lord knows relationship coaching is not my forte, what I would say is the best way to be supportive is to communicate with your husband. If he is the sole provider and he's not providing, what does that mean? Can you take on a job? Can he take on a job? How long has he been pursuing this?

What I would advise is that you read my blogs from the beginning ( I know there are 612 of them, you don't have to read them all). Or read my book, so you can have a better understanding about the nature of our industry, the tools he could be using and may not know it, and the mindset of a passionate artist/craftsman/technician.

I think it's amazing that you reached out to me, that you even know about me... your husband is lucky to have a wife who wants him to succeed. Feel free to send me more questions about the industry as they come up for you.

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entertainment industry coach question 612:Do you coach a set decorator differently than an actor?

I coach everyone as the individual they are. That said, the tools, strategies, and mindsets are about "the business" not your craft. So a set decorator may have the same obstacles with networking as an actor or the same fear of making phone calls as a writer.

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entertainment industry coach question 611: Should I have my set photography and wedding photography on the same site?

I've seen plenty of Still Photographers do it, that does not mean I agree with it. I think if you want to market yourself as a Still Photographer you have set stills on your site. The only exception would be to have your artistic stills in a section of your site. This can give photo editors, directors, producers, etc., insight into your mind and your artistry.

For me the distinguishing factor is: if it's another way you make money like wedding, music, fashion photography, I advise against having it on the same site. The main reason is because many people who hire you come from the opinion that set still photography is a completely different craft. You're not using your own lighting, you're capturing moments in the filming that will sell the film, and you're around celebrities... which leads me to another exception. If you're fairly new to set photography, but you were huge in music photography and photographed some of the biggest names in music, those photos can be showcased to give credibility to your ability to work with talent.

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entertainment industry coach question 610: Is it stupid to invest my own money in making a movie?

You have to weigh out the possibilities and decide if it's worth the risk. Stupid is a strong word. What is your reason for making the movie? How much money would you have to spend? Do you have the relationships to get it seen once it's complete?

In other words, what is your plan? Until I know more I can't advise you any further- not that I would ever give you a yes or a no, but I could continue to give you questions that will help with your decision making process.

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entertainment industry coach question 609: Actors have acting class, what is the equivalent for writers?

There are plenty of writing classes and workshops. Something else I've done as a writer, is to get a writers' group together where we each bring pages (once/week, two weeks, month) and have actors in the group to read or work out loud.

My acting coach Brad Henke compares class to a gym where you "work-out" your craft. Get a group of writers together who want to work-out with you!

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entertainment industry coach question 608: How many years does it take to get a movie made?

There is no precise answer to that question. Each film that is made, has it's own individual timeline. It depends on so many factors. To name a few:

1. Is a studio making it?

2. Are you making it?

3. If you are making it, do you have money now?

4. How many pages is the script?

5. How many locations?

6. Are there action sequences?

7. Are there special effects?

And so on and so forth. Sorry I don't have a concrete answer for you, but like most things in this industry, there are no rules, only risks.

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entertainment industry coach question 607: Shouldn’t you just focus on 1 area in the industry?

This was a question based on yesterday's blog. The answer is there is no right or wrong answer. You pursue what you're passionate about. Who are we to tell an actor he can't write, or a director she can't edit. People must do what they love. That said, in your marketing materials, you should have separate cards and resumes for classifications that aren't perceived as complimentary like Writer/Director or DP/Operator.

Now, if your focus is all over the place and you're not getting any work because no one knows what you're doing including you, then you may have to focus on the area you're most passionate about first, get good at it, and then branch out.

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entertainment industry coach question 606: How do I juggle family life and the 3 things I do in the industry?

You, like everyone else, in every industry, can only do one thing at a time. I mean literally, not that you have to focus on one area. So, it all comes down to scheduling. I don't know what three areas you are focused on, but in 2005, I was juggling a personal life, an 8:30-5:30 job, executive producing a tv show, writing the scripts, and starring in it.

It all comes down to time management. I was just watching Sex and The City 2, and a big theme was not how much time you spend with the ones you love, but the quality of the time you spend. You have to decide what works for you and your family time-wise, and then give time to each of your passions as they "call" to you.

If feels overwhelming because you haven't scheduled the time into a calendar to see how manageable it can be.

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