entertainment industry coach question 246: I like in Boca Raton, FL. How do I meet people from here?

Depending on your classification, you can start closer to home. For example, if you're in the camera department, there is a Local 600 office in Orlando. You can call their office and begin there. If you're not in camera, research local unions in your classification in Florida. Because Florida does have more production than most states, you can begin reaching out to the entertainment community in Miami and Orlando.

In addition, you can reach out to people in Los Angeles and New York (larger production cities) through Facebook, unions, production companies, etc. I'd have to know what classification you're in to give you the specifics, but I can tell you that most unions have a directory either on line or in hard copy.

1. Research the people you want to contact to build a relationship with and be sure you have contact information before doing thorough research.

2. Reach out to the people you want to create a relationship with on Facebook. Be sure to send a personal note about who you are and that you'd like to ask for some advice.

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

Question 167: If I live in a small town and don't want to move to Los Angeles and want to work in the entertainment industry, where can I move?

It depends on the level/quality of work you want to be a part of. While Los Angeles is the entertainment hub, you can also find union work in New York, Orlando, Miami, Atlanta, and Chicago. Some cities in New Mexico, Colorado, North Carolina, Hawaii, Utah, and Louisiana have union work. Don't be fooled by the term "right-to-work state." Florida, which is a right-to-work state, has a very strong union presence. When in doubt, call your union.

If you're not in a union (yet), and the quality of work doesn't matter to you, there are filmmakers in most cities. Even in a small town, with a little bit of equipment, you can create content and a presence on the internet.

This is a pretty general answer, as I don't know what you want to do in the entertainment industry. If you have further questions, put them in the comment section.

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