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  

Question 31: I live in a small town and want to move to LA. What should I do?

Here's the advice I've given to people who have successfully made the move to Los Angeles:

1. Save enough money to survive for a year with no work/or be willing to get a survival job

2. Create relationships with people who live in LA, before moving out here 

3. Have a strategy plan that includes the kind of work you want and how you plan to generate it

4. Research the "business side of the business" so you aren't shocked when you're not "discovered" within 30 days (or 30 months) 

5. Choose a support team of friends & family, so during times of doubt, they can boost you back up

Because there are so many people who are interested in moving and survival jobs in LA, check out 2 of my Greenlight 101 Series books:  

101 Tips on Moving to Los Angeles from a Small Town, by author, Jefferson Loftfield 

and

101 Tips to Getting a Survival Job That Doesn't Suck, by author, Dawna Gonzales

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

Question 30: Is creating rapport manipulative and phony?

The actual comment question read, "Isn't this manipulative? I mean, if you're thinking and intentionally copying someone, that seems phony."

Therefore my response to "anonymous" is, "What is your intention?"

The definition of manipulation is: exerting shrewd or devious influence especially for one's own advantage.

Please recall my definition of rapport in Question 28: the presence of harmony, trust, and cooperation in a relationship. 

Anything that I write about, either as the Greenlight Coach or as myself, comes from complete integrity.  I make the assumption that all tools, strategies, and actions I share are used, by my readers, ethically and with the intention of creating win/win results.

Rapport is an excellent tool/skill to have in order to deepen a connection with someone quickly. Therefore be aware of these 2 techniques when going into rapport with someone:

1. Don't imitate them in an obvious way- instead pick up their gestures and phrases, and re-create them in a smaller way, using them subtly.  It's not Simon Sez.  

2. Don't be so focused on creating rapport that you're not engaged in the conversation- instead, pick one thing to mirror (like their posture, or their energy level) and then participate fully in the conversation.

If your intention is pure, you will build rapport.  If your intention is to scam, it will be a transparent plan.  That's my attempt at a rhyme, and now I'm out of time...

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

 

Question 29: What is rapport? Part 2

Yesterday, I talked about why rapport is important.  Today, I'm going to tell you how to create rapport. It's actually quite simple- rapport is established by matching and mirroring. 

Matching is doing *something* the other person is doing, but in reverse image.

Mirroring is being the "mirror image" of someone. Like when a Yoga teacher in the front of the room, tells the class to stretch to the right.  The teacher, stretches to the left, so they are all going in the same direction. 

What is the *something* you would match or mirror? Here are some examples:

1. Physiology (55%): Posture, facial expressions, and gestures (you can go as subtle as matching their blinking and breathing patterns)

2. Tonality (38%): Voice, pitch, speed, and volume

3. Words (7%): Key words, phrases, common experiences, and associations

When you read about it, rapport may seem unnatural, forced. It's actually something you do all the time unconsciously.  Don't you and your friends use the same "lingo?" Did you ever notice when you're sitting in a group of people, that most people's legs are mirroring or matching? Look next time. You'll probably see 9 out of 10 people in a row with their legs crossed one way or the other if they are in rapport.  When you converse with a friend, whose energy is way up, and he/she is talking a mile a minute, don't you get caught up in it and talk fast too? 

In friendships it happens naturally. Like attracts like. People like to be around people who are like them. 

When you meet new people, consciously (and subtly) going into rapport with them, will connect you faster!

Give it a try...

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