Networking in Hollywood: Understanding The Rules
by An excerpt from my book “What you don’t know CAN hurt you” this is a brief outline of what every Hollywood hopeful needs to know.
Simply put, the entertainment business is a game, and if you do not know the rules, you will lose.
The reason I titled my book “What you don’t know can hurt you”, is because it is true. Not only does a fierce competition exist out there in studios, classes, and audition halls, but once you conquer that there is still the matter of the business of the actor that must be successfully overcome if you are to become a working professional.
Irrespective of whether you are trying to get hired in film, television or commercials, if you do not know how to navigate the business aspect of entertainment, you are unlikely to succeed.
Most actors, writers and producers believe that getting an agent is the end-all and be-all of the professional entertainment world. In reality, hiring an agent is just the beginning.
It is unfathomable how many actors, writers and producers and other hopefuls think that once they sign with an agent (and after years of hard work, commitment and dedication) they can now sit back and wait to manage what is certain to be an onslaught of calls from their agent for an impending barrage of auditions.
Ironically, these are often the same people who, after only months of being signed with an agency complain that “My agent doesn’t do anything for me” or “I think my headshots have stopped working”; while in reality the only thing that has stopped working is them!
Hiring an agent is simply the first step in structuring a team of people around you to provide guidance and facilitate the growth of your career. This means that YOU are the nucleus of your team and your career is ultimately your own responsibility, not theirs.
Agents receive 10% of your income; this means that they are responsible to do only 10% of the work; leaving the remaining 90% up to you. The bottom line is that nobody should work harder at building your name, brand and career than you do.
The best way to be pro-active with your career is through networking. Networking with casting directors, film producers, agents, manages, assistants and other actors is truly the best way to build your name and reputation.
Here are examples of the way you can promote yourself.
- Review ads in Backstage West and submit yourself.
- Read the Hollywood Reporter and Variety (trade papers).
- T.V. and Movie producers are always looking for talent and know many of the people that you want to know, get to know them.
- The trades list industry events such as networking breakfasts, parities and seminars. Go to as many as these events as possible (some of them are free) as these events are fertile ground for valuable relationships.
- Participate in as many classes as possible and that you can afford.
- Start a mailing list of the contacts you make; send out “update” postcards to this list every three months.
If you are an actor, ACT!
If you are a writer, WRITE!
If you are a producer, PRODUCE!
If you are truly committed to and passionate about being an actor, producer, writer or director, then you will go to any reasonable length to work on and perfect your craft. Perfecting your craft, however, does not stop in the classroom; it extends itself out into the business world as well.
No matter what, and although most of you must obviously work jobs to support yourselves throughout this journey, you must take every conceivable opportunity available to do what you love to do.
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