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The Director’s Chair Issue #138 – January 16, 2013 (Networking: Creating a Lasting Career)

 

Networking Is the Only Way to Create a Lasting Career in the
Movies by Vince A Onken

A Cameraman/Lighting Director I know who had worked in film
for forty years called me one day and announced he was leaving
the business. I hadn’t talked to him in a while so I asked
why, and he told me that all of his connections had finally
moved on, retired, or passed away. That he had gotten
comfortable with his nonunion/independent work circle so he
didn’t try to build new relationships and by the time he
realized it, it was too late.

I’m sure he would have liked to keep working but as fate would
have it because he gave up making new connections years before
the work-well dried up and he was done. The good news is he
has money and will survive; the bad news is scenarios like
this happen to less fortunate people every day.

“So how do I make a connection?” you ask. “Because I’m kind of
shy,” or “I’m not much for small talk.”

To start off that’s okay, because right now I’m going to offer
up this suggestion on how to present yourself on your very
first day. Granted, we are all different but these are things
almost anyone can do. Initially you should show up to the job,
fifteen minutes early, and while there quietly and tirelessly
work your tail off from beginning to end. That way you won’t
have to make small talk, just work talk.

Also, if you can, throughout the day keep a sense of humor
about yourself. A good rule of thumb is; always take your job
seriously but try not to take yourself too seriously. Display
that demeanor as much as possible and I guarantee people will
appreciate and remember you in a positive light. Plus, if you
are more outgoing and the opportunity presents itself, make
small talk, be approachable, and no matter what? Just be your
wonderful self and by the end of your very first job you’ll
have made at least one contact to get more work.

Quick note: The secret to making small talk is to start out
asking questions; for example, if you see bored strangers
milling around on the set, smile really big and say something
like, “This is fun, isn’t it?” and because that question is
basically the opposite of what they’re thinking you will get a
response one way or another.

They may chat or banter with you for a minute or they may
offer only a smile, but no matter how minor the exchange the
ice has been broken. You have now made initial contact and, if
you wish, are more or less free to interact with them the next
time your paths cross. They may even smile when they see you
coming.

Another quick note: If the word “networking” scares you
because it sounds so mechanical, just remember that all it
means is “meeting people” and making friends. In an office or
on a film set all kinds of people are everywhere and
eventually people talk with one another.

Since you most likely will be there for a limited amount of
time you may have to make “fast friends” by speeding up the
process a bit. A good start would be, smile. Smiling is
contagious and it draws people toward you. Others may see you
as a happy person and want that for themselves whether they
are capable of achieving it or not. Or they may just wonder
what you are thinking and need to know. When we smile at
someone they will often innately smile back.

Physiologically speaking, studies show that smiling causes a
chemical reaction inside of us that perks up our overall
health. Smiling releases serotonin, endorphins and other
natural pain killers. The mere act of smiling raises our
emotional states and lowers our blood pressure, so if you want
to transform a stressed out mind-set into a happier condition
force yourself to smile for five minutes straight, and I
guarantee you will not only feel better but you will laugh out
loud.

Also, if you can, smile at people that others do not smile at
as you may make their day, which in turn may make yours,
either right then or somewhere down the road. Bottom line:
People that smile on a regular basis are some of the happiest
and healthiest people in the world.

There are times in a Production Assistant’s life when they
forget to smile. Unexpected events and idiotic situations can
be overwhelming for beginners, and because I know that I’ve
always tried to be friendly and helpful to PA’s. First of all,
many are looking to network so meeting them is relatively
easy.

And second, knowing PA’s can sometimes be very useful because,
among other things, they often go between the set and the
office, meaning that they may have the “inside story” about
what’s going on behind closed doors. What the folks are saying
and doing in the office can, at times, be more important than
what’s happening on the set.

In my opinion it’s good to make friends with PA’s but there
are some people out there that just love to give them a hard
time. Those people either don’t know or don’t care that
today’s Production Assistants are tomorrow’s Production
Managers and Producers.

One day after lunch I told that theory to a co-worker who had
just finished picking on a PA, and he said, “That kid? He’s a
moron! He’ll never be a Producer.”

“But didn’t you tell me the Producer on your last show was a
moron?”

He thought for a second, and glared at me.

I laughed. “C’mon. Let’s get a cup of coffee.”

Once again, just to keep it in the forefront of your mind,
making relationships with people is vital for career
development. Some connections may help your career but it’s
just as valuable to know that most will not. The majority of
people you meet will only be casual friends or acquaintances.

And yes, there will be a few jerks that you can’t stand,
however, if you continue to meet people not only will you get
work on a regular basis, but there’s a very good chance that a
handful of them will become your life long friends. Bottom
line: Don’t go overboard, just let it flow, and if you can,
make some friends and have some fun because you never know who
or what may be happening in the future.

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Over the past three decades Vince Onken has worked on feature
films, television series, pilots and made for TV movies;
local, national and international commercials, documentaries,
press junkets, music videos, industrials and infomercials as
an Extra, a Production Assistant, Craft Service, in the Art
Department, in Transportation, as a Boom Man, an Actor, in
Props, and many years in the Grip and Electrical Departments
with titles like Juicer, Hammer, Best Boy, Dolly Grip, Gaffer
and Key before he ended up writing, mostly in movie marketing
for studios like Warner Brothers, Paramount and Disney.

Most recently he has written a handbook called “Zen and the
Art of Creating a Career in Film” for anyone interested in
working in Hollywood. It can be found at
http://www.outskirtspress.com/filmcareer/.
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Copyright (c) 2013 Peter D. Marshall / All Rights Reserved