Cover image for Hollywood Drive

Hollywood Drive

Author Eve Light Honthaner
Release Date: 2013/07/01
ISBN: 9780240806686
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Book Description

Hollywood Drive: What it Takes to Break in, Hang in & Make it in the Entertainment Industry is the essential guide to starting and succeeding at a career in film and TV. Written by a Hollywood insider, Honthaner's invaluable experience and advice will give those attempting to enter and become successful in the entertainment industry the edge they need to stand out among the intense competition. Because while film school prepares students to write a script, direct a scene and operate a camera, few newcomers enter the job market understanding how this business truly works and how to land a first job-much less succeed in the industry.

Hollywood Drive is not merely a book about what it takes to get your foot in the door. It goes beyond that by offering you the tools, attitude, philosophy and road map you'll need to give yourself a good fighting chance at success -- whether you're looking for your very first job or for a strategy to move your career to the next level. This book will allow you to proceed with your eyes wide open, knowing exactly what to expect.

Hollywood Drive explores the realities of the industry: various career options, effective job search strategies, how to write an effective cover letter and resume, what to expect on your first job, the significance of networking and building solid industry relationships, how a project is sold, and how a reel production office and set operate. You'll learn how to define your goals and make a plan to achieve them, how to survive the tough times, how to deal with big egos and bad tempers, and how to put your passion to work for you.

Table of Contents

  1. Cover
  2. Half Title
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. Introduction
  8. 1. Fade In on Reality
    1. Having What It Takes
    2. Reality Stings
    3. Attend Film School or Jump Right In?
    4. Making Coffee Instead of Movies
    5. Hollywood Means Business—Know Why You’re Here
  9. 2. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
    1. The Good News First
    2. Pros From the Pros
    3. The Less Glamorous Aspects
    4. Cons From the Pros
    5. As In Life, This Industry Is Not Fair
  10. 3. Key Ingredients to a Successful Career
    1. Passion! Passion! And More Passion!
    2. Being Prepared
    3. It’s Who You Know and Who Knows You
    4. It’s Also What You Know about the Industry
    5. Understanding the Power of Networking
    6. Having a Plan, and Committing to Your Success
    7. Standing Out Among the Crowd
    8. Donning a Teflon Coat
    9. Perfecting Your Craft
    10. Having Good Interview Skills
    11. Being Able to Ask for What You Want
    12. A Winning Attitude
    13. A Willingness and an Ability to Play the Game
    14. Being Well Liked and Having a Good Reputation
    15. A Game Plan for Getting Through the Rough Times
    16. Remembering the Five “P”s
  11. 4. Career Options
    1. Freelance Vs. Staff
    2. Being Part of a Crew
    3. Unions and Guilds
    4. Independents Vs. Studio Films
    5. Features Vs. Television
    6. The Majors
    7. More Staff Possibilities
    8. An Agent’s Life
    9. The Many Faces of a Producer
    10. Production Management
  12. 5. Some Other Interesting Choices
    1. Post Production
    2. International Distribution
    3. Unit Publicity
    4. The Script Doctor
    5. The Educator
    6. Music
    7. Commercials
    8. Reality TV
    9. Casting
    10. Extras Casting
    11. Continuity
    12. Location Management
    13. Studio Operations and Administration
    14. New Media
  13. 6. Life Will Not Go According to Plan If You Have No Plan
    1. Finding Your Passion
    2. Know Where You’re Going and How You’re Going to Get There
    3. Setting Goals
    4. Keeping Yourself on Track
    5. Managing Your Time
    6. Keeping on Track (form)
    7. Your Vision and Mission
    8. Being in the Right Place at the Right Time
  14. 7. Starting Out
    1. Moving to Tinseltown
    2. Being a Big Fish in a Small Market or a Small Fish In a Large Market
    3. Skills to Fall Back On
    4. The Merits of Working for Free
    5. The Mailroom
    6. Temp Agencies
    7. Network Opportunities
    8. Other Considerations
  15. 8. Job Search Strategies
    1. Looking for Work Is Uncomfortable
    2. Finding Your Market
    3. Likely Targets
    4. Likely Targets (form)
    5. Company Profile & Follow-up (form)
    6. Learning How to Sell Yourself
    7. The Personal Pitch
    8. The Recommendation of Others
    9. You Never Know Where It’s Going to Come From
    10. Being Able to Ask for What You Want
    11. Shameless Self-Promotion
  16. 9. The Resume and Cover Letter
    1. The Resume Pile
    2. The Cover Letter
    3. Resume Guidelines
    4. Advice From the Resume Goddess
    5. The Resume
    6. An Acting Resume
    7. The Follow-Up
    8. When to Use a Bio
    9. Safeguarding Your Resume and Headshots
  17. 10. Interviews and Meetings
    1. There’s More Than One Kind
    2. Getting Past the Gatekeepers
    3. Preparing for an Interview
    4. What They’re Looking For
    5. The General Information Meeting
    6. Seven Steps to a Successful General Information Meeting
    7. The Door-to-Door Approach
    8. Meeting Etiquette for All Occasions
    9. Don’t Let Them Scare You Away
    10. Follow Up after Your Interview
    11. Being Available
    12. A Final Note on the Subject
  18. 11. No One Ever Said It Would Be Easy! What You Can Expect Once You Land Your First Job
    1. Good PAs and Assistants Are Worth Their Weight in Gold
    2. Basic Job Responsibilities
    3. Come Equipped
    4. Proper Phone Etiquette
    5. Know Who You’re Answering To
    6. What to Do When Starting a New Job
    7. What Not to Do When Starting a New Job
    8. Becoming Indispensable
    9. The Reliability Factor
    10. A Sense of Urgency
    11. Accepting Boundaries
    12. Working Around Celebrities
    13. Beware! Warning! Bumpy Road Ahead!
    14. Relax and Lighten Up
  19. 12. Networking and Schmooching
    1. Swimming with Sharks
    2. The Secret
    3. I’m a Friend of Marc’s and Jeff’s
    4. The Giving Part of Networking
    5. The “How To” Part of Networking
    6. Tips from Heather
    7. Your Network
    8. My Network (form)
  20. 13. Getting Through the Next Door
    1. The Cultivation and Maintenance of Contacts
    2. There’s Always More to Learn
    3. Finding a Mentor
    4. Having an Agent
    5. Making Your Own Film
  21. 14. Pitching and Selling
    1. Pitching Is Just Part of the Game
    2. On the Lookout for Good Material
    3. Scripts, Scripts and More Scripts
    4. First Things First
    5. Becoming One with Your Material
    6. Knowing the Market
    7. Packaging
    8. Getting Your Material in Front of the Buyers
    9. Pitching Tips
    10. Taking This Route to Become a Producer
    11. The Odds
    12. It Only Takes One!
  22. 15. Reel Production
    1. The Production Office
    2. A Reel Set
    3. Getting Into the DGA
    4. The Production Team
    5. Production Team Job Responsibilities (form)
  23. 16. You’re Not in Film School Anymore, Toto
    1. Don’t Count Those Chickens Just Yet
    2. It’s Crowded at the Top
    3. The Land of Big Egos and Bad Tempers
    4. Avoid Burning Bridges
    5. There’s a Barracuda in My Office—More on Politics
  24. 17. Show Biz Survival Techniques
    1. A Teflon Coat Comes in All Sizes
    2. Preserving Your Motivation and Confidence
    3. Getting Past the Disappointment and Depression
    4. Walking Around the Brick Wall
    5. “Be Bold and Mighty Forces Will Come To Your Aid”
    6. Reverting to Plan B
    7. Don’t Fight a Stacked Deck
    8. Get It in Writing
    9. The “No One’s-Ever-Going-To-Hire-Me-Again” Syndrome
    10. It’s Not a Business for Sissies
    11. Humor Is Still the Best Medicine
    12. Get Real
  25. 18. Advice From the Experts
    1. The Word According to Eve
    2. The Word According to Everyone Else
  26. 19. Remembering Why You Got Into This Business to Begin With
  27. 20. Eve’s Recipe for Success
  28. Glossary of Terms
  29. Index
3.144.17.45