——— 13 ———

Getting Through the Next Door

Once you’ve gotten your foot into Door #1, you can’t stop there. Looking for work, keeping up contacts, continuing to learn, networking and continuously creating new industry relationships is a job in itself, and for as long as you’re going to be in this business— it never ends.

The Cultivation and Maintenance of Contacts

Not all your industry relationships will be the same. Some will become life-long friends, and others will remain as just co-workers and casual acquaintances. Some may function as mentors; others will be individuals you choose to mentor. And many will become the source of valuable help, advice and support throughout your entire career. No matter how close you are, how well you know someone or how often you see him, industry relationships are like gold, and it’s essential that you protect your investment.

It never hurts to keep your name out there, fresh on the minds of others (as many others as possible), because once you lose touch for any length of time, it’s easy to lose the connection as well. You’re probably thinking to yourself right now, “Yeah, yeah, so who’s got time to stay in touch with all these people? Not me!” Well, we all have busy lives, and it’s not always easy, but scheduling in time to stay in touch with your industry friends and contacts is part of your job. And it’s also going to be a contributing factor to your success. There will be times when it’ll be easier to do this and of course, you won’t have time to stay in touch with everyone to the same extent, but sending someone an e-mail even every few months is well worth the effort and enough to preserve a connection.

As you spend time establishing and cultivating your industry relationships, remember that when you get together with others, conversations don’t always have to revolve around the business, especially when you’re outside of a work environment. In fact, many industry professionals get tired of constantly talking about their work and the biz and are happy to be with someone who shares other common interests and can discuss their kids, books they’ve read, decorating, sports, cars, favorite vacation spots—you get the idea. I know I’ve mentioned this before, but it bears repeating: when you become friends with people in this industry, you don’t have to tell them you’re looking for work. If they like you, enjoy your company and consider you a friend, they’ll instinctively want to be helpful and supportive.

Whether they’re former classmates, people you’ve worked with, individuals you had interviewed with (whether or not you got the job), those you had general information meetings with, their assistants who helped you get the meetings, people you’ve met at networking or social events or individuals you’ve met through other friends, the following are some suggestions for staying in touch and keeping connected:

• Set up periodic meal or coffee dates.
• Invite others to go to screenings or movies with you.
• Tennis anyone? Or possibly golf, hiking, bike riding, poker or any mutually enjoyed activity.
• Offer to help out when you know help is needed (with things like proofreading, yard sales, moving, pet sitting, bringing food to a sick friend, etc.).
• When you hear of an event you’d like to attend (industry or non-industry), invite others to join you.
• If you like to entertain, have dinner parties, backyard barbecues, brunches. This not only keeps you connected to others, it gives you a chance to help others connect.
• In the age of e-mails and instant messaging, receiving a hand-written note once in a while is a real treat, and it’s a nice way to stay in touch. And if you know when someone’s birthday is, send a card.
• E-mailing certainly has its advantages. It’s a great non-intrusive way to send quick notes that others can read and respond to when they have the time. When it comes to instant messaging, however, I suggest not IMing others unless you know for a fact they don’t find it intrusive.
• Group e-mails are a nifty way to reach several people at the same time. Many of my students communicate with their classmates that way.
• A good reason to get in touch with someone is when you’ve just finished a project. You might want to share your experiences, stop by with an updated resume, let someone know you just finished working with a friend of his or let him know you’re once again available for work.
• If you’re in a position to do so when a film of yours has been completed and is about to be screened, invite friends and contacts to a screening. Or if it’s a TV show, send out post cards letting them know to watch the show at the specified date and time.
• The same would hold true if you were to have an article or book published. Send out e-mails or post cards announcing the book or article. And should you be lucky enough to have a book signing, get those invitations out to as many people as you can think of.
• When you’ve got a new CD or DVD of your work (whether it’s music you’ve composed, a monologue you’ve written and/or performed, a film, short, documentary, etc.), send them to the people who mean the most to you and definitely to those who have been instrumental in shaping or elevating your career. It’s a way of saying, “Thanks! Look what I’ve been able to achieve with your help and support.”
• Every time you have a new demo DVD made, send it out to past and potential employers.
• Whether it’s for one of my summer classes or for the Film Industry Network, contacting certain individuals and requesting that they guest speak or sit on a panel is a great way for me to stay in touch with them. Along the same lines, each summer I ask a group of my industry friends and contacts to donate 15 to 20 minutes of their time to meet with one of my students. Networking on behalf of my students or FIN is a worthy pursuit that also affords me the opportunity to reconnect with people I like, respect and don’t see often enough. If you join any type of an industry organization and volunteer to work on a committee, chances are, you too, can put yourself in a position to make or keep up some terrific connections on behalf of the organization.
• The best is when you can just pick up the phone and call someone you haven’t seen or talked to in a while. You’re not calling to ask for anything specific, and whether you’re looking for a job or not shouldn’t even enter the conversation. You just want the other person to know you’ve been thinking of her, wanted to say “hi” and wanted to know how she was doing. You may hesitate to call for fear of “bothering” someone, but it’s been my experience that more often than not, most people are glad to receive these calls. If you’re concerned, start your conversation with, “Is this a good time, or should I call back when it’s more convenient for you?”

There’s Always More to Learn

Technology is constantly evolving, creating advances in fields such as visual effects and animation, cinematography, post production and new media. Production entities come and go. The most costeffective shooting locations change regularly along with respective exchange rates and government incentives. Executives move from one studio to another. What’s hot today is lukewarm six months from now. Screenplays of one genre that are selling like hot cakes this month may be passé by next year. Every few years, renegotiated union and guild contracts affect changes in scale wages, benefits and working conditions. And the “A” list of talent (representing the biggest money-makers in the industry) varies from one year to the next.

There’s always something new to master, to keep up with, to stay on top of. Whether or not it’s required of you, continuing to learn about this industry as well as the latest developments in your specific field will serve you well. It will allow you to be better at your job; and it demonstrates that you’re willing to put forth the extra effort to invest in your future. Being more knowledgeable, you’ll be able to talk more intelligently about industry advances and trends, and others will look to you for answers, because you’ll have built a reputation for being well informed.

Here are some suggestions as to how to take advantage of what’s out there to learn more and to keep learning.

• Read the trade papers (Daily Variety and The Hollywood Reporter) religiously, even if it’s only one or two a week. And subscribe to or pick up other industry publications as often as you can. There are also scores of show biz-type magazines you can buy or access online.
• Check out the scores of available industry-related websites that contain a wealth of information, and get used to using them on a regular basis.
• Attend networking events, especially those that offer guest speakers, panel discussions, special programs and any other opportunity to learn.
• Frequent film libraries, such as those found at schools and IFP (Independent Film Project, east and west).
• If at all possible, visits museums such as the American Museum of Moving Images (also accessible online) and the Museum of Radio & Television (in Los Angeles and New York).
• When you’re just starting out and working as an assistant or PA, ask if you can sit in on an occasional meeting.
• If you live in a larger film community, there are always classes, workshops and seminars to sign up for. If necessary, travel to attend those that specifically relate to your areas of interest.
• Frequent bookstores that specialize in industry-related books or one that has a good entertainment (or “film”) section. Start collecting books that will assist you in your work and those concerning your chosen field.
• If your area of interest is physical production, obtain union and guild contracts or books that summarize the contracts, and familiarize yourself with basic union and guild rates and regulations. Get to know union and guild representatives.
• Also if applicable, collect production manuals from previous employers, or make copies of manuals your friends may have from other studios and production companies. Each one has useful information that the others don’t.
• Say you’re working on a show as a PA, production secretary, APOC or POC and you’d like to learn more about production equipment—talk to representatives from the equipment houses your company has accounts with. Ask questions, and if possible, make arrangements to stop by when it’s convenient. Someone should be available to show you the different types of equipment and to explain how the equipment is used. Keep copies of updated equipment catalogs for reference.
• When you’ve been on a job for a while and the time is right, ask your supervisor if you can sit in on a meeting once in a while. If and when you’re allowed to, don’t say anything (you’re basically a fly on the wall). Just sit quietly in the back, listen and learn.
• Also after you’ve been on a job for a while, ask to take on tasks above and beyond your normal responsibilities, and let your supervisors know you’re ready to learn more.
• If you’d like to learn more about the post production process, ask for a tour of the lab your company uses.
• Here’s something fairly simple: Get used to taking notes on things happening around you and save copies of any workrelated paperwork that comes your way. Some of it may come in handy for future reference.
• Go to annually held production-related conventions and trade shows, such as NAB (National Association of Broadcasters), Cinegear Expo, Entertainment Technology Show, Locations Trade  Show, DV Expo (East and West), E3Expo (electronic entertainment), Screenwriting Expo 3, etc. These types of conventions are great for collecting information, attending seminars and making new contacts. Information, dates and the locations of each of these (and more) can be found online.
• Have a good working knowledge of computer software programs that will help you with your work.
• Stay in touch and network with others who work in the same general field as you. It could be through a union, guild, industry-related organization, or just a group of friends and acquaintances. Exchange information, share tips on solving common problems, discuss changing industry trends and help each other make new contacts.

Finding a Mentor

I’ve never known anyone to jump out of bed in the morning and announce to everyone he sees that day that he’s decided to become a mentor. Nor have I ever seen an ad in the trades placed by an individual looking for someone to mentor. It’s not something most people actively seek, although I personally know several individuals who have thought about how nice it would be to mentor someone just starting out in the industry. The thing is, they rarely get past the thinking-about-it stage. But when asked to mentor one particular individual, many will agree to do so—are even flattered and happy to make the time. From the other side of the fence, it can be very intimidating to ask someone to be your mentor. But if done the right way, you’ll be surprised how many will agree to the arrangement.

Individuals at all levels of their careers need mentors, not just those starting out, and you may already have a mentor and not realize it. Sometimes it just happens as a result of a relationship you’ve developed with a teacher, a supervisor at work or possibly even someone who had granted you a general information meeting. It could be someone you’ve met through your union or guild or at a networking function. A mentor is merely someone who is wiser than you as it relates to a specific subject matter or line of work you’re learning, heading toward or have embarked upon and whose help, insight and support are immensely valuable. It’s anyone who teaches you, is willing to give you the time to ask questions and explain things you need to learn, is interested in you and (to one degree or another is) invested in your success. Having the ability to access years of knowledge, advice and experience is priceless, as are the life-long bonds that are often formed as a result of mentoring situations.

There may be people you don’t yet know—but know of—whom you would like as mentors. These are generally individuals you admire for their expertise, reputation and accomplishments. Before even approaching someone to ask if they’d consider mentoring you, there are some things you should take into consideration.

• A mentoring relationship is not to be used as a networking opportunity, and a mentor is not a person whom you pitch your project to, ask for a job or use to get to someone else. If your mentor chooses to help you with your project, with a job or to make connections, it will be entirely up to him.
• Time with a mentor should not be used to learn the very basics of the industry. Your mentor’s time is valuable and shouldn’t be squandered by having to explain things you should have already learned by way of classes, books and entry-level jobs (like basic terminology and job descriptions).
• You should thoroughly research your mentor, his company, credits, background, etc. before approaching him.
• When approaching a potential mentor who doesn’t know you, it’s important that you propose a professional arrangement with preset boundaries. Your mentor needs to know that you won’t be a stalker, how much of a time commitment she’d be responsible for and when the commitment would end. This doesn’t mean that the relationship wouldn’t continue after its designated stop date, but again, that would be her choice. It’s like asking for a ten-minute meeting instead of an hour of someone’s time, even though many meetings stretch out to an hour. It’s not as intrusive on her time and is much easier to agree to.
• Drawing upon the guidelines set up by FIN’s mentorship program, we suggest that mentoring terms last for no more than three months. I know others that last for six months, but that should be the max. Our program allows for one 30-minute faceto-face meeting, the time and place to be at the mentor’s convenience; one 15-minute phone call each month with the mentor; and two e-mail contacts per month (e-mails to contain no more than three questions and are limited to a half-page in 12-point font). I know this sounds incredibly restrictive, but it tells the prospective mentor that you respect her time. Again, it usually stretches into more frequent contact, but that has to be offered by the mentor.
• Having a mentor is a gift. Don’t be late, disrespectful or presumptuous. Be gracious, open and appreciative. The tighter the bond that’s created, the more likely it is that the relationship will continue.

The best way to request that someone be your mentor is by letter. Before you start the letter, however, make sure you have the correct spelling of your potential mentor’s name and her correct title. Also make sure it’s typed and printed out on good-quality 8¹⁄2 × 11 paper. Start by stating your reason for writing. Next, introduce yourself by offering a short version of your pitch. Include some interesting facts about yourself, your life, your accomplishments, interests, passions and goals. Mention your strengths as well as your biggest stumbling blocks. You really have to be able to convey a sense of who you are beyond the facts stated on your resume. Your next paragraph should outline the guidelines you’re proposing. End the letter by thanking her for her consideration and promising to call her office in a few days to follow up (which of course you will do).

Don’t send the letter until it’s been through a spell-checker, and have a friend look it over—someone who can give you objective feedback as to how it reads.

If you don’t live in a major entertainment community, you can contact your film commission office to see if there are any industry professionals living in your area who might consider mentoring you. It’s also perfectly okay to request that someone who lives in another city be your mentor. You wouldn’t have physical access to this person, but phone and e-mail communications would prove immensely valuable just the same.

Having an Agent

Only once you’ve worked your way up the ladder a bit, have scored big at a film festival, sold a script or been offered a terrific deal or position, do you have enough credibility to seek the representation of an agent. This is a classic Catch-22 situation if there ever was one, because it’s so much more difficult to establish yourself without the help of an agent, yet you’re not likely to attract agency representation without having first established some amount of credibility and success.

As previously mentioned in Chapter 4 under a section called An Agent’s Life, actors have agents (sometimes more than one), as do most established writers, producers and directors. There are also agents who specialize in representing below-the-line crew positions, such as production designers, directors of photography, editors, costume designers, production sound mixers, etc.

For actors and most writers, having an agent is vital. While studios and production entities will accept screenplays from agents, entertainment attorneys, managers and producers, actor submissions are primarily made through agents. Good agents with solid producer, director, casting director and studio relationships are quite adept at getting in to pitch or submit their clients and/or their work. Some of the larger agencies also package their own projects, which provides even further opportunities for their clients.

Many actors and writers have agents, managers and attorneys (and some, publicists as well). While having this level of representation is a personal choice, I know many top industry professionals who land their own jobs and then have their attorneys negotiate their deals—that’s it—just one attorney. But if the work isn’t coming to you, you don’t particularly like selling yourself and can’t seem to stay on top of potential job possibilities, then having an agent could prove quite beneficial.

You generally need at least a few substantial credits under your belt before you can start shopping for an agent. The better your resume, the more salable you become. Some agents will only take you on if you truly have an impressive list of credits. There are others, however, who are more willing to take the chance on newer, up-and-coming, less-proven talent, as they themselves are more likely to be newer agents who are building their own client base and (like you) establishing their own reputation.

When shopping for an agent, you want one who specializes in your facet of the industry. Ask friends and contacts for leads, and do some research on whomever you’re considering, because this person will hopefully become a significant part of your career. You can access lists of agents through your union or guild, on the Internet, through your local film commission, and if you’re in Los Angeles or New York, in a large selection of reference books and resource guides. You’ll also have to decide if you want to be with a large, prestigious agency with a lot of clout (and a lot of other clients) or a smaller agency, with possibly less clout, but where you’ll get more personal attention.

When submitting a request for representation, make sure your resume looks as professional and impressive as possible and include your demo reel (on videotape, CD or DVD), script or portions of your portfolio in the package. You’ll need these to sell an agent on you before he can start selling you to others.

Your agent will be submitting you and/or your work, following up after interviews or submissions, negotiating your deals and, hopefully, offering helpful advice and direction on your career. Once an agent agrees to represent you, and you feel good about the arrangement, you’ll be asked to sign an agency contract, binding you to this relationship, usually for a year. During this time, your agent will receive a 10% commission on your salary, whether he lands a specific deal for you or just negotiates a deal you were able to score on your own. (Some agents will agree to take only 5% on jobs that you land totally on your own.) If you were to land an executive position, your agent would most likely take his percentage during your first year of employment with that company.

Having a good agent can be of great benefit to your career, but it doesn’t take you off the hook as far as looking for work, networking and keeping up contacts. Having representation is not an excuse for you to stop looking for opportunities whenever possible. An agent with as many as 50 clients at any one time can’t possibly take full responsibility for your career. So use your agent more as a partner, to help line up general information meetings, to submit you or your work, to be a source of information and to negotiate your deals, but don’t give up your own quest, because your career is ultimately your responsibility.

Making Your Own Film

Another way to get in the next door and propel your career is to create a demand for your work by making your own film, music video, commercial, short film or documentary: a very smart move especially if you want to establish yourself as a director. Power players won’t usually take a chance on an unknown. You have to prove yourself first. So as talented as you may be, if you don’t have anything to showcase your work, you’re drastically reducing your opportunities. Creating your own footage is an effective calling card, and it can be a tremendous asset to launching and building a career that would otherwise take years to establish.

With all the new, innovative and constantly evolving technology, shooting and editing your own film is more affordable and more feasible than ever before. Although many people still prefer to shoot their projects on film, the accessibility (and again, affordability) of DV (digital video) cameras and DVD cameras are creating a whole new world of possibilities for aspiring young filmmakers.

Whether you make videotapes and DVDs to hand out to everyone you know, showcase your project through the Internet or at film festivals or host private screenings, they’re an ideal way to sell your talent, your goals and your passion and to set your career in motion. Additionally, a short film or documentary could be an impressive fund-raising tool for a full-length feature, just as a short demo could be an effective method of selling a new TV show.

Did you ever see the 1989 Kevin Bacon movie called The Big Picture? In it, Kevin’s character plays a film school graduate whose award-winning short film gains him big accolades and a big Hollywood deal to make the film of his dreams. But one thing leads to another, and everything falls apart. He goes from being the hottest new filmmaker in town to a nobody in no time. Ultimately, he and his friends decide to make their own little film, their way, without any studio interference; and voilà! Surprise, surprise! It’s a big hit and our hero is back in demand. Well, these types of stories actually do happen, and a prime example of that is director/writer Luke Greenfield.

Luke graduated film school with an award-winning short, and the night after USC’s First Look Film Festival, he had an agent. The agent sent him on several meetings, he sent scripts out and pitched projects but couldn’t seem to get his career off the ground. At the same time, he was writing. One particular screenplay was called Echo Lake, which he co-wrote with two actor-friends of his. Producers they had pitched it to suggested they package the project with big-name talent. But they thought, if they could have packaged it themselves, they would have. Deciding their only option was to make the film themselves, they set out to raise their own funding.

Eventually through personal family friends of one of his co-writers, Luke and company were able to raise $30,000. They used it to shoot a ten-minute film based on a scene from Echo Lake. It was a four-day, 35-mm shoot, and they called it The Right Hook. The problem was, they shot their wad before they could develop the footage. It took them another year-and-a-half and $100,000 worth of favors and donated services to finish the project. As Luke explained, when it’s for free, you can only use someone else’s equipment, facilities and services when they’re not otherwise being used. From the time he landed his agent until the time The Right Hook was completed, approximately four-and-a-half years had elapsed. Before it was completely finished, however (it hadn’t yet been mixed), he transferred it to videotape and showed it to a few people. It didn’t take long for this original, funny story about men’s fears of approaching women at bars to get into the right hands; and before he knew it, Luke was being offered a job directing Rob Schneider in The Animal for Happy Madison Productions (Adam Sandler’s production company). This led to The Girl Next Door for New Regency and 20^th Century-Fox and a subsequent multi-picture deal with New Regency.

Film students have the luxury of making their own short films at the school’s expense. The equipment, the crew, the cast: they have access to everything they need, and they graduate with a finished product to market. Sometimes that’s enough to get their career going, sometimes it’s not. Some people wait until they’ve worked in the business for a while before they make their own film. They give themselves time to learn, to build relationships and to be able to produce a more professional-looking product. I met a post production supervisor a few years ago who had been working on an episodic television series for quite some time. When she announced that she wanted to make her own little film, a large part of the crew she had been working with offered to help out for free. They shot over the course of a few weekends using donated equipment and vehicles.

Most of these first-time projects are done on a shoestring. Friends and relatives are often called upon to loan money, locations, food, wardrobe, props, their animals, vehicles, whatever they can. They help build and decorate sets and work in whatever crew capacities they’re able to. Some people recruit free labor from film schools and others solicit interns who can use the experience and screen credit. It’s not uncommon for rookie filmmakers to max out their credit cards or take out a line of credit to defray production costs. Sometimes, crew and/or equipment rental houses will agree to defer their salaries and rental fees, taking the chance that they’ll be paid if and when the project lands a distribution deal.

Some people shoot on weekends when they’re not working at their nine-to-five jobs or for access to locations or equipment not available to them during the regular work week. It’s also not unusual for filmmakers to shoot their projects in smaller communities where they don’t have to worry as much about permits and restrictions and where a majority of the residents are thrilled to have them there (unlike shooting in a big city where permits can be pricey, restrictions are plentiful and neighboring residents and store owners often see a film shoot as an unwanted intrusion).

I can’t give you an average cost of these types of films because of all the variables: the format you’re shooting on, the cast, the locations, the length of your film, if you become signatory to any union or guild contracts, if you can secure free or deferred labor and services, etc. An actor/writer/director friend, Warren Vanders, and his actor/producer partner, Matt Valenti, recently made a 47-minute short (shot on 16 mm) called Touched. In addition to using this piece to showcase their talents, their primary objective is to use it to raise the funding to do a full feature length version of the same property. Warren said they begged, borrowed and happily took advantage of all their friends and relatives who donated time, expertise and services. They ended up spending a total of $25,000 to make the film, but he said it would have cost ten times that amount had they had to pay for everything. The items they had to pay for included camera rental, DV tape, film stock, SAG fees, food for the cast and crew, one small location site fee, insurance, some equipment rentals, some materials, a few crew salaries, a limited amount of wardrobe and a one-year license fee for use of a copyrighted song.

If you want to raise financing for your film, there are several books and websites available just brimming with good information on the topic. Also be aware that there are various sources of funding and different requirements for each, such as:

• Pre-sale rights: This is when a distributor will agree to pay in advance for the rights to distribute a film.
• Public money: Subsidies and grants for filming.
• Private money: Investors looking to put their own money into a film. Often a finance company has a network of investors behind it who wish to invest this way.
• Gap financing: A gap can often occur between the pre-sale total and the total production cost of the film. Some banks and finance companies will lend this gap.
• Tax shelters: States and countries that offer tax breaks for shooting on location in their area and for hiring a certain percentage of your crew locally.
• Bank loan: This is usually based on pre-sales. Banks are not in the business of investing in film. They lend money to producers to help cash flow, but also require strong pre-sales agreements to be in place before discounting them against production finance. If you have some substantial collateral, you might be able to take out a loan against a home or a business.

Before you begin your quest for film financing, consult an entertainment attorney. If you can’t afford an attorney, there are legal services you can access for free. In California, for example, there’s a non-profit organization called California Lawyers for the Arts (www.calawyersforthearts.org). An attorney will present you with the proper guidelines and help you form a legal entity. Once you know what has to be done, you might be able to do much of it yourself, like filing for a business license and opening a bank account. You’ll want to prepare (or hire someone to prepare) a shooting schedule and budget, have business cards and letterhead printed up and possibly a website designed. You may need promissory note forms, which you can find at a stationery store or online. Then there’s a business plan, which is an essential tool in procuring investor financing.

A business plan starts with an executive summary, which includes information on the proposed film in the form of a synopsis or treatment, a copy of the agreement evidencing proof of screenplay rights, comparable box office performances, proposed production details, a copy of the budget, your proposed distribution approach and your strategy for funding the picture. The plan will include a current industry overview and an assortment of exhibits, such as resumes of the principal participants, copies of all option and acquisition agreements, a financial statement, letters of interest and/or intent, press coverage (if any exists) and financial projections. Depending on the stage at which financing is sought, you may be able to include other exhibits such as a title report, copyright search report, chain of title documents (including a certificate of authorship for the screenplay, copies of your copyright registration, copyright assignment and distribution agreement[s], a completion bond commitment letter, the final screenplay and shooting script, cast and production credits, feature stories on lead actors and the director, production stills, casual cast photos, agreements relating to the film’s music, the MPAA rating certificate [if available] and an Errors and Omissions [E&O] certificate of insurance.) There are no formal rules governing the contents of a business plan, so producers can be somewhat flexible in assembling the package.

To learn more about film financing and business plans, I suggest a terrific book called Filmmakers and Financing–Business Plans for Independents by Louise Levison (Focal Press). There are a few websites worth checking out as well: www.movieplan.net, www.filmproposals.com and www.moviepartners.com/index.php?action=BusinessPlans. You can also hire someone who specializes in preparing business plans for film financing to do one for you. I recommend Peter Davidson of Davidson & Company in Los Angeles, but your attorney should also be able to provide you with recommendations.

When all is said and done, the most essential ingredient to making your own project is to start with a great story and a well-written script. You could be a supremely gifted director, producer, actor, production designer, costume designer, cinematographer or editor, but it’s difficult for talent to shine through when it’s steeped in poorly written, unoriginal, uninteresting material. A terrific story can transcend poor cinematography, mediocre acting and little or no production value. It also has the amazing ability to highlight genuine talent.

Don’t ever stop attempting to walk through the next door, and the next one after that and the next one after that. Identify your talents, strengths and accomplishments, and exploit them. Find new avenues of opportunity for yourself by continuing to network, learn and perfect your craft. Preserve valuable industry contacts, find mentors (and perhaps an agent), and if at all feasible (and it’s something that will further your goal), make your own project and create a powerful selling tool for yourself. Don’t ever stop and “settle” for a fraction of your dream, because you have doubts as to what you’re capable of achieving. You can do it!