While I cannot offer legal advice regarding the use of trademarks in creative writing (please research “fair use” and speak to a lawyer for a definitive response to such questions), I CAN rephrase this question to “SHOULD I use corporate trademarks” in my work.

My answer to that question is that you should avoid using them entirely…for entirely non-legal reasons:

1. Script limitations. Brands sometimes go out of business, dating your script. Also, people in some parts of the country or world may never have heard of them. Using generic terms keeps your writing “evergreen” (timeless) and universal.
2. Brand integration conflicts. If a brand is visible, and especially if it is tied to the story line, it is ripe for integration consideration, and identifying it in your script is a waste of time. It will be replaced by the product that pays to appear there.
3. Brand image fluctuations. Heaven forbid, but sometimes brands get a round of bad publicity, and the connotations originally intended in your script become entirely different ones.

Finally, consider the golden rule of screenwriting: Does this choice advance my story? It is rare that a trademark name specifically enhances or advances your storyline, and if it does, you will probably not get past the informational/parody restrictions of “fair use” for it to be okay.

I’ll go so far as to say it rare that a trademark name needs to be mentioned at all in a script. Check your script to see if generic descriptions like “fast food chain” or “soft drink” can just as easily be substituted for any trademarks. If so, move on - it is not just the safer choice; it is the better one.

Hi, everyone - Planet DMA is back after spending the last half of 2007 creating our unbelievable new production software, Show Starter™ Scheduling & Budgeting Plus. Imagine creating a production calendar and completing your budget and cash flow at the same time. As one Emmy® -award winner put it: “This is a game changer!”

Okay, on to today’s question, one I receive regularly in various forms. Most people want to know how they can raise their own money for a film or show so they can retain their rights and keep all or a good chunk of the back-end profit. To quote Chris Rock, “um…slow down.”

In this post, I am going to speak to the television business model. For filmmakers, just know you can replace “networks” with “studio distribution arm” and “advertisers” with “financiers,” and you will have pretty much the same answer.

Whoever distributes your project to its audience is going to want rights to that project so they can make money from that project. Distribution is the space the broadcast and cable networks occupy for TV, and they are not interested in sharing the profit from that when they are the ones doing the distributing that garners the audience that attracts the advertisers who pay the money.

Even if you funded your project entirely, if you want a network to distribute it, they are going to want all of the distrib rights, including syndication, foreign sales, etc.

How do you get around this? Distribute it yourself.

Hard to do for a television project, right? Of course! That is why the nets make a nice dollar - they control most of the means of distribution. Or, at least, they did until new media. That is the core of this WGA stand-off, the upfront craziness the past two years and many more battles to come. (Clearly, we learned nothing from
Napster. Okay, Steve Jobs did. But seriously, no one else in the industry seems to have caught that clue.)

With new media, a producer can bypass the network middlemen and distribute straight to your audience. From there, you can take those hard-won audience stats to advertisers and keep all the ad money for yourself.

But wait! you say. I don’t have the money or knowledge to build a Web site! I’m a producer, not a marketer. I don’t know how to find my audience, convince them to come to my site - and how would I pay for all of that site promotion? Plus, I don’t have the personal contacts, staff or infrastructure to go solicit advertising and track the numbers and report to my clients. I just want my show to be seen!

That is the network’s argument EXACTLY. If they are going to establish and utilize the distribution infrastructure, deliver their core audience and pay to build a bigger one, throw a marketing team behind it, build an ad sales team to bring in the ad dollars, draw on their Madison Ave. relationships to get it paid for, manage the numbers and reporting, stand behind those numbers if they fall short and make it up to the advertisers…then they should be the ones making ALL OF THE MONEY for those necessary efforts.

In short, the nets don’t demand all of the profits from your show because of what it cost to PRODUCE it (that is part of the equation, but not the biggest). They expect that money because of what it takes to DISTRIBUTE it. And they are pretty much the only distribution game in town.

There are some ways to get around this, all of which require a SUBSTANTIAL CASH OUTLAY on your part. But you would not expect great reward without great risk and great investment because…well, you have read all the posts on this blog and my books. So on to the real question underneath today’s topic:

HOW DO I KEEP EVEN A SMALL PIECE OF MY PROJECT?

1) ATTACH STAR TALENT (small piece). If you know Barack Obama, and have something on him that forces him to agree to doing a behind-doors reality show about his campaign, then get a firm deal memo with Mr. Obama and start shopping. When you two demand a piece of your show, you will get it. Not ALL OF THE BACK END, mind you…not 50% of the back end…not even 25% of it probably, because someone else is paying for distribution.

Your Costs: Extraordinary legal fees plus production fees for a sizzle reel to prove the level of access you are claiming and show how it is different from the 24/7 Obama-rama we all can access on his site, You-Tube, our cell phones, etc.

2) SELL DIRECTLY INTO SYNDICATION (big piece). Hey, NATPE is every year in Vegas (Google “NATPE” if that’s new to you, everyone). So go ahead and shoot your series and take it straight to the buyers on the floor of the convention center. It’s a tough road, but it’s an independent one! Why isn’t it the whole piece, you ask? Because you will still need a distributor to deliver your product to the station groups around the country (Oprah works with King World, for example).

Your Costs: Full production costs of multiple episodes, legal fees, booth and promo at NATPE (that is in the 10s of thousands alone).

3) GO STRAIGHT TO THE ‘NET OR MOBILE (whole pie). The money you spend trying to circumvent network ownership, I strongly assert, is far better spent building a new media presence for your project. Bring that audience into a room to pitch it AFTER you’ve built it, and you are having a different discussion entirely.

Your Costs: Building a company, including Web developer(s), production team, ad sales, marketing & PR, support staff, etc. With the right hires, that’s only a handful of very savvy, very driven people. Hint: Look for network escapees/burnouts.

Final thought. Definitely read my books on how to sell reality shows (or screenplays), and read EVERY POST IN my blog (it’s free!). Get comfortable with the fact that you are not going to print up an enormous profit on one foray into the biz, especially your first. As I once told a horrified producers’ roundtable, “Hollywood is not the lottery with pretty canyons.” Reality TV, in particular, is a long-term, quantity-driven business model - that people oddly/incorrectly/insanely believe is the easiest way to get rich quick in the biz.

Instead, jump into the industry at whatever level you are qualified to participate (remember, selling your own project is the TOP OF THE GAME). Give yourself time to get established, learn the profession, make relationships, learn every angle of making television (each genre is a wildly different beast), then try to inch towards profit. You will see results from that effort.

My good friend JM says, “Why is everyone in Hollywood so busy trying to be the exception when there is so much money to be made just following the rules?” I wrote my books so people could learn the rules and get busy playing by them so they can begin their entertainment careers.

Go get ‘em!

If you’re excited about your latest TV or film project and are hitting a pitching wall, you may be tempted to grab a camera, call in some favors and shoot the whole thing yourself! Is there ever a right time to do that? Well, yes. And there also are right times to not even consider it. Let’s talk about the truth and consequences behind shooting your own reels.

Presentation Reels
For filmmakers, you’ll often want to shoot a presentation reel to convince funders to come aboard. That actually is a terrific idea. But not always a necessary one. Start with a solid screenplay first. Shopping a screenplay is far easier and certainly wholly acceptable as a means to get financiers, key team members and even vendors on board. If you’re not getting any action from the script, put your next budget dollars towards a professional script analysis. Make sure your script is truly shootable and worth shooting. It costs only a few hundred dollars for detailed development notes from The 1-3-5 System, for example. It will cost you a few thousand, at the least, to shoot a reel and hope you can do with pictures what you haven’t yet done with words.

EXCEPTIONS: The big exception here is when you have a challenging, non-CGI visual, setting or performance that repeatedly is questioned by script readers. If you keep hearing “Can that be done?,” it might be time for a presentation reel.

RULE: Once you commit to doing a reel, hire a professional staff and crew. A shoddy-looking reel may cost you credibility, while excellent production value can really boost it.

Sizzle Reels
For reality producers, your show’s demo tape is called a “sizzle reel.” And your battle cry is all too often, “I’ll just produce the show myself!” Slow down. I had an interesting discussion last weekend with two major reality production and network execs, both of whom were happy to get sizzle reels since they feel reels help them sell an idea to others on their team. But I have often heard exactly the opposite from execs: “Sizzle reels can kill a deal.” One concern is that reels often don’t match the vision your pitch was building in an exec’s mind. Bye-bye sale. Another concern is that a good producer conforms a pitch to work with the brand of each partner s/he meets with. So a sizzle reel you shoot that satisfies one prod co’s brand may completely violate the mission of another company, etc. How many reels do you plan to shoot?

For more detailed dissection of when to sizzle or not, read The Show Starter Reality TV Made Simple System, Vol. 1: How to Create and Pitch a Sellable Reality Show.

FYI, the general consensus at the end of last weekend’s debate was, if at all possible, be sure to ask the exec you plan to pitch how they feel about sizzle reels.

EXCEPTIONS: If something in your show is visually electrifying or conceptually challenging in words, a demo reel of just that portion of your show is a big help.

RULE: Don’t cheap out on the shoot! Make it look great; it’s also your calling card to show what you can do if they keep you attached to the show.

Performer Reels
No disagreement here. Any time you are presenting unknown talent to an executive, a reel that showcases their ability and brand is a winner. For fiction, that’s a casting tape; for non-fiction, that’s a talent reel. For a casting tape, invest in real audio, and choose sides that sell your talent in his or her strongest part of the script. For a talent reel, you can include a brief personal introduction (interview set-up is fine), the talent in action in their natural environment and even testimonials. Whatever project you’re doing, light this reel beautifully and edit it professionally - this is the face of your project!

Professional Reel
If you are a director, producer, DP, editor or other B-T-S professional, you often will be asked for a demo reel of your work. Note that there is a huge difference between a professional reel…and a professional anthology. You don’t/shouldn’t/can’t put absolutely everything you’ve ever done onto a tape. Take the following advice - even though it challenges everything you believe in. Make a branding statement with your demo reel. Choose shows and selects that all accent your point-of-view as a content creator. Or that highlight your particular visual style. Or that showcase your big league clientele. Decide what impression you want your reel to leave, what makes you special as a project hire, then play the rough cut for people and ask them to share their gut reaction. If their feedback doesn’t match the kind of projects you most want to get - get back in there and re-cut that reel.

All Reels
You have 5 minutes at the most for a reel, but know that an exec really will only look at the first 2-3 minutes. Don’t get carried away! If studios can get you to pay $14.00 for a film by showing only a 30-second trailer…well, you get the picture. Now go get that deal!

I’m a producer who has enjoyed both sides of the writing seminar experience. As a writing fellow years ago, I attended many diverse seminars. Then, as a story analyst for a major production company here in L.A., I developed my own system for understanding and applying story structure. My 1-3-5 seminars are often free, and the 1-3-5 book is cheap. I do this because I love working with writers and am unusually geeked by story structure.

These are the three things I explain to people who question or resist “learning how to write”:

First, writers often (mistakenly) interchange “story” and “structure.” These are two separate elements of the writing process. Story is the creative experience that only you can uniquely express from your vision. Structure is the foundation for that story, and the rules of structure have been accepted for thousands of years. The easiest way to grasp the distinction is to think of a dinner party. What you cook is entirely up to you (story). But you must serve your guests the appetizer first, then the entrée, then the dessert, in that order, and those dishes have to complement each other (structure). If not, no matter how great the food is, your guests are going to think you have no idea how to make dinner. And they won’t come back to dine with you again. Writing seminars tend to focus on teaching structure, NOT story, so that creative genius has a chance of being understood and enjoyed by buyers and audiences who innately expect a certain foundation to a script. And story instincts can be honed and expanded with professional guidance, as well.

Second, virtually all professions have rules for writing. Just as lawyers must learn proper structure and format for legal briefs and programmers do the same with software code, screenwriters must learn and apply rules of structure and format to screenplays. Most professions have training expectations, too. Just as no one is going to give you $100,000 to perform open heart surgery on a patient just because you’ve always dreamed of being a doctor, no one is going to give you $100,000 to write a script just because it’s your lifelong fantasy. Doctors, lawyers and other professionals get degrees and regularly attend seminars to maintain their chops and their edge, and so do writers. No matter how strongly emerging writers believe that Hollywood is a get-rich-quick-with-no-effort industry, in order to succeed, you will have to replace that belief with the simple acceptance of show business as a business.

There simply is no benefit to railing against the industry’s insistence that writers get some training before they attempt to get paid for their work. Any time you are asking someone to pay you, you must anticipate their establishing rules for that income. If you don’t want to have to learn the insider rules, the simplest solution is to write for free. But if you want to sell your work, just as in any other business, you have to respect the guidelines. The good news is that the rules of writing get far more flexible after a first sale!

Third, it’s common for people to mistrust writing teachers as unnecessary snake oil salespeople who are not personally successful themselves. Yes, the rules of story structure that Hollywood subscribes to are fairly standard. The laws of physics are standard, too, but not many people easily grasp and apply them! Training helps writers master the rules so they can craft solid scripts that can actually be sold. And just as you learned better from some teachers than others in high school, you will find in the variety of books and workshops at least one approach to structure that will help you effectively integrate it into your work.

Remember, selling a script is neither a requirement for nor a guarantee of being able to teach screenwriting. I’ve produced many writing panels and seminars, and many successful screenwriters lack the communications skills and the clarity of process to adequately guide another writer to a successful script. For my part, I teach from the point-of-view of the buyer instead because that was my background and because my personal business strategy is to always understand what the person who writes the check is looking for. Believe this - whatever an individual teacher’s approach, the ability to teach a subject well enough for students to grasp it is its own gift.

Finally, let me be a bit frank just to give you a glimpse into the perspective of your potential buyers. From the industry’s point-of-view, writing exactly what comes out of your head, spirit and heart, with no structure or training, is not screenwriting…it’s “typing.” For a parallel, dancing around a living room on your toes is not professional ballet, and it does not warrant the expectation that you should be equally respected as trained ballet dancers in the world of classical dance. Next, I can think of few industries that offer as accessible an education in the basics as screenwriting’s swath of books and seminars. Please compare those demands on your time and wallet to what dentists, accountants, attorneys and other professionals must do before they can earn a professional paycheck. If attending a well-respected course for a few hundred bucks helps buyers have confidence in you, do whatever helps you crack those barriers to entry! Last, try very hard to name any industry where training destroys natural talent rather than enhances or develops it. Still a skeptic? Buy a couple of writing books and take some classes just to prove everyone wrong. What I know you will discover, instead, is that training can take what’s good and make it great.

Happy screenselling.

At this point, you’ve all heard the term “new media.” So you’ve also probably all asked the question: “What exactly IS new media?” But don’t think it’s okay not to know the answer! It’s been 50 years since there was this radical a shift in the entertainment business model - AND since the barriers to entry and success were this low. That isn’t going to last, so if you don’t know what’s happening with ITV, IPTV, Mobisodes and more, time’s up.

Now let me take the question even further and answer this question instead: “How can I make new media work for me?”

Let’s start with a quick explanation of what “new media” is. It’s a very broad term that covers a lot of changes in the entertainment industry, including, at the most basic (and not at all comprehensively):

• Where do I watch new media? Anywhere! You enjoy new media programming on the Internet and cell phones, not just TV and radio. *New media buzzwords you already know: broadband content, mobile TV and podcasts.
• Is it always scheduled? No! New media lets you watch what you want when you want to, not when the provider schedules it. *New media buzzwords you already know: on-demand (video-on-demand, mobile-on-demand, gaming-on-demand) and streaming media.
• How do I get it? Lots of ways! New media comes to you via the Internet, gaming boxes, Internet streaming set-top boxes and more, not just airwaves and satellite. New media buzzwords you already know: set-top box and IPTV (Internet Protocol Television).
• What’s the format? Digital! But image quality can range from exquisite (digital television standards like HD are part of the new media movement) to excruciating (the grainy videos you see on popular Web sites are mega-compressed to save space). Audio alone takes less space, so it usually is good to fantastic.
  
• How do I experience it? Interactively! You aren’t expected to passively watch and listen. New media lets you submit instant feedback, share a show with others and even affect its content, via virtual worlds, social networks, forums, blogs, wikis and other participatory features that the Internet savvy call “Web 2.0.” New media buzzwords you already know: mash-ups and viral video.

I bet now you know you’re more familiar with new media than you realized! So how do you make the most of it professionally? Here are five “starter kit” essentials to help you become a new media mogul:

1) Join the User-Generation: Get your message and material in front of thousands more eyeballs. If you’ve ever uploaded a video clip to YouTube or BlipTV or other “user-gen” sites, you’re already new media-mazed! If not, here’s all you have to do:

• Research the various sites and READ THEIR POLICIES for content rights.
• Open a free account with your professional or company screen name. Use the same name at every site you register at so fans can find you.
• Shoot a quick intro reel (or edit your current reel down to about 2 minutes). Home video is fine if it’s all you can shoot, but a digital camera will survive compression better.
• If you don’t have a professional video capture and editing program, just use iMovie (Mac) or Windows Movie Maker (PC) to transfer the tape contents to your computer and make simple edits and title cards.
• Upload the final product to your site account. Remember, you must own all of the rights to everything in the video before you can upload!
• Email a link to your contacts to let them know you’re streaming online (usually do-via that site).

Career uses: stream your movie trailer, talent reel, show promo or more.

2) Go 2.0: help your audience find and give feedback on your projects by making sure you have an active presence in all the new interactive Internet sites, and stream your media there, too:

• Launch your own blogs: a Web log, or “blog,” is an online journal where you can publish regular entries, or “posts,” that readers can enjoy and instantly respond to. You’re reading one of my blog posts right now. Now go get your own - there are free sites everywhere, including this one, Google’s Blogger. Register with your same screen name, decide if content will be viewable to the general public or to members-only, and remember, with some design, you can stream audio and video here, too (even linked to your user-gen account). Always read the rights very carefully before you publish or upload anything. Career uses: share behind-the-scenes production stories, teach what you know in your field, create an online voice for a character and more.
• Join social networks: from MySpace to FaceBook to Friendster and LinkedIn, there are endless online “communities” that let you post a page about yourself, invite people to connect with you and give you access to those people’s other contacts (and gives all of them access to yours). Social network presence makes your message and project instantly international! Keywords you create let people who share your interest find you. You can even start interest groups of your own at social sites like MeetUp and Gather. Of course, you can stream media sometimes, too, including video and audio (MySpace music sites have been legendary for launching bands). Just be sure to read all rights and permissions very carefully before you publish or upload anything. Career uses: there’s no better way to widen your worldwide network of contacts than to share other people’s connections.

3) Broaden your distribution options: Feel stuck in the old model of old media, waiting for some impossible-to-reach wizard to wave a magic wand and buy your show or finance your film so it can reach an audience? Investigate the many “third party content aggregators” who sell directly online, like CustomFlix and IndieFlix and, of course, Amazon.com. Also take another look at the sites that feature original streaming content for free, for advertising participation or for other revenue-generating options (like Revver’s viewer-based model). Or build your own site and commit time and funds to marketing directly to your audience. (If you don’t know who your audience is, that at least helps explain why it’s so hard to get funds for the project!) Want to know how to build your own product-based Web site? Sounds like a future post…check back in or sign up for our blog feed so you’ll always get the updates!

4) Broaden your career options: Feel even more stuck in the oldest model of old media, waiting for some impossible-to-reach wizard’s assistant to schedule a meeting for you to work on the wizard’s own dream project? Consider all of the new job opportunities in new media, from content creation to marketing to game writing and design and more! I’m actually teaching a class at Columbia College Hollywood this quarter on New Media Professional Paths and Possibilities. Check your local schools and weekend workshops to see who’s talking about new media careers.

5) Broaden your knowledge: There’s so much more to learn about new media to use it more effectively professionally. Be sure you’re reading the trades (I love Cynopsis Digital) and regularly looking up new terms online when you hear or read them (assignment #1: what’s “ITV”?)

And know this: you want to start riding the transition train right now…because it’s not going to be “new” media much longer.

NEW MEDIA STARTER KIT CHECKLIST:
__ I have defined the audience(s) for my project(s).
__ I have created audio or video content that promotes my project(s).
__ I have uploaded my content to at least one user-generation site that my audience frequents.
__ I have created a blog that features my content and invites reader feedback.
__ I have joined a social network and/or started a group of my own and am actively courting contacts.
__ I have researched marketing opportunities for reaching my audience directly.
__ I have attended at least one seminar, panel, workshop or course that tells me more about professional careers in new media.
__ I have posted a comment to DMA’s “Break into the Biz” blog with my own thoughts on this and other posts!

Need more help with your project packaging strategies? Contact Show Starter to schedule a private intensive seminar on selling your show!

One of my most popular posts to date has been “#16: Do I need to read the trades?” In that post, I outlined the minimum types of information you should scan the trades for and also suggested key trades to read. Thanks to the strong response I received, in this post, I’m going to follow up with specific examples of what you might find in the trades – and how you can translate that information into selling your own projects.

Whether you work in film or TV, you can put these tips to use, even if the specific example is not from your industry.

Let me start by recommending you immediately ditch any hard copies you receive of the trades and sign up for the electronic versions instead. That way, you can easily copy and paste information straight into your databases or share it with partners and reps. Remember, always show copyright love whenever it bears stating!

Now, here are six ways to “trade up” your daily reading into a focused, project-selling process:

Trade-Up Tip #1: Track the Trends
As you prepare to pitch various projects, the trades tell you what’s hot and what’s not. Guess which trend you want to be riding? For example, for reality TV professionals, over the past two weeks, we’ve learned that:

• My Network TV is about to replace 33% of its programming with reality TV AND 180 from telenovelas to targeting male viewers (reality producers, take note);
• Court TV’s first scripted project is a hit with viewers (fiction producers, here’s a new potential buyer!);
• NBC, the CW and Bochco himself all are about to launch original Web-based programs (everyone, are you still ignoring new media?); and
• Networks in general are looking for cheap ratings bonanzas in brand-friendly game shows (got a talent option you don’t know yet how to capitalize on?)

All of that info ought to help show creators decide which ideas they are going to prioritize developing to maximize sales possibilities. Database these updates in a simple table or spreadsheet, and you’ll always be timely in your pitch meetings. And remember, the execs you’re pitching expect you to know this info if it was in the trades!

ACTION PLAN: In Word or Excel, build a simple table with columns for network/studio name, programming announcement(s) and announcement date(s). If you’re a member of the Show Starter Online Group, we’ve started you off with a file of over a dozen network programming announcements from this year’s upfronts! If you’re not a group member yet, be sure to sign up when you buy the book (or join if you already have the book) by clicking here. Group membership is for book purchasers only.

BONUS ROUND: If you don’t have any pitches that ride the trends, rework existing projects to stay current. Is there a cooking pitch you love that also might make a terrific game show? For helpful process tips, read “Show Starter, Vol. 1,” pp 25-27.

Trade-Up Tip #2: Run “Comps” on Projects that are Similar to Yours
TV producers, before any pitch meeting you ever take, be absolutely sure to check the overnight ratings for the current shows at that network AND any shows anywhere else that are similar to yours. Filmmakers, regularly track the weekend box office for any studios or companies you hope to meet with or any films in your genre.

Now for the example: remember the hot new – and now former – ABC show “The Great American Dream”? At the end of March ’07, if you were about to pitch any dream fulfillment shows anywhere, or any show AT ALL to ABC, a quick glance at one day’s trades would have shown that “Dream” utterly tanked episode one (ratings report - 3/28/07)…and was cancelled after episode two (cancellation article - 3/29/07 - as in the NEXT DAY’s trades).

Translation: this might be a pretty bad time to pitch a new dreams-come-true project anywhere, and ABC execs might be particularly cautious about new genre projects in general. Isn’t that something you’d like to know before entering the room? You BET. At least so you can explain why your project isn’t vulnerable to the same ratings risks? And don’t be blinded even if you see high ratings. Just because the trades report “Fox Picks Up 13 More Episodes of 5th Grader,” it might mean Fox wants to do another deal with Mark Burnett rather than buy your equally biting game show.

ACTION PLAN: Do a quick ratings review in the daily trades to compare your pitch list to current shows. Push danger zone shows to the bottom of your list, if you pitch them at all over the next few weeks. Then shift at least one brand-appropriate trend-winner into your top three opening pitches.

BONUS ROUND: Brainstorm alternative versions of your danger zone pitches (Show Starter, Vol. 1, pp 25-27) so they no longer heavily rely on now-risky elements. Then if an exec challenges them, you can come right back with a well-thought-out twist on your pitch.

Trade-Up Tip #3: Dissect Deal Points
If you’re not sure what to expect and request in your own deals, read the trades to keep up with what everyone else is offering or receiving! For example, for all you filmmakers who are fighting mainly to get a piece of DVD rentals in your deals, shouldn’t you know that the “Netflix Founder Predicts End Of DVD Rental Business” and now is investing millions in digital film downloading? Meanwhile, reality newcomers and pitch partners can set some basic contract expectations by reading news like “Hedda Muskat has been named Consulting Producer on WE’s new show, ‘Wife, Mom, Bounty Hunter’ debuting on April 20. Hedda brought the show to World of Wonder who sold it to WE.” (© 2007 Cynopsis).

ACTION PLAN: Scan for any deal discussions regarding professional peers or potential buyers. The Cynopsis example above lets you know right away what you might expect to be offered by WE and/or World of Wonder as a new show creator.

BONUS ROUND: Oh, you know what I’m going to say: add this info to a database – and review it before you actually pitch any partners!

Trade-Up Tip #4: Improve Your Project Development Process
Seeking “the right” talent to attach to a project? You can test the industry’s temperature for star “heat” by reading that “Kid, Not Play, May Get Talk Show.” Or get a great lesson in built-in conflict for reality pitches when you read that “Season three of Run’s House on MTV begins April 9 at 10p. Rev. Run and the Simmons family return to face new crisis and growth situations such as the two oldest daughters, Angela and Vanessa living on their own in Manhattan.” (© 2007 Cynopsis). Whenever you read about greenlit projects in your industry, consider it powerful development guidance for your own projects.

ACTION PLAN: Scan the trades for talent and story success stories and see what equally compelling “headlines” you could write to promote your own projects. Do you have more work to do to develop the project?

BONUS ROUND: Write the headlines – and send them to your focus group to see if they want to see that show!

Trade-Up Tip #5: Gather Insider Information
I call this “Room Wisdom.” These are articles that give you explanations of how our business works that help you get inside the minds of the studio, network and production execs you are pitching. For example, the Hollywood Reporter recently ran an article called “Ad Ratings To Gain At Upfront,” explaining that advertisers increasingly want to base the ad dollars they commit to a network on ratings for the actual commercials that run during programs, rather than ratings for the shows themselves. Is that a big shift? Of course! Is that something you can talk about intelligently in the room when possible ratings enter the discussion? Sure – if you’ve read the article.

ACTION PLAN: Read insider information articles and make sure you can summarize the general idea into a straightforward sentence (like I just did above).

BONUS ROUND: Learn the article’s new buzzwords and do additional research on them. For my example article, you would research “ad ratings” (aka “commercial ratings”) and the new Nielsen measurements they represent.

Trade-Up Tip #6: Scan for Who | What | Where
I’ll say it again – success in isn’t just about know-how; it’s about know-WHO. You absolutely must know who the players are that can buy your projects or otherwise assist their sale. All the trades announce executive hiring, firings and job-swappings. Many also feature producers who have just sold new projects. You must know these names to learn whom you already know and whom you need to meet with – not just in the room, but also at panels, seminars and conferences you see advertised.

For example: got contacts at “The Amazing Race”? Guess what? Now you might have contacts at Oprah’s new wish fulfillment show – the trades just announced “‘Race’ duo to oversee Harpo reality series.” But before you send an e-mail blast to everyone you know who works anywhere, please read Post #12: Do you know anyone who’s hiring?” Please don’t ever let the first thing you say to someone – a stranger OR a friend – be “What can you do for me?” Make sure your energy in this industry is balanced between advancing your own dreams and sincerely investing in your core circle’s dreams at the same time. Those contacts are the ones who’ll call YOU to yell, “Hey, I just got the new Oprah show – send me your rez!”

ACTION PLAN: Database the names of studio execs, network execs, production execs, financiers and show runners and keep it updated through your daily trade reads. Start with the network and prod co dbs we give you at our online group (book purchasers, click here to join!), and keep it up-to-date. Those names are the key to your selling a project.

BONUS ROUND: Today, right now, send an e-mail to the five people who have helped you most in your career. Offer something specific to help them back – even if its updating one of THEIR databases. Get balance back in your professional relationships – and watch the immediate shift in your professional progress.

BONUS, BONUS ROUND – Stop typing your latest email blast asking people you otherwise never check in on to find you work. Now re-read “Bonus Round” and give that approach a try instead. Please trust me on this. And remember, send thank you truffles or coffee cards to everyone who ever gets you in front of anyone else for a meeting - whether you close a deal or not.

NOW GO SELL THOSE PASSION PROJECTS!

For more in-depth process and resources, buy:

• “The 1-3-5 Story Structure Made Simple System: The Nine Essential Elements of a Sellable Screenplay“; and
• “The Show Starter Reality TV Made Simple System, Vol. 1: How to Create and Pitch a Sellable Reality Show”

now from Movie in a Box Books!

A funny thing happened a short while ago that prompted this new post. First, I was invited to speak at an event. I replied with an enthusiastic yes (for those who have seen me, you know how I love a workshop/panel/parking lot…anywhere I can talk passionately about the biz)! Then I immediately sent the organizer my current bio, with links to more information and pictures online. The organizer was very surprised by my speed/efficiency and sent a nice thank you.

That SAME DAY, I was helping a friend of mine put together materials for an upcoming project. We already had sent three requests for a bio from one of the participants, which finally arrived a few days later, with typos. And I thought, “It’s time to talk about what you MUST bring to the table if you want to work in entertainment!” While you are hoping and/or expecting to be respected and sought after and paid for your talent, be sure that you are 100% on point in delivering what the industry expects of you.

UPDATED RESUME
Nothing is more important than a résumé that accurately reflects, at least:

• Your job titles;
• The project name;
• Your employer;
• Any production partners (e.g., choreographer, production company, director, etc.);
• Your dates of employment.

An example would be:
Principal Dancer      THE NUTCRACKER              Lompoc Ballet      Chor: Justin  12/2006
Background Dancer “LOVE MY BABY” (Baby Tee) Paramount Music Chor: Jayn J  10/2006

This really is just a credit list, so employers can instantly see not just what you have done, but FOR WHOM. Those names are the ones that will get you hired more often than your titles! If I know someone on that list, and I call them, and they rave about you, my job hunt is over.

Also include degrees, professional affiliations and awards.

Let’s talk about the format for your credit list.

• It must be ONE PAGE ONLY;
• It must include, at least, your legal name, professional name (if different), mailing address, contact number, e-mail address and Web site (if any);
• All names must, must, must be spelled correctly (check online - these could be established shows or friends of your potential employer);
• Create your list in a table (in Word, that’s Table/Create Table) with columns (skip tabs and spaces!) so you can easily line up columns, update and move things around;
• Stick to one format for each credit and make it uniform throughout the rez (e.g., if project names are in caps once, they should be in caps always);
• Include your name, professional title and year in the title of the document. That way, when you e-mail it to a potential employer, they can save the file and always know what and whose it is. So you might call it: “Rez_LeeBryant_Producer_2007.doc”

Organize one credit list by job title and another by date (most current down).

You might end up needing a more extensive rez that includes job descriptions for some submissions. But your current credit list is an absolute must for all job submissions - update it on the last day of every job.

CURRENT BIO
A bio is not a two- or three-page brag sheet. It is a one- to five-paragraph summary of what you have done and why it makes you stand out from your peers (check out About DMA for an example. Don’t re-list every job from your rez here. Summarize and sell. So your five directing credits might be presented as: “Over the past five years, Corrinne has directed several acclaimed regional and off-Broadway productions, including the Lucent Award-winning production of MacBeth at New York’s Ventana Theatre.”

If you are kind of weak in the spelling and grammar area, please send your bio to someone who is excellent at it. No typos. No grammatical errors. No syntax errors. Let it put your best foot forward for you!

Celebrate each new professional milestone by immediately updating your bio. That should be the final thing you do to signal the end of a gig. A call could come the next day, and you’ll be ready with current info.

CURRENT PHOTO
Even if you are not a performer, on many occasions, you will be asked to submit a photo with your written marketing materials for promotion, including Web sites, brochures, event programs, etc. You should have a current, accurate photo in both 8×10 print format and a small, digital file (say, 100px x 150px, 72 dpi, JPEG).

CURRENT E-MAIL ADDRESS
Hey, we work in entertainment; we’re expected to move around the world! Addresses and phone numbers change, but make sure you have an e-mail at a free service you know will be around for a while (Yahoo!, G-Mail, etc.), and use that as your permanent address (don’t rely on your current DSL or cable address; buyouts happen too often). If someone tries to reach you three years down the road off of a submission, know that they can at least find you there. If you don’t have a computer, go to the library and get online for an e-mail account. It is not an option to NOT have one.

WEB SITE
In 2007, Web presence is REQUIRED! Having a Web site markets you 24/7. Visit Planet DMA and imagine how much time it would take for me to walk every person through all of those products and services on a one-on-one basis. Web sites don’t cost a fortune, and they are worth every dime you spend, especially if you are selling your services. Visit Planet DMA Portals to see the sites we create for entertainment professionals and performances. At the very least, MySpace* is free, or you can create a blog on sites like this one (Google’s Blogger) for FREE. You want to expand your visibility in the industry? Get yourself onto the Internet.

*If you currently use MySpace as a social network, please create a second page that’s a professional site ONLY, with your pictures, video, music, credits, what-have-you. You are using this site as a selling tool; keep it clean and simple to navigate.

A CELL PHONE
I know you have one. Please remember to turn it on, carry it with you, check it regularly, and keep the message box clear so you can get messages about jobs, interviews, casting, go-sees, auditions, rehearsals and bookings. Also, take the pop songs off of your message, please, and let people get straight to hiring you! “Hi, you’ve reached Darwin Smith, please leave a message. Thank you.” Done.

Okay, that’s the minimum list. Add to that a current reel, a portfolio, spec scripts, references and more to show people who can advance your career that you are ready, able and worth every possibility they can present. Best! dma

As you may know, one of my first jobs in Los Angeles was as a story analyst at a major production company. That experience inspired me to develop the 1-3-5 Story Structure Made Simple System that my 1-3-5 book is based on. If you’d love to spend long nights and weekends reading and analyzing the future hits (and not-so-much-a-hits) of Hollywood, here’s how you go after this fascinating, funny and frankly high burn-out entry-level gig.

THE JOB
As a story analyst, it is your job to read and summarize scripts then analyze them for structural soundness, story, dialogue, character development, creativity and more. That is called “generating coverage,” and you will do that for your creative executives (CEs) on fairly tight deadlines.

THE PROCESS
When you apply for a job as a reader, you will be handed a sample script and asked to analyze it, using the company’s coverage template, in a set period of time, FOR FREE. The company’s development team will review your work to see if it meets their needs, and may then hire you. Once you are hired, you usually work as a freelancer, being sent or picking up your “weekend pile” of scripts when they contact you. There often are scripts to cover during the week, as well. You might read only a handful of scripts a week; at big companies, you might have to analyze twenty or more a week.

THE PAY
Oh, pay is sooooooo looooooow for readers! You almost always are paid on a per-script basis, anywhere from $20 - $55 a script, usually. Given the hours you invest, it’s not much money, but it’s great experience for both writers and aspiring development types.

GETTING THE GIG
Before you go after a reading job, be sure you have a strong grasp of story structure! Take multiple classes, read multiple books, know industry terminology and expectations. That’s not just to help yourself get a job; it’s also to be fair to the writers whose scripts you are about to be responsible for vetting. As a story analyst, you are a gatekeeper for your production company, the first point of entry for screenwriters trying to get their work produced. That is a big responsibility . It is also great trench training for screenwriters who are interested in learning the buyer’s point of view of this business, as I discuss in detail in my book and seminars. Next it’s time for the job hunt. Craig’s List often has postings in the “Gigs” section of the Los Angeles region. Just do a general search for “reader” and for “story analyst.” Also, let your friends know you are looking for a story analyst gig, and put a cool gift into the mix for people who get you into the consideration pool!

Finally, reading jobs are notorious “insider” gigs, handed off from one analyst to the next, so the best way to get one of these jobs is through a contact. If you know someone who does coverage right now, ask if they can submit you for consideration as a reader for their company. If they get you in to do sample coverage, terrific – be sure to get them a gift, whether you’re hired or not.

BTW, for gifts, I love to do coffeehouse gift cards. I’ve caffeinated half of Hollywood in the past dozen years.

I very regularly hear the question: “Why should I read the trades?” Here’s the quick answer: you have to read the trades to know what’s going on in the industry you’re trying to earn work, income and respect in.

I think a better question is: “HOW should I read the trades?” That’s because once you zero in on the key information, you’ll be less overwhelmed by all of the additional stories that make reading the trades feel like such a task.

Which trades should I read? Everyone in film and television can benefit from Variety, Hollywood Reporter or TV Week. But yes, they cost quite a lot, so you might just want to subscribe to the weekly edition rather than the daily one. Even better, go online and subscribe to the e-trades - many of those are free! I’m a fan of Cynthia Turner’s Cynopsis. There is also a great mix of e-mail newsletters available through Media Week. And this just in from a colleague: TV Week has a free e-newsletter, and right now, they’re also offering free access to their extensive site to new subscribers! TV Week is a major money-where-your-mouth-is champion of diversity in television, so I’m thrilled to announce any great opportunities from them.

Almost all entertainment fields have excellent trades targeting their members’ needs and offering employment info. For actors, you should at least regularly read Backstage. In the music industry, Billboard and Vibe are king, but regional trades may be more important for local information. For example, Music Connection, an L.A.-based mag, has great articles, artist spotlights and free classified, with national news, too. Fashionistas need Women’s Wear Daily, of course, but I’ve never come across a legit trade paper for modeling. Open to hearing suggestions on this one!

What should I read in the trades?There’s so much information packed into trade papers that it can seem like too much to tackle. So rather than read nothing, here are the three things I suggest you scan for:

1) Who’s working where in your industry’s “gatekeeper” positions? This means heads of A&R in the music industry, development executives in TV and film, casting directors in acting, fashion directors for stylists and designers. Start tracking the names you need to know, where they’re being hired/fired/reassigned, and get familiar with their points of view!

2) What are the current trends in your industry? TV & film producers, find out what types of shows and films are being produced (remember when cutthroat reality shows gave way to feel-good TV? That was foreshadowed in the trades!). Singers/writers/composers/producers, read what type of artists are being signed (is this really a good time to form a new hair band? Maybe…). Fashion folks, do I need to tell you to research what colors, textures and styles are current on the runway and the streets of Tokyo? And everyone, learn how new products are being pushed. For instance, musicians, if you’d been reading the trades, you would have known last year that building a solid MySpace fanbase gave you a better shot at a record deal. Those stories were breaking back in 2005!

3) What technological changes are taking place? Right now, everyone needs to be learning as much as they can about streaming media, mobile content, RSS feeds, mpeg4 and future video formats, and more. Not just to expand your reach to your audience - but to understand the scope of the contracts that are coming your way! Are those terms all total news and a mystery to you? That’s why you need to read the trades.

I’m going to keep this short, but not at all sweet! Who should you pay to make it in show biz? You should expect to pay any professional whose products or services help you break into the industry if that person will NOT otherwise directly financially profit from your income.

YOU NEED START-UP FUNDS. Whatever area of entertainment you’re driven to thrive in, do yourself an important favor before you begin - or continue - that pursuit. Stop for at least 1-3 months and work as many jobs as you can to raise real seed money. You’re shooting for $1000 - unless you’re moving to New York or Los Angeles, in which case, you’re shooting for $5,000 (don’t come to L.A. and not have a downpayment for a car). Believe me, it will change your experience when you can pay for what you need rather than wait for people to do you favors. And a favor is what someone is doing for you if you have no experience or contacts to help them out with in return!

Okay, let’s start with the models. As you get started, you SHOULD PAY photographers, make-up artists, hair stylists and fashion stylists for your test shoots. You don’t have to, of course; there are many rising photogs and set artists who are looking for models for their book. But if you are just starting out, you don’t want to work exclusively with other newbies. A paid professional with a solid portfolio and good references gives you not just more experience (and when it comes to lighting, that counts), but more contacts s/he can turn you on to. You SHOULD NOT PAY any agent or talent scouts upfront. The scouts get paid by the agency if you’re signed, and the agency takes 20% of what you earn. That’s all they get - it’s enough!

Next up, actors. Follow everything I wrote for the models (except your agents only get 10% of your earnings). Now add that you SHOULD PAY acting coaches, dialect trainers and other instructors. May I add that that includes casting directors who hold casting seminars? If they are teaching you something you don’t know and giving you a front row audition for their critical services, why wouldn’t you pay them for that? They aren’t going to profit directly from your income! You won’t be mad about it if you’ve saved up the cash to pay for training at the beginning of your career.

Singers and songwriters, you’re next. Read everything for the models and the actors (except the casting directors). Now you’re going to add that you SHOULD PAY for studio time, an engineer, possibly a producer and a vocalist for you non-singing songwriters to get your demo CD made (with mp3 files if you can’t convert tracks at home). In this modern day of Cakewalk and ProTools, you should be able to find a very talented arranger with a home studio to lay your tracks down with you, and many of them need vocalists for their cuts, so do your homework and partner up. But when it’s time for a demo, you want a professional environment, and not all composer/arrangers are producers. A real audio booth, a mixer who really gets the boards and knows how to make the vocals shine and a producer who has a trained ear for your genre (and for pitch!)…that’s invaluable. Pay for it! That money isn’t just buying you experience, it’s buying you a guaranteed session (free connections love to flake) and, once again, industry contacts if you show them you’re as good as you believe you are. You SHOULD NOT PAY for people to shop your deal; they are going to get a management commission for that, usually 15% of your overall deal.

Writers and producers, you’re the lucky ones because you’re behind the scenes. You SHOULD PAY for professional memberships and seminars to learn your trade - and because contacts are the only way you’ll get a job! You also need some good coffee, lunch and giftie money because you SHOULD PAY to treat professionals who share their expertise with you. Thank people! A Starbucks card does wonders. You SHOULD NOT PAY anyone to shop your projects. They get a piece of your sales pie.

For everybody in the biz, the most important person you SHOULD PAY…is an experienced entertainment attorney. Now we’re talking $150-500/hour. But the money s/he will save you by reviewing and negotiating your deals…priceless. Don’t you dare sign even the simplest contract without a lawyer looking over it. A real one. Not your ex-boyfriend, the divorce attorney. Or your best friend’s mom who went to law school. An attorney who has done many, many, many of the same deals that you are about to sign is the only one you’re going to work with, okay? Why wouldn’t you protect yourself with the most informed, well-connected professional you can find?

Well, it turns out that wasn’t even short, but it’s important information! Trust me on this: you won’t mind paying people if you’re actually approaching your career as a business, not a DREAM. Do you see the difference? If you were opening a bakery, you wouldn’t be looking for people to work for you in exchange for exposure to customers, or bartering for ovens, or expecting to get a license from the County for free! And you sure wouldn’t sign a 5-year, $3 million lease without a contracts attorney looking it over. It’s only in the entertainment industry that people throw their good sense to the wind and let pride and entitlement and panic take over. It’s show BUSINESS. Accept it, embrace it, and watch your experience in this game change once you do.

When new screenwriters finish their scripts, they often begin the search for a rep to submit the work around town. But is that the best way to do it? Well, sure! But it’s not the ONLY way to do it.

As you prep to get your script sold, incorporate this info into your marketing strategy:

SEEK REPRESENTATION

But only if you have a bona fide “in” to their direct office line! It’s very difficult to get a lit agent to read a script for representation without a personal introduction by a repped client of theirs. If you know a screenwriter or other industry member with an agent who actually is getting scripts read by real studios and funders, and you have TWO solid scripts (more on that later), ask for an introduction. Give your contact a substantial gift whether you are signed or not!

Of course, it’s not necessary to have a lit agent to shop a script. Make getting an agent only one part of a broader shopping strategy.

EXPLORE LEGITIMATE SUBMISSION OUTLETS

The main places you’re trying to get your script to, production companies, studios and even top-five actors’ shingles, are sometimes more accessible than lit agents. If you’re not already, make sure you join professional writers’ groups like ScreenplayLab and Scriptwriters’ Network, and attend every possible event to make those contacts. There’s a list of organizations to get you started at Movie in a Box - Links.

Again, the way to shop a script in our industry is to know someone. It’s tough to open a new professional relationship by asking for the considerable favor of an agent referral, so try a strategy where you’re offering something they could use in exchange for the introduction. And expect them to request to read your script first - and listen to their notes without argument.

Another credible outlet for getting your script noticed is via some of the online sites. If you’re not already, make sure you’re active at Inktip, for example. And be sure to explore the hundreds of screenplay competitions, like Scriptapalooza - but check first to see what success stories you can verify from their sites. If you bought my book last year, you have access to our terrific online database of screenplay contests as part of your group membership. You know what? I’m going to bring the online membership option back so other writers get access to the agent and contest databases and more on that site.

WRITE AND QC MORE THAN ONE SCRIPT

“QC” stands for “Quality Control.” Do not ever submit a script that is not structurally sound, no matter how ready you are to stop looking at it! This is neither a judgment, an assumption, an insult or a joke. It truly is a requirement. I was a reader at one of the biggest prod cos in Los Angeles, I’ve had scripts optioned, I run a filmmaking seminar, I’ve taught at UCLA Ext, I’ve written a very popular screenwriting book. Please trust me on this. There are no second chances for first impressions in our industry. And it’s not just your rep on the line, but also the rep of whoever opens that door for your submission.

Why “more than one script”? That is because if someone reads work of yours and thinks you have promise, their next request (to confirm the initial impression) is very often, “Can you send me another spec?” If you can’t, that is by no means a dealbreaker. But if you CAN, and the second script is equally hot, that could be a dealmaker! The second script needs to be structurally sound, as well.

Be sure that your screenplays are structurally solid (on a first submission, nothing else will do! Trust me!). Be sure that an experienced Hollywood reader has read the script and you’ve addressed the notes. As I always say, “if the story does not fit, you must not submit!” If you submit a flawless first spec, you will never have to live up these standards again, but you should. If you submit a flawed first spec, you will not get the chance to live up to higher standards at that company; you will be blocked from future submissions.

CONSIDER PRODUCING YOUR WORK YOURSELF

If you find you are getting great feedback on your work, but it’s never quite the right fit, consider producing the film yourself. This is a great approach when you have a lower-budget indie project (think “Open Water”) versus an effects-laden thriller! It is an enormous undertaking to produce a film, but there are many resources out there for people who have compelling scripts to develop. And just as you studied and trained to write well, be sure to research and train extensively before taking on a massive project like producing a movie. Your first stop should be a professional organization like Film Independent (FIND), which can connect with you with terrific partners and/or mentors, as well as vital resources.

However, you decide to get your screenplay sold, it should be clear by now that you don’t do it alone - you need community support and resources - and no one else does it for you - even an agent! It is no one’s responsibility to open a door for you to sell a screenplay. It is your responsibility to create a tight script, research appropriate buyers, and relentlessly seek submission opportunities until someone buys - or you decide to produce your work yourself!

Want more information on the nuts and bolts of writing a sellable first submission? Please do check out my book, “The 1-3-5 Story Structure Made Simple: The Nine Essential Elements of a Sellable Screenplay” for a very simple structural approach and streamlined writing and submission process.

At this point, I realize some of you are thinking…”But how much am I going to MAKE? How much can I sell my screenplay for?” Answering is just not that easy! And I don’t want you asking if you think writing a screenplay is a way to make a quick buck (which surely you don’t if you’ve read this far!). But the answer is, you can sell it for what it’s worth to the person who’s buying it. For a range of union rates (which are by no means minimums - FREE is our industry minimum), be sure to check out the Writers Guild of America’s “Schedule of Minimums” at their site. For a number you can throw out yourself, read my November 2006 post: #17: How much should I ask people to pay me? and use that against the schedule of minimums for your base number - if the buyer is willing and able to negotiate a fee for your work.

I also speak at a lot of film fests - check my calendar for upcoming dates and be sure to stop by and say hi! Happy screenSELLING!

This is a tough post to publish, but it’s just so important! The message of this missive is simple: stop asking people to hire you. STOP IT. It is not only not an effective way to break into the industry, it is a sure way to drive away the very people who are able to help you.

Does this sound counterintuitive? Completely against the whole concept of “taking initiative”? Let me explain.

If you have few or no credits (and little or no income), you know the frustration/panic of not knowing how you’re ever going to break through the gates of the entertainment industry and get both recognition for your passion AND a paycheck for your bills. That’s a given, and that’s entirely valid and understandable.

But take a moment before you ask the next person you’ve just met to hire you to visualize the same scenario OUTSIDE of the entertainment industry. If you’d just met the senior partner of a law firm, and had neither work experience in a legal firm nor a law degree, would you open and/or close the conversation with a request to be hired? I hope not! Because if you did, the head of that firm would not be impressed by your passion for law. They would be baffled by your lack of understanding of how one gets hired to work in a law firm. They also might be a bit miffed by your lack of respect for what they do since you think that someone with no experience merits some of their hard-earned income. And finally, they might really like you and appreciate your enthusiasm for their field, but they already have a long line of entry-level applicants they’ve already got a relationship with and will offer the next opening to.

Notice the “entry level” qualification in that sentence. That’s because if you are approaching the head of a law firm with no experience or degree and asking to be hired as an attorney, well, you are insane and deserve the outraged expression you are about to see on his or her face. But you know that already. In fact, you would never dream of asking a senior partner at a law firm to hire you as a lawyer if you had no background qualifying you to do so!

Now, if you understand that boundary in the legal arena, but you approach employment differently in the entertainment industry, you are setting yourself up to fail. It is imperative that you enter this field recognizing and respecting it as a real business. Your passion for medicine will not earn you a spot in the operating room if you have no degree, and your passion for Hollywood will not earn you a gig in this industry if you have nothing to bring but your passion. And why should it? Why would you demand to be paid top dollar as a surgeon if you have no idea how to perform surgery…and why would you demand to be paid any dollars as a filmmaker if you have no idea how to make films?

Now I know you might be saying: “I know how to make films!” “I know how to write a script!” “I know how to produce a TV show!” “I know how to act!” Can I ask you, for one moment, to consider the possibility that if you have not already done one of these things, professionally, and regularly paid your bills doing so…that there is something, in fact, much…that you do not in fact yet know?

Still with me? Okay, now what if your approach to the industry became “What do I need to learn to succeed here?” rather than “How much can I get out of this as quickly as possible so my dreams can immediately come true?” What if you slowed down a little and decided to learn before you leap?

As soon as your energy becomes “What do I need to learn?” instead of “What do I want to earn?,” your experience in this game is going to change. FAST!

Here is my suggestion to you the next time you meet someone you’re dying to work for. Don’t tip the balance of the exchange by becoming a “supplicant,” someone with their hand out for a job. And don’t end the possibilities of the meeting by pretending you know or have done more than you have done. Instead, talk to that person with passion about what they do! People in the industry work the most ridiculous hours you can imagine, as will you. And they do it because they are obsessed with what they do. Let them talk. Learn from what they know. Buy them a cup of coffee or a glass of wine. THANK THEM FOR THEIR TIME. And walk away from that exchange without asking for something additional in return.

I do mean something “additional.” Information is money in this industry and every other one. Someone’s precious time and pearls of wisdom are worth a lot to you if you listen and learn. Don’t add to that generous gift by also asking them for money!

If you find a connection between a talented person and yourself, this is a person to follow up with later and ask if you can give THEM something back in RETURN! This is the person you want to VOLUNTEER for. Now that you know what they do, figure out what skills and contacts and assistance you can offer them. And this is key: don’t offer to do something for them that will help make your dreams come true; offer to help them achieve one of their own goals. Because once you do that, you’ve evened the exchange, and the ball is in their court now to want to help you! And if you go in and do an incredible volunteer job, believe me, they will want to help you.

I cannot count the number of times I’ve had this conversation with new people in the industry. I CAN count, however, the number of times they’ve sent me a thank you note and asked me for a job, despite all I’d just told them. Do you think I hired them? Of course not! They couldn’t follow the simple, free advice I’d just given them; I knew they might once again think they knew better than I do when I gave them instructions to do something at work at my company! Why would I take that risk when I already have a long list of people I’m already hoping to help move ahead?

On the other hand, the one…and I do mean ONE…person who followed up with me and offered to work for free for a week (on a massive show) in order to cross out of music videos into TV production….well, we hired her at the end of the first day. She was that good.

Are(n’t) you?

I keep saying “attitude is altitude.” I’ve talked a lot about what attitude you should not have. Now here’s the attitude that will help you thrive in the business.

• In life, you get exactly what you give. Don’t think because you don’t have stature or money that you have nothing to give to Hollywood! Time and simple talents are great assets to everyone. And don’t think that because you do have stature or money you don’t need to give (”I got mine!”). You stay relevant in entertainment by staying connected and useful to everyone around you.
• You’re not competing with anyone. No one can do exactly what you do. You are competing against your own level of ambition, work ethic and self-identity. Concentrate on that, and you will succeed. Get distracted by someone else’s opportunities, and you just lost your own game.
• No one owes you anything. Let that sink in, please. No one owes you a script read, a job, a promotion, a chance, a contact, a way in, their time or even basic respect. If someone gives you any of those things, in any form, recognize that as a gift and THANK THEM. When you let go of what people can do for you and empower yourself instead with what you realistically bring to the table, the world around you makes a giant, fantastic shift. You start to control your experience in this industry instead of reacting to someone else’s.
• If you’re not having any fun at all, stop. There are so many amazing things to do in this world. If you’d met me twenty years ago, you would be shocked to see me now, not being a world-changing United States senator and future president. Be open to change. I was.

You can best get someone to help you by helping yourself then offering to help them.

This is a business of know-how and know-WHO. Spend time learning everything you can, at every level you achieve, and helping everyone you can, whatever level you are at. Your peers are your greatest resource; cultivate them! Unless you’re an Oscar winner yourself, Denzel and Julia are not the people you need to meet; they already have a pile of people they already are indebted to and taking care of. Instead, do everything you can to help your circle of peers achieve because when they do, they are going to open the door to bring you in with them. And if you are the one who gets through a door first, bring the people who have taken care of you in with you - at their level of competence. Don’t offer or accept jobs that greatly surpass someone’s (or your) ability; everyone loses.

Don’t let your opening line to anyone be “Can you do ____ for me?” Ever. This is not a taker’s market. It immediately sets you up as an energy drain, and it shifts the balance of power between you and that person. Equally as awful, don’t ever have a conversation with someone and not know who they are and what they do if there was time to find out. Go see their film or watch their show or read their book or visit their Web site before meeting them. When I’m on a speaker’s panel, I spend the days before researching my fellow panelists so I can draw their experiences into a discussion point or have a conversation with them afterward about something they’ve done that I’m dying to learn more about.

Don’t think I don’t know that mentors are wonderful. But they are not the people to break you into the industry! Your mentor(s) will show up when you are already just in the door, working your hardest, making everyone’s life easier around you. Believe me, someone will approach YOU to offer you assistance and guidance. You have to earn a mentor and an advisor just like you have to earn everything else in this industry.

If you want to break in and have no contacts, you are going to be a production assistant (PA) somewhere. That is our industry’s entry-level position, and it pays about $500/week. YOU WILL NEED A CAR. So work all you can to get some savings a buy a car of some kind before you jump in. And once you battle your way into that PA job, be the best PA that company has ever seen! You are being evaluated on your work ethic at every level of this industry. Learn new stuff on your own time, not the company’s. You will get a shot at a promotion because of your attitude, not your skill set. Show them you are a person who invests in your company and its projects, and they will want to keep you around - or give you a great referral for your next position.

I want you to ask yourself if the real question you are asking is “How do I start making BIG money in this industry?” And the answer is, you invest years of time and sweat equity, and you will be rewarded. It might be one year; it might be ten. But getting filthy rich won’t be the very first thing you do. Those American Idol winners didn’t come from nowhere to get a record deal. Look at the backgrounds of every single winner. There are years of toil and training and passion behind that victory. It just LOOKS like they got handed their dream. They earned it, and so must you! And earning it is FUN because, hey, this is Hollywood!

Throughout your time in this industry, whatever level you are at, don’t prioritize fame and funds over fulfillment. It will cost you dearly, both professionally and emotionally. If you are in ANY business just so everyone will know you and be envious and want to be just like you, you are in a world of trouble. Your self-worth is low (yes, it is! YES IT IS.), and no amount of outside adoration or material things will make you feel better. In fact, it will make you feel worse because any success will make you feel like a fraud (which is why drugs and alcohol consume so many people in this town). Fix all of that in therapy, not the production office. And don’t sell me or anyone else out by creating, funding or green lighting stereotypical, embarrassing, dangerous or flat-out wrong images about entire groups of people so that you can make a quick buck. A conscience is better currency than cash in the long haul in this industry. You will not be at the top every minute of this ride. Sometimes you will have dry spells, and your reputation and honor and goodwill will take you farther than your savings account ever could.

Not that money doesn’t matter! This business costs cash to survive. You have to pay to live, to be in professional organizations, to learn at seminars, to enter competitions, to network and entertain, to make a reel, to have a car (please have a car), etc. If you don’t have the money to do all of that yet, get a second and third job if you have to. Don’t sit on the sidelines saying you can’t jump into the business because things cost too much. And really don’t spend all of your time writing a script instead of working nine jobs, especially if you haven’t earned the cash to take the classes and read the books and meet the people who will teach you how to write a script you can actually sell! Work at the mall, answer phones, work at Best Buy (get that employee discount!), just pay your bills, and invest every extra dime in your career!

This is for anyone trying to enter the business: be sure you are not getting things backwards. Imagine an attorney saying, “If I can just win enough high-profile cases, I can earn enough money for law school.” Or a doctor trying to do enough high-paying plastic surgery so he can pay for med school! That’s what the industry hears when you are spending all of your effort and limited funds trying to start at the top of the game by directing a film or selling a script to the top company in Hollywood or selling a show to a network. What I want you to consider doing is getting a job and learning and earning you way to the top. Because it will be so much harder for anyone to knock you down if you are standing at the top on a strong foundation. Put your money and time into education and preparation and EXPERIENCE. The success and money will come.

Just to prove that you don’t have to always act or be perfect to succeed in this industry, let me just dive right in with some examples of where I have wholeheartedly failed!

In one of my first jobs as a “rescue” producer (hired to fix a broken show), I inherited a existing staff. And that staff was happily working at a slow pace, in an inefficient way, with a lot of last-minute cleaning up to do. So I quickly examined the production process and threw the whole model out. With my new model, we were completing way more work in far less time, meeting the deadlines, going home at better hours, delivering the right things to the network the first time out…and my staff was miserable. They didn’t care about efficiency and deadlines! They just liked to come to work with each other. And I hadn’t respected or valued the importance of friendship and loving where you work. I wasn’t respecting the environment I worked in. I had to change. So there were more staff lunches and happy hours and funny cards and gifts, etc. Not everyone came around because I’d upset them so much with the changes. Others followed me to other jobs and started incorporating my system into their own shows.

At another job, several years later, I again inherited a staff. They were miserably working at a manic pace, in a stress-filled environment, and they hated coming to work each day. I tried introducing more fun things to the work experience. They still hated it. I met with them to hear what wasn’t working and custom-designed solutions to fix the problems they struggled it. They hated the show more, and now they hated me, too. I made it through the first season and never made one dent in the staff’s experience or attitude. It was just misery for all of us. But for my part, I wasn’t respecting the fear they were feeling. The show was too big, the new systems were too foreign, the deadlines were too brutal. I simply could not fix their fear. And this time, I couldn’t change myself to make things better. So instead, I changed my deals. I no longer accepted a show unless I got to hire my own staff. I wanted to surround myself with people who weren’t afraid of making TV in a different way. On other shows, sometimes that worked, and sometimes, it failed, too.

Even though some of my hardest efforts have been failures in the small picture, with problems I couldn’t fix or even made worse, they all were huge advances for me personally and professionally. I talked in depth with my network exec on one show about what I could do to make the staff’s life less awful, and he became a confidante and advisor to me after that show. He trusted my compassion for my staff. I learned how to deal with people on their own terms…and when to stop investing in people who didn’t want to be helped. I learned to change as quickly and as adeptly as I needed to so my shows and my staffs could thrive. I grew so much in every victory and letdown because I was, and still am, dying to learn things I didn’t already know.

Can I also add why I think some people succeed? Success happens when you learn before you leap, work yourself dizzy because you love what you’re doing, contribute more than you reap and recognize even the small moments as gigantic blessings. Again, “attitude determines altitude.” Don’t think you’ll be the person who can bypass that formula. Consider adopting it just to prove me wrong by failing. You won’t.

Hands down, the easiest way to move up in Hollywood is to thank the people who help you.

No one in Hollywood ever gets thanked. And I don’t mean an e-mail that says “Thank you.” Not because that’s not perfectly lovely and appropriate, but because it’s rarely an equal investment on your part for all someone has invested in you. If someone gives you something valuable, like a job or a referral or fifteen inspirational, guidance-filled minutes of their time, then give them something valuable in return (a gift certificate, a volunteer day, a donation to their charity, etc.). At the beginning of a job, I usually give a gift to whoever referred me for the job. And at the end, I usually give gifts to my bosses - who have paid me thousands and thousands of dollars and given me an awesome production credit. Do you know how many other staffers gripe instead about not getting gifts from their bosses?

People will remember the gestures you make that say “I give you the return gift of my time.” That might be walking to a coffee shop to send someone a gift card. Or it might be coming to their office to file on a day their assistant leaves early. Actions speak louder than words…and time speaks way louder than e-mails.

I have to keep going on the “attitude determines altitude” theme for people who are trying to rise in entertainment. Some people think that looking successful will actually replace being successful - or working hard to get there! So the question I want you to ask yourself, if you find yourself getting nowhere in your Hollywood dream is…

DO YOU FRONT? COME ON NOW, DO YOU?

• Do you wear sunglasses inside, when you are not blind, even when you are speaking to people? Psssssst. You look young and unexposed and unsure of yourself. That’s true even if you are famous. If Sidney Poitier and Kathleen Kennedy and Mira Nair can work a room without shades, so can and must you.
• Do your business cards say “Executive Producer” though you have never raised the funding for a produced film? That means if you meet a real executive producer, they might see you as competition instead of a fantastic new talent they can groom or give advice and mentorship to.
• Is your first question in every interview, “How much am I being paid?” Enough said.
• Do you stubbornly defend your writing and professional and creative choices to anyone who offers you feedback on them? If you are intent on presenting yourself as already knowing all there is to know…no one will ever want to teach you what you’d love to learn.
• Are you leasing a luxury vehicle or watching a 42″ plasma HDTV on your leather couch but do not have a top of the line computer and all of the software, tech gear and media components you need to make it in this industry? Sell off the lease. Buy a camera and audio and lighting equipment and hard drives and Microsoft Office and Final Cut or Avid Express and First Draft, etc.

The sooner you start to embrace the attitude of being successful rather than the appearance of it, the sooner people’s perception of you will shift. The attitude is not, “Hey, I’m a big man! Check me out!” It’s “Hey, I respect what you do and am making my way through this maze. How can I contribute to your dream with what I have to offer - ’cause I know I’m going to learn something along the way?”

When I talk to people who are just starting out, they think that their biggest obstacle will be successful people holding them back or not helping them up. WRONG. Your biggest barrier is your attitude! Are you here to learn, earn and return…or do you want to get as much as you can for as little effort as you can expend?

So many people want to start at the top or rocket there after only a few gigs. They have such fantastic talent and ambition, but they open by founding a production company or looking for a three-picture deal. Based on what experience and contacts? Don’t do it! Not just because it’s extraordinarily entitled, which is horrifying to the industry people you meet who have invested years in learning their craft (and might otherwise have happily helped you), but also because if you get a big break too soon, you’ll have no skills or contacts to make it pay off for you (”Grand Opening…Grand Closing” - thanks Chris Rock).

No, you don’t have to start at the bottom if you know the right people. But there’s no point in anyone taking a helicopter to the top of Mount Everest just to get to the top as fast as you can. You’ll have no idea how to survive in that brutal climate. And what’s really interesting to anyone who meets a mountain climber is the actual story of how they got to the top. That’s where you’re going to learn all you need to know to work the heck out of that mountaintop when you get there. The people who created “Amazing Race” and “CSI” didn’t start as the show runners! They entered at their level of knowledge and worked their way up inside of their own hit shows! Where do you think they are now? Running their own hit shows, with the well-earned respect of their staffs.

Not everyone registers the “work your way to the top” approach when I say it. A screenwriter friend goes nuts when people argue back with examples of the “exceptions” - about some crappy movie that still got made, about someone who didn’t know what they were doing but got handed a deal, etc. Unless you have the same deep industry connection or demographic desirability those “exceptions” had, plan on making it on talent and hard work instead - it’s more fun anyway! Besides, if you are invested in making it by breaking all of the rules of the game, you are missing out on all the great opportunities to enjoy tremendous success by playing the game exactly how nearly everyone else is playing it. Why miss out on the great big Hollywood party by hoping to bypass gaining experience and meeting mentors and shaping a creative project from the floor up and passing your experience on to the next group of talented filmmakers? All of that is the good part!

Here’s more insider information adapted from my interview with Twyman Creative.

Question:What do you need to know to succeed in the industry?

DMA’s Answer: After more than a decade in the industry and attending or speaking at countless conferences, festivals, seminars, etc., this is what I’ve found consistently to be the source of guaranteed failure: People at every level of this game fail because they don’t know, respect or believe how the industry operates. It’s that simple and that unfortunate. Here are the biggest areas where I think people truly soar or crash in this industry. This is not for the defensive or faint-hearted: I really want to state frankly what I mean!<

FAIL OR FLY REASON #1: DO YOU KNOW AND USE INDUSTRY LEXICON?
I talk to filmmakers (emerging and established) as often as I possibly can, and I tell everyone to learn the language of the industry (”beat sheet,” “line producing,” “first look deal,” “turnaround,” etc.). No one trusts you as a doctor if you don’t know what the word “scalpel” means, and no one trusts you as a filmmaker if you don’t know what the acronym “E&O” stands for or where to get it. If you know the language and the proper spelling and meaning of important names and events, at any level of success, people take you more seriously. The best classroom is a J-O-B. Get one in the industry at whatever level you’re truly qualified for, and watch what happens.

FAIL OR FLY REASON #2: ARE YOU ALWAYS LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE INDUSTRY?
This is the only industry of the many I’ve worked in where people are proud that they know nothing and think natural talent and big plans are all they need. Imagine if your attorney took that approach…and still wanted to be paid well just for being “passionate” about the law, despite never having gone to law school or been inside a courtroom!

Go online and read about the studios and production companies (look at the credits of films you watch and write names down to see who you want to research). Watch great films in and outside of your generation, favorite genres and cultural connections. Read the trades to see which companies are doing what and who the movers and shakers are today (I read five every day, and I will keep reading them until I no longer work in the industry). Attend seminars and truly listen to what you are being told; I attend easily a dozen seminars a year and take notes and read further when I get back to work the next day. It always impresses me when people have information far beyond what they need to know to do what they do. It makes me think they are certain of and prepared for bigger futures.

Hands down, the best way to learn is to get a job in the industry! The education and contacts will be more valuable than the money at first.

I recently did an interview with Twyman Creative about working in Hollywood and enjoyed answering the questions so much that I wanted to share them here. Here’s the first tip:

Question: What do you recommend for people getting in the industry?

DMA’s Answer: VOLUNTEER TO DO SOMETHING USEFUL FOR SOMEONE WHO CAN TEACH YOU SOMETHING. The only way to get jobs in Hollywood is to know people. The best way to get to know people is to help them achieve their goals. Then they will help you achieve yours - if only by letting you see firsthand how a job is done right!

It’s completely self-defeating in the entertainment industry to be about what you can get from others; people smell a user or a bloodsucker a mile away. Know what your strengths are and volunteer them. If you can type, help someone update their database. If you have a car, offer to drive someone around town on a day they have back-to-back meetings. If you have Internet access, help someone post film announcements at all the hot sites.

When I was a political aide in San Francisco, Tom Bradley was running for governor, and he was coming to town from Los Angeles. I called his office and said, “I’d be happy to drive Mayor Bradley anywhere he needs to go.” They cleared it with him and my boss, and I spent about sixteen hours talking politics and personal history with a legend. He offered to give me a great reference for grad school, too.

It’s frustrating how often I’m offering free advice to a Hollywood newcomer, and the recipient cuts me off by saying, “So who are you? Have I ever seen you before?” That single statement says that the entire standard for validity in that person’s world is having a famous or recognizable face. Welcome to our culture of celebrity - and to your biggest obstacle to making your entertainment dreams come true.

Let me please say that I have never been and don’t have any goal of being famous due to a career in entertainment. I am, instead, fulfilled due to my career in entertainment. At one point in the past 20+ years, I have met my own standard of validity and success - I have paid my rent/mortgage, car note, grocery bills, utilities, supported my french fry habit, socialized with friends and traveled extensively thanks to steady professional income in show biz. That includes runway modeling, acting, singing and songwriting, screenwriting and now television producing. I love what I do, though I confess I don’t always love doing it.

You know what I DO love? Always? Mentoring people. I’ve had some amazing supporters in my life, and it means a great deal to me to help other people see the real entertainment industry, warts and more, and find a place inside of it. I’ve seen people soar here…and I’ve seen people really burned out and hurting. And the difference between those two spaces is who you believe you are, what you are here to achieve, and what you can learn about achieving it.

I want to help you see, accept, experience and thrive in this very tough business. And for that, you don’t need to know who I am. You need to know what I know.

Read on.

The Issue: People have asked me why I am starting my own blog, and I’ve certainly asked myself. There are at least 3 good reasons to start one of your own. Keep reading, and you’ll find out what inspired me…and perhaps what will motivate you to “self-publish” on the worldwide Web.

The Hard Truth: Admittedly, a “blog,” short for a “Web log,” is the ultimate tribute to this celebreality era of self-obsession and self-promotion! Wasn’t it just a few years ago you were yelling at your mother for reading your diary? Now you’re publishing it online for the world. Does the world care? Well…yeah.

The Solution(s): YES. You should start your own blog if:

You’re about to travel extensively. Postcards are incredibly thoughtful, romantic and personal treasures for your closest friends and family. But be honest, you’ve had to mail a bunch of them after you got home because you couldn’t find or afford stamps abroad. But if you can get to an Internet cafe or have access to a computer, a blog lets you post instant, in-the-moment stories, photos, even audio, for everyone you can e-mail, with way more information than can fit on the back of a card.
TIP: Keep some things personal, still. Write special notes on the blog for people…or hold some info back for private postcard text only!

You’re about to dive into something new. Double the intensity of a new experience by sharing your thoughts/fears/joys on a blog…and opening the door for 24-hour feedback, cheerleading and advice! Best of all, you have a permanent record of your journey from day one (you won’t believe it years later). Fitness and new job blogs are already hot topics, but why not a “learning to cook” or “moving to a new city” theme? Or maybe a “start of a new romance” blog where you only invite one other person to join?
TIP: Commit to sharing one pro and one con of the new experience in each of your posts and invite friends to give you tricks for getting past the con.

You have something unique to share. You know you have a special niche in your family and group of friends. Are you the go-to guy for hooking up home electronics? Maybe everyone who breaks up with a boyfriend heads straight to your door? That smells like a big, steaming pile of blog! Why not go online and share what you do best with the world? It’s a great way to explore what you know, help other people and do what you love to do. It will help solidify your “personal brand” to an even larger and more diverse audience.
TIP: Not sure what your personal brand even is? The world is trying to tell you, believe me, and I can help, too. Check out the link for “My True North” on this blog’s home page!

So why did I start my own blog? Well, I just got back from a month of travel. But I’ve never really sent postcards, and I confess, I didn’t blog either. (I did read a friend’s exciting round-the-world blog and laughed at all of the drunken photos. She might need the blog to remember what she did all of those months!) I’m also diving into something new, putting my ten-year producing career on ice to pursue speaking, my greatest passion, full-time. But I have a fantastic marketing coach to join me on that journey. So it turns out I’m travelling, doing something new and beginning this blog all for the same reason: Door #3.

I’ve been a confidante and advisor to so many “stuck” people over the past fifteen years, and I keep on hearing the same phrase when we talk: “I’ve never thought of it that way before.” I love that moment of POSSIBILITY in their eyes, faces, voices. I’ve done so many things, I just assume everything is possible. And no matter what limitation people think they’re facing, I always find a way IN to get them to try a new step in a new direction. If you’ve been on the fence about starting your own blog, I hope this will tip you over to give it a try for one day and with one intention: not to put information online…but to put inspiration online. In the one, personal, singular way that only you can.

The Caveat: So is the answer ever “No, don’t start a blog, or we will track you down and spill a latte on your keyboard”? Well…yeah.

If you are: frequently intoxicated, deeply angry at a certain someone, bitter about bad times in life or trolling for unhealthy stimulation, don’t hook your “Web” up with a “log”! All that time you spend ranting, raving and venting online…is time you could be spending at AA, a therapy session or out on a first date moving FORWARD with your life. Blogs are so brilliant at capturing the present. Don’t abuse them-or anthing else!-to stay locked in the past.

To begin your own branded blog, go to www.blogger.com and follow the very simple steps to create a page and begin posting!

See you next week with the next question and, even better, the next solution. All the best. dma