The Next Step Of course, the truly difficult part doesn't begin until you graduate. However, you can't wait to address this part of your journey until you get there; you have to plan for it from day one! Hopefully you've made the most of your time at Full Sail, doing things discussed in the previous section and then some. If you haven't been working towards your post-graduation goals since you started your core film courses, you'll end up regretting it. You'll also complain that you didn't get enough out of your education to get hired. It's worth repeating; you decide how much you get out of Full Sail, if you don't make a decision to make the most of it, you won't take much away from the school. While in school, it's a good idea to start meeting people in the market you plan to enter after graduation. I made friends over the internet that ended up helping me land valuable gigs, such as the one on the FOX Studio Backlot for FOX Searchlab (the friend is a Sound Mixer -- he helped me out earlier, connecting me with some work, and I returned the favor by being his Boom Operator when his regular operator couldn't make it). Don't send out letters to famous Directors, Producers, etc. and expect to hear anything from them. The people you need to be meeting are at your same level or just slightly higher. Look for others who just recently graduated from film school and are trying to make it; be a friend when they're struggling, and they'll be yours when they start succeeding. That's how the industry works... I'll do something for you, and then you can do something for me. It may sound cold or harsh, but it's the reality of the game. The concept and truth about it may be cold, but you better not be if you want it to work for you! Be a true friend, even when others aren't to you, and you will find the people who are willing to be true friends. Networking Your ability to network will determine your success. Networking and skills are the two primary aspects to finding work. Having graduated from Full Sail, you'll have the skills category in the bag. In fact, you'll be more technically qualified for a crew job than USC and AFI graduates. Unfortunately, Full Sail doesn't adequately prepare you for the other half of success in the industry (and that's where USC and AFI excel. None of these three valuable schools truly offer the entire solution to success though... you have to provide the other half no matter where you go). Adrian's Ten Tips on Networking Meet people. This may seem obvious, but you do have to work at it. Erik Wieder, my good friend and Hollywood roommate, is a religious person and benefited greatly from meeting people at services. I found my online journal to be a valuable resource in meeting people before I even got there. Be creative, but don't be a stalker, and don't freak people out by being overly zealous in meeting people. Think about the things you like doing, and then think about ways to make that work for meeting people. Go to the gym? Enjoy yoga, cycling, or other activities? Vegetarian? People in Hollywood take pride in being healthy and in shape, so if you participate in these things, they'll work great for meeting people. My classmate, Brandon Trones, has a strong interest in working out, and has been able to use that as a way to meet people. Any hobby you have can be used to work for you. Make a list of things you enjoy doing, and then brainstorm ways to meet people for each item you list. Introduce yourself and find out more about them. Let them do the talking! In any conversation in life, the person who does the most talking will feel the best about the conversation and thus about the person they're talking to. So let them talk, and actively listen. Guys, try this with the girls you know, and your favor among them will undoubtedly increase. Be happy to have met them. This isn't to say you should worship somebody because they're a 2nd Assistant Camera or Best Boy; to the contrary, if you go overboard they probably won't care much for you (is a famous musician going to truly care much for the fan that worships them?). Show your interest, tell them it was nice meeting them, and give them a nod when you walk by while working on the set. You'll even have to be glad to meet people you'd rather not see again in your lifetime. Many of the people who have the power to make things happen, are eccentric, elitist, or just plain nuts. But, they may have the ability to make things happen. I met some awesome people on a shoot that was produced by somebody nobody liked. Be advised though; everybody in Hollywood thinks they're somebody. It won't take too long for you to develop a "Bullshit Meter" that works for you. It's often best to err on the side of optimism though, as few things hurt more than realizing you dismissed somebody who could have helped your career significantly (and besides, you may find comedic value in some people with a high BS factor). Get their name and business card. This one is simple, just do it. You should also expect people to do the same to you, so have business cards to hand out. You can get free business cards from VistaPrint. Keep the cards together, organize them by either their job duty or which job they worked with you on... whichever you're more likely to remember (if the latter, get a new business card for each production, make a copy of the one you already have, or write their info on the back of one of your cards). Greet them by name whenever you see them. Having a problem with names, this one was rather difficult for me. The more you do it though, the better you get. If you have a problem remembering somebody's name, there are several things to try in order to help. Get a crew/cast sheet as soon as possible. This list should have the names and titles of every crew member. This will help you correlate jobs and names, as you'll be able to easily see who is an A.D., A.C., Boom Op., etc. Then you look at the list and find the position. Don't stop there though! If you want to remember it, be sure to say (either out loud quietly or just inside your head) their name and title (and go ahead and say the name a second time), like so:     Joe Somebody is the Production Coordinator... Joe Somebody. Second, when you have to get their name from them, repeat their name after they say it! More often than not, names get mentioned and then instantly forgotten. To prevent this, force yourself to repeat their name back to them, this not only makes sure you have it, but helps you remember it by focusing on their name as well as simply saying it. For example:     "Hello. I'm Adrian Ziemkowski, I'm the second assistant director."     "Ah. I'm the Key Grip; Joe Somebody."     "Great! Nice to meet you... Joe Somebody?"     "Yep. Nice to meet you too." This alone is a small way to show you care about who they are. Chances are your asking will also prompt them to double check that they got your name right as well, which can never hurt (chances are they forgot already). Finally, if you're having difficulty with a name, write it down and repeat it back to yourself. I've seen professionals do this regularly, I've even had an experienced 1st A.D. from England have to write down my name. They asked me for my name in the same way I illustrated above and repeated it back in the same fashion. It didn't stick though, and with the miracle of a boom pole, overheard him asking the Production Coordinator what my name was, and then saw him write it down and repeat it back to himself. It worked! The next day he greeted me by name several times while shooting. When you're standing idle, ask if they could use any help. Unless it's a union gig, where you are only allowed to perform the job you're hired for, don't hesitate to give a helping hand. At the same time, don't bother people. If you're a boom op for instance, the camera department will get irritated on your asking to help more than a few times. Also, keep in mind that people are proud of what they're doing and may not want your help. They also may think you're incapable of it, going back to the boom operator example, they may think you have zero experience with camera gear. Having graduated from Full Sail, that is far from true, but they don't know that and will be wary on letting you touch their gear. You can comfort them by letting them know you have experience by making comments about their equipment or the like, "Ooohh... An Arri SR-3! Don't you wish every camera was as easy to load as that?" Don't presume to know how to do their job better than them though, even if you truly do, as they'll never want to work with you again. So, comments that give advice are almost always inappropriate! If something is terribly wrong, advise them in the form of an indirect question like, "Oh, that dolly head doesn't attach upside down too?" If they think they came up with the answer, they'll like you, if you gave them the answer, they won't care much for you. Finally, don't touch anything without permission! If somebody says you can do something, it isn't your fault for doing it, and you save yourself a lot of trouble. If a camera assistant sees you moving one of their cases, you may well suffer the wrath of the DP or Production Manager. It may sound like it's better to just stuff yourself in the corner, but you can gain a lot of favor by wisely helping out. When lugging a huge case up a set of stairs, would you dislike somebody for giving you a hand? No, chances are you'd thank them and have a short conversation with them. Listen for open requests for assistance. Be smart, be cool. Keep in touch. Call people you've worked with weeks after you've worked with them to see how things are going, WITHOUT ASKING FOR WORK. Go out to dinner with people you've worked with for no other reason but to socialize and keep in touch. It's a simple fact that friends help friends. This is a very social industry. People like hanging out, chatting, and enjoying each other's company. Not only can it be fun and exciting, but it can help your career. Don't be afraid to send an email to a former boss (department head; DP/UPM/Gaffer) or producer letting them know what you're up to and hoping they are enjoying an equal or better amount of work and success. "Life is crazy on the shoot I'm working on now! This DP sure could learn a thing or two from you! I hope you're busy making more breathtaking work!" Keeping in touch with the person directly one step ahead of you will probably help you the most. If you're a 2nd, keep in touch with the 1st's you've worked with, as they're the ones who hire their 2nd's. The time to start focusing two steps higher is when you feel ready (as far as your résumé is concerned) to move up a step. If you're a loader or 2nd 2nd, contact the 1st's when you're ready to become a 2nd. Keep in mind that this may cause conflict with their current 2nd, so don't make this move hastily. Write thank you letters to people who help you. This is something that can really mean a lot, but almost nobody practices. You really flatter somebody when you say thank you, and even more so in writing. Just like the practice of letting people talk more than you, making people feel good about themselves increases your favor with them. If somebody gives you a lead that turns into a good gig, write them a quick letter saying it meant a lot to you and that you enjoyed the gig. Keep it brief, a paragraph or two, and send it via post if possible. Emphasize how they helped you, and include a photo of the results if possible. Don't let people down. This is very important! The only way to get reoccurring leads from people, is to make them look good by following their lead. Chances are somebody is putting their name and reputation on the line by recommending you. If you look bad, so do they. Likewise, if you look good, so do they! Nobody forgets people that make them look good. You are only as good as your team, and they know it too. Just like you, they want to succeed, and by making them look good, you help them do that. Therefore, they're more likely to keep you close and help you out in turn. The old saying is true; what goes around comes around. In the same thread, be happy to do everything you're doing. This is part of what makes you look good, and keeps you from letting people down. If you can't do something, find somebody who can. If somebody turns to you to accomplish something, and you can't do it (for any reason, such as already being booked or not being familiar enough with the equipment), help them find somebody who can. This reaffirms that you were the right person to turn to, and also helps somebody else out. Bringing another person into the picture gives somebody else an opportunity, and also means they owe you one. Be sure they won't let you down either! Keep in mind the aspects of the next tip. Reciprocate! Eventually, you'll be where you are because other people helped you along the path. There's no possible situation where you can't say somebody helped you get where you are. Don't forget that! Other people need that too! Other people starting in the industry, fresh out of film school, are having just as difficult a time as you once had. Help them if you can. Don't put too much faith is somebody you just met. Give them a small connection, a small gig. If they perform well, and they make you look good, then give them a bit more the next time. As they succeed, they'll remember what you did for them and find ways to help you out. Even the leaders of the industry, such as Oscar winners, depend on other people to help them out. You are never too successful to be helped or to help somebody else out. You'll be more inclined to help your peers that went through the journey with you, for good reason, but don't forget about the people below you. Just because they're only Production Assistants, doesn't mean they're nothing. You were once as seemingly meaningless as they may appear now, but do you still feel that way? Not all of them will remain that way either. Steven Spielberg, David Geffen, and Robin Williams (just to name a few), all were seemingly trivial parts of the puzzle when they began their careers. Once again there's an old saying that holds true; Be careful of the toes you step on today, as they may be connected to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow. I must admit that I didn't follow my own advice, and that is why I'm not in Hollywood right now! Proceed to 'Frequently Asked Questions' This article is broken up into four pages: - Deciding to Attend - Making the Most of it - Survival After Graduation - The Next Step - Networking - Frequently Asked Questions