Applying for an Entertainment Job

Since I hire a lot of crew, I see thousands of cover letters and resumes from applicants. I thought I would share a few tips on what catches my eye and compels me to reach out to an applicant.

1) A well-thought out cover letter. Some applicants don't even send a cover letter. Or they write one sentence. I don't have time to open a resume and guess why the person is applying for the job. I want the applicant to tell me in their own words why they want and feel they are right for the position.

Also, I prefer the cover letter to be in the email and not an attachment. Again, I don't have time to open attachments. If the cover letter is well written, I make the time to open resume attachments but feel free to put the resume in the email too. Anything to make my job easier is appreciated.

2) One page resume that is clearly organized and not overly crowded with text. Less is more. If you have a lot of credits, figure out how to condense them so the employer is not overwhelmed with too much to read. 20 page resumes scare me. Focus on the highlights in your career, not the kitchen sink.

3) The cover letter is professional and not too conversational. I don't know you yet. You are not my friend. So don't try to be funny or cute or interesting. Just the facts Jack. You can be funny and charming in the interview.

4) Your credentials correlate very well to the position for which I am hiring. Be focused about the jobs to which you are applying. Don't expect a call from me if you are a cook and looking for a job that requires you know Final Cut Pro. I will only call people who specifically point out how their skills mesh with the position. If it seems like a good fit then I will reach out.

5) Be one of the first to apply. This is a tough one because you may see an ad a few days after it has posted. Don't give up. You should still apply but know that you are now probably competing with about 1000 resumes (no joke) and that I may be too tired at that point to even open your email. But you never know. Your professionally written cover letter and great credentials may just grab my attention.

6) Be local. I won't consider any out of state applicants. Sorry. I need to find crew fast and being out of state doesn't fulfill my needs, unless I am filming in your state of course!

7) Have experience. Unless it is an internship, I need you to have experience in the job for which I am hiring. Entertainment jobs are often freelance and require experience. If you don't have experience then get out there and intern.

8) Working reel. If you are a DP or editor then you must have a reel. And it should be online and not take too long to load.

Okay, I'm going to stop there. I need to head in to the office and get to work!

My parting message to applicants: Be professional and tell the employer why you are a good fit for them. Make it easy on them to hire you.

And, most importantly, be focused in your search and try to lean on colleagues and friends and family for referrals to jobs. Your chances of getting the job you really want is through those who know and support you. Networking is the best job searching tool around. Good luck!

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Producer Resources for Finding Crew

I hire a lot of crew. Currently I am producing a documentary and we are filming at least one to three times a week. I am often trying to fill crew needs when our main crew have conflicts in their schedules.

And I make one to two narrative features per year as well.

So my crew needs never end.

Where do I find all of this crew? I prefer to find them through referrals from my colleagues. But referrals only go so far. I often have more needs for crew than referrals can cover.

And I have tried pretty much every resource out there for crew. I will rate them here.

1) Crew Lists. The best resource besides referrals are past crew lists from other projects -- and not just your own. Little known resource: State film commissions collect crew lists from film projects in their regions. Ask for copies of those crew lists. Call the producer and get the scoop on the crew you are seeking.

2) Craigslist. Yes, Craigslist is my number one Internet resource for finding crew. No fee to post when you put the job under gigs and you get immediate responses from probably the largest pool of people.

3) Mandy.com. Mandy is a close second but I think Craigslist is a little better as more people know about Craigslist than Mandy.

4) EntertainmentCareers.net. Great resource for longer term job postings -- like finding assistants or interns. As the title suggests, this site is primarily for career jobs so I don't really use it for crew but I do use it for finding interns!

5) Media-Match.com. Pay is involved for those seeking gigs. That means less of a pool tracking the gigs. Great site but I try to avoid those that require a fee for anyone.

I know there are other sites as well but I just don't use them. By the time I make it through the above sites, I usually have hundreds of resumes to sift through...

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Julie & Julia: Tells the Story of All Us Writers, Freelancers, Filmmakers & Entrepreneurs

I just got back from seeing Julie & Julia and the whole experience brought a tear to my eye! Have you ever had that moment when you feel, wow, he or she really gets me. Julie & Julia really gets me! Finally, a movie that shows my life and the lives of countless other freelancers, writers, filmmakers, and entrepreneurs. And that's the power of cinema. Art really does imitate life. 

If you want to know what it is like for those of us who chose the more unconventional path of seemingly creating a career from nothing but a passion then this is the film to see. The great thing is that Julie took a simple blog idea and it grew into something much bigger, opening doors to the very career she hadn't been able to crack. Likewise, Julia found her passion in cooking -- something she stumbled into -- and she worked diligently on her passion every day and it paid off -- BIG. The key to both is that they never gave up and they gave it their all.

Watching them both sit at their typewriters and then seeing their husbands supporting them was like a carbon copy of my life to date. My husband even leaned over during the movie and said: That's us. I laughed and cried. (I seriously have the most supportive husband, it truly is ridiculous. I love him to pieces for being there for me for 18 years and counting!) I laughed because it's true and I cried seeing others do what I do, achieve success. I love that! 

I know there are thousands more of us out there -- working away, every day to reach our goals of having our work achieve success. I'm friends with many of them and each and every one has their Julie or Julia inside them. We all need to support that creative spirit and that passion. Remarkable things really can happen, even from nothing. 

Here's the thing: As filmmakers we must stay true to our voice and work tirelessly (and I mean doggedly) day in, day out to achieve our goals. It's not easy. You will work the hardest you have ever worked in your life. But it will feel great to see your work on the big screen and know that you did that. You helped create that movie that everyone is watching and from which they will be changed for the rest of their lives. That's the goal. And that is why we get up every day and sit at our computers and write and read and make yet another film. And we love it. 

So thanks Julie & Julia for reminding us that it's important to hang in there and keep working at it -- even when you want to just give up and cry on your keyboard. Crying's okay. Just wipe the tears and keep working.

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Are Studios Open on Saturdays? by John August: Learn the Biz

In John August's blog post Are Studios Open on Saturdays?, John reminds us all that if you want a career in film, you do need to grasp a basic understanding of how it works. 

I have to agree with John. In the film industry, people are working at lightning speeds and have tons of queries every day coming in from many artists. You need to go to the movers and shakers of Hollywood with an understanding of the basic mechanism of Hollywood or you will most likely be ignored. Not out of being mean. It's out of the need to focus on projects that have the highest potential for success. And the chances that someone who doesn't know how the industry works having the next big hit is pretty slim. 

So don't give anyone a reason to dismiss your work. Take the time needed to read everything you can get your hands on, i.e. books, blogs, articles on the industry. Get a subscription to Variety and/or Hollywood Reporter. Go to festivals. Attend panels and seminars and workshops. Go to film school if you like. Just remember to hone your knowledge on the ins and outs of Hollywood as your hone your craft. 

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