Five Networking Tips for Freelancers in the Entertainment Industry

Freelancing in a busy city can seem like a very competitive venture and it is. But, I don't see competition, I see opportunity. If I can connect with individuals who are in the same boat as me and somehow work with them, everybody wins. When I meet people, I discover their strong points compared to mine and I believe that everybody can thrive if we pass work onto those who do it best as opposed to just doing it to make money.

Don't get me wrong, money needs to be made, but I'm not going to do something I'm not proficient at just because I need the money - that's how things get messed up. I prefer to network with people and pass work opportunities back and forth. I often get other, similar people and services involved when I have a gig to do so we can share the opportunity and what goes around will usually come around.

Although I have titled this blog posting for those in the entertainment industry, these tips work equally well in other industries, too. In fact, I've often been inspired by other industries and have applied the knowledge to my own. Enough, already, let's get on to the tips!

1) Always have a business card or other small promo item on you to give away. You never know who you’ll meet. Put your website information on it as well as your phone numbers and email. I’ve handed out cards at weddings, nightclubs, hotels and everywhere else. One card can create a return of many times the cost of the cards. So, don't be afraid to make them even if you think you might change them in a few months. You can't wait until your tagline, text and titles are perfect, they will evolve to be, then you just scrap the old ones when a new set arrives.

I have had over twenty designs since 1996 and I don't regret one of them. I have evolved and kept with the times, that's why I only get 250 at a time. I never use computer-printed cards either! They look cheap. Until that technology catches up with full color, glossy cards, I will stick with a print house. I will be blogging about business cards soon.

2) Always have a story to tell about yourself. If you have nothing new to tell, begin a project
you can talk about and sound excited about. Excitement and positive emotions are infectious and people will likely remember you more for a good story. But, don't get too centered on yourself, allow others to share stories and offer their opinions, too. Good dialogue is about sharing ideas rather than going on and on about yourself. You want to initiate a conversation in a social situation, then ease off and listen until you have something good to say.

3) Be a good listener. Listening is a skill that requires practice and while you may be excited about your new project, never downplay the importance of somebody else's project. If you accidentally talk over somebody (we all do it every now and then), make a mental note and don't do it again in the same conversation. We can't all have perfect conversational timing, but we can at least recognize our flaws and improve our skills.

4) Get a website (what, you haven't already?). Choose a domain name and get some information published online. It's pretty easy these days (and cheap!). You do not have to invest thousands of dollars to post information on the web. A domain name is a must and it will cost about ten bucks a year on average (you can also get deals on multiple names). You can redirect your domain name to wherever you want. One of my domain names is directed to my YouTube site so people can find my videos easily. You don't have to have a fancy flash intro, either - that can come later.

Also, I design my sites with online services for quick and easy publishing with little need for HTML (I used to use HTML programs years ago, but went WYSIWYG a few years back).

5) Need credentials? Make some. If you need projects to gain experience, but nobody is giving you the opportunity to prove yourself, create your own project to get the experience. Way back in 1993, I had limited experience with multi-track recording (4 audio tracks was what I was used to). Nobody wanted to record my band for free or for deferred payment/credit so I bought some used gear and engineered the recording myself. The recording was sold in 22 countries, got a lot of attention for the band and I got my first official audio engineering credit. Since then, I've worked on a lot of projects for other people but continue to create my own and everything gets added to my bio. The way I look at it, every bit of experience is real world experience.

I have been using these steps for years and they work. There are more tips as well and they will be available as part of my upcoming 'think WORK not JOB' DVD series coming soon. I am available to speak to groups about this as well. If you know anybody who would like to hear this topic or similar topics live, let's talk. Or, let's network!

Cheers!

- Buck Moore (thinkWORKnotJOB.com)

How to be a Great Boss

The Problem - Poor People Skills
People skills are not hard to learn, but reminders are definitely needed. In fact, reminders are needed for almost anybody and anything in a fast-paced working world. Managers and supervisors are especially susceptible to forgetting how to treat people well because they usually have a lot more at stake than their employees, but that just means they have to work harder at reminding themselves how to do it.

Bosses who micromanage need to learn the difference between good and bad micromanagement. They should pay attention to every detail but trust others to complete the tasks. If a person is new, a certain level of micromanagement may be needed to see that the new person understands a process but only until then, while periodically checking the process.

I trust my gut feelings and when I sense a potential problem, I must step in or the quality will suffer. But, I always explain fully why I am stepping in and because I have good people skills, they don't feel that I am being too 'in their face' about it. Then, when I feel they've got the process down, I leave them alone and let them check in when necessary.

Generally, I see poor communication as the reason people feel they are being micromanaged. The last thing a boss wants is for their staff to feel uncomfortable when they are around because they will not want to speak freely and so much can be missed out on.

The Solution - Training and Reminding (and a Pressure Valve)
Like a lot of advice, you have to hear it from another person, if only to reinforce what you already suspect. I practice a skill that lets me see myself from the outside (no, it has nothing to do with mirrors). It is a kind of visualization technique that has helped me for many years. I imagine what my actions look from the point of view of somebody else before I act. It just takes a moment, but it really helps me think ahead.

When things get really busy, pre-visualization can be hard to do, because there is not a lot of time to do it. But, because I have practiced it for so long, it became second nature for me. When time is short, I always remember the concept of grace under pressure and it gets me through.

What I suggest to those who need better management skills is to print out a business card from a printer that says 'grace under pressure' or something similar and laminate it, then keep it in your pocket. If you eventually feel like you are just bottling things up inside, take up an activity that allows you to let it out once in a while. For me, that's speaking in public or performing on stage. I also make short films and write a lot - including screenplays, comedy ideas and a book about all of this (available in late 2009).

Take-away Points:
1) People Skills Training is a must for managers and supervisors who need it.
2) Micromanagement has become a dirty word - proper communication will help clean it.
3) Keep your staff comfortable enough to speak freely, but respectfully.
4) Look at your actions from someone else's eyes before you act.
5) Take up an activity not related to your profession - something creative like writing, drawing, painting, music, etc.

Oh, and get to know your staff, because there are no little people. Also, you may choose to hire a consultant to boost morale or have a staff meeting to let them better understand your point of view.

Have a great week!

- Buck Moore

Get the Most out of Your Education Dollar

I have been an instructor in a career college since 2001, with an average of six classes per week and have taught many hundreds of students. It's one of those things I had wanted to do as part of my career and I pursued it. Having had the pleasure of delivering almost 2,000 lectures, and seeing many different groups of students pass through the system (and some get left behind), I have witnessed how different people, with different agendas, spend their time in such an institution.

Serious students generally take good notes, follow through with their assignments and do well on tests and exams. Those are usually the same students who sit within the first half of the room. The not so serious students usually sit further back, arrive late constantly, don't take great notes, forget about assignments and ask: "Test? What test?"

Aside from me appearing to illustrate a clear division between good and bad, I really want to share some insights into how one can get the most from their education and not just because someone is paying for it. In fact, the money spent is a given; it's what happens after the program that counts - namely, looking for work.

Getting the Answers
No instructor knows everything about their field of work. Many years ago, when I was self-educating for my career through the public library system and beyond, I wrote down a statement that had a profound effect on my education: "The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know." That was a very powerful statement that kept me on the path of educating myself to this very day. You can't just learn a bunch of stuff and then get a career. There is a need for upgrading one's education as time goes by.

Smart students listen to their instructors and should be able to challenge them occasionally (but not all the time - see below). Smart students write down information and do their own research if they need more information as not every bit of information can be supplied in a single lecture (lectures supply useful 'leads'). Smart students ask relevant questions which were well thought out ahead of time, then they write down the information given in the answer. Also, if invited, they contact the instructor for more information.

What is 'Education'?
I found out that the word education comes from the Latin word 'educo', meaning to draw forth or draw from within - from an individual who is learning. On the journey of education, a person can easily believe that they know it all, but they can't. It is wise to listen more than one talks in order to get the best quality education.

Knowing 'where' to get the answers is often more beneficial than having all the answers. What I mean is that the formal process of education must end at some time so that a person can begin their career. I've known people who were professional students and who appeared to be afraid of the real world of work. I've also known people with one or more degrees working in a completely different field because they had lost the desire to pursue what they thought it was they wanted to do for a living.

In some fields, the most educated person is not always the best candidate for the position (especially in the Entertainment Industry).

Challenging Information
Whenever I listen to 'hearsay', I politely nod and make a note to research said hearsay. If I know something about it, I challenge it, but not in a negative way - I offer more information for the hear-sayer to consider. If I know a lot about it, I politely attempt to correct the hear-sayer because I don't want to come across as hostile - that's not a good communication tactic.

Any student has a right to challenge information when in a classroom or lecture theater at the appropriate time, but they should avoid disrupting the session in consideration of others.

I believe that the internet is full of useful information, if one knows how to sift through all the misinformation first; it's called research. A simple search won't suffice; many searches must be done to get deep into the topic at hand. There should be qualified references cited and reading done (from actual books).

How to get the Most Out of Your Education Dollar
1) Develop good listening skills
2) Challenge information in a positive way
3) Do your own research after a class
4) Follow up with an instructor or ask them for more leads if they are too busy
5) Write out intelligent questions to ask after the session is over - questions are often answered before the end
6) Avoid disruptive behavior by arriving on time and not eating or drinking food in a class or lecture theater (hungry people will have a hard time concentrating as will others if the smell makes them sick - not to mention the possibility of food allergies!)
7) Take good notes! If you have a difficult time with this, take advantage of the fact that you can visit a student mentor or career adviser - after all, you are paying for it.

Cheers and good learning!

- Buck Moore
thinkWORKnotJOB.com

Dream Job? Really? Let's Re-name It!

To Work, Perhaps To Dream

I think the idea of having a dream job is very romantic. I also believe that it is unrealistic to think that a person could be doing something they love until they die and not get at least a little sick of it after a while. I'm not saying that it's silly to imagine oneself in a 'dream job' because that wouldn't be any fun. What I am pointing out, however, is that even the dreamiest of jobs must be re-examined every so often and one must continually re-invent themselves if they are to thrive at their coveted position.

By the way, I am an optimist. But, I'm also a realist and very rational when it comes to life decisions. So, when contemplating what a dream job really is, I dare to describe the current notion as somewhat antiquated.

Let me explain – if a person wants to become a film maker, they will daydream about how wonderful it would be to be gainfully employed as such. They may even get so fired up about it that they'll take drastic steps and quit their job, leave their spouse and sell their house so they can move to Hollywood and start a fresh, new, satisfying career. People will say: “Way to go! I wish you the best of luck.” Luck, schmuck! (more to come on so-called 'luck')

But, what is film making? Is it writing, producing, directing, editing, acting, lighting, sound, what? Will the person be simply involved in the film making process? And how about the union situation and funding and actually creating something rather than simply be hired to direct a project? Then there are the odd, long hours, possibly starting as a production assistant (the 'lowly PA' as it were) and waiting for the next gig while working part time as a bartender/wait staff/driver, etc? There is a lot to consider.

The Dream Plan - from Concept to Implementation

I'm all for people following their dreams, but I often hear people talk about such things without a solid action plan behind them. The solid action plan would include a great deal of research to discover what exactly it is that a person is getting themselves into, in order to get there, and may include some undesirable situations. It is true that Eddy Murphy burned all of his bridges and made it as a comic so he wouldn't have anything to fall back on (I read that in a magazine somewhere). That is a very romantic story and it looks good on paper, but there had to be struggles along the way and who knows how much mental stress he went through? But more importantly, who knows how detailed his plan was? It wasn't mentioned in the article.

If a person wants to start a small business, grow it and maybe sell it after a few years, they must know that they are responsible for feasibility studies, market research, legal issues and all that kind of stuff. Then, they'll probably have to be their own accountant and garbage person for a while until they can justify the expenses of hiring others. Then, they will have to deal with staffing issues if someone doesn't show up one day or quits on them without warning.

I met a guy once who had a mild hit single and got burned by the music industry, so he sold all of his gear and anything that reminded him of the music industry. In fact, I bought the gear after he sold it. He didn't even want to bother with consignment, he took a loss and got rid of it for whatever cash he could get. I wanted the gear with the hopes of starting a small project recording studio. After a few years, the gear wore out and I left it behind in an apartment building I lived in and it was 'up for grabs'. I had changed my mind.

All Starry-eyed!

When I was 17, my mom and I flew to a new resort off the mainland of Venezuela. When our plane arrived, there was a plane-load of people cheering as we went toward the customs line-up. How nice, I thought. The tropical paradise I was about to discover would be one of those life-changing vacations coveted by others who weren't as lucky as me. Fast forward two weeks – our plane was delayed for half a day because of a mysterious 'snow storm' in Toronto, which never happened. They gave us cheese sandwiches on white bread with no butter for "dinner". They flew us to the mainland to clean the plane over night and we had to sleep in the airport. The plane was re-scheduled to depart early the next morning. We finally understood why the people were cheering – they were happy to finally have a plane to go home in.

The plane flew through a storm and I'm certain it was the most turbulent flight I have ever experienced (and one of my first commercial flights). We got back to Toronto, which had dropped quite a bit in temperature and by the time we got back home to Ottawa.......well, I was a wreck, anyway. It sounded like it might be fun and overall, it was. I would not give up going on trips, but I am now much better prepared for any trip I take.

Take a Closer Look

Suffice it to say that ANY 'dream situation' will have it's ugly little details and the more one knows about their dream job and the better one understands the details, the more mentally prepared one will be when deciding to embark on a new career path. I am all for following a dream, that's what life is all about for me. I am happily doing what I choose to do for a living and have been doing so for over a decade. But, I understand that the 'dream job' is an ever-evolving process and must be re-evaluated periodically to avoid getting stale. It's more of a dream 'path'.
I must also admit that getting on the tracks was not without a handful of failures and constant re-evaluations of what it was I was trying to achieve – which trained me to learn all about 'focus'. It was and is still an uphill battle, but I wouldn't change my path for anything because it's my battle and I will win (and I'm a lot further up the hill than when I began the dream).

Inspiring Dream

A short story to interject before I conclude: "I had a dream one night where I was being bullied by a large, mean biker-type guy and he wanted to fight me at a specific time. I was a pretty scared because he was so mean and he was bigger than me and his leather jacket had some serious, scary logo on the back. Some time before the fight, I ran into Lance Henrickson (the movie star). Lance was getting ready to go on a hiking trek and I asked him for advice before he left. He told me he was in a hurry, but then he stopped talking led me to a basement apartment door in a nearby market.

He knocked on the door and the big, mean guy answered. Lance asked the guy if we could start the fight sooner rather than later and the guy responded by calmly telling Lance that he had to help his girlfriend get groceries then do some housework and that maybe later he could show up for the fight. That was not the same guy I was afraid of. In fact, I saw him as a regular guy with a regular lifestyle who made sure not to put a silly fight ahead of his girlfriend. Suddenly, I wasn't afraid anymore. I mean, how could this tame guy beat me up?

We walked away from the door and I told Lance I didn't fear the guy anymore. Lance kept looking straight ahead as he walked and, without eye contact, he calmly said: “I know. We ruined the mystique.” Then, Lance walked away as I stopped in my tracks."

Focus and Re-focus

Some of the fallout from me being a live sound mixer and AV specialist includes me not listening to music much anymore and noticing every mistake made in the production of movies and TV shows. I love music and movies! But I have partially ruined the mystique. I still enjoy writing songs and performing on stage and I would probably never stop making films and videos, but I see it all differently now and my priorities have changed. The young man dreaming of making movies and playing stages has not changed much, but has been better educated about his choices and the stars in his eyes have been replaced by lasers.

Know what you're getting into; follow your dream, but don't live in a fantasy world.

Peace!