Be A Morning Person
The production office is one of the few departments that works in shifts. Because we’re one of the few departments that can, and because we kinda have to. On days when the production is shooting late, you still need to open the doors at around 8:00am. Business needs to be taken care of during business […]
A Random Collection of Resume Tips
After helping over a hundred people with my resume service, I’ve noticed certain mistakes seem to crop up repeatedly. So, here’s some tips in no particular order: Don’t include “social media proficiency” or something like that under your “skills.” Old people read that as “spends all day on Facebook.” Or possibly Myspace. Because, you know, […]
Should Wannabe Actors Be PAs?
Over on Facebook{{1}}, Christina asked: Do you have a post on wannabe actors being PAs? No. Because it’s a terrible idea. If you’re serious about acting, you’ll spend your days either attending classes or auditioning. You need a flexible schedule that allows time off when you get a part. This is the exact opposite of […]
Should Wannabe Writers Be PAs?
Corey writes: Due to the nature of production and the long shifts, would you still recommend PA to someone trying to write films? Many writers have told me that it is often best to pick a job that allows you to pay bills and still have time to write. Since you are obviously doing both, […]
Yes, You Should Learn Movie Magic
No, you’ll never use them, but yes, you should learn all of the Movie Magic programs. First of all, it’s another notch in the “skills” section of your resume. Most bosses want to know that you know how these newfangled computer thingies work. Which brings me to my second point– your boss didn’t grow up […]
How to Carry Coffee
Huh. Learn something new every day. Reader Brian writes in– Wouldn’t it be great if you could carry more coffee and carry them with ease? My trick: I call it the Lot of Latte. What I do is I take the lid of a printer paper box and stick two coffee holders inside. Then I […]
Why Are You Anonymous, Anonymous?
Susan (or possibly Jo) commented on an old post: for one who knows as much as you do why are you anonymous? why can’t you tell us who you are and some of your credits. Might give us more trust in you, your advice, your credibility to know maybe of your imdb page or … […]
Should You Intern?
In the past week, many people have been talking about the Black Swan intern lawsuit, including The Business, Scriptnotes, and the Hollywood Reporter. Since I was an intern not terribly long ago, I figured I should weigh in.{{1}} Internships are either a great way to meet people and learn about the business, or the exploitation […]
Self-Serving Blog Post (That Might Help You, Too)
It’s been awhile since I’ve updated you on the state of the blog, so here goes. In the last week, since I’ve started blogging again, I’ve received over 2,000 readers every day. Tuesday and Wednesday, over 2,400, which is nearly a record. So, if you’re sharing the blog with your friends, it seems to be […]
Commitment
Matthew asks: I was wondering how do you deal with a company asking for a 1-2 year commitment. Of course I’m going to say yes if they’re asking for commitment. Are they just trying to scare the non-committed away? What are the consequences of leaving for a better job? Is it right for me to […]