We love entertainment
Whether you're a talented singer-songwriter or a writer looking to pen sitcoms, the entertainment industry is one place that has a career for just about anyone.
Everyone loves entertainment. Whether you're into romantic weepies, punk rock, or the Food Network, there's a niche to fit virtually every artistic taste. TV, film, music, theater, and even radio continue to be strongholds in the vast world of entertainment,
but with the growth of the Internet and digital media, new technologies only increase the ways in which we are entertained- and the opportunities to make your own career a part of that process.
Plus, you don't have to be a performer to participate. Do you love the magic of movies, but have no desire to get in front of the camera? Are you a music buff, but can't sing to save your life? Never fear. Although entertainment is usually equated with the big-name movie stars and musicians that make it seem so glamorous in the first place, it could not exist without the thousands of professionals that create, produce, and support the films, TV shows, theater productions, and radio programs that we so eagerly consume.
Advertising, engineering, business, sales, and production are just a few of the areas that are fundamental to the entertainment industry that can make great careers for non-performers. Although a college degree isn't as necessary as talent and experience are for an aspiring performer, it's often a requisite in other fields. A degree in accounting, finance, or business is necessary to work in the financial arena. Degrees in journalism and communications are most practical for careers in television and radio broadcasting. Movie studios and production companies have lawyers, too, but you're going to need that law degree to be one.
As varied as its career opportunities may be , with so many creative, driven people seeking to break into the industry, the entertainment industry is a dog-eat-dog world. If you think you're interested in a career in entertainment, start gaining experience as early as possible; and while everyone would love to work for MTV, be willing to think more realistically and embrace any experience. Get involved with film and theater productions on campus. Work for your college radio station.
Blasting the Myths
Entertainment may be an industry that's dominated by place (L.A. and New York), full of aspiring young talent, and very conscious of its own image, but it's also a huge world traced by many paths.
1. "I thought I would never get any work if I didn't live in New York or L.A."
With production costs so high in the industry's two meccas, film and television productions are increasingly shot on location all over the country and the world: New Mexico, Vancouver, and New Zealand are just a few popular and inexpensive locales. With so many new hotbeds of production and at least one film commission in every state, a career in entertainment doesn't necessarily limit you to the coasts- or even to this continent.
2. "I didn't have any industry internships or experience in college, so I was sure I had missed my chance for a career in entertainment."
It's never too late to pursue the career that truly calls to you, even if you're already climbing the ladder of another one. Just be prepared and willing to start from scratch, probably as a low-paid intern or assistant.
3. "I'm worried that if I don't land a job with a major movie studio or television network, my opportunities for an exciting career will be limited."
Names like Paramount and NBC may pop up all over the news, but there are many fundamental cogs in the entertainment machine. Individual production companies create most of the television programming that is broadcast- in 1999, there were roughly 1300 in the United States alone- and advertising agencies produce the majority of commercials on air, translating into myriad professional opportunities.
Work Words
Agent - The representative that gets performers auditions with the all-important casting directors and producers. There are agents who specialize in commercials, TV and film productions, theater, voice-over, and even print.
Breakdowns- A daily list of all of the roles currently being cast that is restricted to agents and managers' eyes only.
Signatories - Producers who sign a contract according to union stipulations. If you're a member of a union like SAG or AFTRA, it's illegal to work on a non-signatory production without prior approval.
Callback - Any subsequent audition following the first-round audition.
Day player - A worker who's only hired for a day at a time. The actor is automatically called back for another day if he isn't told that he's done by the end of the working day.
Pitch - The act of presenting a project proposal to a producer or agent. When pitching, you may only be given ten minutes to convince your audience that they should invest in your idea- or listen to you in the first place.
Query letter - An unsolicited letter sent to an agent by a writer or performer seeking representation.
Trades - The lifeblood publications of the industry, read in order to stay on top of the latest deals, projects, casting decisions, and more. The Hollywood Reporter and Back Stage are two of the biggest.
Residuals - Pay received by principal performers for the use of a movie or television program after the initial release or airing.
Tools of the Trade
1. HollywoodReporter
Price: Most online content free; daily/weekly print edition and expanded online access $299/265, daily/weekly print edition $229/175.
What it is: The title says it all: the insider's guide to news and deals in the industry.
Benefits: It's chock-full of information on a huge variety of topics, such as industry deals and events, recent cast additions, and weekly box office receipts. An extensive online job board lists positions in 12 areas.
Drawbacks: None. Knowledge is power, and this is where to learn.
2. How To Sell Yourself As An Actor
Price: $18.95
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press
What it is: A guide to navigating (and surviving) show business.
Where it's at: Bookstores and major online bookstores.
Benefits: This how-to book, penned by a veteran of the biz, addresses the major concerns of actors at any stage along the way. It also approaches the entertainment industry with the understanding that it's a business and that, dreams aside, you're a product to be sold.
Drawbacks: Julia Roberts won't need this book, but if you're an aspiring actor looking for some insight, you might.
3. Careers in Communications and Entertainment
Price: $20 or less at online bookstores.
Publisher: Kaplan
What it is: Detailed profiles of job opportunities in the entertainment industry.
Where it's at: Available used at online bookstores; possibly at local used bookstores.
Benefits: 384 pages of comprehensive career options for anyone interested in communications or entertainment, from film to radio to publishing to special effects and new media. Insiders' tips, interviews with experts, and industry diagrams dissect the jobs out there and how to land them.
Drawbacks: With its 2000 publication date, this Kaplan guide is going on seven years old, but it's still well worth the investment- especially if you can nab a $2 copy online...
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