TBSR: “Tips for the Class of ‘10”
Through email and comments, I’ve discerned that GITS has a surprising number of college students who follow the blog. With graduation looming for some of you, The Bitter Script Reader has some sound advice if you’re relocating to L.A.:
Number two — while you’re still at school these last few weeks, take advantage of the resources that their Alumni department offers. Most schools should be able to give you a list of alumni by the industry that they work in, provided those people have kept their information current with the office. I’d guess that a lot of schools even have this set-up by email directory now and may even have some kind of Job Connections network in place. This is useful because you’ll know that the people getting your email have basically put themselves out there to the school, saying they want to be in a position to mentor new grads.
Get that list, and start writing letters to those people. Do not beg for a job! If one of your alumni connections happens to be the star of a major network show, don’t ask if he or she can get you an audition, or get your script to an agent. Introduce yourself, say that you’re planning to move out to L.A. and are looking for advice about getting started. If you have professors in common with this individual, mention that. Don’t be shy about bragging about what you accomplished in school. Most of us are nostalgic for our college days and it tickles us a bit to see what the recent classes are up to.
In other words: Don’t be shy, but don’t be stupid. That is, don’t be afraid to reach out to any industry contact you may have, even alumni in prominent positions who you figure would never respond to you. TBSR is right: For whatever reason, many of the people who work in the film and TV business in Hwood have some nostalgia toward their alma maters. In fact, one of Hwood’s top movie producers asked Burg & Myers if we would mind a video crew from the producer’s alma mater being present to tape the front end of a meeting, the footage to be included in a ‘successful alumni’ video campaign by the college.
But don’t be obnoxious. “Looking for advice about getting started” is an excellent way to frame your initial communication with an industry type. Hopefully they’ll meet with you or set up a meeting with somebody who can help you, and you can make your case more specifically there.
I would add this: Take some time now to think about what it is you’re interested in pursuing in the entertainment business. Even if you’re not sure where you want to focus, it’s better to say something like, “I really like writing stories and so script development is exciting, but I’m interested in exploring production as well,” rather than “Uh, anything, I guess.”
If any GITS reader has graduated from college in the last 5 years and has some advice they’d like to pass along to the Class of ’10, please do in comments. But a good place to start is with TBSR’s post.
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