Stop Climbing The Entertainment Industry Ladder And Start Leaping
Since early childhood we’ve been taught that in order to succeed, we need to climb the ladder of success one rung at a time. We’ve been told that if we put in the time and do god work, we’ll get to where we ultimately want to be. But that’s complete and utter bullshit! The true leaders of the world (whether in the entertainment industry or not) are leapers! People who take big leaps instead of small steps.
It’s sad, but true. “Climbing the ladder of success” is the idea behind all academic, corporate and association hierarchies, and it’s the ladder model that gives those at the top authority and power over those beneath them.
The question is, do you want to be at the top of the ladder? Or the bottom?
If you ever want to succeed in this industry, you’ve got to be a leaper in everything you do. You’ve got to get that job you aren’t 100% qualified for. You’ve got to get that financing to fund your next film so you can get into Sundance. You’ve got to convince that A list actress to star in your shot film.
Stop thinking small and stop thinking one step at a time.
Instead, start thinking big… and start leaping!
Why Americans Can’t Watch Dubbed Movies And TV Shows
I’m currently in Switzerland, traveling around on a bicycle in the snow and cold. But in between all the riding, I’m inside, in an apartment with a TV. But because I’m in a country that speaks four or five different languages, TV is a mix of German, French, Italian, and English programming.
While most of these shows are shot in their native languages, much of the programming comes from America and the English actors have been dubbed over with French, German, or Italian voices.
And this, of course, got me thinking.
Why is it that I never watch German TV shows dubbed over in English? Why don’t my friends watch Spanish sitcoms with English actors filling in the voices of the Spanish actors? Why have I never watched a French film with English over-scoring the original dialogue?
Why is it that Americans don’t watch movies or TV shows which have been dubbed over from another language? And why does the rest of the world not only do this on a regular basis, but seem to have no problem watching an English program which has been dubbed over in their native tongue?
Here is my theory:
1) First of all, I think Americans view dubbing to be slightly humorous. When the lips don’t exactly match up with the words, we laugh, giggle, and prod. In short, we don’t take the program seriously, because we can’t get over the fact that the sound is all wrong.
2) Or maybe Americans don’t like dubbed films because it isn’t sophisticated enough. After all, we seem to have little problem watching a film that was shot in French but now has English subtitles. The subtitles seem classy and sophisticated, but the dubbing makes us feel cheap.
3) Or maybe it’s none of this? Maybe we are just spoiled? Maybe because we live so close to Hollywood and because we seem so separated from the rest of the world, we’ve simply gotten used to having things our way and don’t want to conform to having outside ways pushed upon us?
To be honest, I don’t know what the answer is. But I’m sure there is a reason!
What do you think? Why don’t Americans watch films and TV shows that have dubbed over from other languages when the rest of the world seems to do it so regularly?
Why Do You Want To Work In The Film & Television Industry?
Individuals working in the film and television industry come from a mixed group of backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. The things that have inspired on person to enter the industry will be entirely different from the things that have inspired the next person. In the end, it doesn’t matter where your motivation comes from; what’s most important is that you are motivated at all.
As we discussed yesterday, people get into this industry for a number of reasons. Now you’ve just got to make sure you’re entering this line of work for the right reasons!
When I interviewed 300+ film students from around the county in my book, “Film School & Beyond,” and asked them, “What got you interested in the film industry?” here is what they said:
I became interested in film after I saw the movie Honey, I Shrunk The Kids. It was the first film in which I actually took notice of how visual effects and time were both captured in one composition. Everything seemed to be so seamless on the screen and it truly appeared as if the kids in the film had actually been miniaturized.
- David Guy -
I’ve been interested in film and video ever since I was a child. My neighborhood friends, along with my brother and sister and I would get together and play “pretend.” When we got together it was always an elaborate production with props and costumes, etc. During my youth, I continually watched movies and television shows and from these experiences I began to develop a passion for the medium.
- Yvie Raij -
As a child, film and television inspired me to want to become so many different things. It wasn’t until I got to college though that I took my first film class and realized that only through film was I able to be a part of any and all jobs/careers I could ever want.
- Angie Ennis -
I’ve always loved films. From an early age I was able to realize that film was a powerful tool for influencing public opinion. I got into film wanting to make documentaries that would change people’s views or open their minds to worlds they never knew existed.
- Danielle Bastian -
My uncle had been a professional photographer and he got me my first manual 35mm camera when I was eight years old. My parents fostered my interest in the visual arts and recognized my talent for things visual at an early age.
- Eric Abramson -
I’ve been interested in storytelling ever since I was a little kid (I’m forty-seven now). I originally was a trained actress and by the time I was twenty I had begun working on documentaries. I found I enjoyed the creative aspect of “behind the camera” work more than the work I had done in front of it.
- Terry Michaels -
I was always interested in the entertainment business. I would go to concerts and shows and I would watch the crew more than the show itself.
- Tom Falkenberg -
I have always had a sense of humor and a love for entertaining people. I discovered early on that video was an amazing and creative way to take my sense of humor and love of entertaining to the next level. Through the combination of music, writing, and editing, there is no limit to how funny or creative you can be.
- Chris Cantz -
I worked at the local television station in my hometown when I was sixteen. I liked knowing that what we did at the station could very well impact millions of people’s lives.
- Natasha Bueno -
What got you interested in a career in film and television? Share below.
Are You An Exploited Film Student?
Upon graduating from film school, I was lucky enough to land a job almost immediately. Unfortunately, many of my film school friends were not so lucky. Those that did find jobs were often underpaid… and some of my university classmates never found work at all.
Of those that did find work, most of them were unhappy with their positions and felt that they were either underpaid or under utilized.
Some of my friends who did get work, found positions that gave them a lot of experience, but didn’t actually provide them with a paycheck. In other words, THEY WEREN’T GETTING PAID!!!
The Intern Conundrum
One of the worst parts of the film and television industry is what I call the “Intern Conundrum.” The Intern Conundrum is where young filmmakers go to work for major studies and production companies and don’t get paid a single cent. They are promised a great experience and made to think that they will eventually move up in the company… but that doesn’t always happen.
In many cases, the student goes to work as an intern and doesn’t get a salary, but hopes that after the internship is over they will be promoted within the company and a salary will then be paid to them at that point in time. They put off payment at the beginning in hopes of a pay out in the end.
Of course, that never happens. Instead, the company realizes they are getting a lot of value out of this free worker and that there are a hundred of other people out there who are willing to get an internship with the company and do the work for free.
So what do they do? They let the intern go (he or she basically gets fired) and the company brings in a new intern who will work for the company and then be replaced by another free intern somewhere down the line.
In the end, the company gets a free employee and the intern is tossed out and forced to find a new place to work.
Sadly, because the student been working for free for the past year, they haven’t built up any perceived value (something I’ll talk about in a future post), so no one wants to hire them. So what do they do? They go out and get another internship, hoping that this one will turn out better.
They then work for another year as an unpaid intern and are let go once again at some point down the road. By this point, they’ve essentially been out of work for two years straight and they simply can’t take it anymore. No one will hire them, they don’t have any money left, and in the end, they are forced to go out and get a job in a field completely unrelated to their passion or their background.
It’s artistic exploitation, but it happens every single day!
The sad fact is, those of us in creative industries are often times exploited because we are in a highly desireable industry. If you need proof, read this article on exploitation from the good people at LateralAction.com.
So now that you know what’s happening, you’re probably wondering to yourself, “How do I avoid this situation?”
How do you find work after graduating from film school?
How do you negotiate a reasonable salary or day rate?
How do you build your perceived value?
The answers to these questions are going to be the topic of discussion here at FilmAndTVCareer.com over the next couple months.
Check back soon and you’ll learn what mistakes people make when looking for work in the film and television industry. You’ll discover the secrets to building your value and your brand. And more than anything else, you’ll see how you can jump from a lowly worker bee to a high paid executive in 12 months or less. It can happen, you just have to know which steps to take!
How High School Video Classes Can Help You Become A Better Filmmaker
High school video production classes are a great place to learn the basics of film and media production. If your high school has a video, film, or media production class… and you’re looking to pursue a career in film and television, then you need to be apart of these classes!
Over the past 10 years, more and more high schools have added video production classes to their list of available courses. With the introduction of personal video recorders and powerful home computers with video editing capabilities, it’s become easier and easier for young filmmakers to get access to basic filmmaking technologies.
The best part of high school video production classes is the opportunity to make mistakes. High school is an excellent time to experiment, explore, and find out what works (and what doesn’t).
Once you start working in the industry (and even once you start working on college films), there is a lot more pressure to make everything perfect. Once you get out of high school you won’t have the luxury of making so many mistakes. If you make a mistake in the film industry it can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Even worse, if you make a mistake that’s big enough, it could be the end of your career!
So, when is the best time to learn the basic techniques and explore the world of film and video?
You guessed it! – High school!
If you’re still in high school and you have a film or video production class at your disposal, don’t let that opportunity pass you by. Sign up for classes today… and start learning now – before it’s too late!
