It is a truism that no two entertainment careers are the same; there is no defined path to success. Each career will be unique, but that doesn’t mean anyone interested in joining the innovators and creators can’t learn from those who came before. You can. Maybe one of the stories in my memoir Outside The Spotlights will illuminate your next step or tell you how to voice the goal you haven’t quite been able to articulate.
Now that the memoir is out in the world, I’m eager to help readers find it. I published a book that has relevance to the population of students and current professionals who are searching for the key that will get them started in a business notoriously difficult to enter.
The innovators in the book graciously shared their career paths with me. My experience with each of them showed me that they have noteworthy traits in common. They figured out what was needed to qualify for jobs in the business and how to continue beyond early success. Specifically, they know how to:
Dream big and go after what you want
Diligently prepare for the day when opportunity strikes so you will be ready
Learn what others did before you, find mentors and learn all they can teach
Make sure your work is always of the highest quality
Be dependable and a great team player
Learn to lead by example, with high standards for the results you produce
We recommend that if you want to be in entertainment, you should:
Love storytelling
Study story structure and how good stories are told
Immerse yourself in groups and situations where the best in the business congregate
Find the part of the business that speaks to you and learn how to be the best at that; don’t assume you have to be a producer, writer, director or talent in order to join the fun
Attend plays and concerts, watch TV, go to the movies, read books and news about the industry
Find an evolving niche in the business and become the best at that because traditional professionals will need you. In my case, the pros all needed to learn how a PC could help them, and I made sure I had the answers they were looking for.
Believe me, half the fun is meeting great people like these and watching them collaborate. Read Outside The Spotlights and uncover methods and pathways you’ve possibly not considered. You can find the book on Amazon here:
Happy investigating!
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