By studying at a quality Entertainment Arts Program, you will gain a great insight into how to function within today’s entertainment industry, as well as learn the principles involved. A quality entertainment arts program can also put you in touch with great mentors, industry experts, movie producers, recording companies, and much more.
No matter which part of the entertainment industry you are looking to get into, you will find a variety of classes that will help sharpen your skills and connect you to an array of other dreamers like yourself. Continuing to network and speak with as many people as you can within the entertainment industry can help you learn just enough to turn your dreams into reality.
Networking with others in your industry can help you advance in the ranks, too. Forming relationships with assistants and coordinators also helps you to get to know more about the industry and find agents that you would like to work with. Interning with smaller agencies and production companies may also help you find your way to larger agencies.
One of the fastest ways to gain the experience needed to break into a major is by signing with a temp agency. One of the easiest ways to gain experience is by offering to work for free.
Whether that experience is working in a campus job, joining clubs, interning, or doing personal projects – you have to try your best to gain different experiences. It does not need to be all fun – although it may help – just be as enthusiastic as possible about what you are doing.
In Hollywood, it is about everyone you know, and you get to meet people working without paying. More so than just about any other industry, it is all about who you know. Some people you meet might not be directly related to the entertainment business or might be able to help you right away, but keep in mind relationships are two-way roads.
Entertainment feels like this big network of people working together, helping each other out in some way. There are so many different sides of marketing in entertainment – the agency side, the production side, the branding side, the media side, etc. Considering this industry involves so many fields – marketing, business, music, merchandising, arts, etc., there are so many different majors and minors applicable.
You are almost always going to be asked about why you want to work in entertainment and what you want to do in entertainment, so really think it through. Make sure that you have a solid knowledge of the entertainment industry, and continue working toward getting where you want to go. Skills are important in the entertainment industry, but having additional credentials such as a bachelor’s degree does not hurt in helping you get the job.
Remember, people who are well-known within the industry are usually the ones who are the least likely to help you land a job since they do not know what jobs are out there for entry-level entertainment workers. The most helpful people are probably the ones who are several years older than you and have held entry-level positions before – they will know about the openings and probably sympathise with your job search, too.
While you might not get the job you are looking for by networking, these informational interviews may help set more realistic expectations and give you tips and tricks to land your first gig in the entertainment industry. The work may well get you into direct contact with the type of person who could help you move up the ladder in slow motion toward where you want to go.
If you are a person who loves music and technology, then music blockchain is something that can help you to share your music with the world more effectively. Crypto music is making its way into the music industry, and learning more about it can help you to plan your next steps.
Don’t forget – even with all the right technology, it is still important to make important connections in order to break into the industry. Ask your mentors and people who you admire for coffee. Tap your alumni networks, speak with friends and family members who may know insiders in the entertainment world, and seek out a professional organisation that holds networking events or industry conferences.
Working on joint projects is an amazing way to grow your personal network, but there are tons of conferences and events out there where you can meet people doing just what you want to do. The point is to meet people who might be able to help you get that first job or your next job, and professionals active in alumni networks are going to be helpful for you – even in Hollywood – because these are the same people that were once you.
In fact, it can take years of building up your contact network before you are even given a chance to get the kind of job you are looking for. Unfortunately, most people do not have any incentive to help you make it in the entertainment business, particularly if you are making bigger requests, such as helping you get a position with a major TV network. Taking steps to learn how to break into the entertainment industry without contacts may feel overwhelming, but keep in mind that people just like you are doing this every day.
Volunteering can be a great way to grow your network and experience as you attempt to make it in the entertainment industry. Take any job that is available to you, and volunteering can help you to build your network and experience as you begin your career. Just working at the craft of acting and building a portfolio could get you closer to that dream job.
Probably the best advice to those trying to make it in Hollywood is to build your opportunities, especially when you are starting, as employers want to see that you have the necessary experience. So many opportunities in this industry are through accident and by whom you know. Always remember that if you love what you are going after in entertainment and are ready to put in the work, it is worth it to go through constant rejection early on.