GKN Weekly Update 6/15/09

Happy Halfway-Through-June Day! I hope everyone enjoyed their soggy weekend.

First off I'd like to welcome new Good Karma Network members Edward Morgan and Sheryl Webb. We're glad to have you!

I originally envisioned the Good Karma Network to be a place where entertainment industry professionals can come together to share their accomplishments, seek advice, and find work. With that in mind, as of today I'm going to slightly change the focus of my weekly ramblings. I want to concentrate more on process: how to land gigs, how to network, and how to overcome other professional challenges.

I'm happy to talk about landing gigs. I've always shared my audition experiences, how they went, and what I think did or didn't get me the job. Some others are reluctant as they don't want to give away "trade secrets" or "share their Rolodex" for fear of losing gigs. I think that's a lot of crap. I'm all for sharing and if I tell a peer about an audition that we're both right for and they land it, more power to them! This is about karma, right?

When it comes to networking, the more we share our ideas and experiences, the better. In fact, when we do that, that IS networking!

You have to be careful when it comes to discussing professional challenges. Much of the time they involve revealing what goes on in the booth or on the set. You want to remain professional and not disclose information they may embarrass or offend your colleagues. This is a small world, you know. So on that note, I'll only talk about my own or shared challenges and none that involve "interpersonal issues".

In short, I want the GKN Weekly Update to be more about you. How we can help you find work. How we can help you build strong relationships in the industry. How we can help you overcome obstacles.

TIP OF THE WEEK: So yesterday was Day Three of shooting "Transition" and we had two rather large challenges to overcome: extras and weather. I've noticed over the years that these are recurring themes when producing small budget independent film. Extras tend to show up late in far smaller numbers than hoped for and often have to leave at different times for different reasons. Weather problems are obvious: it's cloudy when you want it to be sunny and it's sunny when you want it to be cloudy. Unfortunately, these challenges are almost impossible to control. So how did we get though the day? We stayed focused, positive, and realistic. There was no tension, everybody worked hard, and we kept things light. Major kudos to Doug Bollinger for selecting an outstanding crew and nurturing a positive culture!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Public virtue cannot come without private virtue. John Adams

DISCUSS!: How have you overcome challenges on the set or in the booth? Was there any particular lesson you recalled to get you though it?