In part 1 of this conversation I interview graduate-to-be Austin Coburn about what it really takes to break into and make it in the entertainment industry (and then in part 2 he interviews me!).
Ep154: Using Humility to Cultivate Relationships and Land Your Dream Gig In Network TV | with Scott Powell, ACE
Learn from award winning TV editor Scott Powell, ACE (24, The Chi, The Orville) the importance of using humility to build relationships and climb the career ladder to the top.
Ep145: [CASE STUDY] Navigating a Difficult Career Transition | with Sam Lavin
Learn how writer/director Sam Lavin made the transition from 2nd to 1st AD, and how she’s developed laser-sharp focus to make sure her next step is landing in the director’s chair.
Ep143: Mastering the “Chess Mindset” to Achieve Any Difficult Goal (and Get Really Good at Failing Along the Way) | with Misha Tenenbaum
Learn how to apply the strategies in chess to achieve any seemingly impossible goal in your life, and better manage the failure along the way.
Ep141: Michelle Tesoro (ACE) On Playing Chess With Your Career (Pt1)
Award-winning editor Michelle Tesoro discusses how to strategically apply the chess mentality to take the right steps in your career (instead of jumping from one gig to the next playing a game of checkers).
Ep138: On Hiring Editors & AE’s, Fostering Creative Collaboration, and Managing Happy Post Teams | with Paul Leonard
Paul Leonard is one of those rare species of producers that has both editors and show runners alike wanting to work with him again and again. In today’s conversation Paul candidly shares his thoughts on what gets editors and AE’s hired, and what qualities he likes his editors to possess in the bay. He combines a winning charm with a no BS approach that has earned him the well-deserved reputation for making great shows while also keeping his team happy and sane. Paul has worked in television post production for 23 years and is best known for Co-producing Battlestar Galactica which earned 15 Emmy nominations (with three collective wins). He recently wrapped up a job at Marvel where he was one of the vice presidents of TV Post Production before deciding to go back to freelance producing.
Ep137: How to Negotiate Your Real Value (and Advocate For Yourself) As an Assistant Editor | with Scott Jacobs
When it comes to working the brutal hours that have become the norm in entertainment, negotiating for better pay, and fighting to make changes in industry standards, most of us feel helpless (and hopeless) about where to even begin. What if we were paid for the value we bring to a project rather than the number of hours we clock in each day? Today’s guest Scott Jacobs, a longtime editor, AE, and MPEG board member, tackles this question with me. If you’re interested in having a little bit more ammunition to advocate for a job that is more focused on value than hours, and most importantly working smarter (and not harder), my conversation with Scott is a must-listen.
Ep135: The “Playbook” For Building a Successful Career in Scripted TV | with Steve Lang, ACE (pt2)
ACE Editor Steven Lang has helped countless numbers of his assistants get into the editing chair and move on to successful careers. In this part two is Steve’s philosophy on mentoring his assistants, how he approaches his editor’s cuts, and his best advice for making the transition from assistant to editor. We also dive into Steve’s work habits, his lifestyle choices, and how he has learned to balance his intense focus abilities to avoid wreaking havoc on his health and relationships.
Ep134: Leveraging Your Skills to Get Hired (When You Don’t Have the Experience) | with Steve Lang, ACE (pt1)
Many of the students in my coaching & mentorship program come to me hoping to make a transition in their career where they have the skills already but they don’t have the specific experience. I was in that very same position when I landed my dream job editing Burn Notice. Here to lend a unique perspective to my “Burn Notice story” is ACE Editor Steve Lang, the catalyst for getting that job. Steve has cut over 120 hours of television in the past 24 years and worked on such shows as The Practice, The Gifted, Preacher, Rectify, and Manifest, to name just a select few. He took an unusual path to becoming an editor having held every role in the post-production department at one point or another. This experience gives him a well-rounded point of view of hiring editors and assistants and best practices for advancing your career…without getting pigeonholed. In this first part, you’ll hear how I got the job on Burn Notice from Steve’s perspective while also hearing the skills vs experience argument from someone on the hiring side.
How to Go From Cold Contact to Your Ideal Mentor In Seven Simple Steps
In this article I’d like to take a much deeper dive down the rabbit hole to help you better understand the seven simple (not to be confused with easy) steps that can help you turn a cold contact into a connection, then a relationship, and potentially even your ideal mentor.
Ep133: Improve Your Networking Skills By Serving First (Instead of Selling) | with Liston Witherill
Liston Witherill is the founder and creator of Serve Don’t Sell, and he’s on a mission to help 100 million people become world-class, ethical communicators. He understands that networking can be intimidating, especially for busy creatives who identify as introverts and just want to focus on their craft. Liston and I discuss the mindset shifts you need to make in order to network successfully and why doing so can improve your career exponentially. This episode will teach you the psychology behind effective networking and how to apply it to your unique situation so you can not only expand your network but also build better and stronger relationships to advance your career and improve your well being.
How to Find the Right Type of Mentor For You (and When You Should Seek the Best)
Discover the 3 types of mentors & how to pursue the right mentor for your goals.
Ep132: How to Pursue Fulfilling Work and Find Your ‘Calling’ | with Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar
Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar uses practical strategies from positive psychology to help people align their careers with their values & ideals so they can stop competing in the neverending rat race and escape the endless cycle of burnout.
Ep131: How Having a ‘Side Hustle’ Buys You the Freedom to Say ‘No’ | with Alex Ferrari
Alex Ferrari has been side hustling since he was 12 years old. Today he shares his decades of experience to help others gain financial freedom while pursuing their filmmaking dreams.
IMDbPro for Networking: The 10 Features That Will Take Your Outreach to a New Level
IMDbPro is my #1 recommendation if you’re looking for a tool to build your network of creative professionals in the entertainment industry. The ten features I detail in this article are just a small portion of what it has to offer and in my opinion make it worth the price of admission (and then some).