PRO HOLLYWOOD NETWORKING, PT 7 OF 7: USE IMDB.com.

6) Pay attention to the work your colleagues and workmates have done. I saw a friend’s name on the scrolling credits after a movie. I called him a bit later to say, “hey, I saw your name. Congrats! How’ve you been?” I reconnected with him and in catching up, I was back in the loop. In addition, you never know who you’re working with who might have much more experience than you. Check them out on IMDB.com before you push your weight around. (and be cognizant that not all the credits may be updated on the page.) That includes you, Mr. Ivy League or Academy Grad with an MBA who made a lot of money in other businesses. Have respect, hotshot. It’s Tombstone, not Las Vegas.

In March I was in New Orleans, working on a screenplay. I was also exploring some A.D. work here and I happened to see a call sheet for a TV pilot shooting in town (K-Ville), and on the back of the call-sheet, I saw seven names of people I knew from past shows I worked on. I visited the set, already having friends.

We reconnected on a few levels. One, in catching up, I got the lo-down and the inside scoop about upcoming work, trends, leads, information on other crew, etc. Two, I was able to reconnect with friends that I enjoyed spending time with on those shows. It’s a nice aspect, especially when you meet so many fools in this godforsaken town. And three, I strengthened my business relationships — SO invaluable when I work with them again, in whatever capacity in the future: assistant director, writer, director or producer – in a kind of environment that is akin to going into battle (yes, I’ve trained for war). Let’s face it, you know how tough it is to make filmed entertainment – the hours and the demands – so having friends on the crew helps create efficiency and harmony. And…it saves money.