Scheduling Yourself

Before I talk about scheduling, I came across an amazing Web site today. I am very glad I did not have this Web site in college. In anticipation of the many drinks that will be poured this holiday season, I thought I would share this Web site that will help you to impress any Hollywood executive at your next drinks: http://www.cocktaildb.com.

So back to the business of the day: scheduling yourself. Seeing that your days could be filled with meeting after meeting, you need to be hyper aware of your short- and long-term goals and how to fit in what you need to get done in order to accomplish these goals. This means you should have a daily calendar in which you list all of your meetings and, in addition, have some sort of system of tracking your to-do list and checking each task off as you complete them. 

As an assistant, it's typical to have a letter- or legal-sized note pad on which you list all of your tasks that need to get done. As you finish a task, a good idea is to highlight it so you know it is complete but you can still read it. That way, you can know at a glance that you did address that task and it is done. There's nothing like trying to read a now unreadable, crossed out task as your boss is standing over your desk and wanting know the status of the job -- so best to keep them readable as you check them off. Your to-do list can be a long running list that can be added to on a daily basis or you can rewrite your list each day or week (removing those items you already finished -- though keeping them accessible if you need to give a status report). Personally, I like to rewrite my list periodically as it helps to remind me to get those long-gestating tasks done. 

Being a film producer comes with a million tasks and it's impossible to keep everything organized in your head. Our memories only go so far. And it may take time and a lot of trial and error to figure out a system that works for you. So don't get discouraged if you find yourself getting overwhelmed by the large amounts of work to be done. Take it day by day, task by task. Prioritize everything, while making sure to fit in tasks that address your long term goals along the way. In no time (or it will feel like no time because time moves fast in Hollywood), you will look back and be amazed at how much you have accomplished. 

Drinks Anyone!

Tonight I have drinks scheduled with a colleague. This means we will meet in the evening (after office hours, usually bet. 7p and 8p), have a drink together, and discuss what is going on in each of our companies. These networking moments help to cultivate new relationships (extremely important to your career), share information or trends, learn about new talent about which we are both excited, and see if there is any business to do together. They also allow you to put a face to an email name or a voice over the telephone. It's not surprising to do business with someone in Hollywood for years and never have a face to face meeting. So when you can get a meeting, take it!

In Hollywood, networking consists of breakfasts, lunches, coffees, or drinks. Some executives (including agents and managers) are booked weeks in advance and much of their assistants' time is spent managing and scheduling these networking moments. Whenever I check in with an executive about scheduling a meeting, I am often directed to the assistant who scrolls through the executive's calendar in search of an opening. I may call in September but not get something on the books until November. 

When I first came to Hollywood and started working as an assistant in the studio system, I was amazed at the intensity of the networking system. Some assistants, executives, agents and managers build their whole social life around their networking. Their days and weeks and years are filled with meetings and parties. I found that every night could be filled with one or two or even three meetings over drinks. So if you love meeting new people all of the time and filling your days with running around to various meetings then this industry is for you!

Many working in Hollywood are juggling overfilled schedules of meetings. They may like running around to meetings all day, but more often than not, their jobs demand it. Hollywood is built on relationships, talent, and trends. In order to stay on top of it all, you must figure out how to tap into this incredible networking machine that runs Hollywood. It's not hard. Just reach out to others and ask if they would be up for a coffee or a drink. 

When starting out, don't aim too high. Schedule meetings with your peers at your level, i.e. if you are an assistant, meet with other assistants. Then work your way up as you gather better and better intel about Hollywood. Never be discouraged if someone blows you off. It's their loss, not yours. And over time, you will figure out what kind of networking system works for you. Personally, I found it difficult to be constantly taking meetings day and night so after a number of years, I slowed my networking down to very essential gatherings. But it took years of me running around to get to the point of feeling comfortable to pull back a bit. Hollywood can enhance your life or it can be your life -- it's your choice.