Whenever I meet a new potential client, I ask, “What’s your story?” Everyone’s life is impacted or guided by the stories they love; be it characters in movies, lyrics in songs, passages in books or poetry. Actors, directors, writers, and producers are all storytellers, and they all have a unique…
Black Lives Matter.
Your grandchildren will ask what you remember of these times. America is hurting, caught in a crucible that will inspire countless documentaries and books. We’re living history; another period in a shamefully long and brutal road to justice. The voices chanting “I can’t breathe,” the die-ins in the street, protestors…
Your Career Is Like Betting on Horses
If you stop and think about your career as a series of horse races, a few things are going to happen. You’re more likely to get where you want to go. You’re more likely to build good relationships. And you’re more likely to have fun while you do it. The…
How a Great Collaboration Comes Together
I talk a lot about the compounding nature of things. About transforming individual moments into a cascading momentum that turns into more good things. Of course, the path to getting there is still a long and winding road, so when it succeeds, it’s truly a beautiful thing. Case in point:…
Hollywood Quarantine: A long, deep breath
Tucker Dog making deliveries during this ruff ruff time The world is facing challenging times. The coronavirus pandemic has affected our global society in a way not seen since perhaps as far back as World War II. As cities around the US follow in the footsteps of European and Asian…
What The Oscars Taught Me About Jealousy And Admiration
The Oscars are a state of the union for our industry. The show itself is a conduit for analyzing the past year while the media fervor around it helps to paint a complete picture of the movie business and its place in culture. I always watch with interest. But as…
A Conversation About Making Movies With Producer Hawk Koch
I first met Hawk Koch in the early 1980’s. Back then, I was an 18-year-old dreaming of a career in the entertainment industry and Hawk was a producer working to bring the novel Gorky Park to the big screen. We’ve each had plenty of adventures in this business since then…
How To Make Connections In Hollywood
I see it all the time. Talented, hard-working people struggle to navigate the entertainment industry because they don’t understand how to generate opportunities for themselves and build the relationships they need to get the things they want. I empathize because it’s a challenging thing to do. There’s no clear, linear…
How To Make The Most Of A Career Opportunity
You’re going to catch a break. No matter who you are or what you pursue in your career, an opportunity will come your way through luck or (more likely) effort and you’ll get a chance to showcase your talents. But the thrill of the opportunity before you will quickly dissolve…