by Hashim Warren
Think about your current project in the television industry, the movie business, or the music game. What is the role of your project’s “Executive Producer?”.
If the title is being used correctly, your executive producer is responsible for the success of the project outside of its creative production. In other words, all of the outside factors your team needs to win – the money, the marketing, and the distribution are the sole headaches of the executive producer.
Now, think about your own work. You alone are responsible for your creative output, for making anything you put your hands on amazing. Understood.
But who’s in charge of your success? Who’s the executive producer of your career?
Take Control
By default most people in the entertainment industry allow their current boss to be the decision maker in their career.
If the boss trains you puts in a position to grow, you grow. If she doesn’t then you don’t grow. If your boss gives you a chance to earn more money, you earn money. If she doesn’t, then you don’t (but you’re sure to complain about it to your co-workers).
See how stupid that is? Relying on your manager to push your career forward is like asking your current boyfriend to choose your next boyfriend. No matter how nice he is now, your goals just don’t match up.
Other terrible career executive producers include:
- Your co-workers (what the heck do they know? They’re your co-workers)
- Your union (waiting on that 3%, across category raise sucks)
- Your parents (Mommy wants safety first, success second)
- Good luck (you’re too talented to let chance have a say)
- The economy (your personal market trumps the stock market)
The only person who should call the shots in your career is you. And the only person you should expect to create opportunities in your career is you (that means no more whining about your boss, the economy, or anything else “holding you back” from being successful).
Now that you know you should be your own executive producer, how do you do a killer job at it?
Creativity Squared
It’s a difficult truth. To be successful in the entertainment industry you can’t just work in your job, you must work on your career.
Just because you’re an awesome studio engineer doesn’t make you a great networker. If you don’t develop that career skill you’ll always be chosen for other people’s teams instead of creating your own.
Just because you’re a great television producer doesn’t make you a great at selling new ideas. If you don’t develop that career skill, you’ll always bring other people’s ideas to life, instead of your own.
Just because you’re a resourceful talent manager doesn’t mean you understand personal branding. If you don’t develop that career skill, you’ll spend your time building other people’s brands instead of your own.
It’s clear – career development takes a different set of tools then what you use at work, but that doesn’t mean you can’t master these new skills. As a creative person you already have everything you need to drive your career to the next level.
Unlike the corporate world, which discourages moonlighting, the entertainment industry rewards careerists who nurture personal projects. And unlike most 9-5s that want you to pledge allegiance to their products and culture, our business pays attention to workers who broadcast their own identities.
Thanks to social media, whatever role you play in building an audience for an album, film, or show is the same part you can play in crafting a following for yourself.
It just takes some creative thinking. And that’s what you’re good at.
Myths – The Invisible Executive Producers
Here’s a bonus tip and an offer.
A great executive producer has to ignore the chatter from all friends and frienemies and make decisions based on reality. This is the only way her project can take advantage of every opportunity out there.
As the executive producer for your career, you have to have your personal myth radar turned way up. Is that clever saying you hear a truism that should be followed, or an attractive lie that sucks people into the career black hole?
I identified 7 Myths of the Entertainment Industry that trip up even the best of us. They are:
- There’s no job security
- It’s hard to break into
- Who you know is most important
- You’ll be rich/poor
- It’s exciting work
- The most creative people win
- Everyone is shallow and backstabbing
Trust me – believing one or more or those myths will stop you from seeing your next big break.
To break down these lies I put together a free email course that will teach you what the myths are and why they do not have to be true for you. In the email course, I share ideas on how to write your own career story so you can take control of your path in this industry.
And to make the course extra helpful, I’m tossing in some cool resources that will give you the solutions to problems that dog many people in our business.
@seancjohnson
@homemadesoul
@rashonm
@ambrosecavendarA.T. MADE THE BEAT-PRODUCER
@atmadethebeat
@thamr
@adorawill
@itsblastfome
"you can be impressive by pretending or you can be influential by being honest"
***WHEN TRANSMISSIONS OF SONGS AND TRACKS OCCUR VIA THIS EMAIL ACCOUNT,
THEY ARE OWNED BY THE COPYRIGHT OWNER AND NOT TO BE USED FOR ANY REASON
OTHER THAN AUDITIONING FOR THE RECIPENT OF THE EMAIL IN QUESTION***
***WHEN TRANSMISSIONS OF SONGS AND TRACKS OCCUR VIA THIS EMAIL ACCOUNT,
THEY ARE OWNED BY THE COPYRIGHT OWNER AND NOT TO BE USED FOR ANY REASON
OTHER THAN AUDITIONING FOR THE RECIPENT OF THE EMAIL IN QUESTION***
--
@seancjohnson
@homemadesoul
@rashonm
@ambrosecavendarA.T. MADE THE BEAT-PRODUCER
@atmadethebeat
@thamr
@adorawill
@itsblastfome
"you can be impressive by pretending or you can be influential by being honest"
***WHEN TRANSMISSIONS OF SONGS AND TRACKS OCCUR VIA THIS EMAIL ACCOUNT,
THEY ARE OWNED BY THE COPYRIGHT OWNER AND NOT TO BE USED FOR ANY REASON
OTHER THAN AUDITIONING FOR THE RECIPENT OF THE EMAIL IN QUESTION***
***WHEN TRANSMISSIONS OF SONGS AND TRACKS OCCUR VIA THIS EMAIL ACCOUNT,
THEY ARE OWNED BY THE COPYRIGHT OWNER AND NOT TO BE USED FOR ANY REASON
OTHER THAN AUDITIONING FOR THE RECIPENT OF THE EMAIL IN QUESTION***
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