Introduction to the business

Getting Started.

Welcome to ‘SHOW me the BUSINESS’. It is my hope that all or at least some of the information contained within this blog will assist any and all current or future actors, writers or performers in their growth and development in the entertainment business.  Seeing as though I myself still have much to learn, I would in turn appreciate learning from you as well.  As the old adage states, “Experience is the best teacher” we can all learn from each other’s failures as well as our success. 

Now, where to start?  Well, from my experience the first place one should start is often the last place many tend to focus on and that is taking care of the legal paperwork.  When things go awry as they often do, many then acknowledge this mistake.  No matter what project you are involved in, either as a writer, a producer, or as a performer, you MUST have your paperwork reviewed, preferably by an attorney (one can always find reasonably priced attorneys in your area with a quick online search) and ratified (signed by all parties involved) PRIOR to beginning anything.  And by “anything” I mean ANYTHING.  I emphasize this because I have from experience worked on projects, which started out great.  All parties had a verbal agreement or understanding to simply collaborate and move forward in hopes of catching lightning in a bottle.  Unfortunately when said lightning does strike (or in some cases even prior to that) and roles are not outlined on paper or when prospective compensation is not clearly defined chaos ensues.  Personality clashes can turn minor disagreements into project halting problems.  Even the most experienced actors and producers in the business go through these issues which are common in Hollywood.  Here is an example of one Hollywood production lawsuit handled by a firm that specializes in mediating such conflicts.  There is nothing that can prevent potential conflict amongst ones business associates, however, a solid contract or legal agreement can be the one thing that keeps a project alive when conflicts emerge.

Until Next Time, as always, I leave you with a motivational quote.

"Whenever we're afraid, 
it's because we don't know enough. If we understood enough, we would never be afraid."

— Earl Nightingale: was an American motivational speaker and author