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Catch-22

24 Sep 2002 16:157 commentsBizLike

How to break out of the catch-22 log jam of how to gain experience, when you do not have the experience needed to gain experience!

Give me a break! How do you get a foot in the door in the entertaiment industry, when everyone is to busy to even bother to take five minutes to reply to your emails ? Who's door do I need to kick in? As you can tell, I am extremly frustrated. I am not normaly a whinger, but jeez!! pleeze!! any advice from anyone will be welcome, even snotty, snide, or rude ones!
I am willing to start anywhere, and do anything, to get started in the movie, or radio business. Thanks, had to get that off my chest.


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Jonathan	Frustrated.- I feel the same way as Peter , however some would say that if you want to get ahead you must obtain a degree.However it is far better to work and study entertainment then it is just to study entertainment. Just keep hoping and asking Peter and hopefully you can give us a glimpse of hope. Posted on 25 Sep 2002 14:02 Like Reply Report
Astika Chetram	The Communication industry is just the same!- I've been in Gauteng for 6 months now, I'm PRISA accredited, I have 6 months experience as a PR Assistant,2 years in the admin field and I'm studying towards my Degree in Communications but I'm still unemployed. It seems that even junior positions need a minimum of 5 years experince. I'm not old enough to have that much experience but nobody seems to believe that some of us just need a chance to prove we were worth the risk. I plead with all the PR/Communication agencies that read this, please just give us a chance. We just need a chance!!!! Posted on 25 Sep 2002 20:36 Like Reply Report
Martin	I'm it!- Yes, it's quite tough out there. I'm also trying to establish myself. Can't wait for somebody to hire me. So I'm a PR/Communications agency all in one - just me! I'm it! It's not what you can do - it's the networks you establish. Go and see a few graphic designers and see of they want to refer you to potential clients AND vice versa. I think the secret is establishing a network and believing there's nothing you can't you, you only have to know somebody who can do it on your behalf! That's the future! Or am I wrong? Posted on 30 Sep 2002 14:19 Like Reply Report
virginal woolf	how does an employer recognise you as a prospect?- Sean is right guys. I have 12 years experience in advertising/communications, how did I start out? I worked at an ATL agency for free [gratis/no charge] for 2 weeks and 'puppy dogged' myself. All my student friends responded negatively and accused me of selling out and "commercial prostitution". I was vindicated though as I was soon promoted and tripled my starting salary in the first year of employment! This is a recommendation I recently made to AAA students when I recently lectured there (some have mailed me it worked!). It's not a goofy suggestion - it shows you are willing to "trial" your skills with such confidence that you just KNOW they're going to keep you. Too often people approach agencies with unrealistic "attitudes" - we had a student blackmail his way into an interview [family connections], tell us how fabulous he was then haggle about his starting salary only to then decide to go back and study and 360 degree turn phoning up to inform us that he wanted to work for us again. Our Directors wanted to kill me for my recommending him in the first place. And he was a 'white male' strictly this chap should have been trying a lot harder to be professional and sell himself even if it meant a lower starting salary until he could PROVE everything he claimed to be. As an Account Director at my previous company I was often called up by people out of the blue pitching ideas or looking for work without having done their homework on the brand in question OR our agency. "Hello do you handle the ALWAYS account, I've got a great idea for a Commercial. You'll have to sign a confidentiality release before I'll tell you though". Unless you've worked at an Agency you'll not quite appreciate the strain this can cause in your 14 hour day. I would always be polite and patient and suggest they get more organised. Ideas are cheap, sweating to get them implemented is the test of a person's resolve. CV's come through with typo's and sloppily designed [worse still for Web Designers and Art Directors], e-mails arrive unsolicited in your inbox addressed to 'Dear Sir/Madam'. As Sean says you are in the CREATIVE industry so sell creatively. One person sent an origami CV, we called her and interviewed plus offered an internship. The CV was simple and more of a "teaser" it made a big impression. Another amazing individual came and worked for us after hours 2 hours every day for a month for FREE! He is now a full-time employee. He had minimal web experience his CV alone might not have cracked it, he took the time to find out about us and phoned the right person with an offer we couldn't refuse. Bottom-line is employers have to sift through piles of garbage to find, YOU, that gem who will shine and perform as promised! Don't give up hope, DO do your homework. Read ADvantage, the ADFOCUS and bizcommunity all excellent sources of info. Contact specialist marketing and recruitment agencies, speak to training colleges [Vega/AAA] and keep your ears peeled for networking opportunties (an introduction will assist you in getting a "foot in"). PS: A few weks ago we had a chap call us who wanted to break into Entertainment, he had a concept for a show. He demanded a meeting THAT DAY {people in entertainment aren't always self-important, we're just BUSY!} or THAT NIGHT after hours. Reluctantly for the good of our Industry we agreed to meet the chap early the next morning [before working hours as our diaries were too full during that week]. He arrived spurted four lines of a TV concept. No Budget. No Strategy. No Financials or a Business Plan. No outline or motivation on how this would make Business Sense. He proceeded to bitch about etv and SABC and people in entertainment. Then he saddled us with the breakfast bill and demanded a Proposal with Budget by Sunday. Reasonably enough we spent Sunday partying at Loeries instead! Posted on 24 Jun 2003 14:34 Like Reply Report
Sean Inggs	As I've said before...- Hi guys, As I've said before, market yourself to the industry. Do what you are "trained" to do for yourself. If you in PR, do PR on yourself. Use the tools avaliable at your disposal. Use as many mediums you can possibly take control of. Invest in yourself. You your own client. Also remember to be prepared to spend money to make money. It takes alot to get people to notice. Phone calls and traveling aren't for free. However if you do it right -- the rewards are amazing. I'll be doing an article on this topic soon. Keep a close eye on Bizcommunity. Keep well Sean Inggs Artist in the Advertising, Marketing and Entertainment Industries. Posted on 30 Sep 2002 22:09 Like Reply Report
blobby	Social Marble- The industry here think they are God Given and that they are the Creators of Beauty and prosperity and is just the opposite,They create illusion so much that you yourself sometimes gets confused.Its better to leave the country for a youngster and work overseas if you are younger than 26 there are just so much more oppertunities in the industry especially UK And USA dont be fooled to think its ok here. I worked for Saachi, Dior and other brands in europe and produced TV ads, Programmes and made a film, My Family lives here and it is not easy to get into this market here You Either have to study at the AAA or have to be AA candidate to get work here.Or must have friends and family in the business. Jump the plane and the world is your Oyster.Or stay here hope to find a job or work for yourself trying to crack the market.Which is impossible to do in a Neo-Black-Marxist sosiety still obsessed with Race and Creed. Hope this will also open your mind or maybe fry it becouse expectation is be Black and be happy.Be white and Leave. This Homecoming revolution thing is Absurd no one making pounds or just maybe a fool like me will go for something like this.IT IS NONSENCE GO IF YOU WANT TO SURVIVE. Posted on 15 Feb 2005 13:32 Like Reply Report
Jitterbug	Leave then with your racist BS- Blobby, you are the most racist reader on these forums. Why don't you just leave and go somewhere else. We don't need bitter twisted people like you to make a success of SA. Posted on 17 Feb 2005 17:08 Like Reply Report

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Catch-22

Frustrated.-

The Communication industry is just the same!-

I'm it!-

how does an employer recognise you as a prospect?-

As I've said before...-

Social Marble-

Leave then with your racist BS-

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Gregory Gondwe: @Kalipochi

Banda appoints Steve Nhlane as press secretary

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