Networking can be a naughty word. It comes easy for some. Others would rather gouge their own eyes out then attempt conversation with a stranger. But, as in most any business, we can all agree it is vitally important to one’s success. Meeting the right person can mean a promotion, a job, a big meeting, it can even mean a finding the love of your life (don’t laugh, it happened to me). All is fair game in the world of networking and many things can come from it. We’ve all heard the old “It’s not what you know, but who you know “ adage. But it’s never as true as it is in the entertainment industry.
There is a place in the world, or more specifically, there is a place in the United States that reigns as the networking capital for the entertainment industry. I tell thee Sundance be this place. So, when you venture to Park City, Utah some time mid-January, it should be safe to assume you have gone there for one purpose, to network your ass off… and that you do, my friends! Make sure you have a clearly defined purpose, though. Nothing is worse than wasting time and money and not having anything to show for it.
I know what you’re thinking, “Sundance has past, how does this help me now?” Well, one, it can be useful for when you attend Sundance next year, or two, you can use this same information when attending any film festival and/or networking opportunity! Now, I digress. We, of course, planned on pitching around our webseries and were ready with our pitch video in hand for those who wanted an immediate sampling. You should always practice your pitch both short and more detailed so it rolls off your tongue organically prior to any major networking function.
We arrived in Park City this year on January 16th for the first time, not sure of what to expect. FYI: the greatest thing I ever did was get my hands on the Sundance event and party list (highly recommend it), you can send me a private message if you’d like to know how, wink* wink*. By the time we landed in town we had party after party after party lined up. We ran out of our cards by day four and we took plenty (or so we thought). Be open to engaging everyone you cross paths with: the people in line to get in, those waiting with you at the bar, anyone who stands just close enough to hear you, should be engaged. Keep in mind, everyone is there to network with you just the same as you are there to connect with them. A good opener can be as simple as, “Hey, what brings you to Sundance?” And BOOM… the possibility of a new connection awakens!
Let everyone you know in on where you are going. You have no idea who they may no. Ever hear of six degrees of separation? We were able to get into parties because a Facebook friend happened to know a guy who knew a guy. Because I let everyone know where I was going, a friend recommended me to cover an event for an online entertainment publication. So, I not only got to get press credentials into the HBO Game of Thrones event (which I had been trying soooo hard to get into, huge fan here!), I also smuggled my three friends in as my “assistants” =)
So, in one week, I made many new contacts, a few new friends, saw a couple good a couple eh movies and had an overall amazing time! We now have several meetings in relation to our webseries for possible representation and partnership, all because I took the leap to myself out there! So, my awesome and amazing Ms. In The Biz peeps, get out there at least once per week and see what opportunities open up for you!
By next month, the Newlywed and Broke scripts should be finished and the pre-production phase will begin! I’ll keep you posted! =)
About Kat Castaneda
After four years of service in the Marine Corps, where she booked her first acting job in a commercial, Kat Castaneda moved to NYC in pursuit of an acting career. She booked a few roles, garnered her first lead in a feature, and obtained her SAG card before moving to Los Angeles. Since in LA, Kat has discovered her true calling in creating content. Her talents as a fiction writer helped her transition into screenwriting, having two works produced in two years. She has just completed her first feature script, which, thus far, garnered her a spot in HBO/Nalip’s Latino Writing Lab earlier this year. A true creative spirit, she also started directing, completing her first film, “Regret”, and writing and directing the Indiegogo video for the web series, “Newlywed and Broke” she is currently creating with her Fiance. Stay tuned for this up and coming Latina powerhouse!