It's not who you know, it's who knows you

Picture this scenario: You call Jeff Bewkes, the head of Time Warner, because you have a great movie idea you want to sell him. Does he take the call?

Now this scenario: Christoper Nolan, writer and director of The Dark Knight and the recently released Inception, calls Jeff Bewkes. Does Bewkes take this call?

Of course it's much more likely that Mr. Bewkes talks to Christopher Nolan than to you. Or me, for that matter. That's because Nolan's films have made hundreds of millions of dollars for Time Warner, and he's working on the next Batman sequel. Jeff Bewkes knows Christoper Nolan.

Every great artist was unknown once. What are you doing to increase the number of people who know you? Are you going to industry events? Are you joining groups on linkedin or facebook? Have you started a website or a blog? Have you finished your treatment and submitted it for consideration? Do you have an agent, or are you trying to get one? Of course it's great to write and direct a blockbuster movie. But there are many people who haven't done that who still have great careers in film, television and digital media.

It's much easier to get your work seen when people have heard of you. You should be doing something every day to make sure you're known in the industry you want to join. If you want more suggestions on how to do this, please read some of the previous blog posts, or ask me a question.

Remember, it's not who you know, it's who knows you.