Hollywood Drive

Eve Honthaner has been working in the entertainment industry in the field of production management for many years. Some of her credits include: Titanic, Just Married, Joy Ride and In Dreams. In addition to teaching at USC's Summer Program, she's been an instructor at The International Film & TV Workshops in Rockport, Maine and she is the founder of the Los Angeles-based networking organization Film Industry Network.

Introduction

Chapter 1: Fade in on Reality
Having What It Takes
Reality Stings
Attend Film School Or Jump Right In?
Making Coffee Instead of Movies


Chapter 2: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
The Good News First
Pros From The Pros
The Less Glamorous Aspects
Cons From The Pros
As in Life, The Industry Is Not Fair
Hollywood Means Business - Know Why You're Here

Chapter 3: Key Ingredients to a Successful Career
Passion! Passion! And More Passion!
It's Who You Know and Who Knows You
It's Also What Your Know About the Industry
Understanding the Power of Networking
Having a Plan and Committing to Your Success
Standing Out Among the Crowd
Donning A Teflon Coat
Perfecting Your Craft
Having Good Interview Skills
Being Able To Ask For What You Want
A Winning Attitude
A Willingness and An Ability To Play The Game
Being Well Liked And Having a Good Reputation
A Game Plan For Getting Through The Rough Times
Remembering The Five "P"s

Chapter 4: Career Options
Staff vs. Freelance
Being Part Of A Crew
Unions And Guilds
Independents vs. Studio Films
Features vs. Television
The Majors
More Staff Possibilities
An Agent's Life
The Many Faces Of A Producer
Production Management

Chapter 5: Some Other Interesting Choices
Post Production
International Distribution
Unit Publicity
The Script Doctor
The Educator
Music
Commercials
Reality TV
Casting
Extras Casting
Continuity
Location Management
Studio Operations & Administration
New Media


Chapter 6: Life Will Not Go According To Plan If You Have No Plan
Finding Your Passion
Know What You Want And Where You're Going
Setting Goals
Keeping Yourself On Track
Your Vision and Mission
Being In the Right Place at the Right Time

Chapter 7: Starting Out
Being A Big Fish In A Small Market Or A Small Fish In A Large Market
Skills to Fall Back On
The Merits of Working For Free
The Mailroom
Temp Agencies
Network Opportunities
Other Considerations

Chapter 8: Job Search Strategies
Looking For Work is Uncomfortable
Finding Your Market
Likely Targets (form)
Company Profile & Follow-up (form)
Learning How to Sell Yourself
The Personal Pitch
Being Able to Ask For What You Want
The Recommendation of Others
You Never Know Where It's Going To Come From
Shameless Self-Promotion

Chapter 9: The Resume & Cover Letter
The Resume Pile
The Cover Letter
Resume Guidelines
Advice From the Resume Goddess
An Acting Resume
The Follow-Up
When to Use a Bio
Safeguarding Your Resume And Headshot

Chapter 10: Interviews & Meetings
There's More Than One Kind
Getting Past the Gate Keepers
Preparing For An Interview
What They're Looking For
The General Information Meeting
Seven Steps To a Successful General Information Meeting
The Door-to-Door Approach
Meeting Etiquette For All Occasions
Don't Let Them Scare You Away
Follow-Up After your Interview
Being Available
A Final Note On the Subject

Chapter 11: No One Ever Said It Would Be Easy! What You Can Expect Once You Land Your First Job
Good PAs and Assistants Are Worth Their Weight In Gold
Basic Job Responsibilities
Come Equipped
Proper Phone Etiquette
Know Who You're Answering To
What To Do When Starting A New Job
What Not To Do When Starting A New Job
Becoming Indispensable
The Reliability Factor
A Sense of Urgency
Working Around Celebrities
Beware! Warning! Bumpy Road Ahead!
Relax and Lighten Up

Chapter 12: Networking and Schmoozing
Swimming With Sharks
The Secret
I'm A Friend Of Marc's and Jeff's
The Giving Part of Networking
The "How To" Part of Networking
Dealing With Shyness
Body Language
Preparing For Small Talk
Starting A Conversation
Remembering Names
Communication Assets
Communication Liabilities
Saying Good-Bye
Your Nework (form)

Chapter 13: Getting Through the Next Door
The Cultivation and Maintenance of Contacts
There's Always More to Learn
Finding a Mentor
Having An Agent
Making Your Own Film

Chapter 14: Pitching and Selling
Pitching Is Just Part of the Game
On the Lookout For Good Material
Scripts, Scripts and More Scripts
First Things First
Becoming One With Your Material
Knowing the Market
Packaging
Getting Your Material in Front of the Buyers
The Odds
Pitching Tips
Taking This route To Become A Producer
It Only Takes One!

Chapter 15: Reel Production
The Production Office
A Reel Set
Getting Into the DGA
The Production Team

Chapter 16: You're Not in Film School Anymore, Toto
Don't Count those Chickens Just Yet
It's Crowded At the Top
The Land of Big Egos & Bad Tempers
Avoid Burning Bridges
There's a Barracuda in My Office - More On Politics

Chapter 17: Show Biz Survival Techniques
A Teflon Coat Comes in All Sizes
Preserving Your Motivation & Confidence
Getting Past the Disappointment & Depression
Walking Around the Brick Wall
Be Bold, and Mighty Forces Will Come To Your Aid
Revert to Plan B
Don't Fight A Stacked Deck
Get It In Writing
The No-one's-Ever-Going-To-Hire-Me-Again Syndrome
It's Not A Business for Sissies
Humor Is Still The Best Medicine
Get Real

Chapter 18: Advice From the Experts

Chapter 19: Remembering Why You Got into This Business to Begin With

Chapter 20: Eve's Recipe for Success

Glossary

Web Resources