The Importance Of Knowing The Business

After graduating at the University of Washington with a degree in Drama, I was a little unsure where to go from there. I had completed a few internships in the television industry (which I loved) but was also involved in theatre productions as well. My mind was all over the place. What did I want to do? Acting, stage production, television production, writing, casting, journalism? I wanted it all!

There was so much that I wanted to do in the industry and it was hard facing the pressure that I had to decide on something. That is precisely when I decided to get my Masters in Entertainment Business. Throughout the program I have definitely realized certain aspects of the industry that I enjoy more than others, but I wanted to have a solid foundation in the industry as a whole.

At first I let it bother me when people asked me what I wanted to do with my degree and I didn’t exactly have an answer. Don’t get me wrong. I think it is extremely important to set goals and have a plan of action in mind, but I have come to the realization that knowing the industry as a whole, makes you extremely marketable and versatile in the industry and you won’t be limited as to what you can accomplish.

Let’s take actress Octavia Spencer for example. If you missed the Oscars, click here to see her win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. I did some research online and actually found out that she started her career in casting, but was asked to audition by the director of A Time To Kill and landed a role in her first movie. She has been landing acting roles ever since. I have no doubt that her experience casting has helped her acting ability as well. She isn’t the only one who has followed this pattern. There are several actors on SNL that started out as writers who continue to both write and act.

These may be lucky coincidences but I have a feeling that a huge part of these entertainment professionals being so versatile, is their knowledge of the industry and experience. Even if you start out at the bottom, you never know when an opportunity might arise and getting as much experience in the industry in general, will help your credibility. Although I intend to create goals for myself, I just want to get involved in the industry in any way possible, whether it’s taking tickets, interning, working as a production assistant, etc. There will be a lot to learn and it will help me out greatly in the long run! I am officially inspired!