Peter Burns writes:
CAREERS AND PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS ARE LONG-TERM THINGS. TYPICALLY, YOUNG NORTH AMERICANS CAN BE BAD AT DEALING WITH THIS IN A FORMAL WAY. WE TEND TOWARD BEING REBELLIOUS, INDEPENDENT, COCKY, PRIDEFUL BECAUSE OF BELONGING TO A CULTURE STEEPED IN THESE SENSIBILITIES. OLD HANDS HAVE LEARNED HOW TO RELATIONSHIP-BUILD THE HARD WAY. IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT ONE’S REPUTATION HAS TO BE CONSTRUCTED A BIT EVERY DAY WHICH MEANS NEVER DOING/SAYING ANYTHING THAT CAN EVENTUALLY HURT US. JUST DOING/SAYING THE RIGHT THING CONSTANTLY, AS PROFESSIONALS, CAN PAY BACK YEARS LATER WHEN LEAST EXPECTED. THIS IS NOT JUST BEING POLITICAL, IT IS SELF-PRESERVATION. MARTY PISTONE (PRODUCING INSTRUCTOR) MENTIONED SELF-PRESERVATION IN OUR FIRST SEMESTER. IF YOU HAVE A HAND TO PLAY OR A PRODUCT TO SELL, SET YOURSELF UP TO DO IT. BE COOL, BE SMART, BE STRATEGIC, SUPPORT OTHER PEOPLE’S DREAMS - REMEMBER “THE GOLDEN RULE.” YOU CAN DO ALL THESE THINGS AND STILL MAINTAIN INTEGRITY. WE ARE IN A BUSINESS WORLD AS WELL AS AN ARTISTIC WORLD. DON’T COMPROMISE YOUR VISION, BUT REMEMBER THAT THIS IS “SHOW-BIZ.” CREATE A STRONG BUZZ ABOUT YOUR BIZ OFFERINGS AND YOU CAN MAKE YOUR ART MORE EASILY. ONLY THOSE PEOPLE WHO THINK THAT THEY HAVE NOTHING TO OFFER END UP BROWN-NOSING OR RIDING ANOTHER’S COAT TAILS OR SELLING THIER SOULS IN A WAY. OR WORSE, THEY CHASTIZE THOSE OF US WHO DO BELIEVE IN OUR OWN OFFERINGS. FIND YOUR STRENGTHS AND OFFER THEM TO OTHERS OCCASIONALLY, BE EASY TO WORK WITH, LISTEN, SUPORT OTHER’S VISIONS AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. WE ALL NEED OTHER PEOPLE TO MAKE OUR OWN FILMS; WE ALL NEED OTHERS TO DISTRIBUTE OUR OWN FILMS. START BUILDING THE RELATINSHIPS, RELATIONSHIP SKILLS AND REPUTATIONS NOW WHILE IN FILM SCHOOL.