Advice for Creative Entrepreneurs

𝘿𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙖𝙮, 𝙥𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙬𝙖𝙮. 𝙒𝙚’𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙧, 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙥 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙮!

I was tasked by the #LinkedIn editors to share some advice for entrepreneurs headed to the South by Southwest film festival this week.

I am going to share some insights about my personal #filmmaking experience. Some of you know that I moonlight in the entertainment business, and have been since 2005.

🎬 I worked my a$$ off to write, produce, and star in a feature-length comedy film, titled 𝘋𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘈𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘥𝘢𝘭𝘦 (and collect all 250+ props, find all 10+ locations, land a recognized film star, etc). This $hit was hard. Like one of the hardest things I’ve ever accomplished.

🎬 Then, after 7 years of painful post-production with many unforeseen obstacles, I was fortunate enough to land a North American distribution deal.

🎬 This. Is. A. Huge. Deal. For. Indy. Filmmakers.

🎬 Some spend millions of dollars on producing a film for it to collect dust on a dresser.

🎬 I spent around $65K (and quasi-counting). Not bad for a 90-minute film with 200+ actors, 5 animals, 5-10 child actors, etc.

Some some advice for those entrepreneurs? While exciting and daunting #SXSW should be, people should still focus on realistic expectations and respective results, or lack thereof. Don’t just start selling to sell. Learn, absorb, find the nuances you need to know about the new industry, find a mentor, take classes, up-skill, work tirelessly to put yourself in a place where someone opens their pocketbooks for your value offering.

I worked for free on set as an actor countless times before I got a SAG gig that paid. But I learned how to be professional on the studio set so I would get invited back someday if I was to earn it again.

Cheers to a happy (almost) weekend and festival! Go find your greatness, fellow entrepreneurs.

Oh, and some “fun” facts about landing a part on a studio TV show or movie:

🎥 4K actors whose headshots get sent to the casting director

🎥 400 are requested to audition

🎥 40 get a 2nd audition or are sent onto the director

🎥 4 audition in front of the director

🎥 1 gets the part

And the best part? No casting director tells you why you got rejected. Now you want to talk about ghosting? I’ve been ghosted THOUSANDS of times. Keep movin’, life ain’t over.

I did get fortunate enough to land 10 gigs in my almost 20 years that I’m proud of the most. But it’s not without the irony that is my life…check out the films and TV shows I’ve been in AND check out my indy movie: https://mjwcareers.com/something-personal-about-career-changes

Also, please check out the film I wrote, produced, and starred in: https://www.facebook.com/MJWCareers/photos/a.378917388788841/4719929398020930/?type=3

You can buy the DVD here and stream it here.

Finally, please check my IMDB page if you’d like to see more of my work!

#SXSW24 #SouthBySouthwest #Entrepreneur #Entrepreneurship #SMB #movies #film #filmfestival #Jobstickers #ActorLife #SetLife

💰PS – I want you to know that referrals from satisfied clients are the lifeblood of my business, so I greatly appreciate anyone you send my way. As a bonus, for any referrals you send that purchase services from me, I will send you $25 for each! Thanks again for your continued support!

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💻 PPPPS – Thank you for reading! Please visit www.jobstickers.com to keep up with all of MJW Careers’ content, and visit www.mjwcareers.com or email warz65@gmail.com (or call 855-YES-EMPLOYEES) to learn more about our resume writing, interview training, career coaching, or outplacement services and solutions.