Entertainment Panel Reveals Darker Side Of The Industry
"To start off in the entertainment world absolutely sucks… You'll have to get coffee for a year or two [and] no one's getting paid in the entertainment industry for three or four years," said talent agent turned real-estate mogul Matt Altman.
Vice president of a film production company Lauren Pacheco agreed, describing a typical day of answering emails and coordinating meetings—"not as glamorous" as most would think.
For the panel's audience, mostly comprised of USC students pursuing a possible career in entertainment, this information did not come as a shock.
Bianca Miyazaki-Jovel, a psychology major interested in becoming an entertainment lawyer, knows she will face multiple obstacles before getting her foot in the door of the industry.
"I know that I will get hundreds of 'no's' from people before I get a 'yes' in the entertainment industry. But I think USC is preparing us all for that challenge," Miyazaki-Jovel said.
Reality TV star, actor, writer and producer Brian Drolet has experienced first hand the ups and downs of a career in front of the camera.
After writing and starring in the feature film, "2 Dudes and a Dream," Drolet found himself bussing tables at a restaurant just a few weeks after filming wrapped.
The panel, hosted by Trojan Entertainment Connection Wednesday night at USC, also gave audience members insight into what the panelists believe could ease the transition into the industry.
All four panelists stressed the need for college students to network, as it opens doors and creates connections with people who could help students in the future.
"If you network enough, you will find the right people to get you to manifest you to what you want to be," said recent USC graduate Pacheco.
Pacheco went on to say, "Know the people in your room, because you don't know where they are going to be in 10 years and you don't know where you are going to be in 10 years."
Altman, a star of Bravo TV's "Million Dollar Listing," stressed the need for student's to be conscious of their appearance on social networking sites because employers often check an applicant's Facebook page before offering an interview.
Author and actor Carole Allen closed the panel with, "Never give up" and Drolet said, "Don't hope for success, decide for success."
Reach Staff Reporter McKenna Aiello here. Follow her on Twitter here.