Aspiring filmmakers, producers and Hollywood agents filled Katzen Arts Center’s Abramson Family Recital Hall on Sept. 20 to hear the advice of four entertainment professionals.
The event, sponsored by the Public Relations Student Society of America, featured three AU alumni:
• Janet Janjigian, MGM Studio's former senior vice president for corporate communication • James Middleton, a Hollywood producer and • Russell Williams, a two-time Academy Award winner and AU’s artist-in-residence.
The fourth member of the panel was Vincent Cirrincion, the publicist of actress Halle Berry.
During the 90-minute session, panelists shared stories of how they landed their first job and offered tips to students looking to enter the entertainment industry.
Middleton emphasized the need to constantly acquire knowledge.
"You have to keep learning in this industry, no matter what," Middleton said.
He pointed to his own career as an example, explaining that since he started as a producer the industry has undergone a paradigm shift with the advent of new digital technologies.
"I've had to continue to upgrade my knowledge just to be a decent producer,” he said.
Janjigian agreed that students looking to enter the industry today need to posses digital skills.
"You would be amazed by how many senior executives don't know how to email,” she said.
Possessing digital skills gives entry-level employees an advantage over seasoned industry workers who are unable to fill a job because they lack the technical expertise, Janjigian said.
Cirrincione and Janjigian said the best way to make connections in the industry is through internships. But Cirrincione reminded students to remember that they’re not entitled to any job. "There are some interns who think they're entitled,” he said. “They never make it in this industry."
The three alumni said their AU education was a key to their success.
"The skill set you get here at AU," Janjigian said, "makes you incredibly valuable at any sector in the communications industry."
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