Keeping Abreast Of What's Happening In The Marketplace

By PAMELA ROBINSON

Last week a producer called me. He was the former head of a studio and has been an independent producer for a number of years. He wanted to sit down & talk about the state of the business. He said he was worried about the future of the film business & wanted to talk. Well, of course, he is worried...his observations are absolutely right...however, the entertainment business in general has been going through major shifts now for quite some time. And it is very difficult for an independent producer to survive in this business climate. The studios have consolidated and the growth, quite frankly, is in the ancillary areas of the film business and significantly in the new technology sectors - digital & mobile/wireless content. As you may know the phone companies have all been developing entertainment divisions specifically to do joint venture deals with content providers & or develop original content specifically for mobile phones.

However, this is not quite the point. I am receiving quite a number of phone calls & referrals from people who have gotten stuck in one area of expertise, in one position, or working in one company - and are now running scared. Well, you might ask, how do you avoid this when you are working & have a career path carved out. I am not suggesting that this is an easy dilemma to solve, but there are ways that one can keep themselves abreast of what is happening in the marketplace while continuing to function in their current position, earning their salary & bonuses. The key thing to remember now is that this world of media & technology is moving at lightning speed & those that don't keep up with these changes will be left behind. We are a global business economy & one should be aware of the part their particular expertise, their particular company, play in this puzzle.

One of the best ways to keep current & aware of what is happening in the business world is to attend conferences. Not only are the conferences fabulous for networking & making contacts you never would have made anywhere else, but also it gives one a great overview of what is happening and allows you to see the big picture. I cannot emphasize this enough because i've encountered many an executive who is resistant to expanding their horizons outside of their own expertise. This is a mistake, especially now that we are in the throws of such huge change.