Rules of the game:
1. Stand next to a tree and shout as loud as you can: “NOT IT!”
2. (Sorry, you’re IT!)
3. Cover your eyes and count to ten.
4. Then shout as loud as you can: “Ready or not here I come!”
5. Now start hiding & seeking.
HIDE from those who say: “I’ve been in this industry long enough to know better!”
While that may have a nanometer of validity, the truth is, we have ALL been in the NEW entertainment industry for the exact same amount of time!
SEEK A&E’s that are knowledgeable and experienced in the way our industry is operating today, and exchange views & ideas with them.
HIDE from the temptation of copying, imitating or plagiarizing other’s work or style.
SEEK inside yourself that unique spark that only you have that matches your vision of how you would do it, if and when the opportunity presents itself. Because every artist fits perfectly into a little corner of the vast entertainment spectrum. And although the competition appears steep, there’s no shortage of work in our industry! There’s always room for another hit song, another jaw-dropping performance, another great story, another breathtaking work of art, or another worthy business adventure.
HIDE from setting small goals that keep you stuck in an illusion that you’re getting somewhere.
SEEK to raise the bar from doable to impossible. Because deep down inside you know you’re capable of playing a much bigger game.
HIDE from thinking that “success” has to match your definition.
SEEK to be open to any of the many ways that success will present itself throughout your lengthy career.
HIDE (actually run) from those who say: “Oh well, that’s just the way it is in show business!”
SEEK those who realize that unlike the fixed protocols and common trade practices of other global industries, the entertainment industry is a unique empire unlike any other on earth. Where contracts are unconventional, deals are off-beat, timelines are fluid, and negotiations are like buying a neck-scarf at a street fair—everything is negotiable! Right down to the color of the ink on the contract! And when someone says “that’s just the way this industry works,” that tells me they talk like they’re in the bigs, but they play the game like they’re in the minors.
Important because although hide ’n’ seek is a game we learned as kids, it has become a worthy and valuable grownup game where we can change the rules to suit our needs and play the game ad infinitum. Have fun!