Posts Tagged ‘mixer’
Webseries Eavesdropping
I love new media. I love webseries. Almost more then I love standing in a long line attempting to gain entrance into a jammed bar to attend a webseries social. The Disneyland ride length entry line was just this side of ridiculous. I had planned on stopping by the meetup for only a short amount of time, and the line nearly detered me from coming.
Obviously, it creates a curiousity as to just what exactly is going on, as well as network while in line. Yes, the line went by fast, but it just seemed as if only two people taking names and markign them off seemed a poor reason to keep people in line for so long.
Bonus: I got to eavesdrop. Yes, I was eavesdropping, and what I heard was either very inspiring or depressingly stupid. Here are a few things I heard in line.
“I am so excited about….”
It was amazing to see a group of excited individuals passionate about their talents and their medium. I was able to speak with Shawn (Creator of Dirty Bomb Diaries) who is possibly the most excitable and interesting writer I have had the pleasure of connecting with over the course of the evening. He was excited about new media. He was excited about his project, as well he should be. It is always inspiring to surrounds yourself with passionate people who are running headlong into innovation.
“This is the year for webseries”
Lets not get too hasty, and make claims that may only prove to depress us as the year moves forward. There is bustling interest once again in new media, and more particularly webseries. Let us claim the year for forward progression. Lets not claim the year for us. Its kinda like a fatties, like me, swearing off sugar. We know we can’t keep it up, but we sure will try.
“Wheres the bar?”
Over there. Yes, behind the 100 people. Yes. Behind. No. You won’t get to it. I tried for over a half hour. You see I’m not against an open bar per say. I worked as a bartender for years at social mixers so I was able to get a front row seat to the madcap traffic. The trick is in the placement of the bars. You must spread them out in the most efficient way. This allows the party to spread out, and allow for more mingling and less hip hugging. I swear about two different people spilt beer on me. It was all I tasted the entire night. Better spread ‘em out next time.
Conclusion
By the time I got home later that I night I realize that my most memorable moments at the mixer were the small ones shared by eavesdropping. So basically I stole a conversation, called it my own, and even wrote a blog about it. Sheesh…Egotistical…
By the way Tubefilter can throw a demn fin party. You should come to the next one.
Any of you ever have any pearls of wisdom gathered from a webseries social?
Mixer Networking 101
I most recently had the pleasure of being invited to the Producers Guild of America’s New Media Council. (For those of you acronym prone thats the PGA NMC.) I must say I was most impressed with the overall organization, beneficial industry contacts, health benefits, and tasty treats.The event was orchestrated by two newfound friends, Susan Zwerman and Alison Savitch.
While there I had an interesting discussion with several other webseries creators regarding the intent and benefit of social mixers. We came up with the following short form list to help all those entering into the social underworld of new media how to network. Feel free to add to this list to your hearts content.
1. Scout : Scan the room, and identify the persons you would like to speak before the night is out. Perhaps it is a popular web or television star, producer, or agent that you recognize. DO NOT approach these people first. You need a bit of time to practice your pitch. Everyone from professional athletes to musician need time to prep and warm up before they knock it out of the ballpark or take their place on stage. Why should this be any different for those pitching their profession?
2. Network : This may seem like an over simplified step considering you are at a social event, but you will be surprised at how many people attend a mixer and talk to only one or two people. Remember this is like speed dating. Make a great first impression, get an overall understanding of who they are and what they do, and move on to your next person. They may be your next best friend. I have several now, and they all started out as strangers. Don’t be afraid.
3. Pitch : I have heard thousands of pitches over the course of the years, and the most impactful pitches are passionate, informative, but most importantly SUCCINCT. Your pitch should consist of only a few sentences, ending with a call to action. Stay on target, cover the basic information. Avoid false starts and rabbit trails. Don’t forget to smile. Remember you like what you do! No one wants to work with a Negative Nancy. How do you perfect this pitch, you ask?
Pitch Tip #1 – Begin by practicing your pitch even before you leave your car. Remember to actually say it out loud. It may feel strange, but you will be able to catch your verbal fumblings and ramblings faster. One attendee stated she forces himself to say it 7 times. Each time slightly different and she picks the one she likes best. It’s somewhat similar to actor’s rehearsing.
Pitch Tip #2 - Next try your pitch on the greeter at the front door. These persons are naturally friendly, and have waded through everyone that has already pitched them. Follow up after you are done, and ask them if they need clarification. Finish by asking, “Who else is here that you think I should talk to?” They will point you in the right direction. One of my best leads last night was Greeter Drew, a Post-Production Supervisor at Fox.
Pitch Tip #3 – Before you go and pitch to the few persons you REALLY want to talk to take a brief moment, and perfect your final prep pitch. Waiters/Bartenders. Every mixer wouldn’t be complete without one. Some of the best critiques I received have been from waiters. If you can inform an innocent bystander with you and your profession, especially given they are unfamiliar with you turf, then you are well on your way. Besides that they may reward you with tasty good treats. (Last nights food was delectable. I still crave those pot stickers.
4. Communication Etiquette : Current pop culture topics are always great conversation starters. Its a lonely place to be the only one standing around with no clue what happened in todays news. Avoid inflammatory topics as much as possible. Religion and politics very quickly parts the room, and you don’t want to be caught in awkward silence from an easily avoidable slip-up. Also make sure you do not interrupt another persons conversation. Very irritating, and a horrible first impression. I overheard somewhat of a heated argument regarding the recent election. Does it really matter right now at that moment? Probably not.
5. Enjoy Yourself! : The reason mixers are thrown is to build a sense of camaraderie and friendship between people of similar interests, not to mention the networking benefits. Bring a camera take plenty of pictures of you and your new found friend. Upload them to your social network and give them a reason to stop by for a follow up visit.
Conclusion
Hopefully this has been either an eye-opener or a refresher course for you on how to not only survive, but thrive in this social media world. Thank you once again to Susan and Wendy for throwing a great mixer! Feel free to add any comments, rants or raves, anecdotes or accolades from your mixers. Enjoy.