Connections

I don't see "connections" as below the belt. It's a competitive world with you vs everyone else, so every below-the-belt trick you can muster would be called for.

However, I've had some wonderful connections dangled in front of my face. One of my better friends is the son of a higher up at Chevron, and I also know a gal (who chased after me for a while) whose father is the head of Interpretation for Shell. If I wanted to, I could've asked my buddy for a hand, or dated said girl for a while and used her (given that would've been particularly cruel).

Those were the biggies, but I had at least half a dozen buddies with family ties in the industry who would've stepped out of their way to give me a job. But in my case, pride kind of took over.

I remember remarking on here that I had connections, but I didn't want to know that I got my foot in to the industry using someone else. In the future? Fine. But not in the beginning. So I bit my tongue and didn't make use of the help. Given, it led to a pretty frantic year of constantly waiting on interviews, but I ended up with my #1 choice without using any tricks, whether they be legit or under-handed.

But in the future? I will use connections. Pride got its shot at things and now it can take the back seat.

Sprout, I can see your logic and can identify with it pretty well. Getting in to the industry on your own merit gives you a nice, warm, fuzzy feeling. It also gives you a bit of a pat on the back, letting you know that you can pan out in said line of work.

If someone utilizes a connection to get IN to the industry, it can be seen as being privileged. "Oh well my brother dated the cousin of the roommate that knows the janitor for the last Star Wars movie." But if you work the connections once you're "in"? You're an equal. You probably made the ties by working with people and all that jazz. No tricks, no privileged instances -- you did it all on your own talent.

For example, utilizing anything that comes from you showing your film to the Dark Knight crew is fair game to utilize. You didn't "get a handout" from the folks. You showed them a finished project and they decided to step out and help out. You came halfway and they did the same.

How ya doing, buddy?