Negotiating and Deal Making Interview

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This week in class we had to interview a professional in the media industry. I went in interviewed my friend Jenny. She is a teacher at Full Sail University and worked in film for a while. She used producer and write. So I called her up and explained the situation and she graciously agreed to answer a few questions.

Me: So Jenny, how would you deal with negative emotions in your line of work?

Jenny: I actually had to deal with a lot of that when I first got back to Jacksonville from LA. All the theaters I tried to talk to would tell me that I was too young and that I should try acting and not directing. The best way to react to something like that is to just ignore it and not react. I would just thank the theater for their time and look for other work. The best way to deal with some one telling you your inexperienced is to just keep doing the next right thing and eventually you will show them up.

Me: Wow thanks for the advice Jenny. Now how you ever had to deal with some one using tricky tactics to get what they want?

Jenny: No problem. I actually have many times. Most of the time they are some one who feels entitled to their position, as if they know more then you. Or sometimes it’s some one who has been at the job longer then you and doesn’t like that you, the new comer. One example I can think of is I had just gotten onto a project as a script analyst and a development assistant who had been there since the start didn’t like all the attention I was getting. She was the assistant to the head producer and didn’t like how I seemed to be stealing her thunder so she started talking behind my back. Now I could have fought back, called her out, or done something about it but instead I decided to let her hand herself. I just kept doing the next right thing and soon people started to notice how much of a b***h she was. And if no one had noticed that doesn’t really matter either because then I wouldn’t want to know those people any way.

Me: Wow Jenny that’s really insightful of you. Thanks for all your help and I hope to talk to you again soon.

Jenny: Thanks for asking Taylor, have a good night.

I think what I really learned the most of from Jenny is to just keep doing the next right thing and everything will work out for the best.