Catalyst Ratchets Up to a Higher Gear: Notes from a Panel Discussion on Reading the Room

The rains fell hard on the boulevard during the night, but we've cleared the skies a little to begin Day 3 of the Catalyst Content Festival here in Duluth. Dozens of films were screened in various locations including the Norshor, the Zeitgeist Zinemas and other venues. Documentaries, drama, comedy, reality shows, animation, podcasts and more were on display.

At the Old City Hall orchestrated meetings between content creators and executives took place all day and will continue into the weekend. And peppered throughout the week are nearly two dozen panel discussions and workshops to help learn the craft or advance their networking skills. The region's army of volunteers is helping bring it all together for the countless guests who have come to Duluth for the festival. 

Kudos to the Catalyst staff for their flexibility and efforts to ameliorate the vicissitudes of weather and the self-evident construction complication. 

Late Thursday afternoon I attended a panel discussion in the Spirit of the North Theater called Reading the Room, a.k.a. How to Make Contacts, Capitalize on Relationships, and Leverage Your Content Project into Future Work. There was a treasure trove of useful advice and what follows are notes I was able to scribble down during the lively discussion that ensued.

READING THE ROOM

Panel

Vinca Jarrett FilmPro president and attorney from Boston
Steve Adams Head guy at Buffalo 8
Sofie Monroe Founder of Daymaker Productions
Erica Kraus Producer
Jessie Albert President, Xpansive Media
Mike Rotman Writer/Producer/Director

Right from the start you could sense the energy from this panel with oodles of experience and a desire to share, help others. There was a lot of great advice shared and shared with authority. You could tell these were veterans who have experienced the thick of it. From the moment they took their seats the discussion took off like horse bursting from the gate at Churchill Downs.

The first bit of advice related to maximizing our experiences here at the festival. “It’s better to build relationships than pitch. To pitch too soon is like going on a date to get to know someone and talking about marriage.”

This got a laugh but was a totally apt illustration.

Mike Rotman went so far as to say, “Everything I’ve done comes out of a meet and greet. Get to know people, not pitch pitch pitch.”

Someone else said, “Always know who you’re meeting with. And always have something in your back pocket.” (Should that be on the inside or outside of my wallet? Or was this a metaphor? What if it ends up in the wash?)

This session was well attended, and rewarding.

Several times one or another of the panelists mentioned the word rejection. Freelance writers learn early on that rejection letters are part of the game. These veterans wanted to underscore that rejection is a common occurrence in Hollywood as well. “We are all slammed. Don’t take rejection personally,” Sofia said.

On the positive side, Vinca reminded us, “Festivals exist for meeting people.”

An informal poll was taken and we learned that about half the audience was from Minnesota, a quarter from L.A. and the rest from elsewhere. I personally spoke with people from Asia, Atlanta and Germany in the first half day.

Each member of the panel had a microphone and for the first half hour it was non-stop advice and industry stories. Every comment seemed to light up another panelist who had an add-on insight. Eventually there was a Q&A.

“How do I get a meeting with a producer?”

A: “No cold calls.” Agents mediate for the purpose of efficiency to avoid wasting peoples’ time.

Someone else suggested hiring an entertainment lawyer to help you reach the right agent of manager. “No one will read scripts if you have no history or body of work.”

Mike noted that he personally has only had one project due to an agent. “The path is slow. Your job is to prove to the agent that you can make them money.”

Jesse stated, “You’re not ready until you’ve written 10 scripts.” I’m sure a few hearts dropped at that, but it reminded me of some advice I was given as a young artist. “It takes a thousand bad drawings to make a good drawing.”

A Hollywood life isn’t glamorous. You work all day and read 5 scripts at night before you go to bed.

Another downer piece of advice was the suggestion to hire a casting agent for 5-10K. In other words, this game is not for the faint of heart.

Erica noted that it requires persistence and perseverance. “If you’re scared of hearing no, you might as well not start. You’re going to hear many nos.”

This actually was quite refreshing to me, though. Too often wanna-be writers are told they can be millionaire bestselling authors or bloggers. Just follow this formula (that I will sell you for $29.95.) Hucksters take advantage of ignorant people telling them how easy it is to turn $2000 into two million in penny stocks. As PT Barnum said, “A sucker is born every minute.”

This panel, however, wasn’t selling. They were telling us how the game is played. It was a variation of tough love, and they were earnestly helping us to get realistic, managing expectations while still nurturing dreams.

Right through to the end of the hour the panelists flung pearls into the audience. We left with pockets and purses full of them. Here are a few more quick ones to take to heart.

“Don’t burn bridges.”

“Be dependable.”

“Technology has changed things. There’s been a paradigm shift.”

“It’s very hard to get money for your project.”

One attendee said afterwards, "One of the best hours I’ve spent in a long time, with three more days to go."

Today I will be volunteering this afternoon. If you see me, say hello.
And if you're from out of town, welcome!

Related Links
A Rejection Letter Inspired by Paul McCartney's "Paperback Writer"
Catalyst Content Festival Home Page

Lake Superior Writers Panel Gives Authors Insights to "Get It Write"

Photo by Peter Lewicki on Unsplash

Saturday morning the Lake Superior Writers hosted an interesting panel discussion to help writers gain insights about what people in various occupations do and know. We all know what it's like to read a story in which the writer reveals he doesn't know something his readers do. It may not happen often, but when it does it breaks the spell.

The aim of this two-hour session at the Superior Library was, in part, a myth-busting session designed to help writers avoid getting it wrong. The four panelists included a news reporter, librarian, IT security expert, and a local entrepreneur. A judge had also been lined up but that fell through. Nevertheless it was a very good experience.

Jenna Kowaleski of the Lake Superior Writers welcomed us, thanking the many folks who made this happen including our host the Superior Public Library. Kowaleski also reminded us of a number of upcoming events which you'll also find by following the Lake Superior Writer group on Facebook.

The four panelists, representing for occupations, were as follows.
IT Security Expert Ryan Anich, a security analyst at Essentia.
Journalist Brooks Johnson from the Minneapolis Star Tribune
Librarian Leslie Mehly from the Superior Public Library
Entrepreneur Kelsey Roseth, an Ad Agency Owner

EdNote: These are notes only, an to capture the ideas being conveyed. Sometimes written verbatim and sometimes an interpretation.

Ryan Anich, IT Security 

Q. 1. --Describe what an average day looks like for you. 
Kelsey: Many creative, joyful moments like the brainstorms on Mad Men. Getting it wrong: much is not sexy. 90% of day is emails, process management, meetings, boring stuff.
Leslie:  There's no average day. It varies. Sometimes we have issues. Leveraging begging skills to get people to do things for no money Varies from placid to someone wielding a knife in the bathroom.
Brooks: Some days are calm, sometimes someone is wielding a knife in a library. Breaking news requires a lot of knocking on doors and follow up. Find information, then how to make it interesting. A lot of hurry up and wait, and other times just hurry up.
Ryan: – Typical day involves wearing numerous hats, from dealing with foreign hackers to helping get new equipment online. It’s not like in the movies where you have someone looking at a screen at three a.m. in a dark room.

Q: 2. What was something you didn’t anticipate in your career?
Kelsey: 12-16 hour days…. Working inside companies… feel connected to the community. Thought she was leaving that when she left journalism.
Leslie – Was told she would have to climb the ladder by moving around a lot. Got attached to the community here and this is more valuable… Identifying community needs takes time and loves Superior. Not interested in leaving area.
Brooks: Most journalists are small and medium sized papers, not CNN or Washington Post. Surprise: When you write a story you still live in the community. Relationships important. Need thick skin when make mistakes… held accountable for what you write.
Ryan: You don’t know everything no matter how skilled you are. Must get into all facets to a certain degree… Code has to be integrated to the whole.

Brooks, the Reporter

Q.3. What does the media get wrong?
Leslie: Librarian tropes—librarians love cats. Also, “It’s A Wonderful Life” where Mary became a librarian and never married.
Brooks: Trope that somewhere out there Hunter S. Thompson is writing. Modern journalists are nerds. Stay away from the extreme.
Ryan: IT people do support the Mountain Dew epidemic. Day to Day work is not just magically there. Must do a lot of reading and researching.

Q.4 What does the media get right? 
Brooks: Night of the Gun is a good look inside the industry
Leslie: The Public, a film about the homeless taking over Cincinnati library
Ryan: IT introversion is fairly accurate. Most stay inside their cubes.
Kelsey: Cities & Strangers. It's truthful.

Q.5. Good fiction is in the details. Can you share some details that can be incorrect in what I do? Kelsey: Entrepreneur stress is relevant.
Leslie: Surprised at the digital divide. People who want 25 books and have no idea where their card is.
Brooks: The daily miracle—a one ton roll of blank paper to be printed. Multiple layers and levels before it reaches print. Many eyeballs before it goes out. You are a cog in a machine.
Ryan: Thick levels of sarcasm and passive/aggressiveness.

Q.6. What is the role of technology in your daily lives? What resources do you use? 
Leslie: Tech dependent. Computers and internet down, and we’re unable to do anything.
Brooks: Able to do his whole job on an iPhone. Uses Slack, a messaging app. Has 8 apps open at any time.
Ryan: Internet is a need for anyone today.
Kelsey: 200+ Passwords All clients have different technologies Software for everything…

Librarian Leslie (L) and Kelsey the Entrepreneur

Q.7. You all interact with people quite a bit. Any memorable conversations you've had that you did not expect? 
Brooks: Used to write questions before … now more of a conversation. Be human first and a journalist second. Lots of interesting people, places never expected.
Leslie: Patrons at the forefront. Constantly problem solving. Often people have been five other places without getting answers. Invaluable being there to help. She told a story of a person trying to send money to son in jail out of state. Exceedingly complicated. You are here to serve.
Ryan: Working with legal and HR departments… enforcing legal matters related to copyright. Other situations where they become the evidence-gatherer for criminal matter.
Kelsey: Surprised at the number of conversations in which people want to eliminate people from seeing their content, discriminating. Through FB you can decide who sees or doesn’t see. On the positive side I've learned so many weird and whacky things that were very interesting. Guy who was fascinated with moths.

At this point there was a ten minute break in which we were given an opportunity to write questions directed to specific individuals on the panel.

Q. How do you respond to the perception that libraries are outdated. 
Leslie: They are not. So many things in this world are digital now… The Digital Divide is real. DO A Books and reading important. There's still a demand and a need.

Q. What's the best approach for working with sources?
Brooks: Research first. Be transparent. Say who you are and what you are doing. Who, what, -- the more you know about what you want, the better. Scripts sometime help. The more ready you are the better.

Q. A journalist was denied a service because of something she wrote. Is this an issue for journalists?
Brooks: It can happen if you’re a food critic. Sometimes people call us out. If you act with professionalism and fairness, it's not going to happen too often.

Q. When a story breaks what is process? 
Brooks: A lot of times reporters get a lot of leeway. A lot of stories happen on weekends on the squawk box. “If it bleeds it leads," is a saying in this business. People are drawn to the blood, but you (as a journalist) have to keep things in perspective.

Q: How do you see the future of privacy and security?  
Ryan: Kelsey brought up a good point about manipulation in advertising online. Your privacy is gone at this time. Your personal preferences are pretty much in a pot of gold for people who know how to use it. Your day-to-day activity is logged and used.
Kelsey: Info that is hidden is not hidden to Google

Q: What is the best writing guide you have come across?
Brooks: Advice I received from an editor: “Just tell me what you’re going to tell me.”
Othe books various panel members suggested:
Draft #4 by John McPhee
On Writing, by Stephen King
Bird By Bird. Anne Lamott
The Writing Life by Annie Dillard
Ryan: Dark Reading (online)
The Talent of the Room