Its all how you sell it

Here's a funny thing about this business if you don't know it already.

Confidence covers a multitude of sins.

If you tell someone you can do something - most of the time - they will believe you if you say it in a way that implies you have confidence.

When I started in this business - I had a mentor of sorts.

I did a film in grad school that did pretty well. We were in a number of festivals around the world and placed in about 13. Won a TV arts and sciences Emmy. Placed in the Student Academy Awards. Was in the New Directors/New Films in NYC.

And after that?

Couldn't get a job. Nada. Zip. No one gave a rat's ass about jack. Or Greg, in this case.

So I became the world's worst grip. The most enthusiastic grip every - but a blundering idiot on many other levels. The grips finally tired of me - and I became a commercial art director. Really more of a set decorator - because when there was actual building to do - I had to call in others to do it.

Finally - after two years of struggling - Bob Malseed - who at that time was the head of Ad Sales at Family Channel - watched my movie. He brought me in and talked to me. He was a director. Started in commercials. Wanted to do more - but ended up with two kids and just kept advancing coporately - and basically hated his life and his job. And he took me under his wing.

This guy was a good director. And a great mentor. He would throw huge projects at me immediately and then sit back and go over them with me - talking about what I did right - and where I could improve. Never saying - Oh I would have done this... just things I should look at and things I should try differently.

He used to say to me - like the dread Pirate Robert's in the Princess Bride - Good luck on the shoot Greg. If it doesn't work - I can't hire you anymore. And then send me out with an unlimited budget to shoot 35MM commercials for giant companies.

It was trial by fire - but it was always us against them. He was a great boss.

The other thing he told me in that first meeting was this.

Always say that you can do anything that you are asked. And then call him to find out how to do it if I really didn't know.

I have passed that advice on to many since then. Always say yes. With confidence. And then call someone with more experiece.

Now granted - say yes within reason.

But it is and was a good rule.

What's funny - is that I usually play things the opposite now.

By no means do I see myself as the Yoda of production. I have been lucky enough to spend more days directing and producing than most people who still toil away in obscurity. I've been doing this almost 20 years now... scary. But I don't promote myself.

A headhunter tracked me down for this job.
They recommended me to the SF company.
I flew here and interviewed.
Then the SF company sent me to LA.
LA interviewed me.
They hired me.
I have been flying back and forth between those two and China for 5 months.

No one ever asked me to speak Chinese to prove that I can.
They never even asked for my reel to see if I can produce/direct.

I think it's funny.

Granted - I can speak Chinese and I can produce and direct. And even write a little. But I'm midwest and I don't like to toot my own horn.

And - bigger still - I love the idea deep down that maybe I coulnd't direct and produce and couldn't speak Chinese - and that I spent 5 months at a company that doesn't know that I can't and that this is really all a big scam on the level that you should always tell people yes you can - and then they never bother to check if you can or not.

Are you a Mexican or a Mexican't?

In the Shanghai office - they are all nervous about whether or not I know what I'm doing - mostly because I don't play corporate politics and kiss the boss's butt. The marketing girl said they really are nervous about me.

Just how I like it. :)

She asked if I had a reel. I did and I showed it to her. Just to her. She said I really should show her boss - cause she thought it was great. I told her no.

She smiled. That's just like you. It's your personality.

I guess now that I'm here - I like to have the opposite effect. Because the business is so full of crap - I go out of my way to not promote myself.

NOTE TO SELF: This is why you toil in obscurity.

In the back and forth of coporate politics - I choose to stay under the radar. They don't know what I'm capable of - and I'm not going out of my way to tell them. I'm going to do my big China show with no one paying attention. And when its done - then they will find out what a huge and utter failure I am and what an incredibly giant scam has taken place right under their very noses....

Hopefully - that last part will be a lie. But who knows?

I don't know what it is about being older and a bit crankier... but I wouldn't recommend this to all you youngsters out there. Playing the game is such a big part of this business. I just don't care for it. And I don't do it.

Now go and don't do likewise....