Christians in Cinema BLOG

Last week I attended a networking luncheon here in Visalia. I had a pocket-full of business cards and was ready to meet and greet other women attending. The speaker that day was Susan Essex, Senior Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs for Warner Brothers Pictures. Part of her role with Warner Brothers is putting together deals for film financing.

Susan grew up here in Visalia, and her mom still lives here. But she didn’t know that a film production and distribution company called ChristianCinema.com exists here in this small city. She does now, because she has my card. She also didn’t know about the Biola Studio Task Force, a group that meets a few times a year to support the Biola University Mass Communications department. She does now, because we’re meeting this week and I invited her to join us. I don’t know if she will or not (Thursdays are busy for her), but she might. The possibility exists.

Susan spoke about the value of networking for a few moments. It’s really because of her ability to network and connect with people that she is in her position with Warner Brothers. She was working for a law firm in entertainment financing and met someone who worked for Warner. When she made the decision to leave the law firm, she looked for other options and contacted this individual from Warner, who eventually hired her.

We all have our networks whether we realize it or not, and whether or not we exercise them. Example: Our company is in pre-production for a film based on a book by a very well-known Christian author. This came about because this author was at the same retreat as myself and the wives of two of the men in the production company. When she found out we make films, the discussion about developing some of her stories to film began. Now we are days away from beginning production. Without that meeting, and the follow-up, her story might be in someone else’s hands. At the time we met, she was a relatively unknown author within the Christian market. Now she’s at the top of her field.

I challenge you to build your network. It will take you out of your comfort zone. If you’re a natural introvert (which I am, surprisingly) you might find it difficult at first, but keep working at it. Memorize a few simple questions that will start conversation flowing and let it go from there. And make yourself notes. When I left the restaurant with Susan’s card in my hand, I didn’t leave the parking lot until I wrote a few key notes on the back of it.

You never know - the people you meet today might be your next film investors, or your next DP, or the author for a film you make…the possibilities are endless.