Work Behind the Curtain

Entertainment Industry Needs More Than Just Actors and Singers

By Sarah E. Needleman
CareerJournal.com

Are you passionate about getting into show business, but unable to act or sing? There may be a role for you yet.

The TV and film industries are large and complex enough to encompass a wide variety of career opportunities in such fields as finance and accounting, computer science, public relations and law.

Graduates unfamiliar with the nuts and bolts of the industry should do some research before hitting the job market, says Leonard Mogel, author of "Careers in Communications and Entertainment." He recommends perusing leading trade publications and exploring industry-specific Web sites. It also may be helpful to take courses at a film school. "It's worth the extra effort because you'll learn so much about the industry and how it functions," he says.

Here's a look at some of the job opportunities:

Finance and Accounting

Behind every blockbuster movie, TV show and music video, there's a team of financial experts responsible for the project's enormous budget. For example, HBO employs about 200 finance professionals. New hires typically start out as financial assistants or financial analysts, the most common entry-level positions available there, says Angela Parler, HBO's director of human resources. Assistants work in accounting and financial planning, cash and revenue operations, disbursements and payroll departments. A finance-related degree is preferred for the job and prior work or internship experience is highly desirable, says Ms. Parler. Analysts work in financial reporting and analysis. For this job, a degree in accounting or finance is required, and certification as a public accountant is preferred, she says.

Computer Science

With the explosion in computer-generated special effects, jobs have become more plentiful in the entertainment sector for computer-science and similar majors. Greg Weiner found a position at Industrial Light & Magic, the George Lucas special-effects house, a few months before completing a master's degree in visualization science from Texas A&M University. As a computer-graphics technical assistant, Mr. Weiner works a graveyard shift, using software to check the progress and quality of images used in movies. Not all entry-level jobs demand such odd hours, but many involve work that can take place only after a scene has been shot, and often that's late at night. "To get your foot in the door, you have to be willing to pay your dues," says Mr. Weiner, whose salary is in the mid-$40,000s.

Talent Recruiting

By working at a talent agency, you may be able to help a struggling actor land his or her big break. But first you'll have to win yours by working your way up. A common entry-level job is receptionist, says Craig Holzberg, an agent at HWA Talent Representatives, a midsize agency with offices in New York and Los Angeles. To gain the most hands-on experience, he recommends starting at a small or midsize firm. Mr. Holzberg says advancing to the assistant level may not take long for those who demonstrate solid communication skills, the ability to juggle multiple tasks, and a passion for the business. "Since one of the main functions of an agent's job is to pitch clients to casting directors, these attributes are invaluable when looking to be promoted to an assistant position," he says.

Public Relations And Marketing

Watching movies is part of Diane Tang's job. The 2002 graduate of UCLA works as a publicity assistant at mPRm, a marketing and public-relations firm in Los Angeles. She learned about and applied for the position after it was posted at her school's Web site. A double major in communications and psychology, Ms. Tang says her internship experiences in publicity and marketing departments at production companies helped most in landing the entry-level job. Her primary duties are contacting various media outlets and pitching story ideas to publicize movies newly released on DVD. She also clips articles from newspapers and magazines about the firm's clients, which include home-video and DVD distributors, and informs them of what appeared. Her salary is between $25,000 and $30,000.

Writing and Editing

Only a select number of unknown screenwriters succeed at selling movie and TV scripts, and staff-writing jobs at networks and studios are scarce, says Mr. Mogel, the author. As a result, he recommends that college graduates pursue assistant roles to gain experience. A posting on the Web site of MGM Studios outlines the typical duties of an editorial assistant: proofreading, maintaining files, distributing materials and scheduling meetings. English majors are preferred and excellent written and oral communication skills are required, the ad says.

Another option is to work as a transcriber, which involves typing out dialogue in movies or TV for closed captioning. The entry-level job can lead to a position as a closed-caption editor, whose role is to edit and format the transcribed text, says Jim Huerta, CEO of Soundwriters. Some large networks and studios have an in-house team of transcribers and caption editors, while others hire independent companies such as Soundwriters. In greatest demand are graduates with degrees in English or journalism, he says.

Entertainment Law

If you want face time with celebrities and other industry hot-shots, consider a career in entertainment law. "One of the fun aspects of this job is getting to know some very talented and accomplished people," says Richard Heller, a partner with entertainment law firm Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz in New York. But be prepared to go the extra mile. To get a job as an entertainment lawyer, you'll need a law degree as well as a few years of experience in a corporate-law department, says Mr. Heller. New hires are generally brought on as associates and work under a partner's supervision drafting contracts for entertainment professionals or representing them in contract negotiations.

Salaries vary depending on the size of a law firm and years of experience. Licensed attorneys (not necessarily in entertainment) with one to three years' experience earn average annual pay of $42,750 to $64,000 at small firms, and up to $94,000 to $123,250 at large firms.