Expert: Phil Nemy - 7/15/2006

Question
Hello Phil. My question is quite simple, though complicated in answering. Where and How do I begin if I want to be a well-known producer? How can I build my network and gain the contacts a producer should have? I live in Boca Raton, Florida, and I attend Florida International University. I major in Marketing and Writing, but I still have three more years to go til I finish. I want to start working on my acting skills so that I can start to recognize better and worse acting. I thank you very much and I hope I've given you enough information in order for you to give me a response well enough that I can whole-heartedly follow.

Thank you,

Gabriel

Answer
Gabriel,

Thanks for writing. First of all, no one can tell you how to be come a "well-known" producer. You become one of those when you are successful. Once you have produced films that have made a lot of money or won major awards, then the industry will consider you a success and everyone in the business will want to know you and do business with you. How do you make this happen? Don't you think if I knew the answer to that I'd be well-known, too?

Studying acting is a great idea - it WILL help give you a better understanding of the craft of acting and help you with communicating with actors on a set.

My suggestion is finish school. You have 3 more years - don't worry about being a successful producer now, worry about finishing school! Then, find a story you're incredibly passionate about, hire a writer to write the story, and then  raise the necessary money to make it into a film. If you do all three of these, you are a producer and you're on your way to being a success.

I hope this helps. Good luck!

Phil