What is networking and why is it important?
Networking refers to the process by which people communicate information and ideas with the goal of collaborating or achieving something, usually in a professional capacity.
Put simply, networking is a broad term for making and maintaining useful social connections with people who can help you achieve your goals.
As an actor, this is particularly important, since a large part of your work relies on cooperating with other people, whether it be your agency, co-stars, production staff or whoever else.
In this article, we’ll be having a look at networking in depth, specifically through the lens of an actor working in the UK.
We’ll also be exploring your options when it comes to networking methods and platforms, as well as sharing some events and opportunities that are going on in the UK. Something that can help you springboard yourself into a successful acting career, or perhaps simply augmenting your hobby with some useful tips if that’s more your speed.
The Fundamentals of Film Networking:
What does networking look like in practice? The art of networking is all about mutuality, the things you share in common with the person you want to make an association with. The more things you have in common, the more likely you are to be able to establish communication with someone, both socially and professionally.
This is also an explanation as to why you might not have any luck trying to get in touch with an A list superstar when you’re an acting neophyte yourself…
You simply don’t have enough in common with them to get to know them at the moment.
It becomes apparent quite quickly that networking can be viewed as, or compared to, a ladder of sorts. Most professional collaborations are between people on the same or similar rungs of this “ladder”. As a result, many people, in their networking efforts, are appealing to those on a rung above them, since this will give them access to bigger budgets, more experience, more publicity etc…
Once you’ve familiarised yourself with someone, you can expand your networking to their “mutuals” as well. That’s right, the very social connections themselves are something that we can have in common with each other.
Once you know someone who knows someone, it's quite easy to get to know the other person. As well, via an introduction perhaps, or by contacting them directly, since many social platforms these days will tell you who is or isn’t your “mutual”.
But how do we actually do “Networking”. Let’s just say for example that successful networking results in the acquisition of somebody's contact information along with a good reason to contact them in a professional context. This can be achieved in a number of different ways.
These days, using a social media platform is perhaps the fastest way of getting in touch with someone new, second only to having a mutual friend introduce you to each other.
Some people might choose to publish their personal details such as their email addresses, and some might even have their own personal websites.
If you’re networking in an academic context, or trying to make connections within a company, then it’s worth checking the faculty websites to see if the contact information of staff or employees is listed.
It is always recommended to use the professional or business emails of the people you are trying to network with before you try to obtain their personal contact details. Politely contacting them through their work/business emails ensures that they know you are contacting them for a specific and relevant reason, meaning they are less likely to dismiss your approach.
Compassion and understanding is vital to networking, and doing so without empathy is likely to cause frustration and achieve undesirable results. Remember when networking, especially with busy or “high status” individuals, that everyone is human, meaning they might not see your message straight away, or they might be too busy to get back to you immediately.
There’s no point getting frustrated at this stage, especially if you’ve never communicated with the person before. It’s always important to remember that ultimately, it’s not personal, it’s just business.
Red Flags and Risky Business
Not everybody's intentions are golden, especially in the film networking, where ideas of stardom and success can frequently get in the way of people’s better judgement when it comes to etiquette and good practice.
Below is a list of certain red flags to look out for when trying to network in the UK film industry, or even an international context.
- Reciprocation: Networking is all about mutual benefit, so if somebody is approaching you and their offers seem a little one-sided, be very careful as they might have manipulative intentions. This can go both ways too; if someone is offering you something that sounds too good to be true, at little to no cost, then the offer might not be all that it seems.
- Credentials: The best way to make sure that someone is who they say they are is to make sure they have the credentials to back it up. Make sure that whoever you are dealing with has a valid identification.
- Pressure/Pushiness: If the person on the other end of communications is continuously rushing you and applying pressure, they might be doing so with the intention of getting you to commit to a one-sided deal or provide them with unreciprocated services. Be on the lookout for this kind of behaviour.
- Pessimism: If somebody is constantly bringing negativity to your activities and seems to be only capable of seeing the glass as half empty, you might be better off finding someone else to associate with.
- Unwillingness to share: It is common practice in most industries to mutually benefit one another by sharing information and introducing people to each other. If somebody is asking you for help or references, but is unwilling to do the same thing for you, it is possible they might just be using you as a stepping stool for their own success. Try to find outcomes where everyone benefits.
6 Networking Platforms for Actors:
- LinkedIn: It’s not possible to make a list of networking platforms without mentioning the industry leader, LinkedIn. LinkedIn is owned by Microsoft, and was launched in 2003. It acts a bit like a more business professional version of Facebook, giving its users the option to create a profile that also contains their accolades, skills and accomplishments.
- Facebook: As mentioned earlier, LinkedIn is a bit like a more formal Facebook, but that’s not to say that Facebook is a bad way of making connections in a business oriented setting. Its long lifespan on the internet has left plenty of time for refinement, and its diminishing popularity with youngsters and the more humour driven pages and organisations means that what’s left is a serviceable networking platform. Lots of organisations have a Facebook page, which often has the contact information and pages of employees available to see, all in one place.
- Meetup: Meetup is a service aimed at doing exactly its namesake. It provides a means of organising online or in person meetings with people who share a mutual interest and while it is not strictly intended for business use, many businesses actively use the platform to facilitate their networking.
- Backstage: Now looking more specifically at the platforms available for people in the acting industry, backstage takes the spotlight. This platform provides facilities for both actors who are looking to use their talent, in addition to helping creators find the talent they need to make their ideas into reality. It doesn’t stop there either; Backstage can also help its users get in touch with other kinds of staff, anywhere from models to directors, and even has the tools to help get agencies and production companies in touch with the people they need.
- ActorsStudio.uk: As suggested by the name, this is a UK based networking platform, meaning that you can use it to get in touch with people close by and find opportunities that don’t require travel overseas. Actors UK, in addition to providing networking for aspiring actors, also provides educational content and paid courses that actors can use to refine their skills.
- IMDB: Most people know IMDB as a service for media reviews and critics, but you might not know that they also provide the contact information of actors, directors, and staff. Meaning that if you want to get in touch with the coordinators of a particularly inspiring project, then the chances are you can!
Events and Workshops in the UK:
If you’re looking for events and workshops that can give you a taste of the acting industry or give you an opportunity to refine your skills, there are many ways of doing so.
To start with, it’s worth mentioning that London is the place to be. With some exceptions, there is an acting workshop or event going on in London every day. The range of investment varies greatly, from completely free entry, to masterclasses with triple or quadruple digit fees.
Whatever level you’re looking to enter at, there is likely to be something available in the near future. Have a look on a service like Eventbrite to see what’s going on near you.
If you can’t make the commute to an in-person event or workshop, make sure to check the websites of the host companies to see if they are hosting any online events. One of the best ways to do this is to check in on the website of your local university, since universities are often hosting activities open to the public.
Lastly, if acting is enough of a passion for you, why not just take that dive and begin a course to refine your passion into a professional career. You never know what the future holds, so keep an open heart and mind.
Afterword
Thanks for reading this article! We hope you were able to learn something about the networking aspect of the acting industry. If you want to learn something else about acting, or maybe an entirely different subject, make sure to check out the rest of the Superprof website to see if anything else catches your eye.
Until next time!
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