10 Secrets to Success in the Entertainment Industry

hollywood_movie_entertainmentMy husband has subscribed to Entertainment Weekly for years.  That is about as close as our family comes to the industry of actors, screenwriters, directors, and producers.

 

Not so for Veronica DiPippo, the most recent addition to my collection of #ProductivitySuperheroes.  But, this “honor” is an ant among dinosaurs with all she has accomplished in the world of entertainment.

 

Veronica is a former actor and an award-winning filmmaker, screenwriter and playwright. Her career in entertainment has spanned over thirty years. She has won awards for her writing, directing, and producing.  She has been successful working in studios as well as on independent films.  She even has her own production company.

 

In short, Veronica has had a great career in one of the most challenging professional arenas in the world.  How has she accomplished this?

 

Veronica DiPippo’s Success Secrets

In her own words…

If I had to sum up the 10 things pertaining to time management, organization and productivity that allowed me to achieve a certain level of success, they would be that I:

 

  1. Found day jobs that were flexible and not too physically or mentally taxing, saving my energy for the start of my artistic workday.Headshot_VeronicaDiPippo
  2. Learned the hard way that it wasn’t enough to be a good artist. I also needed to be my own CFO, CEO, business manager, and sales & marketing department. Once I understood and applied these skills to my creative endeavors, it actually saved me time and aggravation.
  3. Set both short term and long term goals that were specific, reasonable, and attainable. That way, any goal that I achieved gave me a sense of accomplishment which is so critical for perseverance in the arts.
  4. Didn’t waste time focusing on fame and fortune. Instead, I focused on more practical things like being a working artist, joining a performing arts union, doing a great pitch, or improving my craft.
  5. Made time for a personal life. Vitally important for maintaining sanity in the arts.
  6. Showed up; and I don’t just mean on social media. I schlepped all over town to screenings, theatre openings, gallery receptions, etc. I participated in making other artist’s events successful and they did the same for me when it was my time to sell tickets.
  7. Eliminated distractions. An artist I was mentoring once told me they “didn’t have time” to work on a scene writing assignment. I asked them to count how many hours they were spending on social media, computer games and entertainment. It was enough time to write an entire script!
  8. Regularly prayed a little for myself and a lot for others. Praying takes a person away from personal ego and self-centeredness and cultivates a sense of gratitude and perspective.
  9. Discovered that it actually takes less time and energy to eat right, exercise, rest and maintain my health than it does to eat poorly, party too hard, not sleep and make myself sick.
  10. Learned that it is important to periodically reflect upon and celebrate the goals I had achieved, and not be afraid to change my priorities with my changing life.

 

The Business of Creativity

 

It is unusual to have this type of success in the entertainment industry.  What impressed me the most about Veronica was her business acumen.  Is she a talented artist?  Yes.  Is she a savvy businessperson?  Absolutely.

 

In addition to displaying all the right behaviors with managing her time and tasks, she consistently:

  • Showed discipline. She limited her partying/socializing in favor of more productive activities.
  • Studied her field. Veronica read scripts, attended shows, and assessed what made other people successful.
  • Targeted her market. She understood what niche she wanted to fill and focused her efforts there.

 

Lastly, Veronica became an expert at dealing with disappointment.  The unfortunate reality of the entertainment industry is that many projects fall through, often for reasons outside the artist’s control.  It takes a lot of grit to be creative.

 

After 30 years as an artist, Veronica has decided to pursue a Master’s Degree in Speech-language Pathology at the University of West Georgia.  It takes bravery to make a change of that magnitude, but Veronica has displayed courage throughout her entire career.

 

You’ve likely surmised that Veronica’s secrets to success are not limited to the entertainment industry.  Every career requires time management, organization, and discipline.  If you struggle with any of these, perhaps we should talk.

 






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Dr. Melissa GratiasMelissa Gratias (pronounced “Gracious”) used to think that productivity was a result of working long hours. And, she worked a lot of hours. Then, she learned that productivity is a skill set, not a personality trait. Now, Melissa is a productivity expert who coaches and trains other businesspeople to be more focused, balanced, and effective. She is a prolific writer and speaker who travels the world helping people change how they work and improve how they live. Contact her at getproductive@melissagratias.com or 912-417-2505. Sign up to receive her productivity tips via email.

1 Comment

  1. MacQue

    Your story is interesting. If I may ask as a rapper,how can you make it in the industry from music to acting?

    I am a digital rap artist(make rap music and sell on line). Speaking for my self I am the best and different rap artist. However I got an issue and that is I don’t want to do what most artist do,I just wanna be me is possible that I can become successful as you are

    Reply

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