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I am a young public relations professional currently based in Canada. I am interested in moving to the Los Angeles area to focus on building a career as a publicist in the motion picture industry. Ideally I would like to end up working for one of the film studios or one of the major PR firms specializing in entertainment clients (like PMK/HBH or Rogers & Cowan).
However, from the research I have done it seems unlikely to get in with the major industry players in a junior level position. I would love to hear from anyone who works in PR in the film biz, or even anyone who just works in the film industry period, who might know of some smaller to mid-size businesses that hire junior level PR people that would be a good jumping-off point. Perhaps a company that the film studios or major PR firms look to when hiring staff, or companies that do some contract work for the more major players. I already have some work experience in the field - so looking for paid position, not an intership.
A bit of background on me in case you were wondering - I am mid-twenties, have an arts degree in Sociology from a major Canadian University and I am currently finishing a diploma program in Public Relations (one class left to complete). I already work in the PR industry doing events, marketing and public relations for a publishing company. Have about 2-3 years total experience in Marketing/PR.
Why not work on Canadian films in your home country? Because of dizzy CanCom laws, most of the movies made out there only run as “art house” films in the USA (the kind that nobody wants to see) or are mistaken as titles from France! Hook up with a PR film in Toronto that works on the promotion of these titles, then make up a plan to sell them to fickle American audiences promising lots of sex, explosions, gunfire, and lame jokes that cater to American movie goers! If film doesn’t have any sex, explosions, gunfire, or lame jokes, then this will prove to dumb Americans that anything from Canada is weak as hell! (Hockey would be its only exception!)
I am aware that the film industry is limited in Canada - hence considering a move to the states. There is a lot of studio space and production on major films here, but most of the marketing/distribution/PR seems to happen out of the head corporate offices in the states.
Although I have to disagree with you on Canada not producing any good films/theatre. Our industry is smaller but some very fine and award winning material has come from Canada, not to mention many, many of the most popular and famous actors/directors/producers in hollywood.
However, I digress. If anyone has some serious advice on how to get footing in PR (specifically as a publicist) in the film industry in the LA area I would really love the feedback.
I worked in PR/Communications for a film studio and it was basically hell on the earth. The pay was terrible, the hours were even worse and my boss made Miranda on The Devil Wears Prada seem nice. I also worked briefly for a woman that had gone through 4 assistants in 6 months before me. You might have a different experience, but what I went through was hell.
I worked in PR/Communications for a film studio and it was basically hell on the earth. The pay was terrible, the hours were even worse and my boss made Miranda on The Devil Wears Prada seem nice. I also worked briefly for a woman that had gone through 4 assistants in 6 months before me. You might have a different experience, but what I went through was hell.
I agree, Melissa. Prior to moving to Los Angeles in 2005, I was a publicist at a theater and then handled publicity for Sony in Miami - I worked for an agency that set up and promoted major studio films in South Florida. Even with all of that experience (and studio contacts), I couldn't find a decent entertainment pr job when I moved to L.A. I naively thought I would move and land a pr job at a studio right away. It was hard to get a good job back then, so I can only imagine what it would be like in this economy.
Right after arriving in L.A., I began getting a lot of interviews, at Rogers and Cowan, among other top pr agencies. After a month, I landed a job at a small DVD publicity agency and it was hell. I got more hands-on entertainment pr experience in MIAMI. The boss literally kept saying that I needed to "speak from my chest" when answering the phones (yes, that was my main duty). I was actually bored by the lack of responsibility I was given. I was able to walk a star down the red carpet at a big premiere, but it wasn't all I had dreamed it would be, LOL.
I quit that gig and continued my pursuit for a move studio pr position. I temped at MGM in the licensing dept. for several months, and after that ended, I got a full-time licensing position at Warner Bros. I assisted FIVE people - the job was insane and not fun at all. I was degraded on a daily basis. The only thing that kept me there was the fact that I could eat lunch on the lot; I adore walking around studio lots.
I still wanted a studio pr position, so when I got the opportunity to temp in the publicity dept. at Sony, I took it. It was so boring - all I did was make hotel reservations, create endless charts and graphs and made sure that the stars' private jets were stocked with their favorite brand of bottled water. If it wasn't, there would be hell to pay. Again, I loved being on the studio lot, but that was it. Some of my studio co-workers had been assistants for years because it is really hard to move up. You also have to kiss a lot of a$$ and play a lot of brown-nosing games, and I just don't have the personality to do that. After the sony job ended, I decided to go back to writing, which was my first love. I have now been a freelance writer for several years, but I don't regret pursuing my L.A. entertainment pr dreams. You have to live and learn!
Wow, this was a book. Hope it helped someone somehow!
Last edited by gypsystar; 12-04-2009 at 02:56 AM..
I remember a cold Grey October English morning,it was my first day as an apprentice lighting cameraman for the BBC. I was sixteen years old.
The years passed and I was twenty one years old a “professional” but I still made the tea and fetched the newspapers.
A few more years passed and I made less tea and someone fetched my newspaper.
Then after a few more years I was in the rarefied atmosphere where I had forgotten how to make tea and the newspapers were full of stories about my friends.
Welcome to the “Layer Cake” son, this is the Entertainment business.
I had a co-worker in the PR department that spent more time posting videos of herself on YouTube and trying to be a D-List celebrity than she did actually promoting clients/movies. She's still there bragging about hanging out with losers like Paris Hilton while making no money and being treated like crap.
Thanks for all the feedback everyone - it has been most helpful. I was not naive out the entertainment PR biz by any stretch of the imagination. I knew it would be tough to break into and a lot of hard work and that the studio or major PR firm job wouldn't come right away - but wow! Not only is it tough to get the 'coveted' studio job, but you all paint a pretty dismal picture of the working conditions once you get there. Must say that is a bit disappointing to hear.
Imapala (or Melissa) - I would love to pick your brain, as you seem to have been in the biz a long time and know the ins and outs. What kind of background did you have before going to LA? Education? Work Experience - how many years? Publicity in Entertainment specific or just marketing and PR experience in general?
When you say the pay is bad, how bad is bad? I don't expect to make the big bucks when I get there. I make a modest salary now and I know that Marketing and PR can be a tough field to work your way up in, even if your not in 'the biz'. As long as I can make enough to pay the rent (even with a roomie or two) in a decent area, have some money to do fun things on the weekend and maybe take a small trip once a year that would be more than enough to keep me happy.
Also can you give any job hunting tips? What are the smaller businesses in the area that are good to get experience with that would be a good jumping-off to a studio job? What about good online job boards, etc for searching from afar. I won't move out there without a job lined up, that would be silly especially in this economy!
Lastly, what would you have done differently (besides not doing it at all...lol) that would have increased odds of upward mobility, etc. What are the secrets you wish someone had told you about the biz?
Thanks again for all your feedback. I have lots more research to do before I make a decision on where and if to do a move. I figure its always best to start early and formulate a good, realistic plan before taking the plunge
I had a PR/Communications degree with no entertainment experience, but I did have quite a few PR internships and jobs in the past. The pay was $24,000 for the year and no overtime. I was working 12 hour days so you can do the math on that one.
I landed my jobs on the internet, but most people get them through people they know. One of my co-workers was a total idiot, but he got his job because his father had money and connections. Hell, I know a lot of total idiots in the business that do absolutely nothing and just have jobs because of the people they know.
It is very hard to move up in the industry. You can do it, but you have to put up with a lot of abuse and working without money before you do. For me it just wasn't worth it. I thought entertainment PR was what I wanted to do, but after actually doing it, I realized that I would rather have a life.
I'd advise you to go for it, because you might love and it and you will probably regret it if you don't. I just hope that you are one of the few that gets a decent boss. Unfortunately, the good bosses are hard to find because people don't want to leave their position or else when they are ready to move up, the position is so in demand it's impossible to get.
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As long as I can make enough to pay the rent (even with a roomie or two) in a decent area, have some money to do fun things on the weekend and maybe take a small trip once a year that would be more than enough to keep me happy.
If you take a job in the industry, I wouldn't plan on doing too much on the weekend. I was in the office sometimes on Saturdays and Sundays and when I wasn't there were many times I was getting emails and phone calls from my boss at 11:00 pm on Saturdays. The job becomes your life.
You don't seem naive and you are obviously planning ahead, so like I said before, go for it. I'd wait for the economy to pick up though. That way if you are miserable, or you get fired because you didn't get your boss the right coffee, you can look for something else. People will fire you for the smallest thing because they know there are thousands of other people to take your place.
I had a PR/Communications degree with no entertainment experience, but I did have quite a few PR internships and jobs in the past. The pay was $24,000 for the year and no overtime. I was working 12 hour days so you can do the math on that one.
I landed my jobs on the internet, but most people get them through people they know. One of my co-workers was a total idiot, but he got his job because his father had money and connections. Hell, I know a lot of total idiots in the business that do absolutely nothing and just have jobs because of the people they know.
It is very hard to move up in the industry. You can do it, but you have to put up with a lot of abuse and working without money before you do. For me it just wasn't worth it. I thought entertainment PR was what I wanted to do, but after actually doing it, I realized that I would rather have a life.
I'd advise you to go for it, because you might love and it and you will probably regret it if you don't. I just hope that you are one of the few that gets a decent boss. Unfortunately, the good bosses are hard to find because people don't want to leave their position or else when they are ready to move up, the position is so in demand it's impossible to get.
If you take a job in the industry, I wouldn't plan on doing too much on the weekend. I was in the office sometimes on Saturdays and Sundays and when I wasn't there were many times I was getting emails and phone calls from my boss at 11:00 pm on Saturdays. The job becomes your life.
You don't seem naive and you are obviously planning ahead, so like I said before, go for it. I'd wait for the economy to pick up though. That way if you are miserable, or you get fired because you didn't get your boss the right coffee, you can look for something else. People will fire you for the smallest thing because they know there are thousands of other people to take your place.
Although my advice wasn't asked for, I have to say that I agree with this 100 percent! A good, fair entertainment boss is very hard to find, but it will make a big difference. No matter how much I wanted to work at a studio, I just couldn't handle being mentally abused everyday. It just wasn't worth it, like Melissa said. And either was the pay - just two years ago, I made from $13-15 an hour, depending on the studio. I don't think I could have made it on my own and my husband and I depended on both of our incomes; we lived in a tiny studio apt.
I had to work until midnight several time while temping in the Sony pr dept. I was lucky though, because as a temp, I got overtime pay. While working at small entertainment pr agencies, I would get texts on holidays (and they wouldn't even say "Merry Christmas" or whatever day it was - they just wanted to tell me when I had to be in the office next).
Honestly, I think the most you can hope to land prior to moving to L.A. is an interview or two. I had worked for Sony in Miami and wasn't able to secure a job before arriving. I put the address of the Extended Stay we were going to be living at on my resume, and set up a cell phone with an L.A. exchange. Then I started getting calls for interviews - I told them I was out of town and would be back at my move date. There are so many people trying to get the same positions that they have no need to fly someone in for an interview. You have to be living there before you get a job in entertainment pr most cases. I went on tons and tons of interviews and was sometimes told that they had received 500 resumes or more for the position.
If you are extremely determined and have the right personality, you may make it. And to be fair, not all of my studio bosses were a$$holes. I assisted a few sweet, nice people while working at MGM.
Last edited by gypsystar; 12-04-2009 at 03:13 PM..
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It was hard to get a good job back then, so I can only imagine what it would be like in this economy. 
If it wasn't, there would be hell to pay. Again, I loved being on the studio lot, but that was it. Some of my studio co-workers had been assistants for years because it is really hard to move up. You also have to kiss a lot of a$$ and play a lot of brown-nosing games, and I just don't have the personality to do that. After the sony job ended, I decided to go back to writing, which was my first love. I have now been a freelance writer for several years, but I don't regret pursuing my L.A. entertainment pr dreams. You have to live and learn! 
