Recently at a Los Angeles Penn event, I bumped into Penn alum Rob Golenberg (W'87, ZBT). Rob has been in the Hollywood biz now for over 20 years now and is currently the VP and Head of TV Literary and Packaging at the Gersh Agency. (I've known about Rob for years now because some Penn friends have had great experiences working for him.)
As you've seen in many of the Hollywood alumni I cover on DT, no one person's path is the same. In Rob's case, he made a big career change early on in his career to Hollywood and has had quite an interesting journey since!
After the jump, learn more about Rob's path from Penn to Hollywood agent and his solid advice to anyone looking to becoming an agent or getting into the entertainment business.
A must read for any Penn alum or undergrad looking to go Hollywood!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Last time we checked in with aspiring LA TV writer Rob Forman (W'06), he taught us all about "spec scripts" and what you do with them once you're done in order to pursue a Hollywood career.
After his summer hiatus, Rob has now returned back to work as a writers assistant on "Army Wives" and is sharing some great tips for anyone thinking about writing a TV script.
After the jump,
- learn what writing accomplishment Rob achieved this summer
- what his job as writer's assistant is on "Army Wives" (minute 2:45)
- why his wrist hurts
- read Rob's original pilot spec and act 2 from his "Glee" spec
- listen to Rob's words of wisdom about "structure" and how to approach specs using colorful notecards.
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Wednesday, September 7, 2011
At the beginning of this past summer, our "15 second clip" correspondent Kelly Diamond (C'13) was just about to start her fantastic internships at a Nickelodeon and Mandeville Pictures.
She told us about how she researched getting these internships, what you need to know about moving from Penn to LA and what responsibilities she had at these internships
Now that the summer is over, Kelly is back at Penn with a great follow-up for us about her summer internships and 10 career tips she learned this summer you don't want to miss! (especially the invaluable lesson Nickelodeon taught her!)
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
A couple of weeks ago we met aspiring LA TV writer Rob Forman (W'06) and he told us about his journey from Penn to LA, the agency he first worked at, and the TV shows on which he's been a writer's assistant.
In today's installment, Rob talks to us about the steps he's taking from being an aspiring TV writer to a "paid" writer. (Note the Rob's masterful use of "air quotes" throughout the video : ) )
After the jump, listen to Rob talk about:
- "spec scripts" and which TV shows he has written spec scripts for
- what to do once you have finished a spec script
- what has "fallen out of fashion" in terms of writing TV scripts
- which popular writing competitions he has submitted to ...which you should as well! (and which one he was a finalist in!)
- what he's working on now
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Recently, comic, producer and casting director Lesley Wolff (C'93, Bloomers), appeared on the Laughing Matters Panel at the SAG Foundation and was dishing out advice about what actors and comics should do with what they send to casting directors.
After the jump watch this clip where Lesley talks about a big trap actors and comics often fall into when sending their reels.
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Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Last fall, we started our "An Actor's Path" vlog series with Penn alum Alex Weber (C'09, Lacrosse). Throughout this year we're tracking Alex's journey as a new actor here in Hollywood.
Recently, Alex shared with us that he starred in a commercial with some of his idols. In this month's episode, Alex debuts the commercial to us and redoes something important now for a fourth time!
Find out what after the jump!
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Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Last fall, we started our "An Actor's Path" vlog series with Penn alum Alex Weber (C'09, Lacrosse). Throughout this year we're tracking Alex's journey as a new actor here in Hollywood.
In my Alex's last post on DT, Alex starred in a commercial with some of his idols.
In this month's episode, Alex talks about a big budget commercial he was cast in, what important "actor" task he needs to finish very soon, his return to Penn, and how important networking is for an actor.
More after the jump...
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
NBC is Giving This Penn Alum "Friends with Benefits"...and How You Can Get A Studio To Produce Your TV Pilot
For all those aspiring Penn TV writers, here's some advice for you, if you write a hit film, studios are more receptive to giving you your own TV pilot.
Case in point for one talented Penn alum...
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Back in October, we started our "An Actor's Path" vlog series with Penn alum Alex Weber (C'09, Lacrosse).Just a few months in LA, Alex is definitely being very proactive with his career. Last month he got his new headshots and this month he signed with a print agency and got his new comp cards (see image to right). Plus he won an athletic contest to meet a Hollywood casting director.
Per Alex, this month,
"After finishing the play and coming back from the holidays, I'm looking to pursue as many opportunities as I can in pilot season. Always trying to gain exposure and fortunate to have been selected from a casting call to work with a production company that combines sports in films (see pic below). Also enrolling at additional acting studios to receive different techniques and training."Listen to more of what he has to say in his vlog above!
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Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Last month, we started our "An Actor's Path" vlog series with Penn alum Alex Weber (C'09, Lacrosse).One month in and he's already playing around with changing his name.
In his first vlog he talked about how acting classes and networking are key to pursuing an acting career in LA.
This month, he talks about:
- what new medium he's acting in now
- his ongoing classes
- what he's doing for money
- new workshops he's taking
- his decision to get new headshots and why he's changing his name (not a strange thing...afterall, she changed her last name from "Mitchell" because of THIS actress)
- which LA networks are important to be a part of
Alex/Bryant's addendum to this vlog HERE +/-
Which casting director workshops/classes have you been attending?
A casting director by the name of Jeffery Passero is the director of my play and it has been beneficial building a relationship with him. He has cast for several films, and plans to continue in the future. Sports Studios is a production company geared at athletics in films. Being an actor and former Division 1 athlete, this type of production is a great fit for me. I have been consistently in an on-camera class geared towards audition technique. It has been invaluable in terms of learning appropriate strategy to succeed on auditions.
Why did you get new headshots?
Having new headshots done was necessary due to the caliber of the competition's. It was originally suggested by an agent as well as my acting teacher. I agreed in that I wanted a photo that more accurately represented what I look like in person. (his old headshot HERE)
Why did you change your name?
The name change is a work in progress. It will either be Alex Bryant Weber or Bryant Weber. The motivation stems from the fact that most young actors tend to have unique names.
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Thursday, October 15, 2009
More help for Penn creative types from DT!
In DT's effort to document, archive and help out aspiring creative alumni, in addition to our "Tuesday Tips" series, we are beefing up our vlog series so you can get first hand accounts of tips and progress from our alumni out in the field.
In August we started an exclusive DT Vlog series from THESE 2 recent alumni living in Austin pursuing a music career.
And now, we have another new exclusive DT series from recent Penn alum Alex Weber (C'09, Lacrosse, ) pursuing an acting career here in Los Angeles...
Friday, July 31, 2009
Those who succeed in Hollywood, are those that are in it for the long haul.
Case in point: Jonathan London (C'01, WQHS Radio, The Hollywood Club)
After film school, Jonathan stuck to his guns, got to know the right people and created really well produced films you'll want to see. Pay attention to this guy Hollywood alumni...he's doing some really good films...
CLICK HERE to learn how did Jonathan got his start, what led to his success and watch two professionally produced short films of his you will love. (hint: if you love stories having to do with being single and/or love Ninja comedies, then you'll love these!)
How did Jonathan get his start?
Per Jonathan,
"After graduating from Penn in 2001 I entered the Film MFA program at Columbia. I had been accepted to Columbia and USC but ultimately chose Columbia for their approach to self-financing your film, the faculty they had on staff and their support for owning your own film. I was a fan of the directors coming out of the school and I don't think other schools could compete with recent grads like James Mangold, Kimberley Pierce and Greg Mottola (to name a few). A lot of other schools had more storied reputations but I was excited for what was currently going on at the school.Stay tuned this fall when DT announces another big endeavor Jonathan has been working on!
I left in 2003, moved to L.A. and shot a film for school called Gay By Dawn (featured in Pennfest 2006 - program HERE, photos HERE). It was a comedy horror short and it played really well at festivals for about two years. I knew it played well with festival audiences because it was weird, but just kept sending it to any festival that would take it and was shocked that it lived so long.
At the same time, I was working as a PA runner for a few different film companies. One of the companies was Fox Television Studios and I made friends with the assistants and gave them copies of my movie. About two years after THAT, the assistants had moved up the ranks and were now executives and needed to bring in projects of their own to develop. Luckily, any DVD that reads "Gay By Dawn" in big letters really stands out on a shelf so I got some calls and pitched my series ideas.
The one that really struck a chord was "Singledom", which I think is pretty relatable for people a few years out of college who are lost in the post-grad limbo.
I wrote and directed a presentation for "Singledom" and while that went through sales pitches and further development the studio asked me to take a look at a project they had called "When Ninjas Attack". My geeky enthusiasm and ridiculous knowledge of old ninja and kung fu movies made it a pretty good fit and a few weeks later the scripts were written and I was directing the six episodes that are being released this summer."
HOT TIP!: Get some of Jonathan's great tips HERE and learn about a great free screenwriting tool he's using that I didn't even know about until he mentioned it!
More posts from my "Penn's REEL deals" series
More of my Funny Friday posts
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Tuesday, March 24, 2009
I recently got an email from Rachel Pearlman (C'07) a recent Penn grad (with a Masters in Film and Television Producing) who is looking for assistant positions in the Entertainment industry.
As you may have suspected, this has been a question I continue to get from aspiring undergrads and alumni anxious to get into the biz.
My advice to Rachel ...and all of you HERE
More DT Original Entertainment Career paths and advice in:
- Acting: (from a guy's and girl's perspective)
- Advice for the actor who wants to move out to LA
- A Penn Alum Casting Director to Actors/Comics: Don't Fall into this trap
- Music
- TV and Film production
- TV writing
- A Successful screenwriting career not living in LA?
- Advice from a panel of Penn Hollywood alumni who've made it (videos)
- THE PENN MAFIA and getting a job in Hollywood (from this recent grad's perspective)
Plus the best paid internship in entertainment you don't know about!
More of my Tuesday Tips HERE
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Tuesday, September 23, 2008
This author ...and High School Principal(!) just published her third novel (her other books here) this year, entitled WHEN THE LIGHTS GO DOWN (Kensington - Dafina Books).
Rachel's books are contemporary fiction and per Rachel can be branded African American fiction, because most of the characters are African American, or as "chick lit," because the central characters are female.
Per Rachel,"My books tend to address the age group of the main characters, and the issues that people of that particular age group face. TRUTH BE TOLD is about coming of age on a college campus, very much inspired by my time at penn. NO MORE LIES captures that time when you're out of school and living on your own and trying to figure yourself out. WHEN THE LIGHTS GO DOWN focuses on folks who are turning thirty and making those major life decisions about career, family, and lifestyle.Rachel tells me that she was originally C'99 but graduated a year early to spend the extra year getting a masters.) In addition to this she was involved in the following activites: Admissions Tour Guide, Service Learning through the Center for Commnunity Partnerships, Writer for The Vision (Penn's African American Student Newspaper), Graduate Advisor for DuBois College House, Writing Advisor in Writer's House )
What inspired Rachel to start writing? ...Which famous Penn alumni have been mentors to her? ...And what are her tips to YOU? The answers got me chuckling... Find out more here!Click here to read a quick synopsis and the first chapter to WHEN THE LIGHTS GO DOWN ...+/-
Kahlila Bradford keeps a written record of all of the qualities she wants in her mate. With hundreds of items on her list and counting, it's no wonder that she's still single. Realizing that she could stand to cut loose a little, Kahli decides to leave Boston for a spell and spend a sizzling summer in Harlem - no lists and no limits.
Once in New York, Kahli meets the one man who can actually exceed her expectations. Darius Wilson is the hottest thing in R&B, with charisma to spare and a genuine interest in what Kahli thinks of his music. It isn't long before Kahli is dying to give him more than just her opinion, and she suddenly she is center stage at the side of a celebrity.
But autumn's arrival means returning home and getting back to reality. Now it's time for Kahli to ask herself some serious questions about how much she's willing to give up to keep living in the spotlight, and what's really important ... when the lights go down.
First Chapter:
Rachel's website hereGet WHEN THE LIGHTS GO DOWN
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Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Every Penn success story in Hollywood has an interesting beginning and the following is another must-read for ambitious undergrads and alumni looking to stand out and charter the entertainment waters.
Get the details on how Sonny Lee (C'03) became a TV staff writer for a popular show premiering this week!
Two years ago Sonny Lee’s (C'03, PennSix, Full Measure, Penn Admissions) job “sucked” so he took matters into his own hands which jump started his Hollywood writing career and soon began writing as a staff writer for It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. (he also acted in an episode called "Mac and Charlie Die: Part Two," where he played Quan, Danny DeVito's new potential roommate -see image below.)
"Charlie, Mac and Dennis decide that since gas prices have doubled over the last year, why not buy up a bunch of gas now, store it in the bar for a year, and then sell it back for a huge profit? Meanwhile, Dee and Frank are convinced that Dee's biological father, Bruce Mathis, is funding terrorists when he donates to a local Muslim community center."
Click here to find out how Sonny took his career into his own hands!
...Then get Sonny's tips on being a TV writer here!
and more of my Tuesday Tips here!
Other Penn writers here!
Sonny's blog here
Catch up on all 3 seasons available for free here
New to DT? 14 easy suggestions to get started!
See which Penn undergrads and alumni are registered on DuelingTampons.com
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Submitting a story to Dueling Tampons: What you need to know...
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Earlier today, I posted about Allison Winn Scotch’s (C’95) novel The Department of Lost and Found.
While the book’s story was intriguing, an even more intriguing story is how Allison actually became a published novelist. Like many creative careers, it's a story of perseverance.
I've been speaking with Allison over the past few weeks and she has shared valuable, specific tips with us on the following topics:
- How to get published
- How to land an agent
- What classes to take
- What books an aspiring author should read
- Writing programs to use
- Events for networking
- Groups to Join
In coming weeks, watch this space for advice from 6 additional published Penn novelists!
Join the DuelingTampons Facebook Group!
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Tuesday, April 15, 2008
One of my reasons above
After I posted my Now and Then Thursdays: Accepted at Penn article, I got the following email from high school senior Carissa Clark:
"Hi again - so I was just watching the video you posted and saw underneath that you were accepted into both Cornell and Penn. I have the same dilemma. I'm almost positive I will be attending Penn. What were some of the things that shaped your decision?"
So what shaped my decision?
Click here to find out what shaped my decision and the decisions of a ton of our undergrads & alumni!(be sure to add your story as well!)
If you do decide to go, check out these videos of all the places you can live on campus! (but you want to try to live here your freshman year!)
More Tuesday Tips HERE
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Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Back in February I posted a Tuesday Tip article with "Advice for the actor who wants to move out to LA".
As a follow-up to that article, one important marketing tip that an actor should consider these days is to create a reel of his/her work. That reel should be posted on your facebook account as well as for other Penn alumni to see!
On this note, talented video editor David Chalfin (C'96) is offering up his editing services (at a good rate!) to Penn undergrads and alumni looking to create their demo reel.
Click here to check out his work and get more information!
My posts about Penn Actors on TV and in Movies
Check out my Headshot Hotties section here!
More Tuesday Tips here
Join the DuelingTampons Facebook Group!
See which Penn undergrads and alumni are registered on DuelingTampons.com
Check out our 800+ Penn videos
Add yourself to our facebook, friendster and/or myspace profiles!
Submitting a story to Dueling Tampons: What you need to know...
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
(l to r:) Melisa Kirkup (C'01) & Ashley Berger (C'06)The other day I got an email from undergrad senior Ryan Townsend (C'08) who was interested in moving out to Los Angeles to pursue a career in Entertainment Marketing and/or Publicity.Penn alumni Melisa Kirkup (C'01, Universal Marketing) and Ashley Berger (C'06, Warner Brothers Marketing) chimed in with some good tips regarding job searching and answering the #1 question most LA bound undergrads have: "Can I secure a job in Los Angeles before moving out there?"
Click here to read their helpful advice to Ryan! (and/or submit your own!)
Be sure to check out my other Entertainment related Tuesday Tips!
Three days left to enter our March contest: My Mugs for Yours!
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Tuesday, March 18, 2008
After I posted my Tuesday Tip on advice for the undergrad who wants to move out to LA to become a writer, Matt Lintner (C'00) asked "Is it possible to have a successful screenwriting career and not live in LA??
Some of our writer alumni chimed in with their take...
Check out their responses here! (and add yours!)
My other "Tuesday Tips"
Get the scoop on other Penn Writers
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Check out our 800+ Penn videos
Sign up for daily emails to get notified about alumni and undergraduate updates! (click here to see a newsletter)
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