by Carole M. Kirschner
Book Review by Ann Baldwin
Carole Kirschner has earned the respect among her peers and
worked as a senior-level creative television executive for sixteen years,
including stints at CBS and as Vice President of Television at Steven
Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment, where she helped to develop Murphy Brown, Designing Women, and Steven Spielberg Presents Tiny Toon
Adventures. She then became an educator, teaching at USC’s School
of Cinematic Arts and UCLA
Extension. She created and runs two innovative training programs: The CBS
Diversity Institute Writers Mentoring and The Hollywood Assistant Training
Program. She worked with writer/producer Jeffrey Melvoin to develop
curriculum for the Writers Guild of America Show-runner Training Program and as
the director, is responsible for overseeing it. Carole leads popular industry
seminars on networking, pitching, and self-marketing for creative
professionals. Through her career consulting practice, she teaches clients what
they need to do to succeed. In her book, Hollywood
Game Plan: How to Land a Job in Film, TV, or Digital Entertainment (Michael
Wiese Production 2012), Carole guides you through a step-by-step process,
explaining the unwritten rules of breaking into Hollywood and rising up the
ranks to build a solid, successful, and long-lasting career.
Whether you’re a new film student or recent grad, changing
from one area within the industry to another, or transitioning from a different
field of work outside the industry, Carole will not only get you through the
gated doors of Hollywood, but also show you how to stay in the room and score the
needed points to win your way to the top.
She’ll get you prepared, connected, focused, and hired.
You’ll learn how to develop your ‘Personal A-Story’, where and how to properly
network, and the three types of mentors to seek-out and cultivate a
relationship with. Carole reveals her secrets to an effective job search with
five simple steps, the power prep, and “giving good meeting”.
Each chapter includes Insider Tips, examples and quotes from
current players working the field at all levels, and two fun and unique
exercises to help you implement the strategies and accelerate your progress.
You’ll also find an excellent Glossary of Industry Terminology, a humorous
Hollywood-English Writers Dictionary, and an extensive Industry Resources
Section along with sample resumes.
Hollywood Game Plan
is like spring training; it prepares you for peak performance with the seasoned
professionals, when every move counts. Carole is the perfect coach to help you
get your game-face on, guide you through every play, and keep you going strong. I highly recommend Hollywood
Game Plan for everyone entering into the film, TV, or digital entertainment
industry or transitioning into a new area of the business, who wants to play
their best ‘A’ game and secure their position as a member of the major leagues
of Hollywood.
To connect with Carole Kirschner, you can visit her website
at www.hollywoodgameplan.com
and purchase a copy of Hollywood Game
Plan at Michael Wiese Productions or Amazon.
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