NICK’S BLOG

Things look bad right now, that’s for sure. I can’t believe that in a few short years the entire country’s economy has gone to “hell in a hand-basket.” People I know are on the verge of losing their houses, their health insurance, and most certainly their retirement. What the hell has happened here?

Well I’ll tell you: irresponsibility and greed. That’s the reason, and now we’re all paying the price for it.

I recently went to a job fair in Boston (one of many in the last few months). This one was a multi-industry job fair at the Radisson Hotel near Boston’s Back Bay. I could not believe the staggering amount of people trying to get into this lack-luster event. We stood out in the cold for a long time just waiting to get into the lobby and onto the elevators. Then we were herded into a long serpentine line before getting into the modest-sized ballroom where the exhibitors were waiting. It was like trying to get to the observation deck of the Empire State Building!

As we waited in line I spoke with a few of the attendees. These were men and women who were all professionals ages ranging from late twenties to early fifties. In other words: everyone.

What a damn shame to know that as your career is reaching its apex and you hope to retire in about ten to fifteen years, you are suddenly let go and everything you’ve worked for hangs in the balance!

Whether you’re a career changer or someone who is desperately trying to get back into the field that you’ve worked so hard at all your professional life, it makes little difference—the economy does not care, you’re a “cog in the economic wheel” and that’s it.

After getting into the event room, the level of disappointment seemed to know no bounds as the breadth of the exhibitors numbered only in the few and represented industries that are not high on the list of what people are looking for theses days. They were mostly sales-based exhibitors which does no good for the software engineer or the project manager who is trying to get another so-called stable opportunity to work in that area again.

Job fairs can be useful networking tools if you know how to network, but as a means to dig up a new opportunity like your last one, they leave a lot to be desired. But at least they’re there and should be appreciated for what they are.

So now what? Give up like that guy in LA who killed his 4 children, wife, and himself? That is an unspeakable tragedy that simply can not go unnoticed.

No. This kind of stuff needs to be resolved. The economy needs to be turned around, and people desperately need help.

Sure this week a whole bunch of companies announced job cuts that numbered into the 70,000 range! Another “ponzi-scheme” SOB was caught. And the economy will get worse before it gets better. You can thank the previous administration’s “loosing of the reigns” that allowed the Wall Street fat cats to run amok for this mess! And we gave them more money in a damn bailout that’s done nothing for us. It’s stuff like that that I am surprised people aren’t rioting in the streets over. One of these days there’s going to be an old-fashioned lynch mob outside of Bernie Madoff’s posh Manhattan penthouse where he’s enjoying his luxurious house arrest!

I worry too. I lost my job shortly before the economic meltdown at the height of my company’s success. The irony. I had just bought a new house, and my infant daughter was due to arrive in a few weeks. Fortunately for me I had stocked-piled some money (that was going to go towards retirement, “yeah, right”), and I managed to make a case for unemployment compensation. But the well will eventually run dry and then where will I be? My wife and daughter are depending on me and I can not let them down. Nor am I ever going to give up!

And that’s what we’re really talking about here: not giving up. Don’t give up! Never give up!

My best friend, Dan, once said to me, “the only way you’ll guarantee that you will fail is if you give up.”

Damn right!

Get out there and fight for what you want! Fight for your family, and fight for your dreams!

I have only a few small goals in mind: successfully launch a writing career, make enough money to give my wife a break so she won’t have to work (she more than deserves it), take care of my daughter and give her the proper education she needs, keep the house over our heads, and retire at a decent age. My dream is to stay home, write, watch my daughter grow up, and treat my wife to nice things. What else is there?

This group that I go to has helped me immeasurably. They are called WIND. Which is an acronym for “Wednesday Is Networking Day.” Of course my regional group (for southern Massachusetts) meets on Thursdays but the name is still cool. This group of professionals is supportive and inspiring, and they have the tools to help you get back into the workforce again. Help is the operative word here as you still have to do the work. But you’re not alone.

So take heart. I still believe better days are ahead.

Nick

I just attended an awesome Massachusetts film industry conference called: Jobs, Camera, Action!

This event was sponsored by the Massachusetts Film Office.

Here’s an NECN report on the event; then read my story below of my adventures at this exciting gathering.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Watch this at Boston.com

 

 

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So here’s my story:

I went to my WIND networking group meeting last Thursday and the facilitator, Larry Elle, gave me a flyer about the film industry conference happening a few days hence (on Saturday). I was very excited about this and made sure that I could attend. My wife, Sue, was even excited for me to go.

Well, the morning of the conference I looked up the location on the MFO website and my heart sank as I saw that the event was “sold out!” I couldn’t believe it. I was so psyched to go and knew that this was something that an aspiring screenwriter such as myself should be at. So I decided to say, “screw it, I’m crashing this party anyway!”

With some newfound determination and inspiration (from President Barack Obama as an example of believing on one’s self and accomplishing anything you can set your mind to), I drove to the Intercontinental Hotel in Boston where the event was being held.

I valeted my car, and went inside. Then I saw an amazing sight: the line of people preparing to get into the event was massive! I couldn’t believe how many people there were. There had to have been at least a thousand or more people there. Well, I knew that I was going to have to work hard to get into this event, even if I had to “scale the walls” to do it.

Speaking with some people in line I discovered that the event coordinators were NOT taking walk-ins; I knew that I was screwed.  So I decided to do what any entrepreneurial aspiring screenwriter would do in a situation like this: bribe one of the guys at the registration desk.

I took out a $50 bill and folded up a copy of my resume to hide it in. When I finally got to the reg desk, I picked out the most likely corruptible suspect that I could find and went over to him. He asked for my reg receipt and I proceeded to slip him the money.

To his credit he said to me, “I’m sorry sir, but the event is sold out.”

And I replied, “are you sure?” Hinting towards the fifty.

But he wasn’t biting. Damn!

Well, I didn’t know what I was going to do–then divine providence smiled upon me…

I looked down and there in my other hand was a blank name tag with the event’s logo proudly printed upon its face! I was shocked. How did this happen? Who cares?

I took out my pen and scribbled in large letters: Nick Iandolo, Screenwriter upon it and hoped for the best.

And the best happened. I flashed the name tag to the gatekeeper guarding the escalator up to the grand ballroom where all the action was, and he waved me on through.

I was beyond psyched!

I got in! I got in! I got in!

I went into the main ballroom, sat down, and proceeded to pat myself on the back. I even texted my wife who was an old hand at working events to her advantage. I wrote that she would be very proud of me.

So the next major milestone that I needed to achieve was to try to make a connection with someone from Hollywood and pitch them one of my screenplays. Fortunately, there was just such an opportunity waiting to be had. Mr. Todd Arnow who was in town producing the new Bruce Willis movie called, Surrogates, was speaking on the first panel discussion group of the day.

Needless to say there were a lot of flamboyant people try to get his attention both during the discussion and after. But I bided my time and chose the right moment to strike.

I knew that I would only have precious seconds to pitch one script so I had better make it a good one.

Flanking around the crowd as the event staff was pulling Mr. Arnow away from the ravenous crowd, I managed to intercept him as he was going out the door. And then I struck.

“Mr. Arnow…” handing him my business card. “What if the one man who tried to stop World War One was the very person who started it? Artifact: The Heart Of Dracula–Nick Iandolo, screenwriter.”

And that was it. He said, “that’s very good,” and shook my hand. And then he exited.

And I was super psyched! For the first time in my career, I actually pitched a screenplay to a real Hollywood executive!

My confidence was through the roof. I texted my wife and my best friend, Dan Thron (an aspiring filmmaker living out in LA) and let them know what I had done. My wife was thrilled, and my buddy wrote back: YEAH! YEAH! YEAH! THAT’S HOW IT’S DONE!

I proceeded to network like crazy with other people (writers, local directors & producers, and other industry professionals). I got names and pitched more stories. Hell, I even managed to score up a free T-shirt of the shindig. I was on cloud nine. And I was getting a taste of what The Great American PitchFest was going to be like this June in LA.

At one point I ran into an actress friend of mine, Mary Ferrara, who was also there trying to ply her trade. We talked about how great it was to have something like this going on here in what is quickly becoming known as Hollywood East.

We were both excited about the future of the film industry here on the East coast, and hopefully for us as well (i.e. writers, actors, graphic artists, production assistants, sound engineers, etc.).

The economy may be in a tailspin right now, but I have a feeling that things will soon turn around. Certainly my best days as a writer are yet ahead of me. I feel it with every fiber of my being.

Later, after all the guests and crowds had dissipated and the event staff was closing up shop, I proceeded down to the bar to have myself a congratulatory beer for a job well done. Looking back on the day’s events, I was really proud of myself: not because I scammed my way into this event for free, but because I had the courage and the guile to set a goal for myself [get in and pitch] and reach it at all costs. And I did it–a sign of things to come.

It was a damn good beer…

Hey, hey, Everyone, Nick Iandolo here. I’ve just completed putting together the Nick’s Blog component of my TenthSphere.com website. I’m using WordPress 2.7 to pull this off. I’m going to start writing up a storm here and I want all of you to do the same.

Let’s see what we can create together!