Congratulations! You really did it. Either you signed with reps or had a project get you some buzz and you are about to go around town and take a bunch of general meetings. What does that mean exactly? Well, the meeting isn’t actually about the project you were just involved in and there is nobody standing behind a door with a Publishers Clearing House oversized check with the amount of zeroes that will make you quit all your day jobs for it. It means that an interested party wants to meet with you generally, about everything: what you’ve previously created, what you will do next, who you are, and what you are about. These meetings typically last forty-five minutes to an hour, and usually come with free parking and water, sometimes coffee, tea, and a souvenir business card.
The objective is to get to know each other and see if there is enough common ground to work on something together either presently or in the future. Hollywood calendars are filled with general meetings. Some folks find them absolutely pointless, others worthwhile. Some have gotten paid gigs out of them, others use it to sharpen their meeting and oratory skills. Sometimes there is an opportunity lurking in the background that is yours for the taking if you can unlock it, other times the handshake and the banter keep you top of mind for an upcoming opportunity.
Do your Google. Research doesn’t end when you’re done with academia. We live in a world where you can find out where someone is from or went to school, or what they did at their last job/position, without having to hire a private investigator. Know who you are sitting down with, and know what the company is all about. What are their previous credits, what projects do they have coming up, what kind of stuff do they do and don’t do, who have they worked with?
Be Memorable. The meeting is a big deal for you. Maybe the only one you have that day or that week. But I assure you, it’s just one of a million for them. So make sure to stand out. They almost always start with Tell me about yourself. So have an answer prepared that is clever, succinct, and sets you up to succeed out the gate. Don’t fumble on the easiest question. If you are going to pitch/talk about something you are working on, make sure you’ve practiced it. The more polished and articulate you are, the more impressive you become. This meeting could lead to them putting you in touch with other artists (actors, writers, directors, producers, show runners) and you want to make them feel comfortable and confident to talk you up, vouch for you, and recommend you to their boss, partner, co-worker, or client.
Maximize your meeting. You can do this by following up afterwards and keeping in touch every once in a while. Congratulate them on moving a project forward, or when they get promoted or change companies. Or maybe you have new material you are involved with in a creative capacity or you’ve identified a story you think might be right for them. Reach out.
You did it! You demystified a term you’ve heard on numerous occasions, but may not be that familiar with. If this is your first water bottle tour, always take the water, and enjoy the process. And remember, like with most things in life: you get what you put into it.
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Note From Tongal: “Hollywood General Meetings Demystified" is part of a series of Tongal Community-written blog posts that were originally sourced in the Tongal Blog Open Call Project. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Tongal. Read more Tongal Community-written posts here and then Pitch us a topic you'd like to write about for the Tongal Blog!
