Yoh magazine september14

QUIZ: HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE IT IN THE ENTERTAINMENT WORLD? 4 SHOCKING TRUTHS ABOUT JOBS IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY

THE SHOW MUST GO ON A NEW DAWN FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY © 2014 Yoh Services LLC | A Day & Zimmermann Company

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WHAT’S INSIDE 03 The Show Must Go On: A New

Dawn for the Entertainment Industry

10 Quiz: Have What it Takes to Make it in the Entertainment World?

15 4 Shocking Truths About Jobs in the Entertainment Industry

THE SHOW MUST GO ON: A NEW DAWN FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY In an era where on demand is in demand, the war on talent has become a war on time.

Perhaps no American industry has experienced as much upheaval in the past 10 years as entertainment.

Once governed by clear-cut production, distribution, broadcast, and copyright rules, today entertainment is caught in a hail storm of change.

In music, downloadable and streamable services have killed off major record labels and redefined the merchandising and retailing of everything from Yanni to Kings of Leon. In movies, a new on-demand era of consumer expectation has transformed flat screens and Internet connections into 3D-enabled high definition home theaters. The chaos continues in cable TV. Today more than a third of all downstream bandwidth is consumed by Netflix. Broadcasting as we once knew it has been splintered into hundreds of different cable channels all serving niche microaudiences. Š 2014 Yoh Services LLC | A Day & Zimmermann Company

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A new era of ubiquitous displays provides an unprecedented variety of viewing options, from iPhone to tablet to laptop to LCD. And all of this is taking place on demand, at the exact moment the consumer wants it, no matter the location. Airport coffee house, dorm room, subway, park bench. The good news behind all this is that the chaos carries enormous opportunity.

In the past decade, the entertainment industry grew by 50 percent. The video game industry alone accounted for $67 billion in revenue in 2013, nearly double the global box office revenue of the movie industry. Of course there have been some casualties in recent years, as both Fox Animation Studios and United Artists filed for bankruptcy. But for every media giant that has fallen, a new player has emerged. Spotify for music, Hulu for TV, YouTube for news, and of course Netflix for movies. In this new environment, employee opportunities are abundant. The entertainment industry employs 247,000 workers across every level of talent, from set carpenters to network execs, social media managers to street teams of kids hawking a new release in Times Square. In short, there’s opportunity in the madness.

Š 2014 Yoh Services LLC | A Day & Zimmermann Company

But the rules of entertainment employment have also been re-written by these sweeping industry changes.

Short-termism is all the rage. The entertainment executives know that to find profit and exploit niche markets, they have to move quickly and nimbly, reducing selling cycles from years to months, months to weeks, weeks to days.

Take this summer’s release of the campy and self-aware “Sharknado 2: The Second One.” The tongue-in-cheek SyFy blockbuster drew in 3.9 million viewers when it was released direct to TV on July 30. To generate buzz, Sharknado relied on a short-term, high-impact social media marketing program that required an army of creative and technical talent to execute over a matter of weeks. Behind that success are hundreds of shortterm, contingent jobs that demand a wide range of creative, promotional, and technical savvy.

To meet such a fast and furious pace, many entertainment companies are relying on payrolling as an effective strategy to access highly skilled pools of talent on a short-term basis. Payrolling is an employment industry term for when clients ask for the exact candidate they need for a job. Staffing © 2014 Yoh Services LLC | A Day & Zimmermann Company

companies carry the employment obligation, keeping these specific professionals on their own payroll so they can be instantaneously deployed to meet clients’ needs.

The entertainment industry is now effectively using payrolling to offload the carrying and benefits costs of permanent employees, while also bypassing the procurement, human resources, and onboarding processes. Many of these employees are specialists, from makeup artists and costume designers to editors, composers, and programmers to the management professionals who understand how to deploy and execute a highly creative project with a limited timeline and strict budget.

“The entertainment industry is well aware of the benefits of payrolling, which harks back to the days when staffing companies provided extras for movies,” says Monica Lucero, Strategic Account Director of Media & Entertainment at Yoh. “Since then it’s become an art of its own, with staffing companies working hand-in-glove with the entertainment industry in order to bring in talent as quickly as possible to keep a project on schedule and under budget.” p. 5

Take Amilcar Bonnett for instance. ““The economic downturn a few years ago prompted me to seek contracting opportunities, and Yoh was a perfect fit to help me do so. By working with them I’ve been able to continue gaining relevant and timely skills that have positioned me well for future opportunities,” says Bonnett. “Today my resume and personal growth reflect the necessary skills and professionalism that employers want, and because of that I feel much more marketable.”

Bonnett is just one example of where the entertainment industry draws talent. Certainly creativity is the lifeblood of the industry, but so, too, are legal and professional skills. The entertainment industry today is firmly rooted in the economy of intellectual property, and protecting and leveraging that intangible asset requires tremendous legal and professional expertise.

“The talent to manage highly profitable, short-term projects is a skill unto itself,” says Lucero. “In a business sense, these professionals need to understand the power, potential, and profit of intellectual property, as well as the legal cornerstones of its careful stewardship. Royalties, revenues, commission splits, copyright fees, and publishing rights backstop the entire industry. And while these revenue sources might flow uniquely in entertainment, they still require deep insight into © 2014 Yoh Services LLC | A Day & Zimmermann Company

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accounting, finance, budgeting, control, monitoring, and ultimately, collection.”

That business talent—the suits—often considered the dark side of the business, has to be balanced against the creative enterprise. At its heart, the entertainment industry depends on touching the hearts and souls of its audience, whether through music, movies, broadcast, or games. Understanding art, production, and pop culture is often a shared responsibility of everyone who touches the industry, and new digital pathways have assured that more individuals can more easily touch the industry.

From 2008 to 2010, the number of book titles produced more than quintupled to nearly 3.1 million as online publishing opened new launch pads for writers’ work.

The number of feature films produced globally grew 27 percent to 7,193 from 2005 to 2009. The global music industry is also transforming as independent artists grow in number and clout, from a quarter of the market share in 2007 to more than a third in 2013.

“Nowhere is the application of creativity a bigger business driver than in entertainment,” says Lucero. © 2014 Yoh Services LLC | A Day & Zimmermann Company

“And while the industry has been under tremendous upheaval, it continues to grow exponentially as access increases and production is democratized worldwide.”

Consider YouTube. Every day, users upload 144,000 hours of video, which would take more than 16 years to watch. Enterprising individuals are building entire careers, capturing audiences, and earning advertising income from the shared online video channel. Much of this employment is untracked. The BLS never counts the 16-year-old who just received a check for $10,000 because his viral video earned three million views.

Consider YouTube. Every day, users upload 144,000 hours of video, which would take more than 16 years to watch.

Even where employment is tracked, the numbers prove that the industry is healthy, growing, and should be of serious consideration to employees looking to build a creative career. For entertainment companies desperate to hire professionals who understand and can manage both the creative and business sides of the business, there are also new opportunities as the industry evolves and expands.

The entertainment industry is fundamentally different than it was 10 years ago. The Internet has enabled a new generation of artists and creatives to earn their p. 7

keep independent of the established studios, publishers, and record labels, while players like Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube continue to redefine the rules of the industry. But as media and technology collide, and more creative talent finds independent opportunities, sourcing the right employees quickly and efficiently is the only way for entertainment companies to meet the growing appetite for content. Now, more than ever, there’s no business like show business.

Š 2014 Yoh Services LLC | A Day & Zimmermann Company

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A STAR IS BORN Š 2014 Yoh Services LLC | A Day & Zimmermann Company

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QUIZ: HAVE WHAT IT TAKES

TO MAKE IT IN THE ENTERTAINMENT WORLD?

Do you have what it takes to make it in the booming US entertainment industry? Take the test and find out:

1. What’s your food of choice? a)

Finely aged cheese with crackers and fruit

b)

A Chipotle burrito bowl—yes, I know guacamole is extra

c)

A Caesar salad

d)

Whatever’s served at the new restaurant down the street

e)

Mac and cheese

© 2014 Yoh Services LLC | A Day & Zimmermann Company

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2. If you could take a free trip, which of the following destinations would you choose?

5. How many of these Academy Award nominated movies did you see in the past year?

a)

Château de Versailles

a) Nebraska

b)

Mt. Kilimanjaro

b)

Captain Phillips

c)

Times Square

c)

Dallas Buyers Club

d)

The Maldives

d) Gravity

e)

Hong Kong

e) Her

3. What’s your favorite part of going to the movies?

6. Quick, which image most appeals to you?

a)

The coming attractions

a)

Chaotic Labrador puppies

b)

The popcorn and candy

b)

An equestrian riding a horse

c)

The 3D glasses

c)

A really cute kitten

d)

A surprise ending

d)

The moon

e)

Who goes to the theater anymore?

e)

Raindrops on a leaf

4. What show have you always wanted to be a part of?

7. Which online music service do you subscribe to?

a)

Fear Factor

a)

Spotify

b)

How It’s Made

b)

iTunes

c)

The Bachelor/Bachelorette

c) Pandora

d)

Pawn Stars

d)

Other

e)

I don’t pay for a subscription; I get it for free

e) #DWTS © 2014 Yoh Services LLC | A Day & Zimmermann Company

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8. Which of these is not a best-selling video game? a)

Watch Dogs

b) Minecraft c) Starville d)

Mario Kart 8

e)

Call of Duty: Ghosts

9. Which historical figure do you most identify with? a)

Abraham Lincoln

b)

Joan of Arc

c)

Ghengis Khan

d) Cleopatra e)

Albert Einstein

10. Which high school stereotype are you? a) Jock b) Nerd c) Hipster d) Gamer e)

Class clown

Š 2014 Yoh Services LLC | A Day & Zimmermann Company

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Answer key: 1. If you chose B or D, give yourself a point. You have to be quick and adventurous. #foodpic.

2. For B, C, or E, give yourself a point. You’re crazy and ambitious enough to make it in the big show.

3. Give yourself a point for A, C, or D. Non-film junkies need not apply.

9. If you answered A, add a point. Few have failed throughout their life as epically as Lincoln. Few will be remembered as long. If you’re not failing, you’re not trying.

10. If you answered B, D, or E, give yourself one point. You might not be prom king or queen, but Hollywood will embrace you as one of its own.

4. If you chose A, B, or D, add a point. There won’t be many days on the job when you’re covered in scorpions, manufacturing crayons, or negotiating the sale of an heirloom button, but there will be a few. Be ready for anything.

Scores:

5. If you saw at least 4 out of 5, give yourself one point. Even if you only saw them after the Oscar nominations.

5-7: You’re more creative than most, but it’ll take

6. If you chose A, add one to your score. Embrace the chaos as much as the cuteness.

0-4: You better unleash your brain and embrace

7. Give yourself a point if you chose anything but E. How do you expect to find a job in entertainment if even you won’t pay for it?

8-10: Book a flight to Hollywood. You’re the kind of talent the entertainment industry needs.

some more work before you’re a star.

the industry if you want to make your entertainment dream a reality.

8. If you chose C, give yourself one point. We made that one up, but it sounds like an awesome game, right? Right?

© 2014 Yoh Services LLC | A Day & Zimmermann Company

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FAME & FORTUNE Š 2014 Yoh Services LLC | A Day & Zimmermann Company

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4 SHOCKING TRUTHS ABOUT JOBS IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY The entertainment industry has been sliced and diced in the news media, romanticized in countless movies and TV shows, and remains the mecca of many who dream of working in music, film, television, and video games. So with all the exposure the industry gets, you might think you know a bit about what it’s like to work in entertainment.

Yet the conceptions that many have about working in the industry sometimes fall a step or two short of the truth. Here, then, is the breath of fresh air you’ve been looking for: four shocking truths about working in the entertainment industry, and how you can get involved.

TRUTH #1.

A lack of formal skills won’t kill your chances. Unlike engineers or nurses, two professions requiring years in school, many jobs in the entertainment industry don’t require formalized skills. Many working in entertainment hone their talents © 2014 Yoh Services LLC | A Day & Zimmermann Company

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on the job. In the video game industry for example, the litmus test is the candidate’s passion for games, not whether he or she went to school for video game design. Some never went to college at all. Many work their way up from testers to creative directors, learning as they go.

TRUTH #2.

The stars aren’t the most important people in the industry. For all the jobs visible to the public—actors, directors, musicians—there are countless jobs that you might never see, hear, or think about that form the bedrock of the industry. The entertainment lawyers defending intellectual property. The key grips who oversee all the rigging for lighting and cameras on a movie set. The sound designers who create the sound effects that match on-screen action. The social media strategists who spark viral demand for a new game, movie, or album. Each as integral as the next to the success of the project, but most only as visible as their listing in the closing credits.

TRUTH #3.

Data scientists, not producers, increasingly determine

© 2014 Yoh Services LLC | A Day & Zimmermann Company

which shows are greenlit. The award-winning Netflix original series House of Cards would have been seen as a risky bet in the old world of network television.

Many scoffed at the two-year deal the show received without even a pilot episode—the tryout that every show once had to perform. But with a mass of data about viewer preferences and a team of data scientists and engineers to interpret that information, Netflix knew that House of Cards would resonate with its viewers. Based on that same data, Netflix also knew how to release the show—an entire season at a time, perfect for the binge-watching its viewers love.

The entertainment industry is expanding rapidly and jobs are created every day as new technologies offer different avenues to creating and delivering content.

The field is vast and opportunities abound for the right candidates that understand where their skills can best be applied, whether that’s in front of the camera, behind it, or nowhere near it.

TRUTH #4.

If you want to strike it rich, don’t become an actor or actress. While an A-list actress might command tens of millions of dollars for every film, the average actor isn’t so lucky. Unemployment is rampant, and the mean wage was just $41.94 per hour in May 2013. Other jobs, however, like talent agents and art directors can make considerably more. Talent agents made a mean hourly wage of $46.35, art directors made $46.46 per hour. While actors get the recognition of being on screen, those behind the scenes are just as vital to creating the next hit—and may make more in the process. © 2014 Yoh Services LLC | A Day & Zimmermann Company

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YOU NEED IT. WE HAVE IT.

Yoh is here. Yoh is there. Yoh is virtually everywhere. All in and busy going all out, doing everything it takes to take you where you want to go – forward. How? By foregoing the talent pool in favor of our own sea of talent, helping you find just the right person for the job or just the career you’ve been searching for.