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| TITLE: ecmjr.com MULTIMEDIA PORTFOLIO OF E.C.MCMULLEN JR. |
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E.C. McMullen Jr.
Preamble - The Internet Movie Database (IMDb.com) is the world's number 1 resource for everyone involved in filmmaking and television world-wide. Owned by Amazon.com, and a sister company of both BoxOfficeMojo and WithoutABox, IMDb has a public face as well as the pay wall side: IMDb Pro, for professionals in the industry. At cinema parties, no one actually working in the industry ever says "Google me". That is the ID of the Unknown Outsider: the kiss of death. IMDb is not Facebook or any other social media. It is all about The Business. And the only way you get listed there is if you have actually worked in some capacity in The Business. At those same movie functions, it is accepted that if you say you work in The Business and aren't immediately recognizable, people will whip their phones out right in front of you to IMDb your name. If you aren't listed, No Amount of excuse making will save you. You will be shut down faster than a wannabee with a handful of free Vista Print business cards. Count on it. IMDb is a verifiable identity more valuable than anything offered by anyone, anywhere.One of the cool tools in IMDb Pro, is INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS. This feature gives you a quick, Cliff Notes -style look at who you have worked with on which projects and who they have worked with on other projects. If you are playing a game of Six Degrees of Separation, you will be amazed at how close you are to some people. Here is my example,
In alphabetical order, these are only 6 of the biggest, A-List Writers, Directors, and/or Producers alive in Cinema today. James Cameron And these are only 16 of the many folks I've worked with on mutual projects. Courtney Bishop Now let's see a minute example of how IMDb.com (for those who have Pro) breaks down Industry Connections.
What it does NOT mean: that Cameron, Hurd, Spielberg, Del Toro, or Whedon are going to take my calls? Many people, often hundreds, sometimes thousands, are involved in making a movie, so brush that delusion away. What it DOES mean: within this industry you can build upon your every project, your every success, by helping others. For a fact, I've yet to work on an Indie production large or small or in development, when a Producer or Director did not take me aside and ask if I knew anyone who could do "X", and what experience did they have? Coming to the set with your own infrastructure is valuable especially to Independent filmmakers. Because it is not just what you know or who you know, but Who Knows that You Know Your Shit ! Why?: Filmmaking is a high stress, high risk business venture from every aspect, so Producers want to eliminate as much risk as possible. For Indie filmmakers, adrift without the Big Studio foundation, your reputation means everything. Maintain your team whether you are working together or not (even on the same movie, there are plenty of people working on the project who never see each other throughout the entire production). Know your industry connections.
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